2016 Harley-Davidson FLSTC: complaints, problems and recalls

REAR BEARINGS BLEW OUT AT 25,300 MILES. HARLEY DAVIDSON REPLACED THE BEARINGS. 350 MILES LATER, SAME REAR BEARING BLEW OUT AGAIN EXCEPT NOW THERE IS DAMAGE TO FLY WHEEL, TIRE SHROUD AND TIRE DUE TO TIRE SHIFTING TO LEFT SIDE OF MOTORCYCLE. POSSIBLE FENDER DAMAGE. *JS

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WHEEL BEARING ON RIGHT SIDE (BRAKE SIDE) OF REAR WHEEL CAME APART WHILE OPERATING THE MOTORCYCLE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE MOTORCYCLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR. MY MECHANIC HAS INFORMED ME THAT HE HAS SEEN AN UNUSUAL NUMBER OF PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE WITH THIS MODEL MOTORCYCLE.

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN A HILL AND I LET UP ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE BIKE BEGAN TO MOVE SIDE TO SIDE UNDER ME. WHEN I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE IT SMOOTHED OUT. I TOOK THE BIKE TO MY LOCAL HARLEY MECHANIC. HE LIFTED IT UP TO FIND THE REAR SPOKES COMPLETELY LOOSE. HE TIGHTENED THEM UP AND IT WAS FINE FOR A WHILE BUT I CONTINUED TO PERIODICALLY CHECK AND TIGHTEN THE SPOKES. A FRIEND HAD A 2005 FLSTC WITH 45000 MILES HE PURCHASED NEW AND NEVER HAD TO TIGHTEN THE SPOKES. MY MECHANIC HAS BEEN A HARLEY MECHANIC FOR 30 YEARS AND USED TO OWN HIS OWN DEALERSHIP. HE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLSTC MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE REAR WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE EIGHT SPOKES IN THE REAR WHEEL WERE LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE SPOKES WERE TIGHTENED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AND THE SPOKES CONTINUED TO BECOME LOOSE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED.…

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2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLSTC MOTORCYCLE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A SLIGHT WOBBLE WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE WOBBLE SOON BECAME NOTICEABLE ALL THE TIME AT ANY SPEED. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A LOOSE REAR WHEEL SPOKE. *JB

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SPOKES ON WHEEL LOOSEN ON A REGULAR BASIS. THIS MAY CAUSE THE SPOKES TO BREAK CAUSING THE RIM TO GO OUT OF ROUND AND POSSIBLY CAUSING THE WHEEL TO COLLAPSE. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM APPLIES TO ALL H-D BIG TWIN MODELS WITH THE 103CI AND LARGER ENGINES WITH THE STOCK WIRED WHEELS. *TR

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I HAVE NOTICED THAT BRAKE FLUID WEEPS OUT OF THE MASTER CYLINDER DUE TO A FAULTY RUBBER CAP GASKET... WHEN I CONTACTED THE LOCAL HARLEY DEALER IN METAIRIE LOUISIANA, I WAS IN FORMED THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR A LONG TIME... THEY HAVE KNOWN SO LONG THAT THEY HAVE FORMULATED DIFFERENT GASKET MATERIALS 3 (THREE) TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED MY MOTORCYCLE IN 2007.. THEY ALSO HAVE REPLACED BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR MASTER CYLINDERS DURING THE MOTORCYCLES 1000 MILE CHECKUP.... HOWEVER THE FLUID CONTINUES TO LEAK OUT... IT IS TO …

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WHILE DESCENDING A STEEP INCLINE AND ABOUT TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN IN LESS THAN 100 YARDS THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL, WHEN APPLIED, WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN RENDERING THE REAR BRAKE USELESS. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS BROUGHT TO A SAFE STOP BY USING THE FRONT BRAKE AND DOWNSHIFTING AND WAS ABLE TO BE SAFELY RIDDEN TO A LOCAL H-D DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT THE REAR STOP LIGHT SWITCH HAD FAILED RESULTING IN A MAJOR BRAKE FLUID RELEASE, THE SWITCH APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST. INTERESTING ENOUGH THERE WAS A RECAL…

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I HAVE BEEN HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY BRAKE LIGHT STAYING ON, AFTER TALKING TO A CERTIFIED HARLEY MECHANIC, WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE SPUR INSIDE THE BRAKE LEVER HAD EITHER WORN DOWN OR HAD BROKEN OFF. HE SAID THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS YEAR OF BIKE AND THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY WOULD HAVE TO BE DISASSEMBLED TO GET TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE WAS VERY SURPRISED THAT THERE HAD NOT BEEN A RECALL ON IT YET AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO KEEP MY FINGERS IN BETWEEN THE THROTTLE AND THE BRAKE LEVER TO KE…

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MY REAR BRAKES STOPPED WORKING WHILE IN MOTION. THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL BECAME ROCK SOLID & WOULD NOT DEPRESS. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS CHECKED & FOUND TO HAVE PLENTY IN THE RESERVOIR. I HAD A HARLEY DAVIDSON TECHNICIAN ANALYZE IT & WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS UNIT HAS GONE BAD, I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS ABS UNIT FOR HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES BUT ONLY THROUGH YEARS 2011. HOWEVER, I BOUGHT MY MOTORCYCLE ON 09-11-11 SO HAVE TO WONDER WHETHER MY MOTORCYCLE WOULD BE COVERED. THIS SAME TECHNICIAN SAYS HE HAS HAD TO REMEDY THIS DANGER…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HARLEY-DAVIDSON HERITAGE SOFTAIL (FLSTC). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR ABS WAS MALFUNCTIONING. WHEN THE CONTACT CHANGED THE REAR BRAKE PADS, THE BRAKE FLUID PRESSURE IN THE CALIPERS WAS NOT RELEASING SMOOTHLY. AS A RESULT, THERE WAS DRAG ON THE REAR WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOBACCO ROAD HARLEY-DAVIDSON (1126 S SAUNDERS ST, RALEIGH, NC 27603, [phone removed]) WHERE THEY HAD A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE THAT TESTED AND BLED THE BRAKE FLUID. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED; HOWEVER, THE CONTAC…

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WE BOUGHT A NEW 2016 HD SOFTAIL SLIM AND THE REAR BRAKE CYCLINDER WAS CRACKED BEFORE WE GOT IT HOME FROM THE DEALER. THIS COULD HAVE COST MY WIFE OR MYSELF OUR LIFE IF WE HADN'T NOTICE IT BEFORE WE WENT FOR A RIDE.

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'07 HARLEY DAVIDSON HERITAGE SOFTAIL -I WAS RIDING WITH A GROUP AND WE ACCIDENTALLY RAN INTO A PARADE DURING THE 4TH OF JULY. WE SAT IN TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES DURING WHICH TIME I HAD TURNED MY BIKE OFF AND GOT OFF OF IT DUE TO THE HEAT. AFTER 10 MINUTES OF NOT RUNNING I RESTARTED MY BIKE TO MAKE A U-TURN. HOWEVER THE MOTORCYCLE DIED DURING THE U-TURN ACROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE MOTORCYCLE UNTIL IT HAS COOLED DOWN. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO BE HIT BY A VEHICLE IF THE LANE WAS NOT BEING BLOCKED BY THE L…

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WHILE DRIVING HOME ON MY HARLEY DAVIDSON HERITAGE I WAS ON A VERY DARK ROAD SO I DECIDED TO TURN ON MY BRIGHT LIGHTS. I FLIP THE SWITCH THEN ALL THE HEAD LIGHTS WENT OUT ALMOST CAUSING ME TO CRASH. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FOUND OUT THAT THE 15 AMP FUSE WAS BLOWN. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE STOCK. *TR

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A FRIEND WAS FOLLOWING ME AND TOLD ME MY BRAKE LIGHT WAS STAYING ON. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND RELEASED IT, BUT THE LIGHT STAYED ON. I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO HARLEY DAVIDSON WORLD IN OKLAHOMA CITY FOR REPAIR. THEY REPAIRED IT BY REPLACING THE REAR BRAKE SWITCH. SINCE THEN HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS RECALLED ALL TOURING MODEL BIKES FROM 09 AND UP, BUT EXCLUDED SOFTTAIL MODELS LIKE MINE FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. ACCORDING TO THE RECALL, HEAT CAUSES THE CONTACTS ON THE SWITCH TO MELT CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHT TO EITHER STAY ON …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY DAVISON FLSTC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURNING SIGNALS FAILED TO ACTIVATE AND THAT THE SPEED ODOMETER WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,200.

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PULLING ONTO THE ROADWAY I HEARD A HISS THEN A POP AND SAW SOMETHING FLY IN FRONT OF THE HEADLIGHT. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE PASSING LAMPS HAD BLOWN OUT INTERNALLY

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WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT, MY CLUTCH DISENGAGED CAUSING MY MOTORCYCLE TO LUNGE FORWARD. I HAD TO APPLY BRAKE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CHANGE GEAR TO NEUTRAL AS CLUTCH WOULD NOT ENGAGE. LUCKILY I WAS FIRST IN LINE AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE IT INTO CROSSWALK IN FRONT OF MEDIAN. I AM NOT SURE IF IT WAS BECAUSE BIKE WAS HOT AS AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES IT RAN NORMAL INCLUDING CLUTCH. HOWEVER, RESEARCHING PROBLEM I NOTICED OTHER MAKES SAME YEAR HAD RECALL ON CLUTCH AND THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE USEFUL INFORMATION IN CASE OTHERS HAVE SIMILAR INCIDENCES TO PREVEN…

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2005 1450CC FRONT TIRES SHIMMIED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING CONSUMER TO DROP THE BIKE. *TS THE CONSUMER SON WAS INJURED. *JB

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WHEEL BEARING LOCKED UP ON REAR WHEEL. GILLETTE WY HARLEY DAVIDSON SERVICE FOREMAN TOLD ME THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS USED WERE KNOWN TO FAIL AS EARLY AS 5000 MILES, AND COULD LAST UP TO 50,000 MILES. IN MY OPINION, THESE UN SAFE BEARINGS SHOULD NOT BE USED. BEARING WAS REPLACED WITH THE SAME TYPE THAT FAILED. H.D. PART NO.IS 9276A, BALL BEARING 25MM, DEEP GR. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS THE ONLY BEARING AVAILABLE.. SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THESE BEARINGS WERE NOT CONSIDERED SEALED OR SERVICEABLE BEARINGS. SERVICE MANAGER EASILY REMOVED SIDE COV…

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DRIVING ALONG WHEN I NOTICED A VIBRATION, KEPT RIDING AND THEN IT BECAME A LOUD SQUEAKING INTERMITTENT SOUND. PARKED AT HOME AND NOTICED IT WAS THE REAR BEARING AS IT CAME APART INSIDE THE REAR WHEEL. IT IS A CHEAP CHINESE CRAP BEARING THAT HARLEY IS USING IN THEIR BIKES. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE.... WE HAVE TO STOP THE USE OF CHEAP OUTSOURCED PRODUCTS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. WE ARE IN DEBT TO A COMMUNIST COUNTRY AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IT....... *TR

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TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE AT APPROX. 65 MPH, BIKE DEVELOPED AN UNSTABLE CONDITION THAT FELT SIMILAR TO RIDING ON AN UNDER INFLATED REAR TIRE. VISUAL INSPECTION FOUND EXTREMELY LOOSE SPOKES ON THE REAR WHEEL RIM RESULTING IN THE TIRE TRAVELING AT A DIFFERENT AXIS THAN THE HUB WHEN UNDER LOAD. RETURNED BIKE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 2012 HERITAGE SOFT TAIL BIKES AND THEY HAD A PREVIOUS INSTANCE OF THE SAME CONDITION. CURRENTLY AWAITING RETURN OF THE BIKE AFTER WARRANTY REPAIR. *TR

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MOTORCYCLE EXPERIENCED HIGH SPEED WOBBLE AT 75MPH DOWN TO 45MPH. VEHICLE SHAKES (WOBBLES) AT MEDIUM TO HIGH SPEEDS IN STRAIGHT LINE AND ON CURVES; INCLUDING WHILE ACCELERATING AND COMING OFF THE THROTTLE. *TR

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A FRIEND WAS FOLLOWING ME AND TOLD ME MY BRAKE LIGHT WAS STAYING ON. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND RELEASED IT, BUT THE LIGHT STAYED ON. I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO HARLEY DAVIDSON WORLD IN OKLAHOMA CITY FOR REPAIR. THEY REPAIRED IT BY REPLACING THE REAR BRAKE SWITCH. SINCE THEN HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS RECALLED ALL TOURING MODEL BIKES FROM 09 AND UP, BUT EXCLUDED SOFTTAIL MODELS LIKE MINE FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. ACCORDING TO THE RECALL, HEAT CAUSES THE CONTACTS ON THE SWITCH TO MELT CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHT TO EITHER STAY ON …

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CAM CHAIN TENSIONER FAILURE CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO ENGINE AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL OF MOTORCYCLE IF ENGINE LOCKS UP. I WAS INFORMED BY A SALES PERSON NAMED [XXX] AT EAGLE HARLEY DAVIDSON IN LAFAYETTE IN THAT I HAD A MOTORCYCLE WITH PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER. THE CHAIN TENSIONER WILL FAIL CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL. I ASKED WHY THERE IS NOT A RECALL NOTICE AND HE SAID IT WAS NORMAL WEAR BUT WAS REDESIGNED ON NEWER MOTORCYCLES. I WAS TRYING TO TRADE MY MOTORCYCLE IN FOR A NEW ONE AND T…

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EXCESSIVE HEAT GENERATED BY MOTOR MAKES '07 HARLEY-DAVIDSON UNRIDEABLE AT LOW SPEED /IN HEAVY TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. SOMETIMES GETS SO BAD AS TO NECESSITATE PULLING OUT OF TRAFFIC TO LET IT COOL OFF. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLSTC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTOR WOULD BECOME EXTREMELY HOT. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL TANK WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE SEAT AND AS A RESULT, AN AIR COOL FILTER AND SHIELD GUARD NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300. ## VIN PASSED ## HARLEY DAVIDSON HERITAGE SOFTAIL CLASSIC 2014 ##

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