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2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Flhtk

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 17 of 19 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

11 reports
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1,480 miles · Jun 12, 2012
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Equipment Adaptive/mobilityService Brakes

2012 FLHTK ULTRA LIMITED PURCHASED 03/2012. ON MAY 25TH 2012 THE FRONT BRAKE FAILED. THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WAS HARD AND WOULD NOT MOVE TO ENGAGE THE FRONT BRAKES. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY I WAS TOLD THE ABS MODULATOR HAD A STUCK VALVE OR SOME UNKNOWN FAILURE AND HD WAS SHIPPING OUT A PART TO FIX …

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2012 FLHTK ULTRA LIMITED PURCHASED 03/2012. ON MAY 25TH 2012 THE FRONT BRAKE FAILED. THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WAS HARD AND WOULD NOT MOVE TO ENGAGE THE FRONT BRAKES. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY I WAS TOLD THE ABS MODULATOR HAD A STUCK VALVE OR SOME UNKNOWN FAILURE AND HD WAS SHIPPING OUT A PART TO FIX IT. THURSDAY THAT SAME WEEK THEY CALLED AND SAID THE BIKE WAS FIXED. I HAVE TALKED TO THE DEALER AND SPENT 5 HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH HD CORPORATE OFFICE CUSTOMER SERVICE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS NO WAY FOR ME TO BE INFORMED OF WHAT EXACTLY THE FAILURE WAS. I ASKED TO SPEAK WITH A TECH WHO CAN EXPLAIN WHY THE ABS SYSTEM DID NOT WARN ME OF A FAILED VALVE AND WHY THE ABS WAS ABLE TO DISABLE THE FRONT BRAKES ON A MOTORCYCLE. THE ABS SOLE REASON FOR BEING ON THAT BIKE IS ADDED SAFETY, NOT TO MAKE IT LESS SAFE. HAD THIS FAILURE HAPPENED A FEW HOURS LATER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON THE INTERSTATE WITH NO WAY TO STOP THE BIKE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY! I UNDERSTAND THINGS BREAK, I GET IT. BUT HD DID NOT TEST THE REST OF THE COMPONENTS IN THE ABS SYSTEM FOR OTHER CONTRIBUTING ISSUES. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO ABS LIGHT, NO CODES, NOTHING. JUST GO TO GRAB THE BRAKES AND THEY ARE NOT THERE, THE ENTIRE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. I SEEM TO BE THE ONLY ONE WHO SEES JUST HOW SERIOUS THIS ISSUE IS AND NO ONE AT HD WILL HELP ME IN GETTING ANSWERS. THE ABS SYSTEM ON HD MOTORCYCLES IS SERIOUSLY FLAWED IF IT IS ABLE TO LOCK YOU OUT OF USING THE BREAKS AND GIVE NO WARNING EVEN THOUGH IT DID IT'S SELF CHECKS AT START UP. I AM STILL TRYING TO GET ANSWERS BUT AS OF THIS WRITING, I STILL HAVE NO ANSWERS AS TO WHAT HAPPENED OR IF IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS IS THE SECOND BRAKE FAILURE ON 2 BRAND NEW HARLEYS I BOUGHT THIS YEAR. THE OTHER IS A 2012 DYNA FXDC, FRONT MASTER CYLINDER FAILED THE DAY AFTER WE BOUGHT IT! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10461323

Official recalls

1

11V506000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Oct 19, 2011

HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2012 TOURING, CVO TOURING AND TRIKE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16, 2011. SEE THE ABOVE LIST FOR THE MODELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY BE EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE EXCESSIVE HEAT MAY CAUSE THE SWITCH TO NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP OR ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP WHEN NO BRAKE IS APPLIED AND/OR CAUSE A BRAKE FLUID LEAK AT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, AFFECTING REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. EITHER CONDITION MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL A INSTALL A REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH KIT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.