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2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Flhx

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: 13 of 16 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 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine complaints

1 reports
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27,405 miles · Sep 4, 2015
Engine

MOTORCYCLE SURGES UNEXPECTEDLY AND THEN ALSO LOSES THROTTLE CONTROL. THE FIRST INCIDENT I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT INTO TRAFFIC AND AS SOON AS I GOT INTO THE TRAFFIC LANE MOTORCYCLE LOST ALL THROTTLE RESPONSE BUT MOTOR WAS STILL RUNNING. TRAFFIC WAS A 4 LANE STREET WITH SPEED POSTED AT 35 MPH. THERE WAS NO SHOULDER AND O…

Read full complaint

MOTORCYCLE SURGES UNEXPECTEDLY AND THEN ALSO LOSES THROTTLE CONTROL. THE FIRST INCIDENT I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT INTO TRAFFIC AND AS SOON AS I GOT INTO THE TRAFFIC LANE MOTORCYCLE LOST ALL THROTTLE RESPONSE BUT MOTOR WAS STILL RUNNING. TRAFFIC WAS A 4 LANE STREET WITH SPEED POSTED AT 35 MPH. THERE WAS NO SHOULDER AND ONLY A CURB. I HAD NOWHERE TO PULL OVER. I ALMOST GOT HIT BY SEVERAL PASSING VEHICLES. I HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AT THE TIME I LOST THROTTLE RESPONSE. I SHUT OFF IGNITION AND CYCLED POWER A FEW TIMES AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND I HAD THROTTLE RESPONSE AGAIN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON SEVERAL TIMES AND WENT INTO WHAT HARLEY DAVIDSON REPAIR CALLS LIMP MODE. I HAVE HAD THE BIKE IN SERVICE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO PREVAIL ON FIXING PROBLEM. THE OTHER ITEM THE MOTORCYCLE IS DOING IS, THE BIKE THROTTLE SURGES UNEXPECTEDLY. I WAS PULLING UP TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT, JUST AS I WAS GOING TO STOP THE THROTTLE REVVED UP CAUSING ME TO GO INTO THE INTERSECTION ALMOST GETTING HIT AND LOSING CONTROL OF THE BIKE. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEMS IS RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL OR COMPUTER SYSTEM OF THE BIKE. THE REPAIR SHOP SAYS ?IT?S A LOOSE WIRE OR CONNECTION? BUT THEY HAVE SPENT SEVERAL HOURS OVER SEVERAL MONTHS TRYING TO FIND IT. BOTH THE UNEXPECTEDLY SURGES AND LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL HAVE HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIMES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE BIKE SEVERAL TIME BECAUSE OF IT.

NHTSA ODI #10761697

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.