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2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Flstfb

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

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: 4 of 5 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 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 1 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 reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

5 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 25, 2022
Exterior Lighting

MY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH DOESN'T WORK ON THE FOOT BRAKE AND IT STAYS ON, ON THE HAND BRAKE. I HEARD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ON HARLEYS.

NHTSA ODI #11462154

3,416 miles · Aug 2, 2018
Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTFB. WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS AT THE DEALER (M & S HARLEY-DAVIDSON, 160 FALLING SPRING ROAD, CHAMBERSBURG, PA 17202, 717-709-9650) FOR ROUTINE BRAKE FLUID REPLACEMENT MAINTENANCE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER FURTHER STATE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTFB. WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS AT THE DEALER (M & S HARLEY-DAVIDSON, 160 FALLING SPRING ROAD, CHAMBERSBURG, PA 17202, 717-709-9650) FOR ROUTINE BRAKE FLUID REPLACEMENT MAINTENANCE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER FURTHER STATED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS CONTAMINATED, AND THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD MOISTURE AND CORROSION. THE FRONT MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT EXPLAINED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS KEPT IN A GARAGE WITH A DEHUMIDIFIER AND WAS CLIMATE CONTROLLED; THEREFORE, THE CYLINDER SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V076000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,416.

NHTSA ODI #11115399

4,000 miles · Jun 12, 2018
Service BrakesCrashInjury

I PURCHASED A NEW 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON AT A HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP IN CORITH, TX. SOON AFTER FOUND THAT THE ABS LIGHT WAS COMING ON. I HAD TAKEN IT BACK TO THEM TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT. STILL HAD ISSUES AND HAD THEM LOOK AGAIN. I'VE HAD ISSUES WITH IT SINCE. ALSO TOOK IT TO HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP IN SHERMAN, TX. THEY HAD I…

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I PURCHASED A NEW 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON AT A HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP IN CORITH, TX. SOON AFTER FOUND THAT THE ABS LIGHT WAS COMING ON. I HAD TAKEN IT BACK TO THEM TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT. STILL HAD ISSUES AND HAD THEM LOOK AGAIN. I'VE HAD ISSUES WITH IT SINCE. ALSO TOOK IT TO HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP IN SHERMAN, TX. THEY HAD IT FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. THEY SAID THEY REPLACED A WIRE. STILL HAVING ISSUES TOLD THEM ABOUT IT SEVERAL TIMES. LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO I HAD A WRECK IN A TURN BECAUSE MY BACK TIRE KEPT LOCKING UP AND SKIDDING. I HAD A FRIEND FOLLOWING ME THAT SEEN IT. NOW THEY TELL ME IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT $11,000.00 FOR REPAIRS FROM THE WRECK. THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR IT AND ARE TRYING TO BLAME ME. ASKING ME IF I DID THE TWO YEAR BRAKE LINE FLUSH AND ASKED ME WHY I WAS RIDING IT IF ABS WASN'T WORKING. I NEED HELP. AT THE COST OF REPAIRS THE BIKE MAY BE TOTALED. IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME I KEEP THIS BIKE. MY OLDER BROTHER PASSED AWAY IN 2012. I WAS RIDING NORMAL JUST WANTING TO RELAX AFTER HAVING OPEN HEART SURGERY IN MARCH. I JUST WANT MY BIKE FIXED AND FEEL SAFE TO RIDE IT. I THINK I'VE PAID ENOUGH TO GET THAT. THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI #11101536

200 miles · Apr 21, 2013
Service Brakes

WHEN THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS NEW, AFTER SITTING IN MY GARAGE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO THE HANDLEBARS. I COULD PUMP IT UP AND IT WOULD BE OK UNTIL IT SET FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, NO BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL THEY DID BUT THE PROBLEM WAS STILL TH…

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WHEN THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS NEW, AFTER SITTING IN MY GARAGE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO THE HANDLEBARS. I COULD PUMP IT UP AND IT WOULD BE OK UNTIL IT SET FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, NO BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL THEY DID BUT THE PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE. TODAY I ROLLED IT OUT OF THE GARAGE, @ 3851 MILES, AND PUMPED THE LEVER. ON THE SECOND PULL, THE BOLT INTO THE MASTER CYLINDER, WITH A BANJO FITTING, BLEW OUT AND BRAKE FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER AND, OBVIOUSLY, NO BRAKE. THE THREADS IN THE MASTER CYLINDER APPEAR TO BE STRIPPED AND I CANNOT TIGHTEN THE BANJO FITTING. I HAVE READ THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM OF HAVING TO PUMP UP THE BRAKES ON THAT YEAR HARLEY DAVIDSON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10508979

1,200 miles · Aug 15, 2012
Vehicle Speed Control

I'VE PURCHASED A 2012 H. D. FAT BOY. AFTER 1200 MILES, I'VE NOTICED THAT THE THROTTLE CABLES CONSTANTLY CONTACT AGAINST THE NACELLE AND CAUSE CABLE CHAFE AND NACELLE DAMAGE. I DID MU OWN INVESTIGATION AND FOUND OUT THAT THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS AMONG ALL SOFT TAIL MODELS. I CONTACTED HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THEY HAVE REFUSE TO FIX …

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I'VE PURCHASED A 2012 H. D. FAT BOY. AFTER 1200 MILES, I'VE NOTICED THAT THE THROTTLE CABLES CONSTANTLY CONTACT AGAINST THE NACELLE AND CAUSE CABLE CHAFE AND NACELLE DAMAGE. I DID MU OWN INVESTIGATION AND FOUND OUT THAT THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS AMONG ALL SOFT TAIL MODELS. I CONTACTED HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THEY HAVE REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IF NOT FIXED COULD RESULT IN SAFETY, CAUSING THROTTLE TO LOCK AT HIGH SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10470799

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.