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: 7 of 7 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.
Tires. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Wheels. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. 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.
0 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
7 reports
6,600 miles · Jun 23, 2015
Electrical System
WHILE RIDING ON MY 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE MOTORCYCLE IT SUDDENLY DIED. IT DIED BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS NOT BEING CHARGED; THEREFORE MY ELECTRONICS WOULD NOT WORK, INCLUDING THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE VOLTAGE REGULATOR THAT IS A KNOWN ISSUE TO HARLEY. THIS DEFECTIVE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS…
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WHILE RIDING ON MY 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE MOTORCYCLE IT SUDDENLY DIED. IT DIED BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS NOT BEING CHARGED; THEREFORE MY ELECTRONICS WOULD NOT WORK, INCLUDING THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE VOLTAGE REGULATOR THAT IS A KNOWN ISSUE TO HARLEY. THIS DEFECTIVE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS PART OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON?S PRODUCT PROGRAM (PRODUCT NOTICE: 0912) AND NOT PART OF A SAFETY RECALL. I DON?T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS ISN?T A SAFETY ISSUE CONSIDERING THE MOTORCYCLE DIES WHILE YOU ARE RIDING ON IT.
NHTSA ODI #10726815
245 miles · May 31, 2015
Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control
I WAS TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY 101 SOUTH BETWEEN METCALF & BAILEY HERE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA YESTERDAY AFTERNOON (5/30) ON MY HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE 2015 THAT HAS LESS THAN 300 MILES. I WAS IN THE 2ND LANE TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH AND MY BIKE STARTED TO RIDE VERY ROUGH, I WAS LOSING SPEED VERY FAST. I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO THE 3…
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I WAS TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY 101 SOUTH BETWEEN METCALF & BAILEY HERE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA YESTERDAY AFTERNOON (5/30) ON MY HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE 2015 THAT HAS LESS THAN 300 MILES. I WAS IN THE 2ND LANE TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH AND MY BIKE STARTED TO RIDE VERY ROUGH, I WAS LOSING SPEED VERY FAST. I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO THE 3RD LANE BEFORE THE BIKE COMPLETELY SHUTTING DOWN I DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT TO THE SLOW LANE. THANK GOD ALL THE CARS BEHIND ME WERE PAYING ATTENTION & THERE WERE NO BIG RIGS BECAUSE THE BIKE CAME TO A STOP WITHIN SECONDS AND IT WOULD NOT START, THE FRONT BRAKE WAS COMPLETELY SEIZED, PUSHING THE BIKE OFF THE HIGHWAY WAS IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL THE FRONT BRAKE RELEASED. I KNOW THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRONT BRAKE LINE ON THE 2014 HARLEY DAVIDSON TOURING BIKES BUT NOT ON THE 2015. THERE ARE NO OPEN OR CLOSED RECALLS & NO PRODUCT PROGRAMS FOR MY BIKE AS OF TODAY. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SLEEP WELL & CAN'T GET MY MIND OFF OF THIS INCIDENT.
NHTSA ODI #10722525
9,000 miles · Jul 16, 2014
Visibility
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRX MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REPLACING A CURVED WINDSHIELD, THE CONTACT'S VISION BECAME DISTORTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE OBJECTS APPEARED CLOSER THAN THEY ACTUALLY WERE AND THE LINES ON THE HIGHWAY APPEARED IN A ZIGZAG SHAPE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWAR…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRX MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REPLACING A CURVED WINDSHIELD, THE CONTACT'S VISION BECAME DISTORTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE OBJECTS APPEARED CLOSER THAN THEY ACTUALLY WERE AND THE LINES ON THE HIGHWAY APPEARED IN A ZIGZAG SHAPE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000. UPDATED 08/25/14*LJ
NHTSA ODI #10610967
8,132 miles · Sep 18, 2012
TiresWheels
THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLAINT I HAVE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM HAVING DRY ROT CRACKING ON NEW DUNLOP TIRES. I HAD A PROBLEM WITH DRY ROT CRACKING AT 7170 MILES AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRE UNDER WARRANTY. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE NEW TIRE WAS DOING THE EXACT SAME THING WITH ONLY 8132 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THIS NEW TIRE ON…
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THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLAINT I HAVE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM HAVING DRY ROT CRACKING ON NEW DUNLOP TIRES. I HAD A PROBLEM WITH DRY ROT CRACKING AT 7170 MILES AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRE UNDER WARRANTY. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE NEW TIRE WAS DOING THE EXACT SAME THING WITH ONLY 8132 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THIS NEW TIRE ONLY LASTED 962 MILES BEFORE SHOWING SIGNS OF FAILURE. ## VIN PASSED ## HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRX 2012 ## *TR
NHTSA ODI #10475804
7,170 miles · Sep 18, 2012
TiresWheels
I WAS CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE ON MY MOTORCYCLE TIRES WHEN I NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE DRY ROT. I THEN STARTED CHECKING ON VARIOUS FORUMS FOR HARLEY RIDERS AND NOTICED THAT OTHERS WERE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY CHANGED TIRES WITHOUT QUESTION. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM ON FACTORY …
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I WAS CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE ON MY MOTORCYCLE TIRES WHEN I NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE DRY ROT. I THEN STARTED CHECKING ON VARIOUS FORUMS FOR HARLEY RIDERS AND NOTICED THAT OTHERS WERE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY CHANGED TIRES WITHOUT QUESTION. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM ON FACTORY INSTALLED DUNLOP TIRES ON 2010 TO 2012 HARLEY TOURING MODELS. *TR *JS
NHTSA ODI #10475796
6,900 miles · Aug 21, 2012
Exterior Lighting
ON 21 JUNE 2012, I WAS DRIVING DOWN A NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD WHEN I STRUCK A POTHOLE IN THE ROADWAY. WHEN I STRUCK THE POTHOLE, THE LEFT BRAKELIGHT/TURN SIGNAL LENS COVER FELL OUT OF IT'S SOCKET AND ONTO THE ROADWAY. ON 20 AUGUST 2012, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. THIS TIME THE RIGHT BRAKELIGHT/TURN SIGNAL LENS COVER FELL OUT OF IT'S SO…
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ON 21 JUNE 2012, I WAS DRIVING DOWN A NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD WHEN I STRUCK A POTHOLE IN THE ROADWAY. WHEN I STRUCK THE POTHOLE, THE LEFT BRAKELIGHT/TURN SIGNAL LENS COVER FELL OUT OF IT'S SOCKET AND ONTO THE ROADWAY. ON 20 AUGUST 2012, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. THIS TIME THE RIGHT BRAKELIGHT/TURN SIGNAL LENS COVER FELL OUT OF IT'S SOCKET. I DID NOT HIT A POTHOLE OR EXPERIENCE ANY OTHER TYPE OF ROUGH DRIVING WHEN THIS OCCURRED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10471666
10 miles · Aug 14, 2012
Engine And Engine CoolingInjury
THE EXCESSIVE HEAT PUT OFF BY THE HEADER PIPE DUE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS CAUSING BLISTERS ON THE RIGHT DRIVERS THIGH(BACK OF LEG) AND PASSENGER'S RIGHT SHIN. THE HEAT PUT OFF BY THIS SET UP TO EXCESSIVE. WHETHER YOU ARE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT OR MOVING DOWN THE ROAD THE HEAT IS EXCESSIVE. HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS A PROBLEM AND…
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THE EXCESSIVE HEAT PUT OFF BY THE HEADER PIPE DUE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS CAUSING BLISTERS ON THE RIGHT DRIVERS THIGH(BACK OF LEG) AND PASSENGER'S RIGHT SHIN. THE HEAT PUT OFF BY THIS SET UP TO EXCESSIVE. WHETHER YOU ARE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT OR MOVING DOWN THE ROAD THE HEAT IS EXCESSIVE. HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS A PROBLEM AND IT IS COMMON ON 2010 TO PRESENT BIKES. I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES IF NEED TO VIEW OF THE INFLICTED BURNS. THIS BIKE IS STOCK. HOWEVER I AM GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEADER PIPE WITH A NON CAT TYPE TO RELIEVE THE EXCESSIVE HEAT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO THIS. *TR
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.
2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Fltrx Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year