Owners have filed 11 complaints
about the 2018 Harley-Davidson Flhx with NHTSA between 2018 and 2020.
The largest single group is the transmission & drivetrain.
Across this model's run it ranks 6 of 8 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 22
Against the median year of the Harley-Davidson Flhx. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 94
18.2% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 100
100% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
How 2018 compares with every other Harley-Davidson Flhx
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2018 Harley-Davidson Flhx
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Transmission & Drivetrain
545.5%
Median failure at 2,000 miles
Electrical System
218.2%
Median failure at 8,040 miles
Other & Unspecified
19.1%
Median failure at 15 miles
Wheels
19.1%
Steering
19.1%
1 crashes, 0 fires · median 25 mi
Engine & Cooling
19.1%
Median failure at 3,500 miles
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
555.6%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
333.3%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
111.1%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Aug 2018peak 2Jul 2020
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
at 25 milesAlbuquerque, NMCrash1 injured
STEERING
MY 2018 HD STREET GLIDE FLHX FRONT TIRE LIFTS OFF THE GROUND UPON A STOPPED LEFT TURN. THIS HAS CAUSED ME 2 ACCIDENTS. ONE AT $11,000 AND THE OTHER STILL IN CONSIDERATION. ACCIDENT #1 3/17/18. STOPPED ON STREET, TURN LEFT INTO DRIVEWAY. LOST CONTROL OF THE BIKE AND HIT A WALL. SPENT 3 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL. BIKE HAD OVER $11,000 IN DAMAGE. ACCIDENT #2. STOPPED ON A CITY STREET. TURN LEFT. LOST CONTROL OF THE BIKE. HIT A TREE. STITCHES, ROAD RASH, CONTUSIONS AND DAMAGE TO THE BIKE YET TO BE REVEALED.
NHTSA complaint #11115427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 15,580 milesFranklin, PA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VOLTAGE REGULATOR WENT BAD PUTTING OUT TOO MUCH VOLTAGE AT TIMES THEN NOT ENOUGH VOLTAGE JUMPING INTO RED ST TIMES ALMOST 16 VOLTS CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO GO DIM THEN BRIGHT AT TIMES
NHTSA complaint #11340286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 500 milesLewes, DE
POWER TRAIN
CLUTCH SAFETY SWITCH INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORKING. CAN NOT BE STARTED IN GEAR WITH CLUTCH LEVER PULLED IN. CAUSES ENGINE TO IDLE ROUGH AND STALL IN TRAFFIC WHEN IDLING AT INTERSECTIONS.
NHTSA complaint #11326749 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 500 milesLewes, DE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CLUTCH SAFETY SWITCH INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORKING. CAN NOT BE STARTED IN GEAR WITH CLUTCH LEVER PULLED IN. CAUSES ENGINE TO IDLE ROUGH AND STALL IN TRAFFIC WHEN IDLING AT INTERSECTIONS.
NHTSA complaint #11326749 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Idaho Falls, ID
WHEELS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET GLIDE SPECIAL (FLHX). WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE MOTORCYCLE WOBBLED WHEN MAKING TURNS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE FRONT END OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #11245807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 15 milesVermilion, OH
POWER TRAIN
I HAVE A 2018 STREET GLIDE AND HAD THE CLUTCH ACTUATOR RECALL WORK PERFORMED AT THE DEALER THIS PAST WINTER. IT FAILED SUNDAY AND I WAS BROKE DOWN. HARLEY DEALER CLAIMED THEY REPLACED IT TODAY ALL WAS WELL COME GET THE BIKE.. AS I WAS LEAVING THE DEALER WITH MY SO CALLED FIXED MOTORCYCLE I GOT OF THE HIGHWAY ON AN OFF RAMP THE CLUTCH LEVER HAD NO RESISTANCE AND DID NOT RESPOND AS I WAS TRYING TO GEAR DOWN FOR MY ANTICIPATED DEPARTURE FROM THE HWY! THIS COULD HAVE KILLED ME !! DANGEROUS, TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY THREE CARS AT THE INTERSECTION IN FRONT OF ME AND I WAS JUST ABLE TO AVOID COLLISION BY SLAMMING MY BREAKS AND TRY TOO STALL ENGINE AND TURN IT OFF AT SAME TIME. VERY DANGEROUS
NHTSA complaint #11222829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 15 milesVermilion, OH
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I HAVE A 2018 STREET GLIDE AND HAD THE CLUTCH ACTUATOR RECALL WORK PERFORMED AT THE DEALER THIS PAST WINTER. IT FAILED SUNDAY AND I WAS BROKE DOWN. HARLEY DEALER CLAIMED THEY REPLACED IT TODAY ALL WAS WELL COME GET THE BIKE.. AS I WAS LEAVING THE DEALER WITH MY SO CALLED FIXED MOTORCYCLE I GOT OF THE HIGHWAY ON AN OFF RAMP THE CLUTCH LEVER HAD NO RESISTANCE AND DID NOT RESPOND AS I WAS TRYING TO GEAR DOWN FOR MY ANTICIPATED DEPARTURE FROM THE HWY! THIS COULD HAVE KILLED ME !! DANGEROUS, TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY THREE CARS AT THE INTERSECTION IN FRONT OF ME AND I WAS JUST ABLE TO AVOID COLLISION BY SLAMMING MY BREAKS AND TRY TOO STALL ENGINE AND TURN IT OFF AT SAME TIME. VERY DANGEROUS
NHTSA complaint #11222829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 4,600 milesFranklin, PA
POWER TRAIN
CLUTCH STOPPED WORKING AT ABOUT 4600 MILES AFTER 1,000 TRIP DAY BEFORE WEATHER TEMP TO 37 DEGREES WENT TO LEAVE HOUSE GOT TO STOP SIGN ON CITY STREET 1/4 BLOCK FROM HOUSE, UPON TRYING TO USE CLUTCH TO STOP, NO CLUTCH CAME CLOSE TO LOSING CONTROL, IF HAD BEEN ANY FASTER OR OUT ON ROAD WOULD HAVE HAD ACCIDENT
NHTSA complaint #11204637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cincinnati, OH
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET GLIDE SPECANX (FLHX). THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: 0173 (HYDRAULIC CLUTCH SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AS THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED OVER A YEAR AGO. THE DEALER (HARLEY-DAVIDSON OF CINCINNATI, 1799 TENNESSEE AVE, CINCINNATI, OH 45229, (513) 641-1188) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
NHTSA complaint #11163718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 3,500 milesAvondale, AZ
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION IS LOSING OIL INTO PRIMARY. IT OVER FILLS THE PRIMARY WHILE DRAINING THE TRANSMISSION OF NEEDED LUBRICATION. AN OVERFILLED PRIMARY CAN CAUSE HARD SHIFTS, AND COULD POTENTIALLY DAMAGE THE CLUTCH.
NHTSA complaint #11142210 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 3,500 milesAvondale, AZ
ENGINE
TRANSMISSION IS LOSING OIL INTO PRIMARY. IT OVER FILLS THE PRIMARY WHILE DRAINING THE TRANSMISSION OF NEEDED LUBRICATION. AN OVERFILLED PRIMARY CAN CAUSE HARD SHIFTS, AND COULD POTENTIALLY DAMAGE THE CLUTCH.
NHTSA complaint #11142210 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 25 milesAlbuquerque, NMCrash1 injured
STEERING
MY 2018 HD STREET GLIDE FLHX FRONT TIRE LIFTS OFF THE GROUND UPON A STOPPED LEFT TURN. THIS HAS CAUSED ME 2 ACCIDENTS. ONE AT $11,000 AND THE OTHER STILL IN CONSIDERATION. ACCIDENT #1 3/17/18. STOPPED ON STREET, TURN LEFT INTO DRIVEWAY. LOST CONTROL OF THE BIKE AND HIT A WALL. SPENT 3 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL. BIKE HAD OVER $11,000 IN DAMAGE. ACCIDENT #2. STOPPED ON A CITY STREET. TURN LEFT. LOST CONTROL OF THE BIKE. HIT A TREE. STITCHES, ROAD RASH, CONTUSIONS AND DAMAGE TO THE BIKE YET TO BE REVEALED.
NHTSA complaint #11115427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.