What breaks most · 2010 to 2023 model years
Harley-Davidson FLHTK problems by year
Owners have filed 161 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Harley-Davidson FLHTK across model years 2010 to 2023. Three years stand out: 2014 for engine complaints, 2010 for brakes complaints and 2011 for brakes complaints. The quietest years are 2020, 2021 and 2018.
- Years to check closely: 2014, 2010, 2011
- Fewest complaints: 2020, 2021, 2018
- Complaints on file
- 1612010 to 2023, all trims
- Worst year
- 201437 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 91 fires · 7 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 14kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 22Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 1 | 3 | Brakes (15) | |
| 20 | 2 | 2 | Brakes (11) | |
| 19 | 2 | 1 | Brakes (11) | |
| 14 | 1 | 0 | Brakes (9) | |
| 37 | 1 | 5 | Engine (12) | |
| 10 | 0 | 2 | Engine (4) | |
| 10 | 0 | 1 | Brakes (5) | |
| 8 | 0 | 2 | Powertrain and transmission (6) | |
| 4 | 0 | 2 | Engine (2) | |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (3) | |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Engine (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (1) |
What fails on the 2014 Harley-Davidson FLHTK
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 32% |
12 | 1 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 22% |
8 | 0 | Shop all brakes parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 19% |
7 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 16% |
6 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 11% |
4 | 0 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 8% |
3 | 0 | Shop all engine and cooling parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Equipment and infotainment | 5% |
2 | 0 | — |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 5% |
2 | 0 | Shop all steering parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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Hitachi cable indiana has been producing brake hose parts for harley davidson motorcycles that do not pass "whip" test per fmvss for several years and has been providing false data for test results.
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I recently took my motorcycle in for the recall by harley davidson. Even after having the recall service performed, on a sudden brake, there is a very distinct pull on the rear brake. This occurs at 35 mph, 55 mph, and 65 mph.
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Loss of braking- after service of brake fluid recall- brakes failed at 70 mph on freeway. The front brake handle became stiff and had no movement or braking.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Harley-Davidson FLHTK years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2014, 2010, 2011 carry the most filings on the Harley-Davidson FLHTK. The 2014 alone has 37 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Harley-Davidson FLHTK problem?
On the 2014 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 12 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Harley-Davidson FLHTK problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Harley-Davidson FLHTK complaints that include mileage is about 14,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.