What breaks most · 2009 to 2019 model years
Harley-Davidson FLTRU problems by year
Owners have filed 56 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Harley-Davidson FLTRU across model years 2009 to 2019. Three years stand out: 2011 for steering complaints, 2013 for brakes complaints and 2016 for speed control and throttle complaints. The quietest years are 2009 and 2012.
- Years to check closely: 2011, 2013, 2016
- Fewest complaints: 2009, 2012
- Complaints on file
- 562009 to 2019, all trims
- Worst year
- 201122 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 11 fires · 4 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 10kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 6Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (2) | |
| 22 | 0 | 1 | Steering (7) | |
| 6 | 0 | 1 | Steering (2) | |
| 10 | 1 | 0 | Brakes (5) | |
| 8 | 0 | 1 | Speed control and throttle (2) | |
| 3 | 0 | 2 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Tires (1) |
What fails on the 2011 Harley-Davidson FLTRU
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 32% |
7 | 0 | Shop all steering parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 23% |
5 | 0 | Shop all brakes parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 14% |
3 | 0 | Shop all suspension parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Wheels | 9% |
2 | 0 | — |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Tires | 9% |
2 | 0 | — |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 5% |
1 | 0 | Shop all speed control and throttle 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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2011 harley davidson road glide custom (fltrx) front end shake when motorcycle is between 37-42 mph. Air pressure for tires at recommended value from owners manual. This is happening from new, very unsafe to ride in that mph range.
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Faulty hydraulic control unit for the ABS braking system. It's a very common problem as i have discovered. It can cause the loss of either front, or rear breaks at any time. I was in the driveway and couldn't apply my front breaks.
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Water pump failed august 2018 on a trip and was replaced at dealership under warranty. The 2nd pump failed august 2019 for the same reason and was replaced with upgraded water pump by dealer in sept 2019. July 2020 the upgrade has failed. Going to dealer 3rd time for replacement.
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 FLTRU years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2011, 2013, 2016 carry the most filings on the Harley-Davidson FLTRU. The 2011 alone has 22 complaints, led by steering.
What is the most common Harley-Davidson FLTRU problem?
On the 2011 model year, the most-reported component is steering with 7 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Harley-Davidson FLTRU problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Harley-Davidson FLTRU complaints that include mileage is about 10,000 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.