2018 Harley-Davidson Flhr

Routine

Owners filed 5 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train3
000
Engine2
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Power Train › Clutch Assembly18V734000
Filed Oct 18, 2018177,636 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company

Defect. Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Police Road King (FLHP), Road King (FLHR), Road King Special (FLHRXS), Electra Glide Ultra Classic (FLHTCU), Ultra Limited (FLHTK), Ultra Limited Low (FLHTKL), Ultra Limited Shrine (FLHTK SHRINE), Police Electra Glide (FLHTP), Street Glide (FLHX), Street Glide Special (FLHXS), Road Glide Ultra (FLTRU), Road Glide (FLTRX), Road Glide Special (FLTRXS), Freewheeler (FLRT), Tri Glide Ultra (FLHTCUTG), CVO Limited (FLHTKSE) and CVO Street Glide (FLHXSE) motorcycles, 2017 Softail Slim S (FLSS), Fat Boy S (FLSTFBS) and CVO Pro Street Breakout (FXSE) motorcycles, 2018 115th Anniversary Ultra Limited (FLHTK ANV), 115th Anniversary Street Glide (FLHX ANV), 115th Anniversary Street Glide Special (FLHXS ANX), 115th Anniversary Tri Glide Ultra (FLHTCUTG ANV), 115th Anniversary CVO Limited (FLHTKSE ANV) and CVO Road Glide (FLTRXSE) motorcycles. The secondary clutch actuator cylinder may leak fluid internally and the clutch master cylinder may lose the ability to generate enough lift to disengage the clutch.

Risk. If the clutch cannot be disengaged it can result in a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will install a new secondary clutch actuator piston assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 5, 2018. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0173.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Jul 12, 2026SC

I have oil in my breather which is a result from engine sumping problems, I have had Harley Davidson to check recalls and there were none., the bike has 22853 miles on it. Also Harley Davidson checked maintenance records to see if my oil pump had been replaced, they said it had not. The sumping problems could cause a catastrophic failure and an accident

Power Train
Filed Apr 15, 20226,100 milesMD

The contact owns a 2018 Harley-Davidson FLHR Road King. The contact stated that upon start of the motorcycle there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the motorcycle without warning. The contact had taken the motorcycle to a dealer where he was informed that the gears inside of the transmission were breaking apart and that the transmission needed to be replaced. The dealer was able to order a new transmission and replaced the transmission under warranty; however, despite the repair, the failure returned and the contact returned the motorcycle back to the dealer. The contact had attempted to reach the manufacturer on numerous occasions but was unsuccessful after each attempt. The motorcycle had not been repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 6,100.

Power Train
Filed Jun 18, 202017,000 milesIL

THIS IS A DESCRIPTION OF THE DRIVABILITY PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE EXCESSIVE PRIMARY CASE FLUID. WHILE IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD SOMETIMES NOT SHIFT DOWN FROM 3RD-2ND OR FROM 2ND TO 1ST GEARS. THIS CAUSES PROBLEMS WHEN TURNING AND WANTING TO USE ENGINE BREAKING TO SLOW DOWN DURING THE TURN. I COULD NOT USE THE ENGINE BREAKING AND WOULD HAVE TO USE THE BRAKES QUICKLY AS TO NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ALSO, WHEN SITTING STILL WITH ENGINE RUNNING IN NEUTRAL AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SOMETIMES NOT SHIFT FROM NEUTRAL TO 1ST GEAR. THE DELAY IN TRYING TO PROCEED CAUSES OTHER MOTORISTS TO ALMOST RUN INTO THE BACK OF MY MOTORCYCLE. THIS WAS MOST DANGEROUS WHEN TRAVELING IN A GROUP OF MOTORCYCLES RIDING CLOSE TOGETHER. ALSO, DURING AN EMERGENCY STOP CONDITION WHEN TRAVELING ON A CITY STREET ABOUT 50 MPH IN 5TH GEAR, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT GET OUT OF THE WAY FROM CARS OR TRUCKS BEHIND ME. THIS IS BECAUSE YOU MUST BE IN A LOWER GEAR THAN 3RD TO GET OUT OF THE WAY ONCE YOU HAVE COME CLOSE TO STOPPING. MOTORCYCLES CAN STOP MUCH QUICKER THAN CARS OR TRUCKS. IF I CAN'T GET OUT OF THE WAY, I COULD BE INJURED OR KILLED. HARLEY-DAVIDSON TRIED TO FIX THIS ISSUE IN OCT '19. UNDER WARRANTY THEY ADDED A BREATHER KIT PART# 26500027. MY DRIVABILITY ISSUES STARTED ABOUT 6,000 MILES AFTER HARLEY-DAVIDSON SAID IT WAS FIXED. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 6,000 MILES THE DRIVABILITY PROBLEMS STARTED. AT THAT TIME, I CHANGED THE PRIMARY FLUID AND FOUND 7 EXTRA OUNCES OF OIL. WHEN PUTTING

Power Train
Filed May 28, 2019800 milesMI

SAME ISSUE WITH 2017-2017 RECALL ON HARLEY CLUTCHES PURCHASED A 2019 ROAD KING BY HARLEY AND THE CLUTCH WILL NOT RELEASE THE GEAR IN 1ST/ BIKE CREEPS FORWARD WHEN CLUTCH HANDLED IS PULLED IN. WONT GO INTO NEUTRAL WITH OUT DOUBLE CLUTCHING THE CLUTCH HANDLE.OUT OF TOWN DEALERSHIP INSPECTED AND FOUND MASTER CYLINDER COVER GASKET SUCKED DOWN AND NOT FLUID. THEY FLUSHED THE CLUTCH SYSTEM AND REFILLED. WORKED FOR TEST DRIVE BUT WHEN I HAD PUT 100 MORE MILES ON THE BIKE ISSUES CAME BACK. THIS BIKE HAD A LITTLE OVER 800 MILES ON IT.

Engine
Filed May 24, 2018100 milesFL

ENGINE GETS HOT AND STALLS OUT IN TRAFFIC DUE TO ENGINE CASE FILLING WITH OIL, HARLEY CALLS THIS WET SUMPING, HUNDREDS OF BIKE ENGINES ARE BLOWING UP ALL OVER THE WORLD, ITS ALL OVER THE INTERNET, WITH HARLEYS NEW M8 ENGINE, THE BIKE STALLS OUT WITH NO WARNING, IVE HAD CARS AND TRUCKS ALMOST RUN ME OVER.

5 of 5 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2008
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20220100Routine
20210100Routine
20201100Routine
20192000Routine
2018 — this page5100Routine
20173200Routine
20152100Routine
20143200Routine
20132000Routine
20122100Routine
20119201Fatalities reported
20103300Routine
200910300Routine
200814200Routine
20074010Routine
20052000Routine
20041000Routine
20033100Routine
20022100Routine
20014100Routine
19998100Routine
19971000Routine
19956000Routine

Compare every Flhr year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Oct 18, 2018. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.