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2011 Harley-Davidson FlhrProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 9 owner complaints about the 2011 Harley-Davidson Flhr, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 18V-076 the manufacturer reports only 49% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 49%Owner complaints94 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage64kService brakes, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 28, 2019. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2011 Harley-Davidson Flhr has problems

9 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes31
Service brakes, hydraulic20
Engine11
Exterior lighting10
Electrical system10
Suspension10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2011 Harley-Davidson Flhr recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

49%repaired · 2019 Q4

Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip

Recall 18V-076 · Jan 29, 2018 · 174,636 vehicles · 86,160 repaired

Risk. These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Brake lights: switch

Recall 11V-506 · Oct 19, 2011 · 250,757 vehicles

Risk. 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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Harley-Davidson.

Best & worst years

2011 vs. every other Flhr year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Flhr median. How we score

'95'97'99'01'02'03'04'05'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'17'18'19'20'21'22
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2011 Harley-Davidson Flhr, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Sudden Brake Failure - MotorcyclePE16009 · closed Apr 23, 2018
    Led to recall 18V-076
In owners' words

What Flhr owners report

Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHR (ROAD KING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V076000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) WAS PERFORMED ON MARCH 11, 2018 AT QUEEN CITY HARLEY-DAVIDSON (5960 DIXIE HIGHWAY FAIRFIELD, OHIO 45014 PHONE [PHONE]) HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT…
Complaint 11081438 · Mar 27, 2018 · 68,064 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHR ROAD KING. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH APPROACHING A CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC JAM, THE REAR BRAKE LOCKED UP WHEN APPLIED AND THE FRONTAL BRAKE LEVELER WAS VERY HARD TO APPLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO COAST BETWEEN THE LANES OF TRAFFIC UNTIL THE FRONTAL…
Complaint 10971085 · Apr 7, 2017 · 64,000 miles
WHILE TRYING TO STOP AT A STOP SIGH THE FRONT BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL AFTER GETTING STOPPED AND PARKING THE BIKE, THE BREAK LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS PULLING ON THE BREAK IT LOOSENED UP SO I RODE BIKE TO REPAIR SHOP. EVERY TIME THE FRONT BREAK WOULD ENGAGE (WHICH WAS NOT…
Complaint 10723670 · Jun 5, 2015 · 62,232 miles

Own a 2011 Flhr?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.