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2018 Harley-Davidson FlhrProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 5 owner complaints about the 2018 Harley-Davidson Flhr, most often about the power train. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 18V-734 the manufacturer reports only 79% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 79%Owner complaints50 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage6kPower train, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 12, 2026. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2018 Harley-Davidson Flhr has problems

5 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
Power train30
Engine20

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

1 recall

2018 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.

79%repaired · 2020 Q3

Power train: clutch assembly

Recall 18V-734 · Oct 18, 2018 · 177,636 vehicles · 140,277 repaired

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

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

2018 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
In owners' words

What Flhr owners report

Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 11460871 · Apr 15, 2022 · 6,100 miles
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…
Complaint 11329656 · Jun 18, 2020 · 17,000 miles
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…
Complaint 11210265 · May 28, 2019 · 800 miles

Own a 2018 Flhr?

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