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2011 Harley-Davidson FlhtcProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 4 owner complaints about the 2011 Harley-Davidson Flhtc, 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 complaints41 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage25kService brakes, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 25, 2019. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2011 Harley-Davidson Flhtc has problems

4 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 brakes21
Engine and engine cooling10
Suspension10

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

2 recalls

2011 Harley-Davidson Flhtc 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 Flhtc 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 Flhtc median. How we score

'83'84'89'90'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'05'07'08'09'10'11'12'13
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

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

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

What Flhtc owners report

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE CLASSIC (FLHTC) MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING AND THE BACK TIRE LOCKED UP INTO A FISHTAIL. THE TRAILING DRIVER STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS DID NOT…
Complaint 11282117 · Nov 25, 2019 · 10,000 miles
NHTSB SAFETY ISSUE ID 18V076000 INDICATED A BRAKE FLUID REPLACEMENT WOULD BE THE RESOLUTION TO THE BRAKE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS IS INCORRECT. LAST YEAR I HAD THE BOX THAT CONTROLS THE ABS FLUID PRESSURE REPLACED. THIS DID NOT INCLUDE CHANGING THE ELECTRICAL CONTROL BOARD. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE FRONT…
Complaint 11073221 · Feb 16, 2018 · 39,500 miles

Own a 2011 Flhtc?

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