2018 Harley-Davidson Flde Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Flde years
- Not enough data 1st of 4 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Harley-Davidson Flde. That is the most of any Flde model year in the database (4 years). The most reported problem area is power train (2 complaints, 40%), typically at around 2,300 miles. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 5owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Harley-Davidson Flde problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 2 | 40% | 2,300 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 40% | 2,400 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Harley-Davidson Flde recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:rear:shock absorber
Problem: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain 2018-2024 Softail motorcycles. The mounting tab on the rear shock pre-load adjuster may break, allowing the rear shock absorber adjuster to damage the rear tire, causing a loss of tire pressure.
Risk: A sudden loss of tire pressure increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a new bracket, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 16, 2025. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0188. Some of the vehicles included in this recall were previously repaired under recall 23V591, and will need to have the new remedy completed.
Suspension:rear:shock absorber
Problem: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain 2018-2019 FLDE, 2018-2021 FLHC, 2018-2023 FLHCS, 2018 and 2023 FLHCS ANV, 2020-2023 FXLRS, 2022-2023 FXLRST, and 2022 FXRST Softail motorcycles. A fastener securing the rear shock absorber may break and allow the rear shock absorber adjuster to damage the rear tire, causing a loss of tire pressure.
Risk: A loss of tire pressure can lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the shock absorber fastener, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0181.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My 2018 Harley Softail was repaired .The rear shock adjuster bolt was broken 11/1/2018 at 1500 mile this was before the recalls.Then it was repaired again with the recall 2/6/24 it was broken again.My bike was then repaired again on 7/29/25 for the recall .It was broken at the time again. On…
Faulty front brake light switch causes the brake light to remain on all the time. Comon failure and the part is on back order for two months. Issue has been confirmed by dealer.
My motorcycle was recalled for a potentially life threatening condition. Fluid could leak past the clutch reservoir and cause the drive train to stay engaged and you cant shift out of gear causing you to crash. This is march 21, 2019 and i am 123 customers away from the harley dealership from…
2018 harley davidson softail deluxe 2400 miles. Was riding at lunch heading back to work, on a city street came to a intersection the lights were turning red went to apply my front brakes and they went from working with no issues or signs of issues to complete fail of the front brakes pulled off…
I received a recall notice on november 5th 2018 and still cannot get the dealer to fix the recall issue, it is now january 9th 2019
Other Harley-Davidson Flde years
See all Harley-Davidson Flde problems by year, every Harley-Davidson model, or the Harley-Davidson VIN decoder.
Similar Harley-Davidson models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Harley-Davidson Flde?
Owners most often report power train, service brakes, exterior lighting problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Harley-Davidson Flde?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Harley-Davidson Flde a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Flde model years, the 2018 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.