2008 Harley-Davidson Flhr Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Flhr years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 23 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhr. That is the most of any Flhr model year in the database (23 years). The most reported problem area is vehicle speed control (4 complaints, 29%), typically at around 22,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 2 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 14owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhr 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 29% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 21% | 15,282 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 14% | 2,302 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 14% | 8,150 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 14% | 29,519 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 14% | 9,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 7% | 12,300 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 7% | 27,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Harley-Davidson Flhr recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; service brakes, hydraulic:fluid
Problem: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling all 2008-2011 Touring, CVO Touring and VSRC motorcycles equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS), including Road King (FLHR), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHP), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHPE), Electra Glide Standard Police (EFI) (FLHTP), Electra Glide Classic (EFI) (FLHTC), Electra Glide Ultra Classic (EFI) (FLHTCU) and Street Glide (EFI) (FLHX), 2008 VROD (VRSCAWA), CVO Road King 4 (FLHRSE4), Night Rod (VRSCDA), CVO Ultra Classic 3 (FLHTCUSE3), Night Rod Special (VRSCDXA), 2008-2010 Road King Classic (EFI) (FLHRC), 2008-2009 Road Glide (EFI) (FLTR) and Electra Glide Standard (EFI) (FLHT), 2009-2010 V-Rod (VRSCAW), 2009 CVO Ultra Classic (FLHTCUSE4) and CVO Road Glide 3 (FLTRSE3), 2009-2011 Night Rod Special (VRSCDX) and V-Rod Muscle (VRSCF), 2010 CVO Ultra Classic 5 (FLHTCUSE5) and CVO Street Glide (FLHXSE), 2010-2011 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (FLHTK) and Road Glide Custom (FLTRX), 2011 Road Glide Ultra 103 (FLTRU103), Street Glide 103 (FLHX103), Road King Classic 103 (FLHRC103), CVO Ultra Classic 6 (FLHTCUSE6), CVO Road Glide Ultra (FLTRUSE), Road Glide Custom 103 (FLTRX103), and CVO Street Glide 2 (FLHXSE2) motorcycles. Deposits may form on components within the brake system if the DOT 4 brake fluid is not replaced for a prolonged period of time beyond the 2-year maintenance schedule specified in the OwnerÂs Manual.
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.
Fix: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will flush the entire brake system with new Platinum Label DOT 4 brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0171.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:filler pipe and cap
Problem: Harley davidson is recalling 47,579 my 2008 flhp, flhpe, flhr, flhrc, flhrse4, flht, flhtc, flhtcu, flhtcuse3, flhtp, flhx, and fltr motorcycles. These motorcycles may experience a cracking of the fuel filter shell leading to loss of fuel pressure. This loss of fuel pressure can cause diminished performance and, in some cases, may cause an engine stall or a no-start condition.
Risk: This condition could lead to a crash which could cause injury or death to the rider.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel filter shell free of charge. The recall began on july 31, 2008. Owners may contact harley davidson at 1-414-343-4056.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Sudden Brake Failure - Motorcycle (PE16009) — opened Jul 6, 2016, closed Apr 23, 2018, led to recall 18V076000.
- Motorcycle stalling (PE08043) — opened Jul 17, 2008, closed Aug 8, 2008, led to recall 08V357000.
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 complaint is with the recall on the abs brakes on 2008 hd flhr road king i towed my motorcycle to tucson harley because the back brake wouldn't work they told me due to maintenance the abs module is bad $800.00 parts alone i just bought this bike in dec used i haven't put 50 miles no way to…
Sudden and complete loss of rear brake; pedal goes to the maximum limit without resistance. *tr
Front wheel locked up at 40 mph and threw me off the motorcycle. We believe the cause to be a defective front wheel bearing. *tr
I was traveling on a surface road at approx. 50mph. As i approached the intersection of euclid and lambert the light started to change. I rolled onto the throttle to clear the intersection safely. As i cleared the intersection i rolled off the throttle at which point the throttle went to the wide…
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 harley davidson road king flhr motorcycle. The contact stated that before starting the vehicle, he noticed fuel leaking from the fuel tank. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The vin was not available. The approximate failure mileage was…
Other Harley-Davidson Flhr years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Flhr | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 Flhr | 0 | 1 |
| 2020 Flhr | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 Flhr | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 Flhr | 5 | 1 |
| 2017 Flhr | 3 | 2 |
| 2015 Flhr | 2 | 1 |
| 2014 Flhr | 3 | 2 |
| 2013 Flhr | 2 | 0 |
| 2012 Flhr | 2 | 1 |
| 2011 Flhr | 9 | 2 |
| 2010 Flhr | 3 | 3 |
| 2009 Flhr | 10 | 3 |
| 2008 | 14 | 2 |
| 2007 Flhr | 4 | 0 |
| 2005 Flhr | 2 | 0 |
| 2004 Flhr | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 Flhr | 3 | 1 |
| 2002 Flhr | 2 | 1 |
| 2001 Flhr | 4 | 1 |
| 1999 Flhr | 8 | 1 |
| 1997 Flhr | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 Flhr | 6 | 0 |
See all Harley-Davidson Flhr 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 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhr?
Owners most often report vehicle speed control, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, vehicle speed control, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhr?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhr a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Flhr model years, the 2008 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.