2011 Harley-Davidson Flhr Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 28, 2019 · 9 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Flhr years
Not enough data 3rd of 23 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Harley-Davidson Flhr. That ranks 3rd out of 23 Flhr model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes (3 complaints, 33%), typically at around 64,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 2 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2011 Harley-Davidson Flhr problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Service Brakes3 · ~64,000 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2 · ~7,945 mi
Electrical System1 · ~27,000 mi
Engine1 · ~7,500 mi
Exterior Lighting1 · ~27,000 mi
Suspension1 · ~33,000 mi
Unknown or Other1 · ~6,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Service Brakes333%64,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic222%7,945——
Electrical System111%27,000——
Engine111%7,500——
Exterior Lighting111%27,000——
Suspension111%33,000——
Unknown or Other111%6,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2015, with 2 complaints
2012: 1201212014: 1201412015: 2201522017: 2201722018: 1201812019: 220192

n = 9 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2011 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:fluidJan 29, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V076000 · 174,636 vehicles

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 Owner’s 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.

Exterior lighting:brake lights:switchOct 19, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V506000 · 250,757 vehicles

Problem: Harley-davidson is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 touring, cvo touring and trike vehicles manufactured from june 6, 2008, through september 16, 2011. See the above list for the models included in the recall. The rear brake light switch may be exposed to excessive heat from the exhaust system.

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 the brake light switch, affecting rear brake performance. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Harley-davidson will notify owners, and dealers will a install a rear brake light switch kit, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during october 31, 2011. 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.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 harley-davidson electra glide ultra (flhr) motorcycle. The contact stated that the abs indicator illuminated, which signified that the mortorcycle did not have anti-lock braking ability. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or…

Service Brakes, Hydraulic · received Oct 28, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11271643

The saddle bag fell off while going down the highway and collided with the motorcycle behind it causing the rider to come off at 100 km/hour. This is not the first time the saddle bag has come off. The previous time, it was the other side so the owner of this motorcycle was extra careful to be sure…

Unknown or Other · received Jun 10, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11219095

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 [redacted]) HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT…

Service Brakes · received Mar 27, 2018 · NHTSA complaint 11081438

Headlights and passing lamps flicker on and off intermittently. Major safety concern at night. Problem appears to be related to wiring for the headlight and passing lamps. Happens when you turn the handlebars left or right. Happens sitting still and while motorcycle is in motion.

Electrical System · received Jun 28, 2017 · NHTSA complaint 11001841

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…

Service Brakes · received Apr 7, 2017 · NHTSA complaint 10971085

Other Harley-Davidson Flhr years

← 2010 Flhr · 2012 Flhr →

See all Harley-Davidson Flhr problems by year, every Harley-Davidson model, or the Harley-Davidson VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2011 Harley-Davidson Flhr?

Owners most often report service brakes, service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system problems. The top one, service brakes, accounts for 3 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2011 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 2011 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 2011 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.