AI Damage2011 Harley-Davidson Flhtc: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Harley-Davidson Flhtc filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 50% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 25% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 25% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (50% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 4 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
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 illuminate. The contact was thrown off the motorcycle into the middle of the street.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 harley davidson flhtc motorcycle. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph the wheel bearings failed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection where the wheel bearings were repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 18,000. The vin was unavailable.
Incorect pour of aluminum mold for engine casting/ engine block, resulting in oil leak. Engine block sweating oil and spreading oil along bottom of frame from front to rear of motorcycle. Engine pourous.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Flhtc has 5 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Harley-Davidson Flhtc?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, engine and cooling, suspension. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: oil leak or consumption (25%), smoke, burning smell, fire (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 Harley-Davidson Flhtc?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2011 Harley-Davidson Flhtc from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2011 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.