AI Damage2013 Harley-Davidson Flhx: common problems
Owners of the 2013 Harley-Davidson Flhx filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 50% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 17% of all complaints
- 3 Tires 17% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (50% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (17% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 6 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 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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 riding at 55 mph, the contact attempted to depress the front brake lever; however, the brake failed to respond. The contact stated that the rear brake pedal was depressed while still attempting to slow the motorcycle down with the front brake.
Front brake becomes hard and cannot squeeze to stop. Fluid has been changed in accordance with maintenance schedule every two years. This first occurred while operating on the highway during rush hour traffic. This model is equipped with abs. I believe there is a sticky valve in the abs control module.
While merging to the right lane at 45 mph, the rear brakes failed to respond. The contact mentioned that the rear brake handle became difficult to depress and caused the motorcycle to skid.
The contact also stated that the engine warning light illuminated while driving and the motorcycle decelerated. The motorcycle was taken to the dealer several times for the failure.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 harley-davidson street glide flhx equipped with dunlop d408f tires, size: 130/70/b1863h (na). While the vehicle was being inspected at an independent mechanic, cracks in the sidewall of the front tire were discovered. The dealer confirmed that the front tire needed to be replaced.
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 13,278 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Flhx has 9 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 6, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
- Flhx 200720 sources
- Flhx 200830 sources
- Flhx 200929 sources
- Flhx 201024 sources
- Flhx 201118 sources
- Flhx 201216 sources
- Flhx 20148 sources
- Flhx 20153 sources
- Flhx 201651 sources
- Flhx 201779 sources
- Flhx 201876 sources
- Flhx 201966 sources
- Flhx 202079 sources
- Flhx 202164 sources
- Flhx 202256 sources
- Flhx 202351 sources
- Flhx 202489 sources
- Flhx 202538 sources
- Flhx 202619 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Harley-Davidson Flhx?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, engine, tires. Total complaints: 6. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (33%), warning lights, check engine (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 Harley-Davidson Flhx?
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 2013 Harley-Davidson Flhx 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 2013 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.