AI Damage2012 Harley-Davidson Flstn: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Harley-Davidson Flstn filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and wheels. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 40% of all complaints
- 2 Wheels 40% of all complaints
- 3 Exterior lighting 20% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 20% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (40% of all).
- Wheels: 2 complaints (40% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 5 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 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.
Took the bike out on a county road for the first time as a new rider and the bike developed a handlebar shake that I could not fight at 45 mi/hr. Then when the bike was slowing the whole bike would wobble.
About 10:30 pm while en route to work I was riding on the freeway at the posted speed limit and I noted flashing lights appearing on the speedometer- the low fuel lamp and electrical system lamp. I pulled over the emergency lane right away to make any assessment.
2012 harley davidson flstn with only 2,000 miles. Wire wheel spokes worked loose. Wheel wobbled. My harley was uncontrollable and not safe to ride. I had the spokes tightened up by the harley dealer, but at about 5,000 miles spokes came loose again. Same thing happened around 10,000.
The contact stated that while parked the motorcycle failed to start. It was able to restart after having a jump performed. Also, the motorcycle would stall intermittently while riding it. The motorcycle was taken to the dealer who diagnose that the body control module needed to be replaced.
The contact was driving 40 mph when the motorcycle began to vibrate abnormally. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer advised that the rear wheel was faulty and needed to be replaced. The dealer replaced the rear wheel but the replacement did not remedy the issue.
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 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Flstn has 2 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 5, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- 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 2012 Harley-Davidson Flstn?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, wheels, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (40%), won't start (20%), stalls while driving (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Harley-Davidson Flstn?
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 2012 Harley-Davidson Flstn 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 2012 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.