Harley-Davidson · NHTSA safety record

2017 Harley-Davidson FLHTK

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 8 safety complaints about the 2017 Harley-Davidson FLHTK with the US government. Of those, no death is recorded. 2 recall campaigns are open against it, covering visibility and the power train.

The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 6 complaints, 75% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 2,300 miles, the median across the 5 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers January 2017 to June 2019 · How this is counted

What is on file

8 complaints on file

Complaints

Describe a crash

Mention fire

People injured

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system

POWER TRAIN 6 · 75% 6 75%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 · 25% 2 25%

ENGINE 1 · 13% 1 13%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 · 13% 1 13%

0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 8.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2017 at 4.

8 6 4 2

17 2017 18 2018 19 2019

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2017 to 2019.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2017 Harley-Davidson FLHTK. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

2 on file

VISIBILITY

19V574000 · August 5, 2019

The defect: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain Touring and CVO Touring motorcycles, including 2017-2019 FLHTCU, FLHTCUL, FLHTK ANV, FLHTKL, FLTRU, FLHTK, and 2016-2019 FLHTKSE, FLHTKSE ANV, and FLTRUSE models equipped with a Harley-Davidson Detachable Tour-Pak Luggage Conversion Kit (Part numbers 53000291, 53000291A, and 53000567). The kit did not include replacement rear red reflectors for the ones that are eliminated by installing this kit. As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk: Without the rear red reflectors, the motorcycle has reduced visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Harley-Davidson has notified owners, and dealers will install the replacement reflectors, free of charge. The recall began August 19, 2019. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0629.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company · up to 12,733 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

18V734000 · October 18, 2018

The defect: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Police Road King (FLHP), Road King (FLHR), Road King Special (FLHRXS), Electra Glide Ultra Classic (FLHTCU), Ultra Limited (FLHTK), Ultra Limited Low (FLHTKL), Ultra Limited Shrine (FLHTK SHRINE), Police Electra Glide (FLHTP), Street Glide (FLHX), Street Glide Special (FLHXS), Road Glide Ultra (FLTRU), Road Glide (FLTRX), Road Glide Special (FLTRXS), Freewheeler (FLRT), Tri Glide Ultra (FLHTCUTG), CVO Limited (FLHTKSE) and CVO Street Glide (FLHXSE) motorcycles, 2017 Softail Slim S (FLSS), Fat Boy S (FLSTFBS) and CVO Pro Street Breakout (FXSE) motorcycles, 2018 115th Anniversary Ultra Limited (FLHTK ANV), 115th Anniversary Street Glide (FLHX ANV), 115th Anniversary Street Glide Special (FLHXS ANX), 115th Anniversary Tri Glide Ultra (FLHTCUTG ANV), 115th Anniversary CVO Limited (FLHTKSE ANV) and CVO Road Glide (FLTRXSE) motorcycles. The secondary clutch actuator cylinder may leak fluid internally and the clutch master cylinder may lose the ability to generate enough lift to disengage the clutch.
The risk: If the clutch cannot be disengaged it can result in a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will install a new secondary clutch actuator piston assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 5, 2018. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0173.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company · up to 177,636 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

POWER TRAIN Filed June 13, 2019

2,300 miles

WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE RPM DROPS AND MOTOR STALLS. HAVE TO GET BACK TO NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE BIKE.

NHTSA complaint 11219904. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed May 30, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V734000 (POWER TRAIN) FAILED TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY CANNONBALL HARLEY-DAVIDSON (3912 S US HWY 41, TERRE HAUTE, IN 47802, 1-(812) 232-7821). THE DEALER REFUSED TO PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE AFTER BEING MADE AWARE THAT THE NEW SECONDARY CLUTCH ACTUATOR PISTON ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE CONTACT ORDERED THE PART FROM LEGACY HARLEY-DAVIDSON (1315 ALTHOFF DR, EFFINGHAM, IL 62401, 1-(217) 342-3494) AND THE OWNER REPLACED THE PART. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint 11216942. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed April 16, 2018

MOTORCYCLE STALLS CUTS OUT IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. RPMS DROP FROM 1,000 - 500 WHEN YOU APPLY FUEL IT SPUTTERS AND CUTS OUT. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL, BUT IF IT STALLED OUT WHILE IN THE FREEWAY THEN BRING IT IN.

NHTSA complaint 11088507. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed February 8, 2018

HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAS ISSUED THEIR TECHNICAL ADVISORY TA0022 TO DEALERS BUT NOT CUSTOMERS. IT IDENTIFIES A PROBLEM OF OIL TRANSFERRING FROM THE MOTORCYCLE'S TRANSMISSION TO THE PRIMARY CHAIN CASE RESULTING IN BELOW MINIMUM REQUIRED OIL VOLUME IN THE TRANSMISSION AND TOO MUCH OIL IN THE PRIMARY CHAINCASE. INADEQUATE OIL VOLUME IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN RESULT IN TRANSMISSION DAMAGE/FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES FOR THE RIDER (I.E. A CRASH). HARLEY-DAVIDSON STATES IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR THE MOTORCYCLE 'DO NOT OVERFILL THE PRIMARY CHAINCASE WITH LUBRICANT. OVERFILLING CAN CAUSE ROUGH CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT, INCOMPLETE DISENGAGEMENT, CLUTCH DRAG AND/OR DIFFICULTY IN FINDING

NHTSA complaint 11071860, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed December 19, 2017

3,500 miles

ON A DAILY BASIS, WHILE OPERATING THE MOTORCYCLE WITH THE CLUTCH ENGAGED, IN GEAR, AND AT IDLE SPEED, THE ENGINE WILL STALL. THIS OCCURS WHEN YOU ARE STOPPING FOR A STOP SIGN, RED LIGHT, OR IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC. WHEN THIS OCCURS, YOU CAN NOT RESTART THE ENGINE. NEW RESTRICTIONS ON THE MOTORCYCLE DO NOT ALLOW THE ENGINE TO BE STARTED WITH THE MOTORCYCLE CLUTCH ENGAGED WITH IT "IN GEAR". YOU MUST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, PLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL. AND THEN YOU ARE ALLOWED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THIS IS PROBLEMATIC AT BEST AND EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS WHEN IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC. NUMEROUS OCCASIONS HAVE OCCURRED WHEN MY ENGINE HAS STALLED AND TRAFFIC BEHIND ME STARTS MOVING AND

NHTSA complaint 11055610, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed September 8, 2017

200 miles

VEHICLE LOOSES TRANSMISSION FLUID. 3 TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AND CONTINUES TO DO IT. SAFETY ISSUE AS ONCE THE TRANSMISSION RUNS OUT OF OIL IT MAY LOCK UP AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, DUE TO BEING UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint 11022327. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Harley-Davidson FLHTK

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Deaths
2016	10	1	—
2015	10	2	—
2014	37	5	—
2012	19	1	—
2011	20	2	—
2010	29	3	—

Other 2017 Harley-Davidson models

Flhtcutg 13 FLTRXS 8

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Harley-Davidson on this site — 33 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed August 5, 2019.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file, published October 2, 2026.

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst