2017 Harley-Davidson Fltrxs problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (5) · Power Train:clutch Assembly (1) · Fuel/Propulsion System (1)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Harley-Davidson Fltrxs model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (2)
Power Train:clutch Assembly 2018-10-18 · campaign 18V734000 · 177,636 vehicles
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
Risk: If the clutch cannot be disengaged it can result in a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Engine And Engine Cooling 2017-05-22 · campaign 17V333000 · 45,589 vehicles
Defect: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain 2017 Electric Glide Ultra Classic (FLHTCU), Police Electra Glide (FLHTP), Police Road King (FLHP), Road King (FLHR), Road King Special (FLHRXS), Street Glide (FLHX), Street Glide Special (FLHXS), Road Glide (FLTRX), and Road Glide Special (FLTRXS) motorcycles. In the affected motorcycles, a clamp used to secure an engine oil cooler line may have been improperly installed.
Risk: The incorrectly installed clamp may result in the engine oil cooler line detaching, causing a sudden loss of oil, potentially into the path of the rear tire, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the oil cooler line clamps, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 6, 2017. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0170.
Service bulletins (75)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-17 · M1490 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin m1490 (v 26.9.4): digital technician ii - updates and release notes. purpose: revision. this bulletin informs dealers that harley-davidson has made a software update to digital technician ii (dt ii). digital technician ii (part number: hd-48650). new software update. note: the tech
Unknown Or Other 2026-08-14 · M1733 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin m1733: cosmetic cylinder staining (all milwaukee-eight models). purpose: initial release. this bulletin informs dealers that cosmetic staining or etching on the inside of the cylinder bore does not have an impact on engine performance, oil consumption, or overall functionality. this
Wheels 2026-07-25 · M1490 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin m1490 (v 26.8.3): digital technician ii - updates and release notes. purpose: revision. this bulletin informs dealers that harley-davidson has made a software update to digital technician ii (dt ii). digital technician ii (part number: hd-48650). version version 26.8.3, release dat
Fuel/Propulsion System 2026-06-11 · M1490 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin m1490 (v 26.7.3): digital technician ii - updates and release notes. purpose: revision. this bulletin informs dealers that harley-davidson has made a software update to digital technician ii (dt ii). digital technician ii (part number: hd-48650). version 26.7.3. release date:• week
Vehicle Speed Control 2026-04-24 · M1490 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin m1490 (v 26.6.2): digital technician ii - updates and release notes. purpose: revision. this bulletin informs dealers that harley-davidson has made a software update to digital technician ii (dt ii). digital technician ii (part number: hd-48650). version 26.6.2. release date: week
Vehicle Speed Control 2026-03-31 · M1490 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin m1490 (v 26.5.2): digital technician ii - updates and release notes. purpose: revision. this bulletin informs dealers that harley-davidson has made a software update to digital technician ii (dt ii). digital technician ii (part number: hd-48650). version 26.5.2 release date: week of
Showing the 6 most recent of 75 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2019-10-29 · Power Train · 30,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2017 harley-davidson road glide special (fltrxs) motorcycle. the contact discovered that the transmission fluid was very low and fluid was erroneously transferred from the transmission into the primary chain case. the cause of the failure was not determined. red rock harley-davidson (2260 s rainbow blvd, las vegas, nv 89146) …”
2019-02-25 · Power Train:clutch Assembly“2017 harley davidson. consumer writes in regards to defective hydraulic clutch system. *ld *tr…”
2019-02-06 · Power Train“tl* the contact owns a 2017 harley-davidson road glide special (fltrxs). the contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 18v734000 (power train). the contact stated that the manufacturer failed to repair the motorcycle within a reasonable amount of time. rommel harley-davidson delmarva (22586 sussex hwy, seaford, de 19973) con…”
2018-11-16 · Power Train“tl* the contact owns a 2017 harley-davidson road glide special (fltrxs). the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v734000 (power train). the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the contact called dallas harley-davidson (334 w centerville rd, garland, tx 75041, (972) 2…”
2018-04-30 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 9,500 mi“finally got the bike back after 7 days in the shop. i was entering the highway under acceleration and the bike went into limp mode. i managed to pull over to the shoulder without getting run over. called the local hd dealer from the shoulder. when i got off the phone the bike started normally, so i rode it directly there with the service engine lig…”
2017-11-01 · Engine · 124 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2017 harley-davidson fltrxs road glide. while driving approximately 5 mph, an object struck the vehicle and fractured the oil cooler. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the vehicle was towed to harley davidson (4000 n hwy 75, sherman, tx 75090) where it was diagnosed that the oil cooler needed to be replaced. the v…”
2017-07-20 · Power Train · 1,550 mi“on 7/19/17, while riding in 85+ degree heat, the clutch on the bike began to operate differently than normal, engaging earlier and earlier. (normally the clutch will not engage until the last few degrees of travel at the hand lever.) as traffic grew and became more stop and go, this became worse and worse until finally, with the clutch lever pulled…”
2017-06-18 · Power Train · 2,500 mi“this applies to harley davidson 2017 model year vehicles that are equipped with the new m8 engine. gear lubricant will transfer from the manual transmission to the primary case of the engine resulting in the overfilling of the primary case and zero lubricant in the transmission. this could result in the transmission locking up and sliding the rear …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.