NHTSA vehicle safety data

2012 Harley-Davidson FLHXSE3 Recalls & Complaints

The 2012 Harley-Davidson FLHXSE3 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 2 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2012 Harley-Davidson FLHXSE3. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2012 Harley-Davidson FLHXSE3 owner complaints

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Harley-Davidson FLHXSE3, describing incidents dated March 1, 2018 to December 19, 2019.

Most-cited components

Service Brakes 2 complaints

Newest complaints

ODI #11291939 · Filed December 29, 2019
RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM HD THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE MY ABS BRAKES BLED AND FLUSHED. AFTER DOING SO, MY BRAKES ARE EXHIBITING THE NOTICE WAS MEANT TO AVOID. FIRST THE FRONT BRAKES WERE HARD AND COULD NOT BE APPLIED ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT! NOW THEY ARE SLOW TO RESPOND AND WILL PULL BACK TO THE BARS IF…
ODI #11120184 · Filed August 15, 2018
THREE MONTHS AGO I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND THE REAR BRAKE PEDDLE WOIUDL NOT DEPRESS OR ENGAGE THE REAR BRAKE. MY CVO IS A 2012 WHICH MEANS THE IT WAS MADE IN 2011. THEIR IS A RECALL FOR THE ABS BRAKE MODULE FAILURE ON MULTIPLE MODELS FROM 2007- 2011. IT'S NOT A FLUID ISSUE AS I HAVE HAD THE…

Read all 2 complaints

REAR BRAKE LAMP SWITCH

NHTSA #11V506000 · Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights — Switch · NHTSA notice

Reported October 19, 2011 · HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY

Potentially affected: 250,757 vehicles

Harley-Davidson campaign 0145 · Owners notified October 31, 2011 · Vehicles built June 6, 2008 – September 16, 2011 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2012 TOURING, CVO TOURING AND TRIKE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16, 2011. SEE THE ABOVE LIST FOR THE MODELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY BE EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.

Safety consequence

THE EXCESSIVE HEAT MAY CAUSE THE SWITCH TO NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP OR ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP WHEN NO BRAKE IS APPLIED AND/OR CAUSE A BRAKE FLUID LEAK AT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, AFFECTING REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. EITHER CONDITION MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL A INSTALL A REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH KIT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

Notes

HARLEY-DAVIDSON SAFETY RECALL NUMBER IS 0145.CUSTOMERS OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2012 Harley-Davidson FLHXSE3. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

2 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Harley-Davidson FLHXSE3.

Service Brakes

ODI #11291939

Incident: December 19, 2019 · Filed: December 29, 2019

RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM HD THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE MY ABS BRAKES BLED AND FLUSHED. AFTER DOING SO, MY BRAKES ARE EXHIBITING THE NOTICE WAS MEANT TO AVOID. FIRST THE FRONT BRAKES WERE HARD AND COULD NOT BE APPLIED ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT! NOW THEY ARE SLOW TO RESPOND AND WILL PULL BACK TO THE BARS IF HELD. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HD BRAKES. BRAKES ARE SUPPOSED TO FAIL SAFE NOT GET US KILLED! PLEASE HAVE HD RECALL AND REPAIR OUR BRAKES!! I HAVE AN EARLY 2012 AND LIKELY HAVE 2011 COMPONENTS. PLEASE HELP!

Service Brakes

ODI #11120184

Incident: March 1, 2018 · Filed: August 15, 2018

THREE MONTHS AGO I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND THE REAR BRAKE PEDDLE WOIUDL NOT DEPRESS OR ENGAGE THE REAR BRAKE. MY CVO IS A 2012 WHICH MEANS THE IT WAS MADE IN 2011. THEIR IS A RECALL FOR THE ABS BRAKE MODULE FAILURE ON MULTIPLE MODELS FROM 2007- 2011. IT'S NOT A FLUID ISSUE AS I HAVE HAD THE FLUID CHANGED. I HAVE 23,000 MILES ON THE BIKE. THE CURRENT FOR 2007-2011 IS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE RECALL NEED TO BE EXTENDED TO COVER THE SAME FAILED PARTS. HARLEY WILL NOT OWN UP TO IT SO IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE NHTSA TO CALL FOR THE RECALL TO ENCOMPASS THE SAME PARTS USED IN THE RECALL OF THE SAME ISSUE. THE ABS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I SPENT $42,000 ON MY CVO. HARLEY DAVIDSON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SELLING SAFE MOTORCYCLES WITH BRAKE SYSTEMS THAT DON'T FAIL ON THE ROAD. I SEE THERE ARE OTHER 2012 BIKES WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT.

Check your 2012 Harley-Davidson FLHXSE3 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Harley-Davidson FLHXSE3 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Harley-Davidson VIN