2018 Harley-Davidson Flde recalls and problems

The 2018 Harley-Davidson Flde has 2 safety recalls and 5 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Harley-Davidson dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

Crashes / fires

0 / 0

Injuries / deaths

0 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2018 Harley-Davidson Flde vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2018 Harley-Davidson Flde recalls

Recall 25V-375: Suspension

Reported Jun 6, 2025 · 82,117 vehicles affected · Harley-Davidson Motor Company

Problem: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain 2018-2024 Softail motorcycles. The mounting tab on the rear shock pre-load adjuster may break, allowing the rear shock absorber adjuster to damage the rear tire, causing a loss of tire pressure.

Risk: A sudden loss of tire pressure increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will install a new bracket, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 16, 2025. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0188. Some of the vehicles included in this recall were previously repaired under recall 23V591, and will need to have the new remedy completed.

Recall 23V-591: Suspension

Reported Aug 22, 2023 · 65,224 vehicles affected · Harley-Davidson Motor Company

Problem: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain 2018-2019 FLDE, 2018-2021 FLHC, 2018-2023 FLHCS, 2018 and 2023 FLHCS ANV, 2020-2023 FXLRS, 2022-2023 FXLRST, and 2022 FXRST Softail motorcycles. A fastener securing the rear shock absorber may break and allow the rear shock absorber adjuster to damage the rear tire, causing a loss of tire pressure.

Risk: A loss of tire pressure can lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the shock absorber fastener, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0181.

2018 Harley-Davidson Flde problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Power Train	2
Service Brakes	2
Exterior Lighting	1
Suspension	1
Unknown or Other	1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 2,400 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2018 Harley-Davidson Flde complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Suspension · reported Sep 2, 2025

My 2018 Harley Softail was repaired .The rear shock adjuster bolt was broken 11/1/2018 at 1500 mile this was before the recalls.Then it was repaired again with the recall 2/6/24 it was broken again.My bike was then repaired again on 7/29/25 for the recall .It was broken at the time again. On 8/25/25 I was riding home I felt a large bang to the rear and thought I had been hit.I was going slow I was able to handle the bike.I pulled to the shoulder and realized it was the shock adjuster again.I took my bike to Harley 8/30 with all my paperwork.Where it is now.I can visibly see my rear fender is…

Service Brakes · reported Nov 1, 2022

Faulty front brake light switch causes the brake light to remain on all the time. Comon failure and the part is on back order for two months. Issue has been confirmed by dealer.

Power Train · at 3,000 miles · reported Mar 21, 2019

My motorcycle was recalled for a potentially life threatening condition. Fluid could leak past the clutch reservoir and cause the drive train to stay engaged and you cant shift out of gear causing you to crash. This is march 21, 2019 and I AM 123 customers away from the harley dealership from having parts to fix my bike.

Service Brakes · at 2,400 miles · reported Feb 23, 2019

2018 harley davidson softail deluxe 2400 miles. Was riding at lunch heading back to work, on a city street came to a intersection the lights were turning red went to apply my front brakes and they went from working with no issues or signs of issues to complete fail of the front brakes pulled off the road into a ditch while applying my rear brakes to avoid from going out into traffic. Note: bike was manufactured in november of 2018 from harley they tried to claim the issue was my fault that the brakes failed due to improper care of the unit. Harley said I should have bleed my brakes that it is…

Power Train · at 1,600 miles · reported Jan 9, 2019

I received a recall notice on november 5th 2018 and still cannot get the dealer to fix the recall issue, it is now january 9th 2019

Other Harley-Davidson Flde years

201920182017

Compare all Harley-Davidson Flde years · All Harley-Davidson models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Harley-Davidson Flde have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2018 Harley-Davidson Flde: 25V-375 (suspension), 23V-591 (suspension). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2018 Harley-Davidson Flde?

Owners report power train problems most often (2 reports), followed by service brakes (2). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 2,400 miles.

Are Harley-Davidson recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Harley-Davidson dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.