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1996 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Flht

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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7Owner complaints

Model-year median: 3

1Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
0
19943
19957
19967
19974
19988
1999
Compare all Flht years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
6Engine And Engine Cooling
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 7 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

H-D REDESIGNED THE TAPPETS IN THE EVO BIG TWIN MOTOR. MY MOTOR HAD 3 OF THE NEW STYLE TAPPETS AND ONE OF THE OLD TAPPETS INSTALLED IN IT. THE ROLLERS IN THE OLD STYLE TAPPET DISINTEGRATED, CAUSING METAL SHAVINGS PUMPED THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE. A PIECE OF METAL GOT INTO THE OIL PUMP ,AND CAUSED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE, WHICH THEN CA…

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H-D REDESIGNED THE TAPPETS IN THE EVO BIG TWIN MOTOR. MY MOTOR HAD 3 OF THE NEW STYLE TAPPETS AND ONE OF THE OLD TAPPETS INSTALLED IN IT. THE ROLLERS IN THE OLD STYLE TAPPET DISINTEGRATED, CAUSING METAL SHAVINGS PUMPED THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE. A PIECE OF METAL GOT INTO THE OIL PUMP ,AND CAUSED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE, WHICH THEN CAUSED THE ENGINE TO GET NOISY. IF A PIECE OF METAL MADE ITS WAY TO THE WRONG PLACE, THEN THE ENGINE FROZE UP AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THIS PROBLEM ALSO HAPPENED ON MY 1989 H-D, FLHTC. VIN # [XXX]. IT HAD 74,800 MILES ON IT WHEN IT OCCURRED. THE SAMETHING HAPPENED. A TAPPET ROLLER DISINTEGRATED. THE SHOP THAT DID THE ENGINE OVERHAUL HAS ALSO SEEN IT HAPPEN ON OTHER MOTORCYCLES. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #703039

Official recalls

1

98V158000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

Jul 14, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: FL TOURING MOTORCYCLES. A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN OCCUR DUE TO EXCESSIVE CURRENT AND OTHER FACTORS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO FAIL TO START, OPERATE ERRATICALLY, OR STALL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH/CIRCUIT BREAKER AND INSTALL A RELAY KIT.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.