U.S. public vehicle records

2010 Harley-Davidson FLHTCU problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

31 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

17,900 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2010 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 29 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 31 complaints (29.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	12	38.7%
Transmission and shifting	2	6.5%
Electrical and battery issues	2	6.5%
Engine operation	1	3.2%
Steering behavior	1	3.2%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Service Brakes

Power Train

Vehicle Speed Control

Electrical System

Engine

Fuel/Propulsion System

Wheels

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Service Brakes: 9; Power Train: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Electrical System: 5; Engine: 4; Fuel/Propulsion System: 2; Wheels: 2; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 23; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (23). 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2022

2023

2010: 5; 2011: 2; 2012: 2; 2013: 4; 2014: 5; 2015: 3; 2016: 4; 2017: 2; 2018: 2; 2022: 1; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10360267 · 2010-10-13 (October 13, 2010)

2010 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC REAR BRAKE QUIT WORKING. REAR BRAKE HAD COMPLETE PEDAL PRESSURE BUT WOULD NOT STOP THE MOTORCYCLE. APPLYING PRESSURE WHILE RIDING WOULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE REAR BRAKE TO START WORKING AS NORMAL. FOUND PUDDLE OF OIL ON GARAGE FLOOR AND UPON INSPECTION FOUND THAT THE RIGHT REAR SHOCK ABSORBER WAS LEAKING OIL AND THAT OIL WAS GETTING ON THE REAR DISC ROTOR CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING FRICTION. MOTORCYCLE IS IN SHOP NOW WAITING FOR A NEW SHOCK ABSORBER TO ARRIVE. MOTORCYCLE HAS 7K MILES ON IT AND PART WILL BE REPLAC…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10360267 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10503346 · 2013-03-17 (March 17, 2013)

ABS BRAKE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, WILL NOT ACTIVATE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 8,805 miles reported. Look up ODI 10503346 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10351968 · 2010-08-26 (August 26, 2010)

2010 (AND EARLIER) HARLEY-DAVIDSON TOURING MODELS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION COMPENSATOR THAT IF NOT ADDRESSED, COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WITH INJURY OR DEATH. THE COMPENSATOR BOLT COMES LOOSE IN THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING AND CAUSES SIGNIFICANT INTERNAL DAMAGE WITH COULD CAUSE THE MOTORCYCLE TO MALFUNCTION. IN MY CASE, I HAD JUST EXITED THE HIGHWAY 100 WHEN I HEARD A LOUD RATTLING IN THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD BUT THE BIKE LURCHED AND WOULD NOT GET INTO GEAR. THIS CAUSED ME TO STOP IN THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,565 miles reported. Look up ODI 10351968 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10760952 · 2015-09-02 (September 2, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO DIFFERENT GEARS. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GASKET, BEARING ROLLER, RETAINING RING, AND INNER PRIMARY BEARING RACE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,438. MA 10/29/2015 *CN

Owner-reported narrative. 40,438 miles reported. Look up ODI 10760952 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10455951 · 2012-04-21 (April 21, 2012)

RIDING ALONG AT 60 MPH WHEN THE BIKE WENT INTO "LIMP MODE". I IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL THROTTLE RESPONSE AND MY SPEED INSTANTLY DROPPED TO 10 MPH. ONCE THE BIKE GOES INTO THIS "LIMP MODE", THE SPEED IS AUTOMATICALLY LIMITED TO 10 MPH. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD TO RIDE AT 10 MPH DOWN A BUSY STREET WITH MY FLASHERS ON TO PREVENT GETTING REAR ENDED BY ALL THE CARS. THIS "LIMP MODE" IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH HARLEY DAVIDSON (CHECK IT OUT ON GOOGLE OR AT HDFORUMS.COM. HARLEY IS APPARENTLY REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE WITH THE BIKES. THRO…

Owner-reported narrative. 17,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10455951 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10584426 · 2014-04-23 (April 23, 2014)

AS PER SERVICE BULLETIN ; TT418-A ,ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR CORROSION AND FRETTING CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN DUE TO VIBRATION . THIS SITUATION IS HAZARDOUS AS THE BIKE CAN FAIL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND INTERSECTIONS . HARLEY DAVIDSON IS AWARE OF THIS SITUATION SENSE 2008 . AS TO DATE THERE IS NO RECALL PLANNED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10584426 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10597579 · 2014-06-11 (June 11, 2014)

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATED TO 15 MPH AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,400.

Owner-reported narrative. 23,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10597579 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10351898 · 2010-08-26 (August 26, 2010)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENING WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO A DEALER FOR SERVICE. THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FRONT WHEEL BARRING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 17,661.

Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10351898 at NHTSA ↗