Harley-Davidson FLHTCU problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
269 owner complaints analyzed
14 distinct recall campaigns
17,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1994 to 2019 model years. Data snapshot: . 231 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 84 of 269 complaints (31.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 105 | 39.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 16 | 5.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 16 | 5.9% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 2.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 1.1% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 0.7% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 84 |
| Power Train | 36 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 27 |
| Electrical System | 23 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 20 |
| Engine | 17 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 |
| Wheels | 10 |
Service Brakes: 84; Power Train: 36; Vehicle Speed Control: 27; Electrical System: 23; Engine And Engine Cooling: 20; Engine: 17; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 12; Wheels: 10
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 146 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 60 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 19 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 146; 25,000 to 49,999: 60; 50,000 to 74,999: 19; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (146). 38 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 29 |
| 2008 | 23 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 9 |
| 2011 | 25 |
| 2012 | 9 |
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2014 | 19 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 40 |
| 2017 | 23 |
| 2018 | 20 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2000: 1; 2003: 1; 2006: 2; 2007: 29; 2008: 23; 2009: 6; 2010: 9; 2011: 25; 2012: 9; 2013: 16; 2014: 19; 2015: 17; 2016: 40; 2017: 23; 2018: 20; 2019: 8; 2020: 3; 2021: 3; 2022: 6; 2023: 2; 2024: 2; 2025: 3; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 105 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 16 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 16 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 10242699 · 2008-09-17 (September 17, 2008)
STARTED MY '07HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU AND BACKED OUT OF PARKING STALL, BIKE WAS ALREADY IN 1ST GEAR, STARTED TO RELEASE THE CLUTCH TO MOVE THE BIKE WHEN THE ENGINE WENT TO FULL THROTTLE WITH NO INPUT FROM ME. THE BIKE LURCHED FORWARD SO I IMMEDIATELY TWISTED THE THROTTLE OFF AND APPLIED THE FRONT BRAKE BECAUSE I WAS HEADING FOR A CURB. AGAIN THE ENGINE WENT TO FULL THROTTLE ON IT'S OWN. THE BRAKE HAD NO EFFECT SO BEFORE I HIT THE CURB I RELEASED THE BRAKE AND STRAIGHTENED THE BIKE SO I WOULD HIT THE CURB AT A RIGHT ANGLE AND WAS ABLE TO AVOI…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,195 miles reported. Look up ODI 10242699 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10275871 · 2009-07-06 (July 6, 2009)
BRAKE FAILURE OF REAR BRAKE ON 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON MODEL FLHTCUI .REAR BRAKE FAILED TO OPERATE BECAUSE BRAKE LINE DEVELOPED A SMALL HOLE FROM ABRASION BY CONTACT WITH THE CLUTCH CABLE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10275871 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10171068 · 2006-10-17 (October 17, 2006)
I BOUGHT A 2007 ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA BY HARLEY DAVIDSON ON SEPT. 8, 2006. I RETURNED THE BIKE ON SEPT. 9, 2006 SAYING IN WAS MAKING TO MUCH NOISE. THEY RODE IT AND SAID IT NEEDED TO BE BROKE IN, AND PUT 1/2 QUART OF TRANSMISSION FLUID IN. I RODE THE BIKE 500 MILES AND RETURNED THE BIKE ON SEPT. 12, 2006 STATING THAT THE PRIMARY SOUNDED LIKE A CAN FULL OF ROCKS, THE 5TH GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION WHINED SO BAD IT SOUNDED LIKE AN AMBULANCE, AND THE VALVES WERE RATTLING SO BAD THAT YOU COULD NOT HEAR YOURSELF THINK, AND THE EXHAUST PIPES HAD ALREA…
Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10171068 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10184208 · 2007-03-05 (March 5, 2007)
2007 FLHTCUI, 1)MY PRIMARY SIDE VERY LOUD WHINING MAY BE DUE TO CHAIN TENSIONER, COMPENSATOR WEAK SPRING NOTICED IN NEUTRAL AND SHIFTING. 2) MY TRANSMISSION VERY LOUD WHINING IN 1ST. AND 5TH. GEARS. ALSO LOUD AND NOTICEABLE CLATTERING IN SEVERAL GEARS MOSTLY IN FIFTH. 3) I READ ON MOTORCYCLE TALK GROUPS DIP STICK TRANSMISSION BREAKING OFF HAVE OCCURRED 4) TRANSMISSION FAILURES OCCURRING WHILE DRIVING . HARLEY DAVIDSON COMPANY IS NOT ADDRESSING THESE POTENTIAL LIFE THREATENING PROBLEMS NEITHER UPHOLDING THERE WARRANTY FOR EXCESSIVE NOISES ISSU…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10184208 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 556783 · 2000-10-20 (October 20, 2000)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOOSES ALL ELECTRICAL POWER, AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE POWER WILL RESUME. NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 556783 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10391711 · 2011-03-16 (March 16, 2011)
2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON. CONSUMER STATES DESIGN FLAW AND SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH MOTORCYCLE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE MOTORCYCLE HAD BEEN AT THE REPAIR SHOP SINCE SEPT 9, 2010 BECAUSE OF A THROTTLE PROBLEM CREATED BY THE BIKE GOING INTO LIMP MODE ON ITS OWN WHILE BEING DRIVEN OR WHILE AT A STOP. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO WAY TO TEST THE BIKE UNTIL THE WEATHER IMPROVES IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECTIFIED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10391711 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10595171 · 2014-05-30 (May 30, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCUI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE O-RING AND THE FUEL FILTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT RECTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V357000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 45,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10595171 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10232134 · 2008-06-24 (June 24, 2008)
FUEL FILTER HOUSING INSIDE GAS TANK. FAULTY HOUSING BREAKS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 7,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232134 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10682924 · 2015-02-12 (February 12, 2015)
2008 ULTRA CLASSIC ELECTRA GLIDE HARLEY DAVIDSON. GAS TANK LINING PEALED OFF INSIDE THE TANK RESULTING IN SHEDDING FUEL FILTERS, LINE, PUMP, INJECTORS. ALL PARTS INSIDE THE TANK HAND TO BE REPLACED. $1800 WORTH OF PARTS PLUS THE TANK HAD TO BE BLASTED AND RECOATED $600. POWER WOULD CUT OUT WHEN RIDING MOTOR WOULD QUIT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10682924 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11322224 · 2020-04-25 (April 25, 2020)
I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH AND APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION NEAR MY HOME. I HAD TO STOP QUICKLY AS A CAR TURNED INTO MY LANE JUST A HEAD OF ME. I APPLIED THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES OF MY MOTORCYCLE BUT THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER DID NOT MOVE AT ALL. IT WAS AS IF IT WAS FROZEN IN PLACE. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE FRONT BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW USING THE REAR BRAKE AND AVOIDED A COLLISION BY STEERING OUT OF THE WAY. AFTER ARRIVING HOME AND INVESTIGATING, I FOUND THE ABS MODULE HAD FAILED. I ALSO FOUND THIS IS AN ISSUE KNOWN BY HARLEY DAVIDSON OF T…
Owner-reported narrative. 51,080 miles reported. Look up ODI 11322224 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 ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2007: 0; 2008: 2; 2009: 3; 2010: 3; 2011: 2; 2013: 0; 2014: 5; 2015: 2; 2016: 1; 2017: 3; 2018: 2; 2019: 1