U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Harley-Davidson FLHTC: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

15 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

15,626 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 15 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 15 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	5	33.3%
Engine operation	1	6.7%
Electrical and battery issues	1	6.7%

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.

Service Brakes

Electrical System

Power Train

Fuel/Propulsion System

Engine

Engine And Engine Cooling

Fuel System, Gasoline

Suspension

Service Brakes: 5; Electrical System: 3; Power Train: 3; Fuel/Propulsion System: 2; Engine: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline: 1; Suspension: 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: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 0 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.

2008

2010

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2008: 1; 2010: 1; 2012: 1; 2013: 4; 2014: 1; 2015: 1; 2016: 4; 2017: 1; 2018: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 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.

Examples from the source records

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

Owner report 10230588 · 2008-06-11 (June 11, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IDLED IRREGULARLY. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND OCCURRED WHILE RIDING AT 60 MPH. IF HE TOUCHED THE THROTTLE WHEN THE IGNITION WAS OFF OR WHEN JUST STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE IRREGULAR IDLING WOULD BEGIN. THE NEXT TIME HE WOULD START THE VEHICLE, THE RPM'S WOULD OCCASIONALLY INCREASE TO 2,000 RPM'S OR HIGHER. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECELERATE DUE TO THE THROTTLE FAILURE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND WAS INFORMED THAT MANY …

Owner-reported narrative. 1 miles reported. Look up ODI 10230588 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10353987 · 2010-09-06 (September 6, 2010)

2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTC WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING ROUTINE MAINT. HAD TO REPLACE FRONT AND REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. MOTORCYCLE ONLY AS 35,000 MILES THESE BEARINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD FOR 100,000 PLUS. WHEEL BEARING FAILURES ON A MOTORCYCLE CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 34,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10353987 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10462211 · 2012-06-19 (June 19, 2012)

AT ANY GIVEN TIME THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN INTO LIME MODE WHEN DTCS 1511/2135 ARE STORED. WHEN CODES ARE GIVEN THE VEHICLE WILL REDUCE SPEED IN LESS THEN 5 SECONDS WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED. MY WIFE AND I WERE RIDING WITH A LARGE GROUP OF RIDERS WHEN BIKE SHUT DOWN CAUSING A NEAR PILE-UP. THE SUSPECTED REASON FOR THE CODES IS THE REPLACEMENT OF TERMINALS PINS OF THE SOCKET ON THE PCM WIRES AND -OR THE TCA TERMINALS PINS ON THE SOCKET WIRES CAUSED BY FRETTING OF THE TERMINAL PINS. THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM ON 2008-LATER TOURING,POLICE AND TR…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10462211 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10495183 · 2013-01-30 (January 30, 2013)

RIDING FOR (RIDE FOR A REASON RUN) BIKE WENT INTO LIMP MODE CAUSING A TROUBLE CODE OF P1511. TOOK TO DEALER AND HAD NEW CONNECTOR PINS REPLACED IN THROTTLE CONTROL ACTUATOR. A COST OF $332.07 FOR REPLACEMENT OF 7 TERMINAL PINS, PINS COST $6.30 TOTAL. LABOR WAS OUT OF LINE. SAID IT TOOK 2.5 HR. THIS IS A SIMPLE FIX. SHOULD HAVE TOOK NO LESS THEN 1 HR. THIS IS ALSO A MAJOR PROBLEM ON THESE BIKES. I WAS RIDING WITH A LARGE GROUP WHEN LIMP MODE HAPPENED, BIKE SHUT DOWN IN LESS THEN 3 SECONDS. ALMOST WAS REAR ENDED . THE COMPANYS GOT TO HAVE A RECA…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,626 miles reported. Look up ODI 10495183 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10502754 · 2013-03-14 (March 14, 2013)

BIKE WENT INTO LIMP MODE CAUSING THE BIKE TO SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN TO ABOUT 15 MPH. CAUSE WAS FRETTING OF THROTTLE BODY WIRING CONNECTOR PINS. FACTORY HAS KNOWN OF PROBLEM AND HAS A TCB OUT ON ISSUE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN RIDING ON HIGHWAYS. COMPANY NEED TO HAVE RECALL BUT THEY WON'T. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10502754 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10520433 · 2013-06-18 (June 18, 2013)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTC MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED HE RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V357000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL SERVICE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE PRIOR TO THE RECALL SERVICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE RECALL SERVICE, THE FUEL FILTER SHELL CRACKED LEADING TO A LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE RECALL FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR AFTER THE SERVICE. THE VEHICLE WA…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10520433 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10554371 · 2013-12-02 (December 2, 2013)

THROTTLE GAVE OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. HAD NO RESPONSE FROM THE THROTTLE. STOPPED AND REMOVED HAND GRIP AND MOVED THE ELECTRONIC PART AND REPLACED HAND GRIP. THROTTLE WAS THE OK, THIS HAS HAPPENED ON 2 MORE OCCASIONS ON AUGUST 31ST AND SEPTEMBER 1ST, I DID THE SAME TO FIX THE PROBLEM. LUCKILY I WAS NOT A BUSY FREEWAY WHEN THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED OR I MAY HAVE BEEN IN DANGER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10554371 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10584542 · 2014-04-23 (April 23, 2014)

DRIVING MY HARLEY AT ABOUT 20-30 MPH PULLING UP TO RED LIGHT. GO TO HIT FRONT BRAKE. NOTHING. FRONT BRAKE IS COMPLETELY DISABLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. IT APPEARS THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS FAULTY ABS MODULES AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST NOR PROBABLY THE LAST OF THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ MY COMPLAINT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 55,005 miles reported. Look up ODI 10584542 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

08V357000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap

Reported: 2008-07-30 (July 30, 2008)

HARLEY DAVIDSON IS RECALLING 47,579 MY 2008 FLHP, FLHPE, FLHR, FLHRC, FLHRSE4, FLHT, FLHTC, FLHTCU, FLHTCUSE3, FLHTP, FLHX, AND FLTR MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES MAY EXPERIENCE A CRACKING OF THE FUEL FILTER SHELL LEADING TO LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE. THIS LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE CAN CAUSE DIMINISHED PERFORMANCE AND, IN SOME CASES, MAY CAUSE AN ENGINE STALL OR A NO-START CONDITION.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WHICH COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILTER SHELL FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

18V076000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Fluid

Reported: 2018-01-29 (January 29, 2018)

Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling all 2008-2011 Touring, CVO Touring and VSRC motorcycles equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS), including Road King (FLHR), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHP), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHPE), Electra Glide Standard Police (EFI) (FLHTP), Electra Glide Classic (EFI) (FLHTC), Electra Glide Ultra Classic (EFI) (FLHTCU) and Street Glide (EFI) (FLHX), 2008 VROD (VRSCAWA), CVO Road King 4 (FLHRSE4), Night Rod (VRSCDA), CVO Ultra Classic 3 (FLHTCUSE3), Night Rod Special (VRSCDXA), 2008-2010 Road King Classic (EFI) (FLHRC), 2008-2009 Road Glide (EFI) (FLTR) and Electra Glide Standard (EFI) (FLHT), 2009-2010 V-Rod (VRSCAW), 2009 CVO Ultra Classic (FLHTCUSE4) and CVO Road Glide 3 (FLTRSE3), 2009-2011 Night Rod Special (VRSCDX) and V-Rod Muscle (VRSCF), 2010 CVO Ultra Classic 5 (FLHTCUSE5) and CVO Street Glide (FLHXSE), 2010-2011 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (FLHTK) and Road Glide Custom (FLTRX), 2011 Road Glide Ultra 103 (FLTRU103), Street Glide 103 (FLHX103), Road King Classic 103 (FLHRC103), CVO Ultra Classic 6 (FLHTCUSE6), CVO Road Glide Ultra (FLTRUSE), Road Glide Custom 103 (FLTRX103), and CVO Street Glide 2 (FLHXSE2) motorcycles. Deposits may form on components within the brake system if the DOT 4 brake fluid is not replaced for a prolonged period of time beyond the 2-year maintenance schedule specified in the Owners Manual.

Consequence: These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will flush the entire brake system with new Platinum Label DOT 4 brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0171.

NHTSA campaign record ↗