2009 Harley-Davidson FLHTC: complaints, problems and recalls

VEHICLE RANDOMLY GOES INTO "LIMP" MODE UNDER ACCELERATION, HAS RESULTED IN SEVERAL NEAR COLLISIONS. HARLEY DAVIDSON IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE (HARLEY DAVIDSON TT418) BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10428104 at NHTSA ↗

FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT AT 22000 MILES. NOTICED CONDITION DURING HIGHWAY SPEED WAS FRONT WHEEL WOBBLE WHEN CROSSING OVER BRIDGE JOINTS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10531954 at NHTSA ↗

PREMATURE WHEEL BEARING FAILURE, EXCESSIVE PLAY AND ROUGH MOVEMENT. MANY OTHERS POSTING SAME PROBLEMS ON MOTORCYCLE FORUMS. BIG SAFETY ISSUE!!! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 13,024 miles reported. Look up ODI 10575517 at NHTSA ↗

THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET HAS GONE OUT TWICE ON THIS BIKE , THIS CAN CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF IT FAILS AT HWY SPEEDS , THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART , ITS BEEN REDONE 3 TIMES SINCE 2009 ! THIS IS SERIOUS GUYS! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 30,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10588039 at NHTSA ↗

THIS MOTORCYCLE, WITH NO WARNING WILL GO INTO "LIMP MODE". LIMP MODE IS WHEN THE ECM SHUTS THE ENGINE DOWN TO 1000 RPM AND WILL NOT LET IT EXCEED THIS RPM. TWICE THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD WAS I NOT RUN OVER FROM BEHIND. THE BIKE REGISTER THREE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODES, P1511, P2135 AND U1097. ALL CODES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE THROTTLE BY WIRE SYSTEM LOSING COMMUNICATION WITH THE CONTROL MODULE. TWICE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ADDRESSED BY TWO DIFFERENT HD DEALERS AND BOTH DEALERS REPLACED CONNECTORS IN…

Owner-reported narrative. 36,364 miles reported. Look up ODI 10631150 at NHTSA ↗

ABS ELEC CONTROLLER (MODULATOR) FAILED. BIKE STARTED UP AND INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWED ABS WAS WORKING, PULLED OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND LIGHT WENT OUT...(ALL NORMAL). THEN I HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP AND APPLIED BOTH BRAKES AND THE REAR LOCKED UP INSTEAD OF PULSING TO A STOP, I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND BROUGHT THE BIKE IN FOR SERVICE AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ABS MOD. HAD FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACING. AT NO TIME DID THE INDICATOR LIGHT EVER COME ON AND STAY ON TO INDICATE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS.

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10759835 at NHTSA ↗

MY HARLEY COMPENSATOR HAS FAILED TWICE NOW, I REPLACED AT MY OWN COST. NOW THIS ONE IS FAILING. HARLEY KNOWS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART. I DON'T THINK THE CONSUMER SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THEIR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. IT CLUNKS WHEN IT STARTS, VIBRATES SEVERELY AND I AM AFRAID IT COULD BREAK AND LOCK THE REAR WHEEL CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10860017 at NHTSA ↗

FRONT HAND BRAKE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHEN EXITING THE FREEWAY ON AN OFF RAMP AND APPROACHING RED LIGHT. STOPPED USING REAR BRAKE. LEVER WAS FROZE IN POSITION WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW BRAKE TO BE APPLIED. HAD BIKE TRAILERED TO HARLEY DAVIDSON SHOP AND THEY REPORTED A FAILURE OF THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (WHICH THEY STATED ON RECIPT). UNIT WAS REPLACED AT MY COST. I KEPT AND STILL HAVE THE FAILED UNIT.

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10899382 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2009-12-01 (December 1, 2009)

HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 TOURING FAMILY MOTORCYCLES, INCLUDING CVO TOURING AND TRIKE PRODUCTS, MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008 THROUGH NOVEMBER 19, 2009. THE FRONT FUEL TANK MOUNTS MAY DISTORT IN REACTION TO SEVERE FRAME DAMAGE FROM A FRONTAL COLLISION. THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE A FUEL LEAK AT THE WELD OF THE FRONT BRACKET TO THE TUNNEL.

Consequence: A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LEFT AND RIGHT BRACE, WHICH ARE INTENDED TO REDUCE FRONT MOUNT DISTORTION DURING CERTAIN CRASH CONDITIONS. THIS REPAIR WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

Reported: 2011-10-19 (October 19, 2011)

HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2012 TOURING, CVO TOURING AND TRIKE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16, 2011. SEE THE ABOVE LIST FOR THE MODELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY BE EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.

Consequence: THE EXCESSIVE HEAT MAY CAUSE THE SWITCH TO NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP OR ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP WHEN NO BRAKE IS APPLIED AND/OR CAUSE A BRAKE FLUID LEAK AT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, AFFECTING REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. EITHER CONDITION MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL A INSTALL A REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH KIT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

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 Owner’s 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.