2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU Electrical System Problems

THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR TO THE EFI/ECM IS FAULTY, CAUSING MULTIPLE CODES DEALING WITH LOW VOLTAGE TO THE THROTTLE BY WIRE, THESE LOW VOLTAGES CAUSES THE THROTTLE TO FAIL DURING RIDING AND LOSS OF SPEEDOMETER. I HAVE NEARLY BEEN IN MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS RELATED TO THE ISSUE WHICH HAS OCCURED WELL OVER 30 TIMES IN 8 YEARS. I HAVE SPENT OVER $1000 USD IN REPAIRS, YET THE DESIGN FLAW CONTINUES TO KEEP CAUSING THE SAME ISSUES YEAR AFTER YEAR.

RIDING MY 09 HARLEY ULTRA, WHEN AT LOW SPEED I HAD TO STOP FOR A CAR STOPPED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WAS FROZEN AND COULD NOT APPLY THE BRAKE. I SWERVED OFF INTO THE GRASS TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR. THE REAR BRAKES STILL WORKED BUT AT SLOW SPEEDS I USE THE FRONT SO I CAN PUT MY FEET DOWN WHEN THE BIKE COMES TO A STOP. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AT HIGHER SPEEDS THIS WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE FATAL!! HARLEY CLAIMS THAT IF THE ABS FAILS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION THAT IT WILL " FAIL SAFE" WITH NORMAL, NON ABS BRAKING. THIS IS NOT THE CASE!! WHEN THE ABS FAILS ELECTRONICALLY, IT FAILS CRITICAL. NO BRAKES. WHEN I CALLED THE HARLEY DEALERS IN MY AREA I GOT THE SAME STORY FROM BOTH OF THEM. ALMOST WORD FOR WORD LIKE IT WAS REHEARSED. "WE'VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING BEFORE. YOU'RE THE FIRST ONE WE'VE SEEN WITH THAT PROBLEM. WE DON'T SEE PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS." I BOUGHT IT TO THEM AND THEY FOUND THE ABS MODULE DEFECTIVE. I TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS SUPPOSE TO "FAIL SAFE" AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT WASN'T TRUE. HE SAID "THIS IS THE 3RD OR 4TH ONE WE'VE HAD AND THE ALL FAIL THE SAME WAY. CAN'T SQUEEZE THE LEVER AND NO BRAKES!" HE CLAIMED THAT BECAUSE THEY SEE SUCH A LOW NUMBER OF BIKES WITH THIS ISSUE THAT IT'S NOT A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I DISSAGREE! MOST PEOPLE THAT EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM ARE DEAD!! I WAS RIDING SLOW IN A NON PANIC SITUATION. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAYS MY BIKE IS SAFE TO RIDE TO RIDE, BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IF THE PROBLEM RETURNS I WOULD AGAIN, BE LEFT WITHOUT BRAKES. I BOUGHT A NEW HARLEY BECAUSE I WANTED THE ADDED SAFETY OF ABS BRAKES. BUT NOW IT SEEMS THAT HARLEY ABS MAY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING ME KILLED THAN THEY DO OF SAVING MY LIFE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS SITUATION IMMEDIATELY!! MANY LIVES COULD BE LOST BY YOUR DELAY ON THIS MATTER. IF YOU FIND OUT I DIED IN A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT PLEASE CHECK OUT MY BRAKE SYSTEM!

Mileage: 9,350

RIDING ALONG AND THE THROTTLE GOES INTO IDLE MODE AND WILL NOT SPEED UP. MANAGED TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT GETTING RUN OVER AND WAIT FOR A FEW MINUTES. IT FIRED UP OK AND MANAGE TO GO ANOTHER 20 OR SO MILES AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. WAITED AT THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE FOR A WHILE STILL WOULD NOT WORK AND FIRED UP AND LIMPED ALONG TO AN EXIT. THE SHOP REPLACED GRIP SENSOR. WORKED FINE NOW LESS THAN A YEAR AND ONLY 3000 MILES IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME WAS ALMOST RUN OVER BY A SEMI ON THE INTERSTATE BEFORE I COULD GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

Mileage: 35,600

ENGINE WENT INTO IDLE MODE AND HAD NO THROTTLE RESPONSE. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE BY WIRE TBW. CAN HAPPEN AT ANY OPERATING SPEEDS. *TR

Mileage: 25,267

RIDING DOWN THE HIGHWAY,BIKE SHUT DOWN AND I HAD NO THROTTLE CONTROL.JUST ABOUT GOT HIT FROM BEHIND, THE BIKE WOULD IDLE AND THAT'S IT. SEAT ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY FOR 15 MINUTES, STARTED BIKE BACK UP AND WENT ANOTHER 100 YARDS AND IT DID IT AGAIN. THIS WENT ON FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS TILL I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET HOME. THIS IS A VERY BAD SITUATION AND VERY DANGEROUS. WHAT IS HARLEY DAVIDSON GOING TO DO ABOUT IT. I CANT GO AROUND THE BLOCK MUSH LESS CROSS COUNTRY. *TR

Mileage: 30,000

TRAVELING ON MAJOR HIGHWAY AND THE SPEED DROPS TO 15 MPH HARLEY DAVIDSON CALLS IT LIMP MODE , SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED NOT FUN ON THE HIGHWAY. HARLEY DEALER SAYS THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *TR

Mileage: 15,245

THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SUDDENLY ACTS ERRATIC SOMETIMES REVVING THE ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY AND SOMETIMES GOING INTO "LIMP MODE" CAUSING A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER IN TRAFFIC AND CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

Mileage: 29,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED A LOUD CRACKING NOISE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE STARTER CLUTCH WOULD CAUSE THE STARTER GEAR TO DISENGAGE AND THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD NOT START INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE COMPENSATOR ASSEMBLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACT AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO SPEAK WITH THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

MULTIPLE INCIDENTS. WHILE MAINTAINING A CRUISE SPEED OF 65 MPH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND ENGINE RPM DROPPED TO IDLE RESULTING IN SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED. ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THROTTLE CONTROL. WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SHOULDER OF ROAD. RETURNED MOTORCYCLE TO DEALER. DEALER CLAIMED THEY CLEARED FAILURE CODES BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE SYMPTOMS. THEY CALLED TECH SERVICES AND WERE TOLD OF A SERVICE BULLETIN DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL CONNECTION CORROSION FOR THROTTLE CONTROL. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SUDDEN LOSS OF ABILITY TO MAINTAIN FLOW WITHIN TRAFFIC CONDITIONS.

Mileage: 22,000

HI GENTLEMEN, I BOUGHT A FORD STALLION TRIKE. IT HAS NO RUNNING LIGHTS IN THE FRONT? I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY PASSED YOUR REGULATIONS. I CONTACTED THEM AND THEY ARE NOT CONCERNED? TRUCKS, CARS, TRAILERS ALL HAVE PARK LIGHTS IN THE FRONT! SO HOW DID THIS PASS YOUR INSPECTIONS??? *TR

Mileage: 4,580

PURCHASED NEW 2009 FLHTCU ELECTRA GLIDE CLASSIC, BIKE IS AT DEALER FOR 3RD TIME, FOR BUCKING A SURGING, ENGINE CUTS IN AND OUT, WHILE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR AND RPM DO NOT CHANGE, CAUSING BIKE TO JUST SURGE OUT OF CONTROL. DEALER OCEAN COUNTY HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS REPLACED EVERY SENSOR AND ECM AND BIKE GETS WORSE. IT IS UNRIDEABLE AND DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS! I REFUSE TO TAKE MY LIFE AND PUT IT IN THE HANDS OF HARLEY DAVIDSON WHO DOES NOT SEEM TO GIVE A DARN WHETHER I GET KILLED ON THIS THING. *TR

Mileage: 225