2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX Electrical System Problems

THE THROTTLE BY WIRE FAILED WHILE RIDING. I HAD A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT FROM BEHIND. THE DEALER BLAMED CORROSION ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD OF THE INDUCTION MODULE. COATING THE CONNECTOR IS A TEMPORARY FIX. AFTER THE 3RD FAILURE I HAD IT TOWED AND HAD A NEW INDUCTION MODULE INSTALLED. I SPENT $450 FIXING A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH A WIDE RANGE OF THE MOST POPULAR HD MOTORCYCLES.

Mileage: 37,415

I WAS JUST RIDING DOWN THE I-405 FREEWAY NEAR SEATTLE, WA AT ABOUT 70 MPH IN THE LEFT WITH NO SHOULDER AVAILABLE TO PULL OVER ONTO. THE THROTTLE SUDDENLY FAILED AND I HAD NO POWER. I SLOWED DRAMATICALLY AND WAS NEARLY RUN OVER BY A TRUCK. I PUT ON MY FLASHERS AND MOVED 3 LANES RIGHT TO GET TO THE SHOULDER ON THE RIGHT. TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AND I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO BE HIT WHEN I HAD NO THROTTLE CONTROL. I CALLED A FRIEND AND HE CAME ABOUT AN HOUR LATER AND TOWED ME HOME. I FEEL THAT I WAS LUCKY NOT TO HAVE BEEN HURT OR KILLED IN THIS INCIDENT.

Mileage: 60,128

WHILE STOPPED AT RED LIGHT, AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I PROCEEDED TO APPLY THROTTLE WITH NO RESPONSE. LET OUT CLUTCH AND ROLLED NO FASTER THEN 20 MPH WHILE CARS WERE BACKING UP BEHIND ME. AFTER ROLLING AT 20 MPH FOR APPROXIMATELY HUNDRED YARDS, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER IN A SAFE LOCATION WITH OUT BEING RUN OVER. *TR

Mileage: 21,792

WHILE RIDING DOWN THE I 65 SOUTH, I ATTEMPTED TO PASS A 18 WHEELER ON THE LEFT. AS I DID I NOTICED THE CAR IN FRONT SWERVE INTO MY LANE AND I TRIED TO THROTTLE TO GET OVER AND I LOST POWER NEARLY SLAMMING INTO THE OTHER CAR. YESTERDAY AS I PULLED OUT TO MERGE ONTO THE HIWAY I AGAIN LOST THROTTLE(POWER) AND HAD TO SWEARVE TO AVOID BEING HIT BY ON COMING TRAFFIC.

Mileage: 45,000

ON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP THE ENGINE LOSES POWER AND GOES INTO AN IDLE MODE. THIS EVENT ALSO OCCURS WHEN YOU'RE ACCELERATING UP TO ROAD SPEED AND OCCURS WITHOUT ANY WARNING, INCLUDING SITUATIONS WHERE YOU'RE ENTERING INTO AN INTERSECTION AND POTENTIALLY IN THE PATH OF OTHER VEHICLES - IN NORMAL SITUATIONS, YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO HAVE A SAFE DISTANCE TO CLEAR THE INTERSECTION. WHEN ENGINE GOES INTO IDLE YOU'RE BASICALLY WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO MOVE OFF THE ROAD SAFELY WITHOUT POTENTIAL FOR COLLISION. THE LATEST SITUATION OCCURRED ON 7/3/2013 WHILE I WAS PASSING A VEHICLE AND ACCELERATING TO 70 MPH, WITH A PASSENGER ON THE BIKE. THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND WENT INTO IDLE AT 2000 RPM WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO DECELERATE OR ACCELERATE. I WAS TRAPPED ABREAST OF THE VEHICLE I WAS PASSING - IF ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, I COULD HAVE LOST ANY ABILITY TO TAKE ACTIONS TO GET BACK INTO MY PROPER LANE OF TRAFFIC TO AVOID A CONFLICT. *TR

Mileage: 25,600

THE PROBLEM BEGAN AROUND APRIL OF 2012. WHEN I STARTED THE MOTORCYCLE, THERE WAS NO THROTTLE RESPONSE. THE MOTORCYCLE WILL IDLE AT 1000 RPM BUT THE THROTTLE WILL NOT WORK WHEN TWISTED TO ACCELERATE ENGINE. IT REMAINS AT IDLE. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND I HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY IN ORDER TO RESET THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE. SOMETIMES IT WORKS, OTHER TIMES IT DOES NOT. IT ALSO HAPPENED VARIOUS TIMES WHEN MOTORCYCLE WAS IN MOTION AT SPEEDS OF 45 MPH ALMOST CAUSING ME TO GET STRUCK ON HIGHWAY FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. MOTORCYCLE HAS ALSO STOPPED WORKING WHILE RIDING CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO PUSH MOTORCYCLE HOME OR ATTEMPT TO REPAIR IT TO NO AVAIL. I BROUGHT MOTORCYCLE IN TO HARLEY DAVIDSON FOR REPAIR AT ADAMIC HARLEY DAVIDSON, JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA. THEY STATED THEY FIXED IT MOTORCYCLE BEGAN TO DO THE SAME THING AFTER APPROXIMATELY 75 MILES, NOW MOTORCYCLE WILL IDLE BUT THERE IN NO THROTTLE RESPONSE AT ALL. WORK ORDER NUMBER:661593, DATE OF SERVICE 7/25/12. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I SEE THIS AFFECTS MANY 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES, SPECIFICALLY FLHX MODELS AND AT LEAST ONE FATAL ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED BECAUSE OF IT. IT HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ME AND I WANT OTHERS TO BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I SEARCHED FURTHER ON THE INTERNET TO FIND A MEMORANDUM ISSUED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON TO SEE THAT THIS DOES EFFECT 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE FLY BY WIRE THROTTLE SYSTEM. THEY STATED THAT IT NORMALLY HAPPENS AROUND 8,000 MILES AND IT IS CAUSED BY CORROSION ON THE PINS OF THE MODULE THAT CONTROLS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE. HARLEY DAVIDSON'S REMEDY TO THIS PROBLEM IS TO CLEAN OR REPLACE THE PINS IN THE MODULE AND COAT WITH ELECTRO-GREASE. IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN REPEAT PROCESS. AT THIS TIME MY MOTORCYCLE WILL NOT RUN AND IS NOT USABLE. *TR

Mileage: 7,550

HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHX 2009 STREET GLIDE WE WERE ON VACATION LEAVING ONE TOWN TRAVELING TO ANOTHER AND TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE IN THE LEFT HAND LANE MOVING WITH TRAFFIC, WHICH WAS THICK WITH CARS, CAMPERS, TRUCKS. ALL OF A SUDDEN I FELT THE MOTOR CYCLE LOOSE POWER, I GLANCED DOWN AND NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND I GLANCED IN MY RIGHT REAR VIEW MIRROR AND THERE WAS A TRACTOR TRAILER GRILL CLOSE. THERE WAS NO SHOULDER ON THE LEFT AND I FELT OUR LIVES THREATENED ALL I COULD DO WAS MOTION WITH MY HAND MY INTENTIONS OF MOVING RIGHT TO WHERE THERE WAS SAFETY AWAY FROM TRAFFIC. THE FOLLOWING CODES I RETRIEVED FROM MY MOTOR CYCLE: P1511 THROTTLE ACTUATOR CONTROL POWER MANAGEMENT MODE, P2135 TPS CORRELATION ERROR, P2176 TAC CLOSE POSITION NOT LEARNED MY MOTOR CYCLE IS BONE STOCK AND SHE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY HARLEY ALL RECORDS AND SERVICE ARE CURRENT. I DRIVE MY MOTOR CYCLE DAILY WEATHER PERMITTING AND I BELIEVE HARLEY HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS TYPE FAILURE SINCE 2008 BY THE FOLLOWING LINKS, HTTP://WWW.SCRIBD.COM/DOC/55139820/2008-LATER-TOURING-TT418-1 TT418: DTCS P2135 AND P2101 THEORY AND DIAGNOSTICS NOVEMBER 3, 2009 THE FOLLOWING LINK WILL SHOW THAT THE CONNECTING PINS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO FAIL SINCE EARLY 2008 BUT ARE ONLY REPLACED WHEN THE PROBLEM ARISES NOT BEFORE PLACING THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER IN DANGER OF LOOSING THEIR LIVES. HTTP://WWW.BOX.COM/SHARED/EY21A590D6 THE FAILED COMPONENTS BOX ABOVE WILL NOT TAKE ANY INFO THAT I TYPE INTO IT, SO I PLACED THEM INTO THIS BOX. EVERYONE THAT DRIVES A MOTOR CYCLE WITH THIS THROTTLE BY WIRE PIN CONFIGURATION SHOULD BE NOTIFIED BY HD AND HAVE THIS ISSUE RESOLVED BEFORE THEIR LIVES ARE PLACED IN JEOPARDY BY THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. *JS *TR

Mileage: 44,688

THE WIRING CONNECTOR AT THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR/SERVO IS GETTING A BAD CONNECTION DUE TO THE ROUTING OF THE WIRE HARNES AND THE EXTREME PRESSURE BEING PUT ON THE PINS INSIDE DUE TO THE WIRES BEING PULLED TO TIGHT. THE PINS WEAR FROM VIBRATION AND PRESSURE CAUSE THE 5 VOLT SIGNAL TO DIMINISH CAUSING THE COMPUTER TO GO INTO LIMP MODE. I WAS GOING UP I65 NORTH OF MONTGOMERY IN THE CENTER LANE. THE BIKE WENT INTO LIMP MODE LOSING ALL POWER ALMOST CAUSING ME TO GET BY VEHICLES BEHIND ME. THIS ISSUE IS A SIMPLE FIX TO REROUTE WIRING OVER TOP OF THROTTLE BODY TO CONNECTION POINT. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM.

Mileage: 28,000

HARLEY DAVIDSON OPERATING DIAGNOSTIC CODES P1511 & P2135 HARLEY DAVIDSON SERVICE BULLETIN T T 418 LOST POWER AND MY BIKE WENT TO "LIMP HOME MODE" . TOP SPEED 30 MPH @ 1500 RPM FROM 55 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. VERY DANGEROUS !!! $320.00 TO FIX THIS DEFECT (JUST PARTSCOST) .. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED / POWER IN TRAFFIC , MANY IDENTICAL COMMENTS/COMPLAINTS ON H.D. FORUM . THE ELIMINATION OF THE THROTTLE CABLE HAS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES WITH THIS "THROTTLE BY WIRE SYSTEM" THAT REPLACED THE THROTTLE CABLE ... *TR

Mileage: 24,079

I WAS RIDING HOME FROM MARIETTA, GEORGIA ON INTERSTATE 575 AND HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, THE CRUISE CONTROL KICKED OFF AND I BEGAN TO DECELERATE. I WAS POSITIVE THAT I HAD NOT HIT THE CLUTCH OR EITHER BRAKE, ANY OF WHICH WOULD HAVE DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, ONCE AGAIN, I FOUND THAT THE ENGINE HAD GONE TO A "ROUGH IDLE" AND THAT MY THROTTLE WAS UNRESPONSIVE. IN OTHER WORDS, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN THE OUTSIDE TRAFFIC LANE AND WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY. I TURNED ON MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND WAITED APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE. I THEN RE-STARTED THE ENGINE WITHOUT INCIDENT AND DROVE THE REMAINING DISTANCE HOME. MY BELIEF, AT THAT TIME, WAS THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY DIFFICULTY WITHIN EITHER THE COMPUTER CONTROL OR THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM ITSELF. I CONTACTED MY DEALER, DROVE IT TO THEM THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND AND MET WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE PULLED FOUR PROBLEM CODES, WHEN HE CHECKED AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BIKE REPAIRED ON THE 21ST OF JUNE. HE INDICATED THAT HE FELT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE THROTTLE "FLY-BY-WIRE" SYSTEM AND THAT THE CONTACTS NEEDED CLEANING. I HAVE NOT BEEN USING THE CRUISE CONTROL SINCE THAT TIME, THINKING THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, WHILE GETTING ON THE INTERSTATE THE OTHER DAY, IN ORDER TO GET TO THE NEXT EXIT, THE BIKE SHUT DOWN ON ME, ONCE AGAIN. THIS TIME, IT WAS WITHOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL BEING ENGAGED, SO I IMMEDIATELY KNEW THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. FRANKLY, IN BOTH SITUATIONS,THE SUDDEN DECELERATION WAS QUITE DISCONCERTING. TO A LESS EXPERIENCED RIDER, IT COULD BE DOWNRIGHT FRIGHTENING AND, EITHER WAY, THIS PRESENTS, IN MY ESTIMATION, A VERY SERIOUS DANGER TO RIDERS.

Mileage: 15,200