2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX Vehicle Speed Control Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT CAME TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, THE REAR WHEEL SPED OFF AND THE CONTACT WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FLIPPED OFF THE MOTORCYCLE AND ONTO THE CONCRETE. THE MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO A FAILED "FLY BY WIRE THROTTLE SYSTEM". THE CONTACT SUSTAINED 9 FRACTURED RIBS, FRACTURED COLLAR BONE, ROAD RASH AND THREE QUARTS OF BLOOD WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE CONTACTS LUNGS. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS SOUGHT AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE POLICE REPORT DEEMED THAT THE INCIDENT WAS A MALFUNCTION OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS CLASSIFIED AS A SALVAGED TOTAL BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE. THE CONTACT CALLED LIVER MORE HARLEY DAVIDSON 7576 SOUTHFRONT RD, LIVERMORE, CA 94551 (925) 606-0100 WHERE THE DEALER OFFERED TO BUY THE MOTORCYCLE BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,926. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT CAME TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, THE REAR WHEEL SPED OFF AND THE CONTACT WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FLIPPED OFF THE MOTORCYCLE AND ONTO THE CONCRETE. THE MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO A FAILED "FLY BY WIRE THROTTLE SYSTEM". THE CONTACT SUSTAINED 9 FRACTURED RIBS, FRACTURED COLLAR BONE, ROAD RASH AND THREE QUARTS OF BLOOD WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE CONTACTS LUNGS. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS SOUGHT AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE POLICE REPORT DEEMED THAT THE INCIDENT WAS A MALFUNCTION OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS CLASSIFIED AS A SALVAGED TOTAL BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE. THE CONTACT CALLED LIVER MORE HARLEY DAVIDSON 7576 SOUTHFRONT RD, LIVERMORE, CA 94551 (925) 606-0100 WHERE THE DEALER OFFERED TO BUY THE MOTORCYCLE BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,926. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET RIDE FLHX MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE THROTTLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE INDUCTION MODULE KIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,569. UPDATED 11/09/15*LJ *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET RIDE FLHX MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE THROTTLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE INDUCTION MODULE KIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,569. UPDATED 11/09/15*LJ *CN

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

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

ACCELERATING FROM A STOP UP TO SPEED WHEN LOST THROTTLE RESPONSE, ENGINE WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 1500-2000 RPM. WAS ABLE TO LIMP TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I SHUT BIKE DOWN AND WAITED A MINUTE AND RESTARTED IT. IT STARTED UP AND RAN AS NORMAL. TALKED TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND MADE THEM AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY SEEMED VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS ISSUE AND SAID TO BRING IT IN AND THEY WOULD GIVE ME A COST TO FIX. THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ON A MANUFACTURES RECALL. WHAT IF I WERE TRYING TO GET ON THE INTERSTATE AND LOST THE ABILITY TO MERGE . *TR

ACCELERATING FROM A STOP UP TO SPEED WHEN LOST THROTTLE RESPONSE, ENGINE WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 1500-2000 RPM. WAS ABLE TO LIMP TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I SHUT BIKE DOWN AND WAITED A MINUTE AND RESTARTED IT. IT STARTED UP AND RAN AS NORMAL. TALKED TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND MADE THEM AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY SEEMED VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS ISSUE AND SAID TO BRING IT IN AND THEY WOULD GIVE ME A COST TO FIX. THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ON A MANUFACTURES RECALL. WHAT IF I WERE TRYING TO GET ON THE INTERSTATE AND LOST THE ABILITY TO MERGE . *TR

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

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

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.

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.