2010 Harley-Davidson Flhtc Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2010 Harley-Davidson Flhtc, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes222.2%
- Engine222.2%
- Powertrain (other)222.2%
- Driver assistance111.1%
- Electrical111.1%
- Fuel system111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAD BEEN RIDING FOR UNDER FIVE MINUTES, CITY TRAFFIC, SPEED LIMIT 25MPH. AS I SLOWED FOR A TURNING CAR MY REAR BRAKE FAILED BY THE PEDAL LOCKING. I CONTROLLED THE STOP AND RETURNED HOME. I'VE NOW BEEN TOLD THE ABS CONTROL MODULE HAS FAILED AND THE REPAIR COST ARE TO BE AROUND 900.00. I FIND IT INCREDIBLY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A MODULE FAILURE DEFAULTS TO A TOTAL LACK OF BRAKES! ONE MIGHT BE INCLINED TO THINK YOUD LOSE ABS FUNCTION, NOT TOTAL BRAKING!
WHILE BACKING OUT OF GARAGE FRONT BRAKE WAS HARD AND WOULD NOT COMPRESS LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONE COMING DOWN ROAD. IT RESULTED IN ME CRASHING MY BIKE IN THE ROADWAY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH IN 5TH GEAR WHEN MY MOTORCYCLE SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING, AND THE CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY WENT INTO LIMP-MODE AND WOULD NOT TRAVEL ANY FASTER THAN 25 MPH. I WAS NEAR A SERVICE STATION, SO I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED. I WAS ABLE TO RETURN HOME TRAVELING 25 MPH, AS FRUSTRATED CARS FOLLOWED CLOSE BEHIND ME. MY HARLEY DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY FAULTY WIRING THAT TRIGGERED THE LIMP-MODE SENSOR.
EXCESSIVE ENGINE AND EXHAUST HEAT. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
SPROCKET ASSEMBLY HAS FAILED 2 TIMES.DEALER IS FIXING AT OWN EXPENSE WITH NEW IMPROVED SCREAMING EAGLE VERSION THAT WAS DEVELOPED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS NOW COMES STANDARD ON 20121 AND BEYOND MODELS. COULD CAUSE FATALITIES IF FAILS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. HD PUTS ON NEW BIKES BUT WILL NOT FIX PREVIOUS MODELS. *TR
MY 2010 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTC, AFTER ONLY 1025 MILES, EXPERIENCED A SERIOUS MECHANICAL BREAK DOWN IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE MAIN SHAFT BROKE. THIS IS A MAJOR COMPONENT TO THE OPERATION OF THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN RIDING MOTORCYCLES (MAINLY HARLEYS) FOR THE PAST 34 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN ON A BIKE AFTER THOUSANDS OF MILES, LET ALONE ON ONE THAT WAS ONLY A MONTH OLD. I WAS LUCKY THAT WHEN IT BROKE, I WAS STOPPED AT MY MAIL BOX. IF THIS WOULD HAVE OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY AT GREATER SPEEDS, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. AFTER HAVING IT TRANSPORTED TO THE DEALER, THEY INFORMED ME OF THE PROBLEM, OF WHICH I DIDN'T REALIZE WAS THAT SERIOUS AT THE TIME. MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS IS A SERIOUS MECHANICAL DEFECT AND SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO ALL HALEY-DAVIDSON OWNERS WITH THIS SIMILAR TYPE OF TRANSMISSION. IT HAS BEEN 4 DAYS SINCE THIS INCIDENT AND ALL I KNOW IS THAT THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION AND SEND IT BACK TO THE FACTORY WITH NO EXPLANATION OF WHY IT FAILED. THEY HAVE PROMISED TO REPLACE IT WITH A NEW ONE, WHICH IS THE SAME TYPE. HOW DO I KNOW IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF DEFECT? I BELIEVE THIS NEEDS INVESTIGATION BY SOMEONE THAT DEALS WITH VEHICLE MECHANICAL FAILURES THAT WOULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. I HAVE EVEN SPOKE WITH THE FACTORY CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM, EITHER. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE RIDE ABOUT 65 MPH ON MAJOR HWY WITH LOTS OF TRAFFIC. THE BIKE JUST LOST POWER, MOTOR WENT INTO IDLE OR LIMP HOME MODE. RIDING IN LEFT LANE, WITH SHOULDER ONLY ABOUT 2 FOOT WIDE, I COULD NOT PULL OVER TO LEFT SHOULDER. WITH TRAFFIC PASSING ME @65 TO 70 MPH I WAS DOWN TO 15 MPH BEFORE I HAD ENOUGH CLEAR TRAFFIC BEFORE I COULD CHANGE LANES TO GET TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. TRAFFIC BEHIND ME PARTICULAR A 18 WHEELER BEHIND ME ALMOST CAME TO A STOP TO KEEP FROM RUNNING OVER ME. I HAVE FOUND OUT FROM FRIENDS AND HD FORUMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THIS MODEL BIKE, FROM 08 THRU 12 IF SOME ONE IS IN THE WRONG PLACE GOING UP OR DOWN A HILL, GOING THRU INTERSECTION OR ON MAJOR HWY WHEN THIS OCCURS DEATH OR INJURY COULD OCCUR. HARLEY DAVIDSON IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN TT418A ON FIXING THE (TBW) THROTTLE BY WIRE, EITHER THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR OR THE SENSOR WIRING. NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED AND NEEDS TOBE BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR INJURED .
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH IN 5TH GEAR WHEN MY MOTORCYCLE SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING, AND THE CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY WENT INTO LIMP-MODE AND WOULD NOT TRAVEL ANY FASTER THAN 25 MPH. I WAS NEAR A SERVICE STATION, SO I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED. I WAS ABLE TO RETURN HOME TRAVELING 25 MPH, AS FRUSTRATED CARS FOLLOWED CLOSE BEHIND ME. MY HARLEY DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY FAULTY WIRING THAT TRIGGERED THE LIMP-MODE SENSOR.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH IN 5TH GEAR WHEN MY MOTORCYCLE SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING, AND THE CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY WENT INTO LIMP-MODE AND WOULD NOT TRAVEL ANY FASTER THAN 25 MPH. I WAS NEAR A SERVICE STATION, SO I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED. I WAS ABLE TO RETURN HOME TRAVELING 25 MPH, AS FRUSTRATED CARS FOLLOWED CLOSE BEHIND ME. MY HARLEY DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY FAULTY WIRING THAT TRIGGERED THE LIMP-MODE SENSOR.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .