RoadVitals

2009 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Apr 9, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
16%
of 70 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Apr 9, 2017

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.

NHTSA ID
10971524
Incident
Apr 9, 2017
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed May 21, 2015

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.

NHTSA ID
10717731
Incident
Jul 13, 2014
Mileage
35,600 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 30, 2014

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

NHTSA ID
10629530
Incident
Aug 27, 2014
Mileage
25,267 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 27, 2013

I WAS ON THE FREEWAY DOING 60 MPH IN TRAFFIC AND MOTOR CUT OUT. IT WENT INTO 'LIMP MODE' ONLY ALLOWING ABOUT 1500 RPM. FROM THE MOTOR, W/ NO RESPONSE OR POWER FROM THE ENGINE IF I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND/OR THERE HAD BEEN A VEHICLE RIGHT BEHIND ME I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE EXPERIENCED A VERY BAD ACCIDENT DUE TO THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. APPARENTLY THROTTLE BY WIRE (TBW) CONNECTION @ THE FUEL INJECTION BODY WAS NOT SEALED @ THE FACTORY AND THE CONNECTORS CORRODE UNTIL NO VOLTAGE WILL GO FROM THE THROTTLE WIRES TO THE EFI. DEALER STATES IT'S COMMON PROBLEM W/ HD TBW AND THERE ARE ALOT OF POSTS ON THE INTERNET RE: OTHER RIDERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. HD MOCO. REFUSES TO RECALL IT. SEEMS SOMEONE (OR SEVERAL SOMEONE'S) WILL HAVE TO DIE FOR A RECALL TO HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10532149
Incident
Jul 5, 2013
Mileage
46,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jun 22, 2013

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

NHTSA ID
10521224
Incident
Jun 22, 2013
Mileage
30,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 9, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND SHUT OFF, WHEN IT UNEXPECTEDLY STARTED AND ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE KEYS WERE NOT IN THE IGNITION AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE PUSH TO START IGNITION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,486.

NHTSA ID
10447291
Incident
Feb 2, 2012
Mileage
29,200 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 11, 2012

I WAS TRAVELING UP A MOUNTAIN, WHEN THE BIKE SUDDENLY WENT TO IDLE SPEED. THE THROTTLE HAD NO EFFECT ON THE BIKE. THIS WAS ON A TWO LANE ROAD WITH NO PLACE TO PULL OFF.THE BIKE WAS STOPPED ON THE ROADWAY. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I RESTARTED AND THEN THE THROTTLE AGAIN WAS WORKING. I CONTINUED FOR ABOUT A TENTH OF A MILE BEFORE THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I RESTARTED AND I PROCEEDED . THIS SITUATION REPEATED ONE MORE TIME GOING UPHILL WHERE A GENTLEMAN FOLLOWED ME WITH FLASHERS ON TO INSURE MY SAFETY. AFTER REACHING THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, IT DID IT ONE ADDITIONAL TIME. AFTER THE FOURTH TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME ABOUT FIVE MILES AWAY. HAD I BEEN IN TRAFFIC THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DANGEROUS. THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE BIKE FROM INFORMED THEY HAVE RECEIVED FEW COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE BUT I HAVE READ MANY IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS ON ONLINE FORUMS. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10443471
Incident
Jan 7, 2012
Mileage
7,700 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Nov 30, 2011

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.

NHTSA ID
10438369
Incident
Sep 1, 2011
Mileage
29,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 25, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCUI. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY DECELERATED INTO AN IDLE MODE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND TURNED OFF. UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE IT BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED IN APPROXIMATELY TWO DAYS WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE THROTTLE MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,700.

NHTSA ID
10432707
Incident
Oct 23, 2011
Mileage
35,700 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 1, 2011

WHILE PULLING OUT ONTO ROADWAY, THE THROTTLE QUIT WORKING AND THE MOTOR WENT INTO "LIMP HOME MODE". SINCE THAT TIME, IT'S HAPPEN SEVERAL (AT LEAST 6) TIMES. THE FIRST TIME, THE THROTTLE WAS REPLACED AND IT SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEN AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES, THE PROBLEM CAME BACK. IF I PULL OFF THE ROAD AND TURN THE MOTOR OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS AND RESTART, IT CLEARS THE PROBLEM. I CAN'T TRUST THE BIKE NOT TO QUIT AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME. THE LOCAL HD DEALER LOOKED AT THE BIKE THE FIRST TIME AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I REPLACED THE THROTTLE MYSELF.

NHTSA ID
10423668
Incident
Jun 6, 2010
Mileage
10,500 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Oct 27, 2008

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

NHTSA ID
10246884
Incident
Aug 28, 2008
Mileage
225 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .