2010 Harley-Davidson Flhtk Owner Complaints

And module locked up the rear tire. Break pedal became hard and not operational.

NHTSA ID

11593078

Incident

May 15, 2024

Lost brakes to rear wheel with abs failure

NHTSA ID

11481917

Incident

Aug 30, 2022

I'M EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY TBW. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NOVEMBER AT THE END OF A CHARITY RIDE AND I THOUGHT PERHAPS THE PACK RIDE CAUSED IT TO OVERHEAT, AFTER SHUTTING THE BIKE OFF IT WENT AWAY BRIEFLY. DID SOME TROUBLESHOOTING ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE PLUGS ON THE ECM AND TB WERE TYPICALLY THE ISSUE SO CLEANED, ADDED DIELITHIUM GREASE TO THE CONNECTORS AND ISSUES WENT AWAY. HAPPENED AGAIN, THIS TIME I PULLED THE CEL CODES TO DISCOVER THE TGS AND ETC CODES WERE IN FAULT. AFTER MORE RESEARCH DECIDED TO ELIMINATE THE GREEN QUICK CONNECT PLUGS IN THE HANDLEBARS AND FAIRING BY SODERING AND HEAT SHRINKING CONNECTIONS AS IT WAS DISCUSSED THAT THE CONNECTORS WERE A POSSIBLE CULPRIT FOR SAID CEL CODES. THAT RESOLVED THE ISSUES TEMPORARILY LIKE THE PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS. BACK TO THE SEEMINGLY COMMON ISSUE OF THE DREADED LIMP MODE, TO WHICH I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED ON THE INTERSTATE EXIT RAMP AFTER THE BIKE WENT INTO LIMP MODE. ALL THE ARTICLES ARE HITTING THE SAME SPOT, 08-13YRS, 96, 103, 110CI ENGINES EFFECTED BY THIS SAME ISSUES, HOW MANY OF US HAVE TO GO INTO LIMP MODE OR WORSE BE STRUCK AND KILLED FOR A FACTORY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURE.

NHTSA ID

11403192

Incident

Mar 15, 2021

Mileage

26,000 mi

I RECENTLY TOOK MY MOTORCYCLE IN FOR THE RECALL BY HARLEY DAVIDSON. EVEN AFTER HAVING THE RECALL SERVICE PERFORMED, ON A SUDDEN BRAKE, THERE IS A VERY DISTINCT PULL ON THE REAR BRAKE. THIS OCCURS AT 35 MPH, 55 MPH, AND 65 MPH.

NHTSA ID

11193499

Incident

Mar 13, 2019

Mileage

43,701 mi

2010 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA LIMITED. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO HD ABS SAFETY RECALL. *LD *JS

NHTSA ID

11082808

Incident

Aug 6, 2014

WHILE RIDING AND COMING TO A STOP THE FRONT BRAKE LEVEL WOULD NOT MOVE AND I HAD NO FRONT BRAKES. EMERGENCY STOP UTILIZING THE REAR BRAKES WAS NECESSARY TO AVOID PROCEEDING INTO THE INTERSECTION. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE ABS HYDRAULIC MODULATOR ASSEMBLY (PART NUMBER 48343-09) HAD FAILED. THERE WAS NO ABS LIGHT OR CODES INDICATING A POTENTIAL HAZARD PRIOR OR AFTER INCIDENT. FROM THE OWNERS MANUAL 'IF ABS BECOMES DEFECTIVE YOU WILL STILL HAVE OPERATIONAL BRAKES, BUT WITHOUT ABS.' THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. I LOST ALL FRONT BRAKES DUE TO AN ABS FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

11082647

Incident

Mar 10, 2018

Mileage

38,500 mi

AS I WAS RIDING FROM MY HOUSE TOWARDS AN INTERSECTION, MY REAR BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY BECAME STIFF AND UNABLE TO PUSH OR APPLY REAR BRAKE. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL HARLEY DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME ABOUT A RECALL FOR A BRAKE FLUID FLUSH FREE OF CHARGE. HOWEVER, THEY COULD NOT FLUSH MY BRAKE FLUID UNTIL I BOUGHT A NEW ABS HCU, WHICH WAS $377.00 FOR THE PART AND $773.00 TOTAL INSTALLED. THE DEALER CALLED HARLEY CORPORATE AND TRIED TO GET THEM TO PAY FOR THE NEW ABS HCU SINCE IT ONLY WENT BAD BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE FLUID ISSUES UNDER THE RECALL. HARLEY REFUSED. IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME ON WHY I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A PART AND INSTALL WHEN IT WENT BAD AS A RESULT OF RECALLED BRAKE FLUID. APPARENTLY, MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AGREED WITH ME.

NHTSA ID

11075117

Incident

Jan 14, 2018

Mileage

23,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ULTRA GLIDE FLTHTK. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE LEVER, IT FELT JAMMED. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT BRAKES WOULD NOT APPLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO PENN JERSEY CYCLES (4912 NEW FALLS ROAD, LEVITTTOWN, PA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS BLOCK WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKES BLED APPROXIMATELY 3-4 TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000.

NHTSA ID

11022786

Incident

Aug 12, 2017

Mileage

25,000 mi

FRONT ABS BRAKE FAILED. PULLED OUT OF DRIVEWAY, GOT TO CORNER STOPPED FOR SIGN AND FRONT BRAKE WOULD NOT WORK, COULD NOT PULL BRAKE LEVER IN AT ALL. BRAKES DID NOT GIVE ANY WARNING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. ABS DID NOT FAIL SAFE.

NHTSA ID

10884384

Incident

Mar 7, 2016

Mileage

35,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE FOOT BRAKE FOR THE MOTORCYCLE FAILED. WHEN THE CONTACT WAS DEPRESSING THE FOOT BRAKE, IT BECAME HARD AND COULD NOT BE DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT RAN A STOP SIGN DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 43,000.

NHTSA ID

10837548

Incident

Feb 19, 2016

Mileage

43,000 mi

FRONT BRAKE LEVER LOCKED UP NO FRONT BRAKES FRONT BRAKE LEVER WAS HARD TO PULL THEN LOCKED UP WAS ON CITY STREET WAS TRYING TO STOP HAD NO FRONT BRAKE

NHTSA ID

10837007

Incident

Feb 1, 2016

Mileage

20,000 mi

FRONT BRAKE COMPLETELY INOPERABLE AFTER STARTING ENGINE. BACKING DOWN A DRIVEWAY IN REVERSE, HAD A FROZEN FRONT BRAKE LEVER. COULD NOT CONTROL THE MOTORCYCLE, AND FELL OVER CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE BIKE AND MYSELF.

NHTSA ID

10806328

Incident

Nov 5, 2015

Mileage

26,000 mi

COULD NOT STOP THE BIKE. THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WAS FROZEN, TOOK BOTH HANDS TO BRING THE LEVER IN FAR ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS. THEN THE BRAKES WERE SO TOUCHY THAT THE LIGHTEST PRESSURE APPLIED THE BRAKES FULL ON. AFTER PULLING THE LEVER IN MULTIPLE TIMES IT SOFTENED UP TO THE POINT OF BEING ABLE TO RIDE IT HOME. AS SOON AS I TURNED INTO MY DRIVEWAY THE BRAKE LEVER WAS AGAIN FROZEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10703439

Incident

Apr 1, 2015

Mileage

36,123 mi

THE REAR BRAKE ON THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS SHUDDERED AND HAS HAD ANDTO STILL HAS INADEQUATE AND UNDER-ENGINEERED BRAKING POWER FOR THE WEIGHT AND SPEEDS IT WAS DESIGNED FOR, SINCE THE DAY I TOOK DELIVERY OF IT AS A BRAND NEW BIKE. HARLEY DAVIDSON WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS POORLY DESIGNED AND INADEQUATE BRAKING SYSTEM. THEY LEFT THEIR DEALERS AND CUSTOMERS WITH THIS UNSAFE PRODUCT. MOTORCYCLES REQUIRE THE APPLICATION OF THE BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM BRAKING POWER. THE REAR BRAKE CANNOT GENERATE ENOUGH BRAKING POWER TO EVEN ACTIVATE THE ABS SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10637932

Incident

Sep 21, 2014

Mileage

41,260 mi

I TURNED ONTO NORTHBOUND US HIGHWAY 281 FROM EASTBOUND SOUTH DAKOTA HIGHWAY 26 AND ACCELERATED NORMALLY TO 65 MPH AND ACTIVATED THE ELECTRONIC CRUISE CONTROL IN 6TH GEAR. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS I HEARD A NUMBER OF SQUEALS FROM THE FRONT END AND THE HANDLEBARS BEGAN SHAKING VIOLENTLY. I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO RAPIDLY SLOW THE MOTORCYCLE DOWN. AT 50 MPH THE SHAKING STOPPED. I DISENGAGED THE CLUTCH AND DIDN'T FEEL ANY NOTICEABLE RESISTANCE. I STOPPED AND INSPECTED THE FRONT WHEEL AND SAW THE BEARING SHIELD HAD MOVED AWAY FROM THE BEARING . I WAS ABOUT 2 MILES FROM REDFIELD SOUTH DAKOTA SO I RODE TO REDFIELD AT A VERY SLOW RATE WITHOUT THE HANDLEBARS SHAKING. I WENT TO THE SUPER 8 MOTEL AND CALLED THE HARLEY OWNERS GROUP ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10637924

Incident

Sep 21, 2014

Mileage

41,260 mi

THERE ARE TWO BOLTS THREADED INTO TRANSMISSION CASE THAT HOLDS MUFFLER BRACKET, ,BOLT BACKS OUT CAUSING TRANSMISSION OIL TO LEAK ONTO MUFFLER BRACKET WHICH IS EXTREMELY HOT CAUSING A POSSIBLE FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10631376

Incident

Sep 7, 2014

Mileage

17,325 mi

FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. (MISSING BALLS - LOSS OF CONTROL). *TR

NHTSA ID

10546525

Incident

Sep 15, 2013

Mileage

38,600 mi

FRONT AND REAR WHEEL BEARINGS PREMATURELY FAILING. MANY PEOPLE ARE REPORTING FAILURES ON THESE BEARINGS WITH LESS THAN 2000 MILES. I HAVE REPORTED MY COMPLAINTS DIRECTLY TO HARLEY DAVIDSON CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT WHO HAVE LOGGED AGAINST MY VIN. THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT REPLACING WHEEL BEARINGS AT NO COST TO THE CUSTOMER REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE FAILURE. THIS IS A MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURED FOR TOURING, WHICH MY WIFE AND I RIDE WITH LUGGAGE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO US AT 65 MILES PER HOUR AND HAVING A BEARING FREEZE UP, CHEWING THREW AND AXLE. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE WHICH HARLEY DAVIDSON MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10546182

Incident

Sep 23, 2013

Mileage

12,000 mi

MY FRONT WHEEL BEARING ON MY FLHTK CAME APART AND FRONT AXLE SEIZED. CAUSING FRONT END TO WOBBLE. ALMOST CAUSING ME AND MY PASSENGER TO CRASH. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID ONLY BECAUSE I AM A VERY EXPERIENCED MOTORCYCLE OPERATOR. THIS FLHTK IS EQUIPPED WITH THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10523661

Incident

Jul 2, 2013

Mileage

13,124 mi

THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 20,650 MILES WITHOUT INCIDENT. I RODE THE MOTORCYCLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 950 MILES WITHOUT INCIDENT AND EVERYTHING WORKED PROPERLY. I RODE APPROXIMATELY 145 MILES THEN STOPPED FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS. WHEN I RESUMED RIDING UPON APPLYING THE REAR BRAKE AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE MOTORCYCLE REAR BRAKE CAUSED THE MOTORCYCLE TO SHUDDER VIOLENTLY. I MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE BIKE AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP UTILIZING THE FRONT BRAKE ONLY WHICH PRESENTED NO ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR. MY PASSENGER FELT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS UNSAFE AND REFUSED TO RIDE AND TOOK A CAB HOME. THE MOTORCYCLE RECIEVED A 20,000 MILES SERIVICE AND THE REAR BRAKE WAS ALSO CHECKED FOR PROPER OPERATION. THE REAR BRAKE WHILE IT DOES NOT SHUDDER VIOLENTLY IT DOES PULSE AND SHUDDER AND LOW OR HIGH SPEED WHEN APPLYING THE REAR BRAKE.THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES THEY FEEL THE PULSING OR SHUDDER BUT MAINTAINS IT IS NORMAL AND IS SAFE. I DISAGREED AND CONTACTED HARLEY-DAVIDSON AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT HELP ME THAT THEY WERE RELIANT UPON THEIR DEALERSHIPS TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS AND WORK ON THE MOTORCYCLES IF THEY DETERMINED THERE WAS A PROBLEM THAT REQUIRED ATTENTION. I DISAGREED AND ASKED FOR A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE TO EVALUATE MY MOTORCYCLE. THE FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE RODE MY MOTORCYCLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES AND ALSO INDICATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MOTORCYCLE. I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREED AND LEFT THE DEALERSHIP. SINCE HARLEY-DAVIDSON CLAIMS THIS IS A NORMAL CONDITION I PLACED THE MOTORCYCLE FOR SALE AND SOLD IT THE NEXT DAY. I DO SEE THIS EXACT SAFETY ISSUE EXPRESSED ON MANY OF THE MOTORCYCLE ONLINE FORUMS AND HARLEY-DAVIDSON CONSISTENTLY DENYING IT IS A PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10504276

Incident

Mar 13, 2013

Mileage

20,910 mi

WAS RIDING MY 2010 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTK MOTORCYCLE AND THE FRONT WHEEL NEARLY SEIZED UP WHEN THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED. THANKFULLY, I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC FOR ME, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER QUICKLY AND STOP BEFORE THE BEARING COMPLETELY SEIZED. IT APPEARS THAT THIS FAILURE HAS HAPPENED TO MANY HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE OWNERS FROM THE 2008 MODEL YEAR TO THE PRESENT. ACCORDING TO A CALL WITH HARLEY DAVIDSON'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT 414-343-4056 SPOKE TO JOHN ON 12-5-2012, THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND HAVE CHANGED THE BEARING FROM A SINGLE LIP SEAL TO A DOUBLE LIP SEAL ON THEIR 2013 MODEL YEAR MOTORCYCLES TO HELP PREVENT THE ISSUE, HOWEVER THEY ARE NOT RECALLING ANY OF THE FAULTY BEARINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE ON 2008 MODEL YEAR MOTORCYCLES AND NEWER. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND COULD CAUSE THE FRONT WHEEL TO LOCK UP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10487449

Incident

Nov 22, 2012

Mileage

20,000 mi

IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT THE WHEEL BEARING WEAR OUT PREMATURELY ON TOURING MODELS ESPECIALLY WITH THE ABS SYSTEM. THIS HAPPENED TO ME RIDING DOWN THE ROAD, THE WHEEL BEARINGS CAUSED THE MOTORCYCLE TO WOBBLE AND HAD I NOT BEEN AN EXPERIENCED RIDER I VERY WELL WOULD HAVE GONE DOWN OR HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER RIDERS THAT THE BEARINGS HAVE WORN OUT ON THEIR MOTORCYCLES ALSO. THE COMPANY SHOULD DO A RECALL TO REMOVE ALL DEFECTIVE WHEEL BEARINGS FROM SERVICE TO PREVENT ANY LOSS OF LIFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10483682

Incident

Aug 22, 2012

Mileage

17,990 mi

WHILE DRIVING APPROX 45MPH I HEARD A LOUD METAL GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM MY FRONT WHEEL. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS COMING APART. I HAD THE BIKE TOWED TO MY DEALER WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED. I HAD THE DEALER REGISTER THE INCIDENT WITH HARLEY DAVIDSON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10463351

Incident

May 19, 2012

Mileage

7,300 mi

I PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE IN MAY OF 2011. IMMEDIATELY EXPERIENCED AT INTERMITTENT SPEEDS AND NON-SPECIFIC CONDITIONS THE FRONT END WILL START TO WOBBLE IN EVER INCREASING INTENSITY, IF HANDS ARE OFF THE HANDLE BARS. WITH HAND ON THE BARS, THE CONDITION CAN BE FELT BUT IS KEPT UNDER MORE CONTROL OF THE RIDER. HAT HIGH SPEEDS IT IS MORE PRESENT EVEN WITH HANDS ON THE HANDLE BARS. THIS CONDITION DID NOT EXIST IN HARLEY MOTORCYCLES UNTIL THE FRAME ENGINEERING AND MAJOR REDESIGN CHANGE IN THE 2009, 2010 AND 2011 (AND PRESUMABLY UP) MOTORCYCLES. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ON MY 2010, AND MY FRIENDS 2011 TOURING HD MOTORCYCLES.ANOTHER FRIEND HAS A 2009 AND EVERYONE I KNOW WHO HAS A 2009 UP COMPLAINS OF THE SAME ISSUE. EVERY IS TOLD BY HD DEALERS THAT "YOU ARE THE FIRST PERSON TO COMPLAIN IF THIS" AND IS USUALLY TOLD IT IS PERHAPS DO TO UNDER INFLATED TIRES WHICH THEN SCALLOP. CHICKEN AND EGG. HOWEVER AFTER REPLACING MY REAR TIRE, AND CHECKING MY FRONT END "FLOP" SWING TOLERANCES - I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. ANOTHER FRIEND SAID HE WAS GOOD FRIENDS WITH A HARLEY TECH, WHO REPLACED HIS NECK BEARINGS AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED THE ISSUE. MANY THINGS CAN CAUSE A RIDER TO REMOVE HANDS FROM THE BARS - SOME TIMES EMERGENCIES, SOMETIMES JUST HABIT FROM YEARS OF BEING ABLE TO RIDE BRIEF PERIODS LIKE THIS. WHATEVER - IT IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10432514

Incident

May 18, 2011

Mileage

65 mi

ENGINE COMPENSATOR WORE OUT, MADE LOTS OF NOISE. IF THE PART HAD COMPLETELY BROKE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE REAR WHEEL ON THE MOTORCYCLE TO LOCK UP. HARLEY DAVIDSON UPGRADED THE PART ON THE 2011 MODELS. UNDER WARRANTY THEY WILL REPLACE PART WITH UPGRADED PART BUT CHARGE AROUND A 100.00 TO DO IT. THEY CHANGED THE PART FOR THE 2011 MODEL BECAUSE THERE WAS A PROBLEM. WHY DID I HAVE TO PAY A 100.00 DOLLARS FOR THEIR MISTAKE? *TR

NHTSA ID

10423201

Incident

Jun 27, 2011

Mileage

22,000 mi