2010 Harley-Davidson Flhx 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 Flhx, 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
- Brakes1339.4%
- Electrical618.2%
- Driver assistance412.1%
- Engine412.1%
- Fuel system39.1%
- Other / unspecified13.0%
- Powertrain (other)13.0%
- Steering13.0%
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
Front Brakes do not work. I can not operate brake lever will not pull in, brakes have been service to manufacture recommendations, Rear brakes work, the front brake has failed in ABS unit and failed not working.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET GLIDE (FLHX). THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE BRAKE FLUID WAS PURGED, THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BUMPUS HARLEY-DAVIDSON OF JACKSON (326 CARRIAGE HOUSE DRIVE, JACKSON, TN 38305, (731) 248-0091) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID NEEDED TO BE CHANGED EVERY TWO YEARS. IF NOT, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE THROTTLE BY WIRE CONNECTOR HOOKS IN BEHIND THE BREATHER. DUE TO THE HARD TURN OF THE CONNECTOR GOING INTO THE PLUG IT BENDS THE WIRES RESULTING IN THEM BREAKING OVER TIME. THIS CAUSES THE MOTORCYCLE TO LOSE THROTTLE AND GO INTO LIMP MODE CAUSING ME TO VERY CLOSELY COME TO GETTING RUN OVER ON THE HIGHWAY. IT HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES ON THE HIGHWAY, TURNING. AND ON CITY STREETS.
THERE IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET ON STARTERS IN THE BIG TWIN CLASS THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME & HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED ADEQUATELY FROM HD. THE STARTER DOES NOT ENGAGE FULLY FAIRLY OFTEN WHEN THE BIKE IS STARTED. MY DEALER AS WELL AS OTHER DEALERS I HAVE SPOKEN TO ARE AWARE OF THIS, ALSO MANY RIDERS I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. IS ANYTHING PENDING WHERE HD IS CONSIDERING A RECALL. *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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THROTTLE CONTROL ACTUATOR/INDUCTION MODULE FRACTURED INTERNALLY ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COMPONENT WAS NOT STRUCTURALLY SOUND. IN ADDITION, WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE PART FAILED AGAIN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AN UNKNOWN DEALER REPLACED THE PART TWICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND SUGGESTED THAT THE DEALER REPLACE THE PART. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD GOING ABOUT 50 MPH AND MY THROTTLE SHUT OFF AND THE ENGINE WENT INTO "LIMP MODE" (SHUT OFF ONE CYLINDER). I HAD TO CROSS ONE LANE TO PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SO I COULD RESTART MY BIKE. LUCKILY THERE WASN'T HEAVY TRAFFIC OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN REALLY BAD. I SEE THAT THIS IS A TREND IN THESE BIKES AND HARLEY NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING. *TR
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THROTTLE CONTROL ACTUATOR/INDUCTION MODULE FRACTURED INTERNALLY ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COMPONENT WAS NOT STRUCTURALLY SOUND. IN ADDITION, WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE PART FAILED AGAIN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AN UNKNOWN DEALER REPLACED THE PART TWICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND SUGGESTED THAT THE DEALER REPLACE THE PART. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
WHILE RIDING ON HIGHWAY, ENGINE WENT TO IDLE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. HAD TO PULL OFF ON SHOULDER AND SHUT THE BIKE OFF. AFTER RESTARTING, BIKE WOULD RUN FINE FOR APPROX. 20 MILES AND IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. HAPPENED FOUR TIMES ON 9/6/14. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, HARLEY DAVIDSON IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT FIX IT IF NOT UNDER WARRANTY. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE PASSING, IN A CORNER OR IN A CENTER LANE ON A FREEWAY, THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. *TR
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
THE THROTTLE BY WIRE CONNECTOR HOOKS IN BEHIND THE BREATHER. DUE TO THE HARD TURN OF THE CONNECTOR GOING INTO THE PLUG IT BENDS THE WIRES RESULTING IN THEM BREAKING OVER TIME. THIS CAUSES THE MOTORCYCLE TO LOSE THROTTLE AND GO INTO LIMP MODE CAUSING ME TO VERY CLOSELY COME TO GETTING RUN OVER ON THE HIGHWAY. IT HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES ON THE HIGHWAY, TURNING. AND ON CITY STREETS.
THE MOTORCYCLE GOES INTO LIMP HOME MODE AND THROWS SEVERAL CODES WHICH ARE ALL RELATED TO THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, RPM'S, AND THROTTLE POSITIONS. I SPOKE WITH MULTIPLE MECHANICS AND THEY ADVISED ME TO FIRST CLEAN THE CONNECTOR AT THE THROTTLE BODY. CLEANING THE CONNECTIONS WORKED AND I WAS ABLE TO CLEAR THE CODES. AFTER RIDING ABOUT 150 MILES THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN AND I ENDED UP STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE. THIS TIME I COULD NOT GET THE CODES TO GO AWAY. TALKED TO MORE MECHANICS AND THEY ALL SAID THAT IT WAS MY THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR IN THE INDUCTION MODULE, SO I REPLACED THE INDUCTION MODULE AND IT FIXED THE ISSUE FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND ABOUT 800 MILES. THEN ON MY WAY TO WORK ONE MORNING THE PROBLEM CAME UP AGAIN. CALLED A FRIEND OF MINE THAT IS A HARLEY MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THERE IS A BULLETIN OUT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. APPARENTLY HARLEY USES CONNECTORS AT THE ECM AND THROTTLE BODY THAT ARE COMPLETE JUNK AND AFTER BEING EXPOSED TO HEAT AND VIBRATION THEY FAIL AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED. HARLEY NEEDS TO RECALL THESE PARTS AND FIX THE PROBLEM FOR FREE. HARLEY OWNERS SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON THESE BIKES AND IT IS FRUSTRATING WHEN WE FIND OUT THAT HARLEY IS USING PARTS THAT ARE COMPLETE JUNK TO ASSEMBLE THESE VERY EXPENSIVE BIKES. I AM ABOUT 1 ISSUE AWAY FROM BECOMING A VICTORY OR INDIAN OWNER! *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP, AFTER BEING ASSURED THE BIKE WAS SAFE TO RIDE. I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT A CRUNCHING NOISE AND VIBRATION WITH SLOW SPEED BRAKING. THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. I GOT 10 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. MY FRONT END STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. I PULLED OVER TO DISCOVER I HAD AN AXEL WITH NO BEARINGS ON THE LEFT SIDE. MY ENTIRE WHEEL AND BEARINGS HAD TO REPLACED. THE WHEEL HAD 3 TO 4 INCHES OF PLAY. I WAS RIDDING ON MY WHEEL HUB NO BEARING. UPON CHECKING THE FORUMS, I FOUND THIS WAS NOT A ISOLATED EVENT. SOME ONE IS GOING TO DIE FROM THESE FAILURES. I THINK A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *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
I WAS RIDING, WHEN MY MOTORCYCLE STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND HAD TO TOW IT HOME, WHERE I DISCOVERED THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET HAD COME LOOSE. LUCKILY, I WAS RIDING SLOWLY WHEN IT HAPPENED. HAD I BEEN RIDING AT SPEED AND/OR ON A HIGHWAY, IT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. I HAD TO UPGRADE TO A SCREAMING EAGLE COMPENSATOR KIT, AT MY COST, TO CORRECT THE POOR ENGINEERING OF THE ORIGINAL COMPENSATOR SPROCKET, WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP, AFTER BEING ASSURED THE BIKE WAS SAFE TO RIDE. I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT A CRUNCHING NOISE AND VIBRATION WITH SLOW SPEED BRAKING. THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. I GOT 10 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. MY FRONT END STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. I PULLED OVER TO DISCOVER I HAD AN AXEL WITH NO BEARINGS ON THE LEFT SIDE. MY ENTIRE WHEEL AND BEARINGS HAD TO REPLACED. THE WHEEL HAD 3 TO 4 INCHES OF PLAY. I WAS RIDDING ON MY WHEEL HUB NO BEARING. UPON CHECKING THE FORUMS, I FOUND THIS WAS NOT A ISOLATED EVENT. SOME ONE IS GOING TO DIE FROM THESE FAILURES. I THINK A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *TR
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 .