2005 Harley-Davidson Touring 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 2005 Harley-Davidson Touring, 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
- Electrical642.9%
- Driver assistance214.3%
- Engine214.3%
- Suspension214.3%
- Body & structure17.1%
- Transmission17.1%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE HORN ON MY 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCUI DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE HORN IS VERY MUFFLED AND IS ONLY AUDIBLE FOR APPROX 50 FEET. *8NM
HORN CONTINUALLY FAILS TO OPERATE. HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT IT IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES AND THERE IS NO FIX.*JB
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 DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE CRUISE CONTROL STARTED TO ACCELERATE T ON ITS OWN. I COULD NOT GET IT TO TURN OFF UNTIL IT HIT 85 MPH. AFTER THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERABLE UNTIL THE POWER WAS TURNED OFF. *NM
I PURCHASED THIS NEW 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON ON 1/20/2005. WHILE RIDING ON THE INTERSTATE FREEWAY I ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL. I ATTEMPTED TO DISENGAGE IT SO I COULD ADJUST MY SPEED. THE CONTROLS DID NOT DISENGAGE IT. I USED MY BRAKES, THOSE DID NOT DISENGAGE IT. I PULLED THE CLUTCH, THAT DID NOT DISENGAGE IT BUT THE ENGINE SPEED JUMP UP TO 6500 RPM. WHEN I RELEASED THE CLUTCH MY SPEED INCREASED TO AROUND 85 MPH. I TURNED OFF THE DASH SWITCH AND THAT DID NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT. I TURNED OFF THE MOTORCYCLE AND COASTED TO AN OFF RAMP. I RESTARTED THE MOTORCYCLE AND RODE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER MECHANIC PUT THE MOTORCYCLE ON TEST EQUIPMENT AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. THEN HE TOOK IT FOR A TEST RIDE. THE CRUISE LOCKED ON FOR HIM ALSO. WHEN HE GOT BACK HE WORKED ON IT SOME MORE UNTIL I NEEDED TO LEAVE AND GET BACK TO WORK. HE DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE AND I RODE HOME. I TOOK IT BACK TO THEM THE NEXT WEEK AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THEY HOOKED EVERYTHING BACK UP AND SENT ME AWAY. IF I HAD BEEN IN HEAVIER TRAFFIC WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS.
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
BOUGHT VEHICLE BRAND NEW ON 04/08/05. VEHICLE ENGINE PINGS AT NORMAL OPERATING RPM, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, DEALER WAS ABLE TO HEAR NOISE BUT DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX, DEALER CONTACTED MANUFACTURE, THEY SENT A REPRESENTATIVE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE FACTORY REP. SAID THE SOUND WAS NORMAL DUE TO EMISSIONS. I HAVE 2 FRIENDS WHO HAVE SAME YEAR AND MODEL BIKES AND THERE BIKES DO NOT PING. I CONTACTED THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP AND HARLEY DAVIDSON CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEIR RESPONSES WERE IF THE REP. SAID IT WAS NORMAL THEN IT WAS NORMAL. IF NORMAL, WHY DO OTHER BIKES NOT DO THIS, AND I KNOW THAT PINGING IS NOT GOOD FOR A ENGINE. I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO SELL THIS MACHINE IN THE FUTURE WITH IT PINGING LIKE THIS, I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS ANSWER, THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURE, I FEEL LIKE I MADE A VERY BAD DECISION IN PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE. IF THE DEALER OFFERED TEST RIDES (WHICH THEY DON'T), I NEVER WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THIS BIKE MAKING THIS NOISE.
DT: WHILE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION (TURNING LEFT) THE CONSUMER LET OUT THE CLUTCH, AND WHILE MOVING FORWARD, THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED AND FELL OVER. PREVIOUSLY, ON ANOTHER, MORE GRADUAL LEFT TURN, THE MOTORCYCLE SIMPLY "COUGHED" AND KEPT GOING. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
MOTORCYCLE DEVELOPED A HIGH SPEED WOBBLE,WAS TRAVELING IN NEVADA IR15 AT APPROXIMATELY 90 MPH,HANDLEBARS WENT VIOLENTLY RIGHT AND LEFT. COULD NOT STOP THEM FROM MOVING BACK AND FORTH. MOTORCYCLE FORCED ME TO THE ROAD,FIRST IMPACT WAS THE RIGHT SIDE OF MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE FORCED ME TO THE GROUND. *NM
2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON SCREAMING EAGLE ELECTRAGLIDE, MOTORCYCLE HAS A HIGH SPEED WOBBLE. ( 70+MPH) EXHIBITED PROBLEM SINCE DELIVERY. MOTORCYCLE HAS AT TIMES TAKEN TWO FULL TRAFFIC LANES TO GET UNDER CONTROL. INVESTIGATION SHOWED STEERING HEAD BEARINGS IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED FROM FACTORY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROPERLY ADJUST. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM, FACTORY REP DOES NOT SO DEALER REFUSES TO WORK ON THE BIKE WITHOUT FACTORY AUTHORIZATION. LETTERS TO HARLEY DAVIDSON CEO & PRESIDENT GO UNANSWERED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE RIDING HIS BIKE, THE CONNECTION PIN CAME OUT OF THE MOUNTING BRACKET AND THE SADDLE BAG DRAGGED ON THE GROUND. HE WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH. HE SAYS THERE WAS NO WARNING. THE DEALERS FIRST RESPONSE WAS THIS COULD NOT HAPPEN. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CALLED AND HE IS WAITING FOR THEM TO GET BACK TO HIM. HE SAID IT APPEARS THEY ARE NOT COOPERATING WITH EACH OTHER TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*JB UPDATED 11/2/2005 - THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE DAMAGED BAG UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE DEALER INSTALLED THE PIN IMPROPERLY OR IF THE PIN WAS DEFECTIVE. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT: NEW HARLEY DAVIDSON WHILE DRAINING THE TRANSMISSION FOR SERVICE A PIECE WAS FOUND. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER CALLED MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR TO FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH MOTOR CYCLE, AND THEY SAID TO DRIVE IT A FEW MORE THOUSAND MILES TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS. THE MOTOR CYCLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *NM
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 .