2011 Harley-Davidson FLHTC problems and owner complaints

THE REAR BRAKE LINE (PN 40971-00A) RUBBED THE FRAME AND CLUTCH CABLE, CAUSING A HOLE TO BE CREATED. THIS IS IN THE AREA BELOW THE CAM CHEST, BEHIND THE MASTER CYLINDER, INSIDE THE FRAME ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE BRAKE LINE BLEW OUT WHEN THE REAR BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THERE WAS NO WARNING. AFTER DOING RESEARCH, I FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

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DRIVING MY HARLEY AT ABOUT 20-30 MPH PULLING UP TO RED LIGHT. GO TO HIT FRONT BRAKE. NOTHING. FRONT BRAKE IS COMPLETELY DISABLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. IT APPEARS THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS FAULTY ABS MODULES AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST NOR PROBABLY THE LAST OF THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ MY COMPLAINT. *TR

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ABS ELEC CONTROLLER (MODULATOR) FAILED. BIKE STARTED UP AND INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWED ABS WAS WORKING, PULLED OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND LIGHT WENT OUT...(ALL NORMAL). THEN I HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP AND APPLIED BOTH BRAKES AND THE REAR LOCKED UP INSTEAD OF PULSING TO A STOP, I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND BROUGHT THE BIKE IN FOR SERVICE AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ABS MOD. HAD FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACING. AT NO TIME DID THE INDICATOR LIGHT EVER COME ON AND STAY ON TO INDICATE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS.

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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.

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NHTSB SAFETY ISSUE ID 18V076000 INDICATED A BRAKE FLUID REPLACEMENT WOULD BE THE RESOLUTION TO THE BRAKE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS IS INCORRECT. LAST YEAR I HAD THE BOX THAT CONTROLS THE ABS FLUID PRESSURE REPLACED. THIS DID NOT INCLUDE CHANGING THE ELECTRICAL CONTROL BOARD. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE FRONT MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED. EACH TIME THE FLUID WAS REPLACED AND THE WORK WAS COMPLETED BY A HARLEY CERTIFIED MECHANIC. UNFORTUNATELY I CONTINUE TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE FRONT BRAKES EITHER NOT WORKING AND REQUIRING PUMPING, ABS TRIGGERING AND NOT D…

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WHEN SWITCH TO HIGH BEAM ALL LIGHTS GO OUT BECAUSE THE 15 AMP FUSE WILL BLOW. *TR

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AT ANY GIVEN TIME THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN INTO LIME MODE WHEN DTCS 1511/2135 ARE STORED. WHEN CODES ARE GIVEN THE VEHICLE WILL REDUCE SPEED IN LESS THEN 5 SECONDS WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED. MY WIFE AND I WERE RIDING WITH A LARGE GROUP OF RIDERS WHEN BIKE SHUT DOWN CAUSING A NEAR PILE-UP. THE SUSPECTED REASON FOR THE CODES IS THE REPLACEMENT OF TERMINALS PINS OF THE SOCKET ON THE PCM WIRES AND -OR THE TCA TERMINALS PINS ON THE SOCKET WIRES CAUSED BY FRETTING OF THE TERMINAL PINS. THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM ON 2008-LATER TOURING,POLICE AND TR…

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VEHICLE RANDOMLY GOES INTO "LIMP" MODE UNDER ACCELERATION, HAS RESULTED IN SEVERAL NEAR COLLISIONS. HARLEY DAVIDSON IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE (HARLEY DAVIDSON TT418) BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE. *TR

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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.

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WHILE IN TRAFFIC ON A BUSY ROAD THE MOTORCYCLE LOST ALL THROTTLE RESPONSE AND WENT INTO "LIMP MODE". DURING THIS TIME THE ENGINE RPM'S IMMEDIATELY DROPPED AND I WAS FORCED TO CROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC AT MOVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO SAFELY PULL THE MOTORCYCLE TO A STOP. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO ACHIEVE A TOP SPEED OF 15 MPH. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS THEN TRANSPORTED BY TRAILER TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE 2ND TIME IN 3 WEEKS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE SUDDEN DECELERATION FOR THE THROTTLE BY WIRE IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. *TR

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AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN IN MY DRIVEWAY THE ENGINE, WITH OUT WARNING, MADE A LOUD METALLIC NOISE FROM THE LEFT SIDE AND LOCKED UP ALONG WITH THE REAR WHEEL. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT A GREATER SPEED, OR IN TRAFFIC, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN DIRE. I REMOVED THE PRIMARY COVER AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICE A LARGE PIECE OF STEEL HAD GOTTEN JAMMED BETWEEN THE CLUTCH SPROCKET AND PRIMARY DRIVE CHAIN. THIS LARGE PIECE OF STEEL HAD BROKEN OFF A PRESSED STEEL CAGE THAT ENCLOSED A SET OF DIAPHRAGM SPRINGS FROM THE CRANKSHAFT COMPENSATOR ASSEMBLY. …

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BIKE WENT INTO LIMP MODE CAUSING THE BIKE TO SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN TO ABOUT 15 MPH. CAUSE WAS FRETTING OF THROTTLE BODY WIRING CONNECTOR PINS. FACTORY HAS KNOWN OF PROBLEM AND HAS A TCB OUT ON ISSUE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN RIDING ON HIGHWAYS. COMPANY NEED TO HAVE RECALL BUT THEY WON'T. *TR

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THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET HAS GONE OUT TWICE ON THIS BIKE , THIS CAN CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF IT FAILS AT HWY SPEEDS , THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART , ITS BEEN REDONE 3 TIMES SINCE 2009 ! THIS IS SERIOUS GUYS! *TR

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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

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MOTORCYCLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FOR NO REASON. WS PICKING UP SPEED. WOULD NOT STOP. HAD HIT KILL SWITCH TO STOP MOTORCYCLE. HAD DEALER TOWED MOTORCYCLE. *AK

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COMPONENT 1 -CRUISE CONTROL ACCELERATES UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT OPERATOR IMPUT.. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND CANNOT FIND CAUSE, PROBLEM CONTINUES. COMPONENT 2 - ENGINE COUGHS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM LOW SPEED AND CAUSES VEHICLE TO STALL, COULD CAUSE MINOR TO MAJOR ACCIDENT DEPENDING ON SITUATION. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND CANNOT FIND CAUSE, PROBLEM CONTINUES.*AK

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LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL, ENGINE RUNS AT IDLE ONLY. ONLY WHEN MOVING

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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 …

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I WAS LEAVING WORK ON SATURDAY ABOUT 4:15 WITH MY MOTORCYCLE. I WAS APPROACHING THE AREA WHERE I TURN TO GO IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING TO EXIT OUT TO THE ROAD. AS I WAS BRAKING, ABOUT TO TURN, THE BIKE ACCELERATED CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL TO LOSE TRACTION AND THE BIKE WENT DOWN. WHEN THE BIKE WENT DOWN, I WAS SLAMMED TO THE GROUND AND WAS SEPARATED FROM THE BIKE. THE REAR WHEEL CONTINUED TO SPIN LEAVING A BLACK MARK ON THE PAVEMENT APPROXIMATELY 6-8 FEET LONG. THE BIKE KEPT GOING ANOTHER 30-40 FEET ON THE RIGHT SIDE UNTIL IT FLIPPED OVER TO THE LEF…

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DT: THE ENGINE IN THE MOTORCYCLE WAS MAKING NOISES. THE CONSUMER SPOKE WITH DEALER ON THIS MATTER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A NEED FOR REPAIR BUT IT WOULD BE AT THE CONSUMERS EXPENSE. THIS WAS A REGULAR MAINTENANCE ITEM BUT THE FACTORY WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE. THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONERS WERE WEARING TOO SOON. CONSUMER MADE REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET. NO PROBLEMS SINCE THE REPAIR. *JB CAMSHAFT DRIVE/BEARING WERE REPLACED. *TT

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MOTOR RUNS HOT; FOUND BY USING 89 GRADE, RUNS COOLER AND BETTER. ALSO DEALER UPLOADED NEW IGNITION PROGRAM - HARLEY ISSUED A FIX. GETTING IT DONE UNDER WARRENTY. *JB GEARBOX NOISE: HARLEY USES MOTOR OIL 20-50. CHANGE IT TO FULL SYNTHETIC GEAR OIL 85-120 (OR SOMETHING NEAR). THIS QUIETENS GEAR WHINE AND MAKES IT SHIFT BETTER. AS A MECHANICAL PROFESSOR AND ON MY 16TH HARLEY; NEVER USE 20-50 MOTOR OIL IN ANY GEARBOX! THATS WRONG IN SO MANY LEVELS.

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IDLED IRREGULARLY. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND OCCURRED WHILE RIDING AT 60 MPH. IF HE TOUCHED THE THROTTLE WHEN THE IGNITION WAS OFF OR WHEN JUST STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE IRREGULAR IDLING WOULD BEGIN. THE NEXT TIME HE WOULD START THE VEHICLE, THE RPM'S WOULD OCCASIONALLY INCREASE TO 2,000 RPM'S OR HIGHER. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECELERATE DUE TO THE THROTTLE FAILURE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND WAS INFORMED THAT MANY …

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VEHICLE RANDOMLY GOES INTO "LIMP" MODE UNDER ACCELERATION, HAS RESULTED IN SEVERAL NEAR COLLISIONS. HARLEY DAVIDSON IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE (HARLEY DAVIDSON TT418) BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE. *TR

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FACTORY FAILURE. INCORECT POUR OF ALUMINUM MOLD FOR ENGINE CASTING/ ENGINE BLOCK, RESULTING IN OIL LEAK. ENGINE BLOCK SWEATING OIL AND SPREADING OIL ALONG BOTTOM OF FRAME FROM FRONT TO REAR OF MOTORCYCLE. ENGINE POUROUS. *TR

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RECALL NOTICE WAS SENT ON JANUARY 25,1999. AS OF FEB 08,1999, REGARDING ENGINE CAM BOLT FAILURE. NO PARTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY DEALERSHIP TO REMEDY PROBLEMS. RECALL SAYS THAT USING VEHICLE COULD CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY, BUT IS FAILING TO PROVIDE RECALL SERVICE KITS IN A REASONABLE TIME. RECALL 99V-003000 *AK

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CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH ON HIGHWAY AND MOTORCYCLE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, AND LOST POWER. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

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ENGINE CREATES EXCESSIVE HEAT MAKING THE MOTORCYCLE ALMOST UNBEARABLE TO RIDE. IF SITTING IN TRAFFIC LONG THE HEAT ALMOST BURNS THE UNDERSIDES OF BOTH THIGHS. NEUTRAL LIGHT COMES ON WHEN CHANGING GEARS, IT IS VERY DISTRACTING AT NIGHT CAUSING RIDER TO TAKE HIS EYES OFF THE ROAD. DEALER SAID ALL OF THIS IS NORMAL. ENGINE HEAT PROBLEM CAN BE FIXED BUT IT WILL BE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OWNER. NEUTRAL LIGHT COMING ON IS NORMAL DEALER SAID.

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WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, WHEELS WERE NOT STRAIGHT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE. *AK

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FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT AT 22000 MILES. NOTICED CONDITION DURING HIGHWAY SPEED WAS FRONT WHEEL WOBBLE WHEN CROSSING OVER BRIDGE JOINTS. *TR

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ON 7/16/2018, I WAS DRIVING THE SUBJECT VEHICLE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL COLORADO ON HWY 50 JUST EAST OF GUNNISON, COLORADO GOING THROUGH MONARCH PASS. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR THAT THE ROD WAS DRY. I WAS FULLY AWAKE AND SOBER (DO NOT DRINK). AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 PM, AS I SLOWED MY APPROACHED TO THE TURN AT MONARCH PASS, MY VEHICLE STEERING BEGAN TO GYRATE FROM SIDE TO SIDE AT APPROXIMATELY 25 -30 MPH AS I SLOWED TO TAKE A CURVE. THE GYRATION CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE. I WAS THROWN FROM THE MOTORCYCLE INTO THE SIDING AREA OF…

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