47 of the
333 complaints filed about the Harley-Davidson Flhtcu
are about the transmission —
14% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2007.
47
Complaints
14%
Share of all complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
The contact owns a 2017 Harley-Davidson FLHTCU. The contact stated that while riding at 5 MPH, the motorcycle failed to shift out of gear or stop as needed. The motorcycle fell over on the contact’s right leg, causing the leg to become swollen. The contact used a bag of ice to help with the swelling. The motorcycle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V734000 (Power Train); however, the failure persisted. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,490.
NHTSA complaint #11750346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2014 Harley-Davidson Tri Glide Ultra. The contact stated that while riding at an undisclosed speed, the clutch was unable to disengage, preventing a shift to the intended gear. The contact added DOT 4 fluid into the clutch reservoir however, the failure recurred with the clutch fluid leaking. The motorcycle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,300. The consumer stated the issue was addressed and repaired at the local Harley Davidson Service Center.
NHTSA complaint #11479634 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The guard/spring housing locater on the rotor behind the drive sprocket developed a fatigue crack, it propagated approximately half way around the circumference before separating and then being pulled thru between the drive chain and sprocket . this caused the drive train to seize up locking up the engine and rear wheel and damaging the engine. being a motorcycle this can lead to a serious injury or death crash. fortunately for me it let go at low speed.
NHTSA complaint #11471559 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2018 Harley-Davidson FLHTCU. The contact stated that upon starting the motorcycle, the clutch released independently without warning. Due to the failure, the contact was forcefully jerked backwards while on the motorcycle. The motorcycle was taken to a dealer by trailer and the contact was informed that fluid in the secondary clutch actuator cylinder had leaked into the transmission. The contact was given an estimate for the repair. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that prior to owning the motorcycle, the motorcycle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V734000 (Power Train) which the contact linked to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The motorcycle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000. The VIN was not available.
NHTSA complaint #11471487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH UPHILL, THE CLUTCH BEGAN TO FAIL AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SWITCH GEARS. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. AFTERWARDS, THE CLUTCH BEGAN TO PERFORM CORRECTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED A SECOND TIME WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE UPHILL AGAIN. WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TURNED OFF, THE CLUTCH PERFORMED CORRECTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO COX'S HARLEY-DAVIDSON (LOCATED AT 1178 GALLERIA BLVD, ROCK HILL, SC 29730, 803-327-1183), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V471000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE MATTER WAS NOT RESOLVED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
NHTSA complaint #11255255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE (FLHTCU). WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED AT CAPRARA BROTHERS/F.X. CAPRARA MOTORCYCLES, INC. (LOCATED AT 17890 GOODNOUGH ST, ADAMS CENTER, NY 13606, (315) 583-6177), THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING INTO THE PRIMARY CASE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO INSTALL A KIT IN THE MOTORCYCLE TO PREVENT FURTHER LEAKS. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CASE COULD LOSE ALL FLUIDS WITHOUT THE RIDER KNOWING, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,012. *TR DEALER INSTALLED INNER PRIMARY VENT KIT TO FIX THIS.
NHTSA complaint #11245658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY MOTORCYCLE IN TERMS OF MOTORCYCLES ALTHOUGH FIVE YEARS OLD, IS RELATIVELY NEW, METICULOUSLY KEPT, AND ONLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 16,600 MILES ON THE ODOMETER.ON TUESDAY MAY 28TH, I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE INTERSTATE EXIT THAT TAKES ME TO MY HOME. AS I APPROACHED THE STOPLIGHT I WAS BRAKING AND DOWNSHIFTING, BRINGING THE BIKE TO FULL STOP. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I WENT TO PUT MY BIKE INTO FIRST FROM FROM NEUTRAL, AND AS I DID SO THE BACK PORTION OF MY HEEL-TOE SHIFTER SHOT UP, AFTER WHICH IT WAS LOOSE AND FLOPPY AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE - AS A RESULT, I COULD NOT GET THE BIKE OUT OF FIRST GEAR. THANKFULLY, MY HOUSE IS RIGHT OFF THE EXIT, SO I SUMMARILY LIMPED HOME. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE SHIFTER, WHICH IS MADE OF CHROMIUM STEEL, IS ATTACHED TO A SPLINED ALUMINUM SHAFT- THE ALUMINUM SHAFT STRIPED. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS, I FOUND IT TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON ISSUE. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS IN SO MANY WAYS AND HOW IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
NHTSA complaint #11217249 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PURCHASED A NEW 2016 ULTRA CLASSIC HARLEY DAVIDSON NOW HAS 9200 MILE THE COMPENSATOR STARTED TO RATTLE BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME THE COMPENSATOR WENT COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY
NHTSA complaint #11123500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HARLEY-DAVIDSON TRI GLIDE FLTR. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVE BELT MALFUNCTIONED AND BECAME MISALIGNED. IN ADDITION, THE BEARINGS THAT HELD THE PIVOT SHAFT TOGETHER EXHIBITED PREMATURE EXCESSIVE WEAR. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. ANOTHER UNKNOWN DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE BEARINGS WERE FAULTY. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE BEARINGS CONTAINED FRAGMENTS OF RUBBER AND METAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,000.
NHTSA complaint #11000009 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU. WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AT 30 MPH, IT SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRE HARNESS, CONNECTING THE THROTTLE AND CARBURETOR, WAS FAULTY. THE PINS ON THE HARNESS WERE REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 11/07/16*LJ
NHTSA complaint #10904281 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
COMPENSATOR PRIMARY CHAIN FAILURE SHUTTER WHEN DRIVING HARD STARTING FAILURE TO STARTER MOTOR PART IS JUNK WILL CAUSE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING ENDING UP IN CRASH AND DEATH
NHTSA complaint #10903896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ULTRA FLHTCU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V2160000 (POWER TRAIN) WAS RECEIVED IN AUGUST OF 2015. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL JULY OF 2016, IN WHICH TIME THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT IT TOOK THE MANUFACTURER NEARLY ONE YEAR TO DISTRIBUTE THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE SAFETY DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #10884336 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY COMPENSATOR WENT BAD ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHILE MY BIKE WAS STILL UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS JUST NORMAL NOISE. NOW COME TO FIND OUT HARLEY DAVIDSON KNOWS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR COMPENSATOR. THEY DON'T EVEN LAST 20,00 MILES AND I THINK THEY SHOULD RECALL THEM. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO ON THE HARLEY DAVIDSON FORUMS AND THERE YOU WILL FIND ALL KINDS OF MAD OWNERS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. THEY KNOW ABOUT IT AND WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I THOUGHT THE WHOLE POINT OF A RECALL IS WHEN THE PART IS AT DEFAULT THEY SHOULD GET FIXED.
NHTSA complaint #10782039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO DIFFERENT GEARS. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GASKET, BEARING ROLLER, RETAINING RING, AND INNER PRIMARY BEARING RACE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,438. MA 10/29/2015
NHTSA complaint #10760952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IN APRIL 2012 I WAS EXPERIENCING LOUD NOISES FROM THE PRIMARY SIDE OF MY 96 V TWIN ENGINE AND IT WOULD NOT START. UPON INSPECTION BY A CERTIFIED HARLEY TECH. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE ENTIRE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY AND COMPENSATOR SPROCKET WERE DAMAGED DUE TO THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE SPLINES AND GEARS. AS ADVISED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON, "THEIR SUPPLIER SHIPPED THESE PARTS WITHOUT HEAT TREATING THEM". I WAS NEVER ADVISED THIS WAS A PROBLEM BY HARLEY. THE PARTS WERE REPLACED WITH HARLEYS HEAVY DUTY SCREAMIN EAGLE COMPENSATOR AND THE BIKE RAN FINE UP UNTIL THE WINTER OF 2014. MY BIKE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR AN OIL LEAK IN THE PRIMARY AREA AND THE TECH HAD TO TAKE THE PRIMARY APART TO GET TO IT. HE DISCOVERED THE COMPENSATOR HAD SEVERE WEAR AND PRESENTED A DANGER OF FAILURE IF RIDDEN. THEREFORE, WE ARE GOING THROUGH THIS SAME PROCESS OF REPLACING THE SAME PARTS FOR A THIRD TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10681818 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATED TO 15 MPH AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,400.
NHTSA complaint #10597579 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 HARLEY DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE FLHTCU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V515000 (POWER TRAIN); THE CLUTCH FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,884.
NHTSA complaint #10594273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE UP-SHIFTING GEARS FROM 2ND TO 3RD THE CLUTCH FAILED AND I COULD NOT DISENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION. I MANUALLY DOWN-SHIFTED TO FIRST TO SLOW DOWN THEN TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC AND TRIED TO FIND NEUTRAL TO BE ABLE TO STOP SAFELY BUT RAN OUT OF SPACE BEFORE I HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND STALL THE ENGINE. AS THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STALL THE MOTORCYCLE STARTED TO JUMP & BUCK AND I LOST CONTROL AND FELL OVER. I EXTENDED MY LEG TO TRY AND STAY UPRIGHT BUT COULD NOT HOLD THE BIKE UPRIGHT AND SPRANG OR JAMMED MY KNEE. I CHECKED THE INTERNET TO SEE IF THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THE 2014 MODELS OF THIS SAME BIKE WAS UNDER WHAT APPEARED TO BE A VOLUNTARY RECALL BY HARLEY DAVIDSON FOR CLUTCH ISSUES. I CALLED HARLEY DAVIDSON TO SEE IF THE 2013 MODELS WERE ALSO UNDER SOME RECALL SINCE IT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY BIKE. THEY SAID NO, BUT I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT.
NHTSA complaint #10586584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.