1998 Harley-Davidson Flhtcui

Fatalities reported

Owners filed 10 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system › ignition › switch. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System › Ignition › Switch4
000
Suspension2
100
Wheels1
000
Tires › Sidewall1
102
Fuel System, Gasoline1
000
Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Electrical System › Ignition › Switch98V158000
Filed Jul 14, 199855,013 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: FL TOURING MOTORCYCLES. A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN OCCUR DUE TO EXCESSIVE CURRENT AND OTHER FACTORS.

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO FAIL TO START, OPERATE ERRATICALLY, OR STALL.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH/CIRCUIT BREAKER AND INSTALL A RELAY KIT.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Suspension
Filed Dec 7, 201670,000 milesMI

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA FLHTCUI. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE REAR SWING ARM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

Tires › SidewallCrash2 injured1 killed
Filed Sep 9, 201640,000 milesIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA FLHTCUI EQUIPPED WITH METZELER ME 888 MARATHON ULTRA TIRES, SIZE: 130/90/R16. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE REAR TIRE SEIZED AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER WERE EJECTED FROM THE MOTORCYCLE. BOTH THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION; HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SIDEWALL SEPARATED FROM THE REAR TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

SuspensionCrash
Filed May 13, 201498,000 milesGA

BROKEN SWING ARM CAUSING A HIGH SPEED WOBBLE. SWING ARM CRACKED OVER TOP OF AXLE ALLOWING THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBER TO PUSH OPEN THE END OF THE SWING ARM EXPOSING THE REAR AXEL SHAFT. ONLY THE BELT WAS HOLDING REAR WHEEL ON. *TR

Wheels
Filed Aug 22, 2002CA

THIS IS A FAILURE IN A CUSTOM WHEEL MODEL #4163080BP MANUFACTURED BY HALLCRAFT'S INDUSTRIES CORP. TEN SPOKES ON THE REAR WHEEL BROKE CAUSING INSTABILITY AND LOSS OF CONTROL. THESE TEN SPOKES BROKE OVER 5 MONTS AND W/I 4000 MILES OF INSTALLATION.

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Aug 17, 2001NY

MOTORCYCLE QUIT WHILE MOVING IN TRAFFIC, IT WOULD CRANK BUT NOT START.

Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Filed Jun 4, 1999TX

CONSUMER RECEIVED A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH. DEALER WAS CONTACTED ON FIVE OCCASIONS, REPAIRS STILL NOT COMPLETED. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Filed Aug 31, 1998PA

CONSUMER HAS RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH FOR MOTORCYCLE. OWNER HAS CONTATCED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ON 03-AUG-98 . RECALL HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Filed Aug 13, 1998FL

WHEN RIDING IN EVERY GEAR , FROM TIME TO TIME, THERE IS A MISS. AT TIMES IT'S IN 2, 3, AND 5TH GEARS. THIS PROBLEM EXISTED IN CONSUMER'S 97 MODEL. A RECALL NOTICE HAS BEEN RECEIVED ON THE IGNITION . OWNER HAS NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Filed Jul 31, 1998FL

IGNITION SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES BECAUSE WHEN RIDING AT ANY SPEED THE RADIO WILL FLASH ON OR GOES OFF. THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND THE ENGINE CUTS OFF. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON, AND THE MOTORCYCLE WILL RESTART BY ITSELF OR IT WON'T START AT ALL. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Filed Jul 31, 1998FL

CIRCUIT BREAKER HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED TWO TIMES, THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED, AND DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

10 of 10 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20071000Routine
200615000Routine
20055000Routine
20044000Routine
200326101Fatalities reported
20028200Routine
20018200Routine
200013100Routine
199910200Routine
1998 — this page10101Fatalities reported
19975100Routine
19962100Routine
19951100Routine
19940100Routine

Compare every Flhtcui year →

Reading this record

1 death reported in complaints filed with NHTSA.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jul 14, 1998. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.