2009 Harley-Davidson Flhtcutg

Routine

Owners filed 5 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › exhaust system. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline1
010
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine1
001
Engine1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights › Switch11V506000
Filed Oct 19, 2011250,757 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company

Defect. HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2012 TOURING, CVO TOURING AND TRIKE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16, 2011. SEE THE ABOVE LIST FOR THE MODELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY BE EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.

Risk. THE EXCESSIVE HEAT MAY CAUSE THE SWITCH TO NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP OR ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP WHEN NO BRAKE IS APPLIED AND/OR CAUSE A BRAKE FLUID LEAK AT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, AFFECTING REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. EITHER CONDITION MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL A INSTALL A REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH KIT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Mounting09V457000
Filed Dec 1, 2009111,569 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company

Defect. HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 TOURING FAMILY MOTORCYCLES, INCLUDING CVO TOURING AND TRIKE PRODUCTS, MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008 THROUGH NOVEMBER 19, 2009. THE FRONT FUEL TANK MOUNTS MAY DISTORT IN REACTION TO SEVERE FRAME DAMAGE FROM A FRONTAL COLLISION. THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE A FUEL LEAK AT THE WELD OF THE FRONT BRACKET TO THE TUNNEL.

Risk. A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LEFT AND RIGHT BRACE, WHICH ARE INTENDED TO REDUCE FRONT MOUNT DISTORTION DURING CERTAIN CRASH CONDITIONS. THIS REPAIR WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Feb 9, 201825 milesIL

THE REAR BRAKES ON A 2009 HD TRIKE HAS VERY LITTLE STOPPING POWER,HARLEY KNOWS IT HAS A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY STARTED PUTTING BIGGER BRAKES ON THE 2011 MODELS. I THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIX THE 2009,AND 2010 MODELS.BUT THERE NEVER WAS A RECALL ON THEM.THERE IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEN YOU CAN'T STOP. PLUS NOW MY REAR BRAKES QUIT WORKING ALL TOGETHER.

Engine
Filed Aug 19, 201310,219 milesCO

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCUTG. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEED THERE WAS A SLIGHT VIBRATION WHICH CAUSED TWO BOLTS TO DETACH FROM THE EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE MOUNT DISLODGED AND THE HEAD WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED UNDER THE SERVICE WARRANTY ONCE THE PART BECAME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,219.

Fuel System, GasolineFire
Filed Oct 31, 20111,500 milesTX

ON THE ABOVE DATE THIS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE LESS THAN A MINUTE AFTER STARTING IT. I HAD RODE THIS VEHICLE TO WORK AND WAS AT WORK FOR AROUND TWO HOURS. UPON LEAVING WORK, I STARTED THE MOTORCYCLE WITHOUT GETTING ON AND WAS REACHING TO PUT ITEMS IN THE TRUNK WHEN THE FIRE STARTED. WHEN WALKING UP TO THE VEHICLE I DID NOT SMELL GASOLINE OR NOTICE ANY LEAKING FUEL BEFORE STARTING THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES VERY QUICKLY. I WAS VERY CLOSE TO BEING BURNED. SOME CO-WORKERS AND MYSELF ATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, BUT WERE UNABLE TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH DUE TO THE INTENSE HEAT AND FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED FAIRLY QUICKLY TO PUT THE FIRE OUT, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE FIRE MARSHAL STATED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO MECHANICAL FAILURE. TO THIS DATE HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY INQUIRIES ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AND HAS REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS FIRE. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine1 injured
Filed Jul 6, 20114,000 milesMD

RIDER EXPERIENCED 2ND DEGREE BURNS DUE TO HEAT EMANATING FROM THE ENGINE DURING HOT WEATHER AND STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC; REAR CYLINDER SHUTS OFF AND THEN MOTORCYCLE RUNS POORLY (NO ACCELERATION); ALSO AFFECTS BRAKING (REAR BRAKE GETS "MUSHY"); HAS RESULTED IN DISCOLORATION OF HORN AND AIR FILER COVER; OIL PRESSURE DROPS TO 0; HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 2 QTS. OF OIL IN 1300 MILES; LITERALLY WAS "SMOKING"; AMBIENT TEMP. PEGGED OUT AT 120 DEGREES. EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD TO RIDER AND DEALER CAN OFFER NO SOLUTION; CAN'T EVEN TUNE THE MOTORCYCLE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DYNO A TRIKE. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System
Filed May 15, 201110 milesNJ

HEAT COMING OFF THE EXHAUST/ENGINE MAKES THE BIKE UNBEARABLE TO RIDE...ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WEATHER GETS WARMER AND YOU ARE STOPPED OR GOING SLOWLY IN TRAFFIC. IT WILL BURN YOUR RIGHT CALF SEVERELY AND HARLEY DAVISDON REFUSES TO ADMIT THE PROBLEM OR OFFER A REMEDY FOR IT. ALSO REAR BRAKES SQUEAL CONSTANTLY AND ARE BARELY ADEQUATE FOR STOPPING. *TR

5 of 5 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2017
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20251000Routine
20241000Routine
20231000Routine
20222100Routine
20210100Routine
20204201Fatalities reported
20198202Fatalities reported
20187100Routine
201713101Fatalities reported
20162000Routine
20156110Routine
20145200Routine
20137000Routine
20127102Fatalities reported
20119101Fatalities reported
20109200Routine
2009 — this page5210Routine

Compare every Flhtcutg year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

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: Oct 19, 2011. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.