ABS System failure causing brakes to fail
The worst 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes36
- Fuel system12
- Engine9
- Transmission9
- Electrical6
- Acceleration4
- Suspension3
- Tires3
- Wheels3
- Body2
- Steering2
- Driver assistance1
- Seats1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu
Trouble codes owners of the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu mention
P1511 2P2135 2
Recalls 2
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
- What is wrong
- Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling all 2008-2011 Touring, CVO Touring and VSRC motorcycles equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS), including Road King (FLHR), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHP), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHPE), Electra Glide Standard Police (EFI) (FLHTP), Electra Glide Classic (EFI) (FLHTC), Electra Glide Ultra Classic (EFI) (FLHTCU) and Street Glide (EFI) (FLHX), 2008 VROD (VRSCAWA), CVO Road King 4 (FLHRSE4), Night Rod (VRSCDA), CVO Ultra Classic 3 (FLHTCUSE3), Night Rod Special (VRSCDXA), 2008-2010 Road King Classic (EFI) (FLHRC), 2008-2009 Road Glide (EFI) (FLTR) and Electra Glide Standard (EFI) (FLHT), 2009-2010 V-Rod (VRSCAW), 2009 CVO Ultra Classic (FLHTCUSE4) and CVO Road Glide 3 (FLTRSE3), 2009-2011 Night Rod Special (VRSCDX) and V-Rod Muscle (VRSCF), 2010 CVO Ultra Classic 5 (FLHTCUSE5) and CVO Street Glide (FLHXSE), 2010-2011 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (FLHTK) and Road Glide Custom (FLTRX), 2011 Road Glide Ultra 103 (FLTRU103), Street Glide 103 (FLHX103), Road King Classic 103 (FLHRC103), CVO Ultra Classic 6 (FLHTCUSE6), CVO Road Glide Ultra (FLTRUSE), Road Glide Custom 103 (FLTRX103), and CVO Street Glide 2 (FLHXSE2) motorcycles. Deposits may form on components within the brake system if the DOT 4 brake fluid is not replaced for a prolonged period of time beyond the 2-year maintenance schedule specified in the Owners Manual.
- Risk
- These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will flush the entire brake system with new Platinum Label DOT 4 brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1‑800‑258‑2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0171.
Recall number 18V076000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: filler pipe and cap
- What is wrong
- Harley davidson is recalling 47,579 my 2008 flhp, flhpe, flhr, flhrc, flhrse4, flht, flhtc, flhtcu, flhtcuse3, flhtp, flhx, and fltr motorcycles. These motorcycles may experience a cracking of the fuel filter shell leading to loss of fuel pressure. This loss of fuel pressure can cause diminished performance and, in some cases, may cause an engine stall or a no-start condition.
- Risk
- This condition could lead to a crash which could cause injury or death to the rider.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel filter shell free of charge. The recall began on july 31, 2008. Owners may contact harley davidson at 1‑414‑343‑4056.
Recall number 08V357000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu
Defect investigations
Sudden Brake Failure - Motorcycle
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation in July 2016 based on forty-three (43) Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ).During the course of this investigation ODI received a total of 145 VOQs related to the alleged defect on the subject motorcycles.Owners allege they experience a sudden and complete loss of brakes on one or both wheels.To better understand the cause of the braking issue on the subject motorcycles, ODI requested the federal safety agency's Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) conduct inspections and testing of affected vehicle braking systems.Through its work, VRTC determined that deposits were forming on the valves in the Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) of the Antilock Braking System (ABS). These deposits could prevent the proper function of the HCU and render the brakes ineffective.To understand why deposits were forming in the HCU, Harley Davidson completed an analysis of the Dow 460 brake fluid used as original equipment on the subject motorcycles and determined that it had stability issues if left in the brake system for an extended period of time.Harley Davidson found that if a brake fluid flush was not conducted as outlined in the owner?s manual for the motorcycles, and was left in the system for a period of time beyond their recommendation; deposits could form in the HCU.Through further testing, Harley Davidson identified an alternate, commercially available, brake fluid that did not have the same stability issues as the original fluid and could stop the proliferation of any current brake system deposits.ODI sent Information Request (IR) letters to Harley Davidson and Dow Chemical (the supplier of the brake fluid on the subject motorcycles) to collect information about the subject bikes and the alleged defect.Harley Davidson responded in full on Sept 30, 2016 and Dow responded with a confidential submission on October 25, 2017.ODI analyzed the information contained in both IR responses and concluded that motorcycles manufactured during Model Years (MY) 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 were failing at a rate greater than their peers.Based on this analysis and the brake fluid study conducted by Harley Davidson, a group of motorcycles was identified that were potentially affected by the instability of the original brake fluid.2008 marked the introduction of ABS on Harley Davidson motorcycles and a change in the Dow 460 brake fluid used in the 2012 MY vehicles provided the bases for the scope of the affected population.With recall action 18V‑076 taken by Harley Davidson this investigation is closed as further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: using the complaint identification numbers attached to this resume.
PE16009
Motorcycle stalling
The subject fuel filter housing (p/n 62229-08) cracks, resulting in sudden engine stall due to unregulated fuel pressure.harley-davidson has modified the housing with a new part number 62229-08a.shortly after opening this pe, odi received harley's defect notification indicating that the subject vehicles were being recalled to install the new fuel filter housing.with that recall, received prior to release of our information request, this investigation is concluded.
PE08043
Technical service bulletins for the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu 13
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Battery warranty guidelines
- Market specific battery introduction
- Milwaukee eight and twin cam camshaft drive gear retention kit changes
- Digital technician II - updates and release notes
- Genuine motor parts and motor accessories bulletin PAB1158: oil filter packaging and case quantity update
- Digital technician II - updates and release notes
- Milwaukee-eight and twin cam transmission gear packs.
- Genuine motor parts and motor accessories bulletin PAB1146: 68193-95 bulb wedge, fender tip lamp.
- Milwaukee-eight and twin cam transmission gear packs.
- Milwaukee-eight and twin cam transmission gear packs.
What 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
I was riding my motorcycle with a group of bikes and had to make an emergency stop. When the brakes were applied, as directed in the owners manual, the ABS failed and caused the rear tire to lock and skid. The resulting skid caused a loss of control of the motorcycle and ultimately laying the bike down on the asphalt highway. This resulted in the rider and passenger sustaining injuries. The passenger received a Tramatic Brain Injury which a month and a half later she is still in recovery. The motorcycle has not yet been repaired or looked at by any Police or Technical personnel. There were no warnings or lights prior to the accident.
I was traveling about 35mph and approaching an intersection near my home. I had to stop quickly as a car turned into my lane just a head of me. I applied the front and rear brakes of my motorcycle but the front brake lever did not move at all. It was as if it was frozen in place. I had no control of the front brakes. I was able to slow using the rear brake and avoided a collision by steering out of the way. After arriving home and investigating, I found the ABS module had failed. I also found this is an issue known by harley davidson of their 2008-2014 motorcycles with ABS. Their solution, is to bleed the brake fluid every two years no matter what. I do that myself every two years. There is no guarantee that if I replace the ABS module, at significant cost, that a failure won't happen again.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 harley davidson electra glide ultra flhtcui. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency recall number: 18v076000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The vehicle was taken to greeley harley-davidson and wild west motorsports, inc. Located at (3010 29th st, greeley, co 80631 (970) 351-8150) to perform the recall repair. The brake system was flushed refilled with platinum dot 4 brake fluid. The contact stated that while riding the motorcycle, the brakes failed to operate as designed after the recall repair was performed. The motorcycle was taken back to the same dealer. The technician sought permission from the manufacturer to authorize an additional repair however, the manufacturer declined to authorize a second repair. The contact purchased a replacement part and repaired the motorcycle however, the failure persisted. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 harley-davidson flhtcu. While riding and attempting to stop, the rear brakes malfunctioned and were inoperable. Moments later, both the rear and front brakes malfunctioned and the motorcycle did not immediately stop, nearly causing a crash. The motorcycle was taken to centennial park harley-davidson (12477 e. Broad st sw, pataskala, oh) where it was diagnosed that the brake hydraulic unit and master cylinder needed to be replaced. The owner was informed that the vehicle could not be repaired per the federal safety agency campaign number: 18v016000 (service brakes) without replacing the master cylinder and hydraulic system. The motorcycle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 21,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 harley-davidson flhtcu. While driving 45 MPH, the front brakes were applied, but failed to respond. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to hannum's harley-davidson (1011 w baltimore pike, media, pa 19063, (610) 566-5562) where it was diagnosed that the ABS module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the local dealer for service. The failure mileage was 11,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 harley-davidson flhtcu (ultra classic). When reversing the vehicle, the contact applied the brakes, but the vehicle did not stop. Harley-davidson of greenville (30 chrome dr, greenville, sc 296615) diagnosed that the brakes needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000. The VIN was unavailable.
I,m living in the netherlands. Owner of a harley davidson. My steel rear brakeline was sanded through.( result no brake while riding) I went to my dealer in belgium, I reported by the aftersales manager mr. Anderson harley davidson benelux. I asked them to take action. (safety research) I sent a e-mail to harley davidson company. ( milwaukee) no reaction. In my e-mail I ask several to do research, I told them that their are responsible, take care about safety of all road users. ( no reaction. I wrote that I take responsibilty and I report it by competent authorities. I report it by : n.h.t.s.a. ( country of manufactering), belgium, office of homologatie van voertuigen, netherlands, r.d.w. ( national road security) I have the broken brakeline in my possession. I offer the belgium or dutch inspection this brakeline for a check when required. I hope you can help. Please inform me.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 harley-davidson flhtcu. The contact received a recall notice for the federal safety agency campaign number: 18v076000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The motorcycle was taken to sandy's harley-davidson sport center (11940 n maple island rd, fremont, mi 49412, (231) 924-3020) for servicing. While the mechanic was bleeding the brake fluid per the recall, the ABS module became damaged. The vehicle was repaired at the contact's expense. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.
Known defect in throttle position sensor wiring is not being corrected by local dealers when problem vehicles are presented for service. I believe a recall is warranted to ensure corrective actions already identified by the manufacturer are implemented before more operators/riders are placed in danger. This defect can be extremely hazardous as the motorcycle instantly reduces the engine power available without previous notice to the rider, which can result in the motorcycle failing to maintain adequate speed to maintain stability in a turn. This so-called "limp mode" continues until the motorcycle is brought to a complete stop and the engine is turned off and then restarted. This "limp mode" behavior may in and of itself also cause a hazard to both the motorcycle operator and nearby vehicles should the failure occur while the motorcycle is on a roadway with limited or non-existent emergency or breakdown areas. (a web search for "limp mode harley" results in over 400,000 results, most of which will refer to this issue.) to help technicians resolve the intermittent problem nature of this design issue (by replacing terminals in the wiring harness with a more resilient type) the manufacturer issued multiple theory and diagnostics papers (tt418 in 2009 and tt418a in 2011) describing actions to remedy the problem. Of note is that the diagnostic trouble codes (dtc) which identify the problem are unique and can only be removed from the electronic control module (ECM) manually. My motorcycle has had numerous episodes of this failure over the last 10 years. In the latest case, I almost dropped the bike leaving a parking lot as the limp mode kicked in. Although the dtc codes (p2135 and p1511) were present in the ECM the dealer charged me for their technician time without addressing the repairs clearly identified in the tt418a paper.
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Questions about the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu
Is the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu reliable?
Owners have filed 81 complaints about the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu, 11.6 times a typical Flhtcu model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu?
Brakes, with 36 complaints, typically around 36,000 miles. Next is fuel system (12).
How many recalls does the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu have?
2 recalls, covering service brakes, hydraulic and fuel system, gasoline.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Harley-Davidson Flhtcu brakes?
Yes, 1 recall: 18V076000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Harley-Davidson Flhtcu have bad brakes?
The Harley-Davidson Flhtcu model years with the most brakes complaints are 2008 (36 complaints), 2009 (36 complaints) and 2010 (10 complaints).
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