IllustrationVEHICLE WITH APPROX. 36K MILES. CAM CHAIN TENSIONER SHOES, ONE WORN DOWN ABOUT 50%, THE OTHER COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED WITH PIECES FLOATING AROUND WITHIN THE ENGINE AND BEARINGS. POTENTIAL FOR CAM TIMING TO BE AFFECTED OR SHOE MATERIAL TO CAUSE BEARING TO SEIZE. *NM
2001 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Flhtc
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Flhtc years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 7 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
7 reportsDT: 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 …
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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
THE VEHICLE DIED WHILE DRIVING ALMOST CAUSING A CRASH. THIS WAS DUE TO A SHORT IN THE CHARGING SYSTEM. THE DEALER INFROMED ME THAT THEY HAVE MANY OF THESE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT WILL TO STAND BEHING THE VEHICLE.
THE GAS GAUGE DROPS NORMALLY FROM "FULL" TO APPROX. '1/2 FULL', THEN IN NO CONSISTENT MANNER (TIME OR MILEAGE WISE)...IT DROPS TO 'EMPTY'. THIS CAUSES THE DRIVER TO HAVE NO RELIABILITY ON THE FUEL SYSTEM AND HE/SHE MAY END UP STRANDED IN A REMOTE AREA OR STALL IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS DUE TO FUEL GAUGE INACCURACY. THIS PROBLEM HAS B…
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THE GAS GAUGE DROPS NORMALLY FROM "FULL" TO APPROX. '1/2 FULL', THEN IN NO CONSISTENT MANNER (TIME OR MILEAGE WISE)...IT DROPS TO 'EMPTY'. THIS CAUSES THE DRIVER TO HAVE NO RELIABILITY ON THE FUEL SYSTEM AND HE/SHE MAY END UP STRANDED IN A REMOTE AREA OR STALL IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS DUE TO FUEL GAUGE INACCURACY. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN NOTED TO HARLEY, BY MULTIPLE FLH (AND OTHER FLH MODEL) OWNERS. THANKS. *AK
FRONT BRAKES STARTED SQUELING AT THE FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP. HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH NO RESPONSE.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH ON HIGHWAY AND MOTORCYCLE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, AND LOST POWER. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
MOTORCYCLE WAS LIGHTLY TIED DOWN BY HANDLE BARS WHEN CONSUMER NOTICED IT WAS LOOSE, AND SAW THAT HANDLE BARS WERE PULLED DOWN INTO GAS TANK. TRIPLE CLAMP THAT HELD HANDLES TO FRONT FORKS WERE LOOSE.*AK
Official recalls
102V002000 · Exterior Lighting
Jan 4, 2002
ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE CLIPS THAT RETAIN THE WIRING FOR THE FRONT FENDER TIP LIGHT CAN BECOME DETACHED FROM THE FENDER, CAUSING THE WIRES TO FRAY AND SHORT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE LIGHTING SYSTEM FUSE TO BLOW, LEAVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT AN OPERATIONAL FRONT FENDER TIP LIGHT, HEADLIGHT, TAILLIGHT, RUNNING LIGHTS, AND PASSING LAMPS (IF EQUIPPED).
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FENDER TIP LIGHT WIRING HARNESS RETENTION CLIPS, AND INSPECT AND REPLACE, IF NECESSARY, ANY DAMAGED WIRING HARNESSES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 9, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-342-4680.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.