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2010 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Flhtcutg

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 7 of 9 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 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. 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.

1 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

1 reports
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5,200 miles · Oct 23, 2010
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

I WAS IN A ACCIDENT DO TO THE BRAKES ON MY 2010 HARLEY TRIKE NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP. ON 6-5-10 I REAR ENDED A FORD EXPLORER AT 50 MPH. AFTER LOCKING UP THE FRONT BRAKES, THE REAR BRAKES DIDN'T LOCK UP OR HELP STOP MUCH AT ALL. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THEM SQUEALING, AND THEM NOT ABLE TO STOP LIKE THEY SHOULD ,BUT I NEVER HAD TO ST…

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I WAS IN A ACCIDENT DO TO THE BRAKES ON MY 2010 HARLEY TRIKE NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP. ON 6-5-10 I REAR ENDED A FORD EXPLORER AT 50 MPH. AFTER LOCKING UP THE FRONT BRAKES, THE REAR BRAKES DIDN'T LOCK UP OR HELP STOP MUCH AT ALL. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THEM SQUEALING, AND THEM NOT ABLE TO STOP LIKE THEY SHOULD ,BUT I NEVER HAD TO STOP LIKE I NEEDED TO THAT DAY.. IT IS TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO LOCK UP THE REAR BRAKES OR TO STOP HARD WITH THE REAR BRAKES. AFTER HAVING THE BRAKES LOOKED AT 6 TIMES AT LEAST AND TWO DEALERS DOING WHAT THEY COULD, INCLUDING REPLACING THE PADS WITH NEW STOCK PADS. STILL NOT HAPPY I HAD THEM REPLACED WITH LYNDALL BRAKES. THEY STOPPED THE SQUEALING BUT DIDN'T SEEM TO HELP WITH THE STOPPING BUT DIDN'T HURT ANYTHING EITHER. I CALLED H.D. ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY MADE IT SEEM LIKE I WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH ANY PROBLEMS AND DIDN'T HEAR FROM THEM AFTER. MY INJURIES CONSISTED OF 4 BROKEN RIBS, TORN MENISCUS IN MY KNEE THAT NEEDS TO BE SCOPED OUT, I HAD PRIOR HIP PAIN BUT BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT I NEED A HIP REPLACEMENT 15-20 YEARS SOONER. FRACTURED A BONE OFF IN MY SPINE BUT THEY SAID WERE IT WAS WASN'T IN A SPOT THAT NEEDED SURGERY. ROAD RASH ON BOTH ARMS. HAD TO HAVE A TATTOO REDONE. MY BACK, LOWER BACK, HIP AND RT FOOT WAS BRUISED BADLY. THREE MONTHS OFF OF WORK, 17,000 DAMAGE TO BIKE, AND 18,000 DAMAGE TO MYSELF. I JUST GOT MY BIKE BACK 10-8-10 I KNEW AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT I HAD PLENTY OF DISTANCE. I ALWAYS SAID I JUST COULDN'T STOP. IT WAS SAID THAT I MUST HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING TO CLOSE. I REMEMBERED THE FRONT BRAKE LOCKING UP AND PUSHING AS HARD AS I COULD ON THE REAR PEDAL. I KNEW FOR 3-5 SEC. I WAS GOING TO HIT THE TRUCKS BUMPER. 10-8-10 I PICKED THE BIKE UP AND ON THE WAY HOME I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE REAR BRAKES. LONG STORY SHORT ON MY WAY BACK TO THE DEALER I HAD TO STOP FAST AND ONCE AGAIN COULDN'T STOP. I KNOW FOR A FACT MY ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM NOT BEING BIG ENOUGH TO STOP THE TRIKE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10362084

Official recalls

2

11V506000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Oct 19, 2011

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

09V457000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting

Dec 1, 2009

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

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

1

PE16009 · Sudden Brake Failure - Motorcycle

Opened Jul 6, 2016 · Closed Apr 23, 2018

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

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 NHTSA'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: https://www.nhtsa.gov/ using the complaint identification numbers attached to this resume.