Car-and-Safety.com
Harley Davidson Flhtcu Engine And Engine Cooling Safety Report | June 01, 2007
Reported on June 01, 2007
| THE SITUATION:ON A MOTORCYCLE, DRIVETRAIN FAILURE AT TYPICAL OPERATING SPEEDS COULD VERY WELL MEAN SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH OF THE RIDER. ABNORMAL HEAT OR NOISE COMING FROM THE MOTORCYCLE'S DRIVETRAIN ARE NOT ISSUES TO BE IGNORED BY A PRUDENT RIDER OR BY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE MOTORCYCLE. FOR EXAMPLE THE DRIVETRAIN ON MY 2007 FLHTCU IS EXCESSIVELY NOISY WHEN OPERATED IN 5TH GEAR AT NORMAL RPMS. THIS IMPLIES EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AND/OR ABNORMAL WEAR OCCURRING SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVETRAIN RUNS SO HOT AS TO PRESENT A BURN HAZARD TO THE RIDER AND PASSENGER EVEN WHEN PROPERLY CLOTHED. IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT EXCESSIVE HEAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO LONGTERM PROBLEMS WITH ANY DRIVETRAIN, INCREASING THE LIKELYHOOD OF FAILURE. WHAT HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS DONE: TO DATE, THE ONLY HALF-HEARTED SOLUTION TO THESE MALADIES OFFERED BY THE HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY HAS BEEN THE TORQUE SMOOTHING DOWNLOAD WHICH ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING WHEN INSTALLED ON MY BIKE. HD HAS ASSERTED THAT THE NOISE AND HEAT ARE NORMAL. ON THE CONTRARY, MANY 2007 HD UNITS DO NOT HAVE THESE ISSUES, THUS THEY ARE CLEARLY NOT NORMAL. THEY ARE CERTAINLY COMMON PROBLEMS, HOWEVER. MANY OWNERS HAVE RESORTED TO COSTLY AFTERMARKET SOLUTIONS SUCH AS REPLACEMENT GEARSETS AND FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ALL INSTALLED A THEIR OWN EXPENSE. I ESSENCE, HD HAS OFFLOADED THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ONTO THEIR CUSTOMERS. WHAT HD SHOULD DO: HD SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. HD SHOULD RETROFIT ALL AFFECTED 2007 MODELS WITH THE IDS RUBBERMOUNT REAR SPROCKET (NOW STANDARD ON THE 2008 TOURING MODELS) TO REDUCE DRIVETRAIN VIBRATION AND WEAR. THEY SHOULD ALSO PROVIDE ADJUSTMENTS AND/OR MODIFICATIONS AS NEEDED TO THE FUEL SYSTEM TO REDUCE DRIVETRAIN HEAT. THEY SHOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY OF ALL AFFECTED 2007 MOTORCYCLES APPROPRIATELY. *TR | |
| Make: | Harley Davidson |
| Model: | Flhtcu |
| Manufactured by: | HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | |
| Was a death reported? | |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | ALMA AR |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | |
| Mileage: | |
| Speed: | |
| Number of cylinders: | 2 |
| Vehicle type: | RWD |
| Vehicle fuel: | GAS Fuel injection. |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
| Previous Report:Structure Body Door | Next Report:Power Train Manual Transmission |