Illustration2012 ROAD GLIDE ULTRA. ABS MODULE HAS GONE BAD AT 48000 MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BECOMING A COMMON PROBLEM. IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE AND THE BRAKES DO NOT FUNCTION NOW. MOTORCYCLE IS NOT ROAD WORTH AND NOW PARKED.
2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU103
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 FLHTCU103 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 14 of 15 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.
- Service Brakes. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports
Service Brakes complaints
5 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST BRAKE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAVANNAH HARLEY-DAVIDSON DEALER (912-925-0005, LOCATED AT 1 FORT ARGYLE RD, SAVANNAH, GA 31419) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE MODEL NEEDED TO B…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST BRAKE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAVANNAH HARLEY-DAVIDSON DEALER (912-925-0005, LOCATED AT 1 FORT ARGYLE RD, SAVANNAH, GA 31419) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE MODEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. AND ISSUED A CASE NUMBER: 3936516. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 31,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT WAS STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE F…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT WAS STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,172.
ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT (HCU) FAILURE. FRONT BRAKE LEVER AND REAR PEDAL LOCKED OUT. NO BRAKING ABAILITY. COMPONENT FAILURE MODE LEAVES VEHICLE WITH NO BRAKING ABILITY CAUSING ACCIDENT W/O FATALITY. HARLEY DAVIDSON MO CO NOTIFIED WITH NO RESPONSE. CONTACTED 800-258-2464.
WHILE BRAKING FOR A STOP LIGHT I NOTICED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE SLOWED VERY QUICKLY AND THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WAS VERY STIFF (VERY LITTLE MOVEMENT). WHEN LIGHT CHANGED IT TOOK AN EXCESS OF POWER TO GET MOVING. AFTER TURNING INTO A SIDE STREET I NOTICED THAT IT REQUIRED MORE THAN USUAL POWER TO CONTINUE MOVING. AFTER COMING TO …
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WHILE BRAKING FOR A STOP LIGHT I NOTICED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE SLOWED VERY QUICKLY AND THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WAS VERY STIFF (VERY LITTLE MOVEMENT). WHEN LIGHT CHANGED IT TOOK AN EXCESS OF POWER TO GET MOVING. AFTER TURNING INTO A SIDE STREET I NOTICED THAT IT REQUIRED MORE THAN USUAL POWER TO CONTINUE MOVING. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE MOTORCYCLE MANUALLY AND ONLY AFTER APPLYING EXCESSIVE POWER AND RIDING THE CLUTCH WAS I ABLE TO GET THE MOTORCYCLE OFF THE STREET INTO A DRIVE. AT THIS TIME THE FRONT WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY LOCKED AND WOULD NOT MOVE. AFTER LETTER THE MOTORCYCLE SIT FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES THE FRONT WHEEL WAS FREE TO MOVE AGAIN UNTIL I APPLIED THE FRONT BRAKE AGAIN ANF THE WHEEL LOCKED UP AGAIN. THE REAR BRAKE WAS NOT AFFECTED AT ANY TIME AND WORKED NORMAL. HAD MOTORCYCLE TRAILED TO THE LOCAL HARLEY DEALER. THEY STATED THEY HAD NOT SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND WOULD HAVE TO TROUBLESHOOT THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. *TR
Official recalls
111V506000 · 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.
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.