AI Damage2009 Harley-Davidson Flhrc: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Harley-Davidson Flhrc filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 13
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 46% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 23% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 15% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 15% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 8% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 8% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 8% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 6 complaints (46% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (23% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 13 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 harley-davidson flhrc road king classic. While pulling into the driveway at approximately 5 mph and attempting to apply the brakes, the abs failed. The contact crashed into the garage door. The contact received injuries to his foot, which required medical attention.
While moving the bike in the garage under power, the front brake lever would not move. No front brakes!! Lifted foot to use rear brake and bike and my self fell over as bike hit another motorcycle in garage. The brake are frozen in the non braking position.
The contact took the motorcycle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the ABS Hydraulic Unit replaced. Additionally, the vehicle was subjected to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V076000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The motorcycle was not repaired however, the repair was pending.
Starting issue that lead to the replacement of the compensator replacement. On going issue with many hd cycles (2006-2012) that owners are left to resolve with their own moneys not at their own fault. Have a little over 10k miles which is an unacceptable issue.
While exiting a town I accelerated to highway speed then my engine stalled out and went into limp-home mode not allowing any more than an idle, very dangerous. Luckily I was not passing anyone or riding in a group when the engine lost all acceleration, worse would have been trying to cross a busy intersection.
I was having issue with batterys going bad and it turns out to be the compensator in which if I didn't get fixed it could have caused me to crash my bike. It's a known issue with in theses years from 08 to 2011.
The contact stated that the throttle warning light illuminated and the vehicle engaged into idle mode. The contact stated that the vehicle did not stall, but did become unresponsive. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the throttle sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired.
When decelerating, and bike is between 35-45 mph, a harsh front end wobble occurs. Can be limited by tightly gripping the bars. Dealer indicated it was the tires, though they were new. Have replaced the tires twice since and still no fix.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 9,846 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 27% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Flhrc has 6 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 13, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Harley-Davidson Flhrc?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 13. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (15%), loss of power / limp mode (8%), warning lights, check engine (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Harley-Davidson Flhrc?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2009 Harley-Davidson Flhrc from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2009 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.