AI Damage1998 Harley-Davidson Flhtcui: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Harley-Davidson Flhtcui filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 10
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 50% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 20% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 10% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 10% of all complaints
- 5 Wheels 10% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (50% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (10% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Wheels: 1 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 10 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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 1998 harley-davidson electra glide ultra flhtcui equipped with metzeler me 888 marathon ultra tires, size: 130/90/r16. While driving 65 mph, the rear tire seized and the contact lost control of the motorcycle. The contact and passenger were ejected from the motorcycle.
Broken swing arm causing a high speed wobble. Swing arm cracked over top of axle allowing the rear shock absorber to push open the end of the swing arm exposing the rear axel shaft. Only the belt was holding rear wheel on.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 harley-davidson electra glide ultra flhtcui. While driving 40 mph, the rear swing arm fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Ten spokes on the rear wheel broke causing instability and loss of control. These ten spokes broke over 5 monts and w/I 4000 miles of installation.
Motorcycle quit while moving in traffic, it would crank but not start.
Consumer received a manufacturer's recall concerning ignition switch. Dealer was contacted on five occasions, repairs still not completed. Seeking help from nhtsa in this matter.
Consumer has received a recall notice for the ignition switch for motorcycle. Owner has contatced the dealer and manufacturer on 03-aug-98 . Recall has not been repaired.
Ignition switch has been replaced three times because when riding at any speed the radio will flash on or goes off. The vehicle loses power and the engine cuts off. The engine check light comes on, and the motorcycle will restart by itself or it won't start at all. Dealer cannot duplicate the problem.
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 10,921 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 30% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Flhtcui has 8 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 10, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Harley-Davidson Flhtcui?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, suspension, fuel system. Total complaints: 10. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: won't start (10%), infotainment or screen glitches (10%), warning lights, check engine (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Harley-Davidson Flhtcui?
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 1998 Harley-Davidson Flhtcui 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 1998 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 2026-11-05.