AI Damage2002 Harley-Davidson Flhtcui: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Harley-Davidson Flhtcui filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 50% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 13% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 13% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 5 Seats 13% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 13% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (50% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Seats: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 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.
On sept 14 2015 while riding my motorcycle driving in heavy traffic my drive belt broke causing my vehicle to slow suddenly in traffic almost getting rear ended. The belt was fairly new and had just been replaced approximately 2 years ago by a harley dealer in virginia.
Motorcycle quits while riding. Circuit breaker was recalled and replaced in june, 2008. On a ride with the motorcycle on 6/20/2008. The motorcycle lost all power, engine and electrical, while riding in traffic.
At 25000 miles the frame cracked on my harley davidson ultra classic. This rendered the bike un-drivable. It did not result in an accident, but could have resulted in loss of control. The dealer said the weld was defective on the frame. The only possible fix was to replace the frame. It could not be repaired safely.
Dt: last year owner received a recall on harley davidson. The recall number iwasnot available. The owner went to dealership, and they didn't have the parts. The first time he went to dealer was last summer. He returned to the dealer three times last year.
6 times with no warning my 2002 harley just lost all electric as if you just remove the key and 3 times I was on the express way at night in heavy traffic.after a few minutes and turning the key on/off it would just act normal. Harley was contacted and stated "knows of no such problems".
It currently only has 1200 miles on it. It has always been garaged and well cared for. I was taking a ride 8-27-03 and while going around a curve the seat shifted causing me to wobble a little. I went home, removed the seat and found the plastic around the seat mounting tongue cracked, causing the seat to come loose.
Vehicle will shut down without any notice, there is a defect in some wires which shut down the cylinders on vehicle. Contacted dealer. Consumer states wire to the front fuel gets pulled causing the bike to lose power and resulted in the bike to fall down when starting out on turn.
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 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Flhtcui has 8 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 8, about average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system 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 2002 Harley-Davidson Flhtcui?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, exterior lighting, fuel system. Total complaints: 8.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 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 2002 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 2002 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.