NHTSA Complaint #10275198 — 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU

MY MOTORCYCLE WHEN I STARTED REMAINED AT HIGH IDLE AND WOULD NOT REDUCE TO NORMAL. I WAS WITH A GROUP OF RIDERS WHO WERE LEAVING SO I TOOK OFF AS IS AND WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE BIKE ONLY SLOWED TO 2000 RPM'S ALMOST CAUSING ME TO RUN INTO CAR AHEAD OF ME. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AND MOTOR COMPANY INSTRUCTION WAS TO USE A IDLE RESET PROCEDURE CONSISTING OF TURNING THE IGNITION ON-OFF 4 TIMES. THIS WORKED FOR A FEW STARTS THEN WOULD OCCUR AGAIN. I RECENTLY SAW A BLOG IN A CHAT ROOM WHERE MOTOR COMPANY HAD ISSUED A TECH BULLETIN WHERE A DOWNLOAD TO THE ECU WOULD RESET THE CALIBRATION TIMING OF THE IDLE PROCEDURE. I ASKED THE DEALER TO UPDATE MY ECU AND THE RESPONSE WAS THAT BECAUSE I HAD MODIFIED MY BIKE IT WOULD COST $150 FOR THE UPDATE. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER AND AFTER MANY TRANSFERS WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO SUCH BULLETIN OR UPDATE I THEN GAVE THE PHONE TO DEALERS SERVICE MGR WHO GAVE THEM INFO HE HAD AND TOLD HIM TO NOT CHARGE FOR THE UPDATE AS A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ACTION AND THE DEALER UPDATED AND I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM SINCE. I THINK SINCE THIS IS A POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE THE UPDATE SHOULD BE ANNOUNCED AND PERFORMED UNDER NORMAL WARRANTY. THIS DEFECT ONLY SEEMS TO EFFECT 08M AND 09M BIKES WHERE MOTOR COMPANY UPDATED FROM CABLE THROTTLE CONTROL TO ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. *TR