Hello all, I have a 2020 FLTRXS with about 35k miles and last May I began having intermittent starting issues. To describe the problem is weird in itself. When you try and start the bike, it doesn't fire up right away. It might light up on the second or third try and then acts like it wants to die, and unless you jockey the throttle a bit, it probably would die. I've never let it die so I don't know if it would die or not. It's like trying to start up an old pickup truck that's coldblooded or something. Thats the best I can describe it. I thought it only happened when the engine was hot, but it's also happened even after the bike sat in the garage for a few days. And... it doesn't happen all the time. It might go a week without any problems, or it might happen every time I get on the bike. I thought it was gas related but I've filled the tank numerous times since it started. The dealer has had it for the past several weeks and they've tested about everything that could be tested. They've replaced the spark plugs, plug wires, fuel filter, ECM, battery...there is a temp sensor that sends info to the ECM/BCM they replaced. But it's still doing it.

Now here's the f_ked up thing, of all things...I had ESP, but it expired 12/15/2024. The dealer called me today (12/20/2024), telling me they can't find the problem and they closed the service order, telling me I can take it somewhere else if I want to. What exactly does that mean? I called Harley MOCO to find the answer...if a mechanical problem occurs during the ESP coverage but subsequently the ESP expires and even though they don't fix the problem, and the dealer closes the work order, ESP will no longer pay for repairs. To say I'm pissed off is an understatement. I'm not sure what my recourses are but currently the dealer still has the bike, and I've refused accepting it. I'm not exactly sure what their recourse is but I'm confident it won't be in my favor.

Any thoughts or advice on this? Thanks in advance...

 

That's to tough for these ol eyes.
Good luck tho

If the problem can be duplicated before expiration date that's usually enough.
At least it was at the dealer near me.

So the bike has been at the dealer and they tested and replaced all that stuff ?
Are they telling you its ready to pickup.
Exactly what are they telling you?



WP

 

Can you boil it down to the actual issue, and put some spaces in it so we can read it without cross threading our eyeballs?

Some of us have old eyes.

 

Can you condense situation.
Try to clarify what "it" "light up" "jockey" means to you.

 

I always thought the same thing but they're telling me after a work order has been closed, it's closed forever, whether the problem comes up in the future or not.

Yea, so they called me and told me they can't fix the problem, and I can come get the bike and take it somewhere else (the tech made a couple suggestions), and that they've closed the work order. I replied that you haven't fixed the problem, and he said we can't find the problem. And then I asked so what is the problem, to which he said it's an intermittent starting issue... I called Harley's Tech Services and they also said the work order is closed, and the ESP won't cover anything else, since it expired last week anyway.

After trying to digest what they had told me, I was shocked, and flabbergasted.

 

I know about cross threading the old eyeballs. Not sure whats up here but I can't seem to make the text any bigger or add more spaces, sorry.

So the actual issue....

There's two of them...the starting problem. You can ride this bike for a month and never have a problem, but then for no reason, it won't start.

The other issue is Harley dropping the ball, and kicking me to the curb.

They've had this bike in the shop since last June working on this problem. It's so random it's hard to get it to do it. The tech said it took a week of testing to get it to act up when he was trying to start the engine. The first time they replaced the spark plugs and called it fixed.

A week or so later, it did the same thing, taking two-three times trying to get it to start. The starter works fine and it turns over normally, it just wouldn't run. Once it starts, it runs really rough and acts like it's going to die. So you have to give it some throttle and then it idles normally.

They then picked up the bike and kept it another couple weeks running tests. This time they said they found a temperature sensor that was sending bad information to the ECM so they had to order that.

It took about a month for that to come in. After they replaced the sensor, it was still having the same starting issue. They replaced the spark plug wires and said it was fixed. It wasn't fixed. This was in September.

After another week of 'testing"...they told me I have to remove all the accessories (lights, cooling fans, and anything else I've added since I bought the bike) from the bike. They said it could be something I added that's causing it to not start.

In November I took everything off that I'd added to the bike. They picked the bike up the first week of December, before the ESP expired on the 15th. Today they told me they give up and to take the bike somewhere else.

 

This is only an experience I had. The symptoms of your problem are very close to what my 08 Ultra had at about the same mileage.

It would intermittently would require 2-3 tries to finally fire up. It never left me stranded but was annoying.
Would act up occasionally after warmed up but more so on a cold start up
When the weather turned cooler with overnights in the 40's it really became more often.

On a trip in fall of 2018 I noticed the compensator got real noisy along with the starts getting more problematic
Took it easy coming home. Had been investigating hard start and doing a few things with no luck.

Replaced the head temp sensor didn't seem to help much with starts in the shop
Ordered new compensator and replaced it and for some reason it went to starting fine.

That was good enough for me

WP

 

Interesting. Was it making any noise? My last bike was a 2014 Street Glide Special and the compensator was replaced three times. The last time they put in a Screamin' Eagle compensator. Apparently, the standard parts were defective and if they came into the shop needing a new one, they automatically installed the upgraded part.

 

I think it was and I hadn't paid attention to it till it started sounding off on the trip.
After I got it replaced I noticed a big difference

Two of us had nosed into a gas pump to fill both bikes (a common thing with my bunch) on the last day of our trip.
When I shut mine down I thought WTH was that? He told me that noise came from the primary.
It sounded like a couple of hammer hits

The bike had one of it's starting fits along with more noise than I had noticed before.
When I paid more attention this time I had a good idea what the noise was.
I took it easy getting up to hwy speed and headed the last 200 mi home.

WP

 

As much as I’d hope my problem is simple, I’m afraid it’s more complicated than that. I have a friend who had something similar with a CVO Low Rider. Every once in awhile it wouldn’t start. It would crank but that was it. Harley couldn’t figure it out. He took it to a mechanic we both knew and after two weeks and countless components replaced, he couldn’t figure it out either. He finally gave up and traded it in on a new bike.

My problem, IMHO, is fuel related. When it does it, and when it finally starts, I have to give it some throttle or it will run rough for a few minutes and then die. That, to me, sounds like it’s not getting enough fuel to start or run.