Fly By Wire Throttle Failures
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 535
Likes: 4
From: Boca Raton, FL
07s didn't have TBW
What's up with this? 07s did not have fly-by-wire. That was the last year they still had real wires for throttle. Am I missing something?
I think the dealers may be throwing parts at this problem. Or throwing BS.
My friend has a 07 Street Glide we were living the next day to ride to Ohio for a Bike Rally(last September). He called me the night before. He bike was throwing codes and in the limp mode. Which really coiuuld have scred up out trip.
I went over to his house afte finding the codes were tbw and limp mode. We just unplugged the connector behind the air cleaner, on and off about five times. Fix it for the whole trip, even got caught in Hurricane Lee on the way home. His bike had aroun 25 K then. It is his only transportation. Has not failed since. Maybe we were just lucky, but if you have the problem try it.
My thinking, Everything the dealer says he replaces to fix it, does not mean anything if remade the connection at that sensor in the process.
It's worth a try if you get stuck
My friend has a 07 Street Glide we were living the next day to ride to Ohio for a Bike Rally(last September). He called me the night before. He bike was throwing codes and in the limp mode. Which really coiuuld have scred up out trip.
I went over to his house afte finding the codes were tbw and limp mode. We just unplugged the connector behind the air cleaner, on and off about five times. Fix it for the whole trip, even got caught in Hurricane Lee on the way home. His bike had aroun 25 K then. It is his only transportation. Has not failed since. Maybe we were just lucky, but if you have the problem try it.
My thinking, Everything the dealer says he replaces to fix it, does not mean anything if remade the connection at that sensor in the process.
It's worth a try if you get stuck
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 159
Likes: 2
From: the fringe of the Motor City suburbs
Yes, you missed it, but Einstein says, like me, "your" not need here.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,007
Likes: 353
From: Ohio
Almost anything powered these days is made with TBW. Were cables more reliable? I don't have any numbers. But I do remember occasional failures with them. Jammed cables don't default to limp mode like TBW. So a stuck cable could get very scary, even deadly. All things being considered I prefer TBW.
Fretting
This is a common problem. 08 ultra here. 40k. At around 25k the bike dropped into limp mode. Shutting it down and then restarting fixed the issue. Mechanic said the pins in the throttle body connector have a tendency to "frett", or wear. Clean and/or replacing fixes the issue. Been a few threads about this.
Club Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 69
From: Granite Falls, NC
I recently purchased my 2008 Ultra Classic, from original owner 2nd day I had it I had the throttle failure, I called the seller and he said he hadn't had any problems. The failure occurred again, both times I was able to pull over and turn key off and wait a moment restarted and no problem. This last week I rode 300 trip with some 4 lane riding, on the way home I had this failure 2 times, luckily again I was able to pull over. I just called my mechanic and he told me we could change the switch/wire in the handle bar grip and hopefully this would correct the problem. The switch from HD is $110 and he said it would take an hour, so I'm thinking/hoping to fix problem for around $200. I'm having this done the week of 8/10/14. Will post results. Bill
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 386
Likes: 3
From: Easley, South Carolina
The problem is not with the grip it's with the connector behind your breather, pin fretting caused from vibration and too small of a pin, there is a recall notice on this issue. I have had this issue and HD replaced the pins I don't remember the price but it fixed my problem for a few years and I still have limp mode happening again. I removed the battery and short out the battery leads to ground then put them back on an I am back on the road.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: ross ohio
look at the big computer plugs under the seat. My bet is 99% of these prolems listed at least for the 08 like mine is the seat bearing weight on the plug and it losing connection for a second..bam failure and limp mode. I cut a relief in the seat bottom, a rectangular panel the turned it 90 degrees and back into the seat pan to support the foam of the seat. no more issues.
The failure only happened when riding 2 up and that additional weight of the passenger.
The failure only happened when riding 2 up and that additional weight of the passenger.
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 116
Likes: 4
From: Surrey, BC
I have the issue. 2010 RGC with 18K miles. It started 2 weeks ago in N. Cal. Bike just went into idle (limp mode). I turned it off, back on and after a while it went away. The bike made the rest of trip home (Vancouver BC without a problem, so I thought it was bad gas or something.
Last night it happened again. I barely made it home. It would go for about a mile, then I'd shut it off, start it up again.
First thing I will check when I get a chance is the connection behind the AC. Will post results.
Last night it happened again. I barely made it home. It would go for about a mile, then I'd shut it off, start it up again.
First thing I will check when I get a chance is the connection behind the AC. Will post results.
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 803
Likes: 0
From: Northern, NJ
The problem is not with the grip it's with the connector behind your breather, pin fretting caused from vibration and too small of a pin, there is a recall notice on this issue. I have had this issue and HD replaced the pins I don't remember the price but it fixed my problem for a few years and I still have limp mode happening again. I removed the battery and short out the battery leads to ground then put them back on an I am back on the road.
I'll be riding along and the throttle becomes unresponsive, RPM's drop to 1500, the red security key lights up as does the check engine light, I am forced to pull over, shut the bike down and restart it...annoying, but more dangerous than anything else.
I've seen the "service bulletin" on this (TT418), but I haven't received a "recall notice."
Are you referring to the service bulletin or has there been a recall notice I missed?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 39
From: Everywhere
I've had this "limp mode" problem for a while now. I'll be riding along and the throttle becomes unresponsive, RPM's drop to 1500, the red security key lights up as does the check engine light, I am forced to pull over, shut the bike down and restart it...annoying, but more dangerous than anything else. I've seen the "service bulletin" on this (TT418), but I haven't received a "recall notice." Are you referring to the service bulletin or has there been a recall notice I missed?