Throttle By Wire Problem
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 39,686
Likes: 2,118
From: Central, Ca.
My 09' did that last week for the first time in 43K miles. I was up in Idaho, shut bike off to have breakfast when I came back it started right up but no throttle just idle and engine lite. Not sure what to do then I remembered reading here about disconnecting and reconnecting the throttle body plug behind the AC. It worked and ran fine on trip home, sure breaks your confidence though, gave it a shot of dielectric grease when I got home, time will tell. I go for some pretty remote rides. I did ride in some hard rain the day before
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,806
Likes: 1,754
From: New Bern NC
there's actually a service bulletin about this failure. it's caused by "fretting" of the contacts due to vibration. Harley knows about it, and there have been many threads about this issue, so don't know why you can't find them. I'm just waiting for it to get my bike too (08 Ultra)!
Happened to me around 50,000 miles. I cleaned the pins and the connector at the ECM, put some dielectric grease on it and no more problems. Pushing 70,000 miles now.
I did however ride to Pennsylvania two weeks ago to change a throttle cable on an 05 Ultrawith about 46,000 miles on it, go figure. Left my buddy stranded 200 miles from home on a Sunday. Why the hell did HD ever make bikes with cables anyway.
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: So. California
Was riding in a large pack yesterday doing 75-80mph when this happened to me for the first time. 23K miles on my 09 FLHX. Was able to get it back to the dealer yesterday. Will know what they figure out on Tuesday. Never heard of this before.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,341
Likes: 714
ita all about $ btw is less expensive to produce (unless u do it right and not cheep out on the contacts) fretting is a problem that can happen with any small contact unless its gold plated,thats why your airbags have gold plated contacts .
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,600
Likes: 7
From: Minnesota
A friend of mine has a 2010 FLHTC that has had a recurring problem with the throttle by wire. Just yesterday he headed out to join me for a ride, but when he got on the expressway with the cruise set, the bike drops to an idle with the check engine light on. He pulls over to the side and finds that the bike idles with no throttle response. He shuts the bike down and waits 10 min. for the check engine light to reset, then starts the bike up and heads home. He got the bike to the dealership yesterday and they told him the throttle by wire had corroded contacts. That's the same thing they told him 6 months and 4k miles ago. They cleaned the contacts and put dielectric grease on them (same thing they did 6 mo. and 4K ago), and told him to come get the bike.
His bike is garage kept, and not ridden or parked in the rain. Is this a common experience with throttle by wire for bikes a few years old and around 20K miles?
His bike is garage kept, and not ridden or parked in the rain. Is this a common experience with throttle by wire for bikes a few years old and around 20K miles?
Take a look at this for more info
TT418A: DTCs P2135 and P2101 Theory and Diagnostics
Last edited by Potato_Potato; Jul 23, 2012 at 09:32 PM.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 20,880
Likes: 33,830
This happen to a friend of mine 2 weeks ago. I told him about the TBW connector on the throttle body. He cleaned the pins with contact cleaner and applied dielectic grease. He then unplugged ECM connector and cleaned them and applied the grease. He says the bike now runs better than it ever has.
His motor cycle 2009 Ultra sits out in the weather everyday at work rain or shine.
His motor cycle 2009 Ultra sits out in the weather everyday at work rain or shine.