Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

How Common is a Bad ECM?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 3, 2012 | 01:15 PM
  #1  
EasternSP's Avatar
EasternSP
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
Veteran: Marine Corps
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 30,881
Likes: 32,991
From: King George, VA
Default How Common is a Bad ECM?

The ECM on my RG may have gone bad. The bike was progressively getting worse and worse during a recent trip into Kentucky until it was running on one cylinder and seemed to be out of time.
My mechanic has checked a lot of stuff on the bike and can't find anything else out of order. Now he is turning his attention to the ECM.
 
Reply
Old Aug 3, 2012 | 01:58 PM
  #2  
TUCCI's Avatar
TUCCI
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 10,216
Likes: 224
From: Glendale AZ
Default

Its been known to happen but not a common problem....i
On a mobil app and cant see what year you have?
 
Reply
Old Aug 3, 2012 | 02:23 PM
  #3  
clarkchriston's Avatar
clarkchriston
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 855
Likes: 1
From: Puyallup, WA
Default

It happened to my 2008. I had about 7k on it and luckily they replaced it right before my warranty went out. I was told that it is not unheard of but extremely rare.
 
Reply
Old Aug 3, 2012 | 02:53 PM
  #4  
mkguitar's Avatar
mkguitar
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
Default

it is a computer and they can "just fail"

--- and one cause can be arc welding on a vehicle with the ecm in place...

( some may remember this happened to a BMW on "Long Way 'Round")

Mike
 
Reply
Old Aug 3, 2012 | 03:10 PM
  #5  
ucommbxny's Avatar
ucommbxny
Road Master
15 Year Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 957
Likes: 1
From: New York / Texas
Default

2008 Road glide, my ECM was changed in 2010 under warranty
 
Reply
Old Aug 3, 2012 | 06:01 PM
  #6  
timbo141's Avatar
timbo141
Road Warrior
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,422
Likes: 278
From: USA
Default

2008 Road Glide, mine changed in 2008 on a road trip under warranty in Seattle area.
Seems like there is a pattern here with 2008 models, hmmmmmmm......

One thing I noticed after change is that my speedometer is spot on. Bike was going slower than what speedometer was reading with original one. Guess the software that was flashed into the new blank ECM at the dealer was better.
 
Reply
Old Aug 3, 2012 | 06:11 PM
  #7  
lionsm13's Avatar
lionsm13
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Liked
Loved
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 56,052
Likes: 88,761
From: Western South Dakota
Default

Just buy a Thunder-Max tuner, it will replace the ECM.
Better unit anyway.
 
Reply
Old Aug 3, 2012 | 06:28 PM
  #8  
NMNSG08's Avatar
NMNSG08
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 519
Likes: 1
From: woburn,ma
Default

It happened to my 08 sg.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Aug 3, 2012 | 06:55 PM
  #9  
EasternSP's Avatar
EasternSP
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
Veteran: Marine Corps
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 30,881
Likes: 32,991
From: King George, VA
Default

What were the symptoms when it went out?
 
Reply
Old Aug 3, 2012 | 07:20 PM
  #10  
PFWiz's Avatar
PFWiz
Stellar HDF Member
Veteran: Navy
15 Year Member
Liked
Community Favorite
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,424
Likes: 421
From: Northern, Ohio (Yuck!)
Default

It might just be corrosion on the ECM plug. Before you do anything expensive. Unplug the ECM spray both sides with contact cleaner and then use some di-electric grease before reassembling. For $10 this might fix your problems...
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:02 AM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE