2008 Harley-Davidson Flhrc

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation in July 2016 based on forty-three (43) Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ).During the course of this investigation ODI received a total of 145 VOQs related to the alleged defect on the subject motorcycles.Owners allege they experience a sudden and complete loss of brakes on one or both wheels.To better understand the cause of the braking issue on the subject motorcycles, ODI requested NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) conduct inspections and testing of affected vehicle braking systems.Through its work, VRTC determined that deposits were forming on the valves in the Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) of the Antilock Braking System (ABS). These deposits could prevent the proper function of the HCU and render the brakes ineffective.To understand why deposits were forming in the HCU, Harley Davidson completed an analysis of the Dow 460 brake fluid used as original equipment on the subject motorcycles and determined that it had stability issues if left in the brake system for an extended period of time.Harley Davidson found that if a brake fluid flush was not conducted as outlined in the owner?s manual for the motorcycles, and was left in the system for a period of time beyond their recommendation; deposits could form in the HCU.Through further testing, Harley Davidson identified an alternate, commercially available, brake fluid that did not have the same stability issues as the original fluid and could stop the proliferation of any current brake system deposits.ODI sent Information Request (IR) letters to Harley Davidson and Dow Chemical (the supplier of the brake fluid on the subject motorcycles) to collect information about the subject bikes and the alleged defect.Harley Davidson responded in full on Sept 30, 2016 and Dow responded with a confidential submission on October 25, 2017.ODI analyzed the information contained in both IR responses and concluded that motorcycles manufactured during Model Years (MY) 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 were failing at a rate greater than their peers.Based on this analysis and the brake fluid study conducted by Harley Davidson, a group of motorcycles was identified that were potentially affected by the instability of the original brake fluid.2008 marked the introduction of ABS on Harley Davidson motorcycles and a change in the Dow 460 brake fluid used in the 2012 MY vehicles provided the bases for the scope of the affected population.With recall action 18V-076 taken by Harley Davidson this investigation is closed as further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: https://www.nhtsa.gov/ using the complaint identification numbers attached to this resume.

THE SUBJECT FUEL FILTER HOUSING (P/N 62229-08) CRACKS, RESULTING IN SUDDEN ENGINE STALL DUE TO UNREGULATED FUEL PRESSURE.HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAS MODIFIED THE HOUSING WITH A NEW PART NUMBER 62229-08A.SHORTLY AFTER OPENING THIS PE, ODI RECEIVED HARLEY'S DEFECT NOTIFICATION INDICATING THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE BEING RECALLED TO INSTALL THE NEW FUEL FILTER HOUSING.WITH THAT RECALL, RECEIVED PRIOR TO RELEASE OF OUR INFORMATION REQUEST, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CONCLUDED.

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO WARN DRIVERS ATTEMPTING TO CUT ME OFF, OR JUST LETTING THEM KNOW THAT I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY BY THEIR DRIVING HABITS, I HAVE HONKED THE HORN ON MY MOTORCYCLE WITH LITTLE OR NO REACTION. SIMPLY PUT, THE HORN ON THIS MOTORCYCLE IS ABOUT AS LOUD AS A FART IN A RAINSTORM! I HAVE TALKED WITH NUMEROUS OTHER ROADKING OWNERS WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. THE HORN IS TOO WEAK TO NOTIFY OTHER DRIVERS OF IMPENDING DISASTER! THERE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL. NOTE: HARLEY DAVIDSON OFFERS A LOUDER HORN REPLACEMENT FOR THE STOCK HORN HOWEVER IT IT A $50.00 UPGRADE! THAT TELLS ME THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE INFERIOR STOCK HORNS ON THESE MOTORCYCLES, HOWEVER THEY WANT ME TO "FOOT THE BILL" FOR LOUDERS REPLACEMENT UNITS. NOTE: ALL NEWER HARLEY-DAVIDSONS ARE NOW EQUIPPED WITH THIS UPGRADED HORN.

NHTSA ID

11372530

Incident

Oct 28, 2020

Mileage

38,587 mi

REAR BRAKE SWITCH WIRING MELTED. BRAKE SWITCH BEGAN LEAKING PROFUSELY. DEALER SAYS BRAKE FLUID EXCHANGE RECALLED FOR YEAR. THE SWITCH WAS NOT. HOWEVER, FORUMS SAY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO EXCESSIVE EXHAUST HEADER HEAT. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE SWITCH HAS BEEN REDESIGNED. I HAVE ONE ORDERED. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED SPONTANEOUSLY AND COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC.*DT VIN PROVIDED HAS NO DISPLAYABLE RECORDS. UPDATED 10/2/18*JB

NHTSA ID

11124446

Incident

Sep 2, 2018

Mileage

12,500 mi

WHILE STARTING TO EXIT AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND ENTERING THE RADIUSED EXIT RAMP, I APPLIED BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES ON MY MOTORCYCLE IN ORDER TO SLOW FROM 65 MPH TO A SAFE EXIT SPEED. WHILE ENTERING THE TURN, THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR THE REAR BRAKES, WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN. I LOST ALL REAR BRAKING ABILITY ON THE EXIT RAMP. I WAS UNABLE TO SAFELY SLOW TO THE POSTED EXIT SPEED. THIS MOTORCYCLE IS EQUIPPED WITH ABS BRAKING. I RETURNED HOME USING FRONT BRAKES ONLY. THE REAR BRAKE RESERVOIR DID NOT LOSE ANY BRAKE FLUID. THE FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. I HAVE NOT RIDDEN THE MOTORCYCLE SINCE.

NHTSA ID

11047371

Incident

Nov 1, 2017

Mileage

25,400 mi

2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROADKING CLASSIC WITH 23,748 MILES STARTED HAVING EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AND THE STARTER MADE A LOUD "BANG" DURING HOT STARTS...ALSO NOTICED A LOUD CLUNK SOUND FROM THE PRIMARY CHAIN CASE WHEN SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF. THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE A WORN COMPENSATOR AND SPROCKET. APPARENTLY THESE COMPONENTS ARE HAVING A HIGH RATE OF PRE--MATURE FAILURE ON 2007 THRU 2010 HARLEY MOTORCYCLES. THIS PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AND POSSIBLE DEATH IF NOT PROPERLY DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED. CURRENTLY THERE IS NO RECALL BEING OFFERED BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON FOR THIS COMPONENT. THEY DO HOWEVER OFFER AN UPGRADED VERSION SE COMPENSATOR AT A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE TO THE OWNER. I OPTED FOR THE UPGRADED SE COMPENSATOR REPLACEMENT AND NOW ALL PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS ARE GONE!

NHTSA ID

10783832

Incident

Sep 26, 2015

Mileage

23,748 mi

THE GEAR SHIFT AND HEAL-TOE SHIFT LEVERS FELL OFF THE MOTORCYCLE WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 75 MPH, LEAVING NO MECHANISM FOR CHANGING GEARS. I HAVE RECEIVED ANECDOTAL INFORMATION FROM MANY OTHER RIDERS OF HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES THAT THE LOSS OF THE HEAL-TOE SHIFT LEVERS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE, AND THEY ARE FORCED TO REPLACE THE SHIFT LEVERS WITH ACCESSORIES FROM INDEPENDENT PARTS MANUFACTURERS. I HAVE WITNESSED MANY SUCH AFTER-MARKET MODIFICATIONS DURING MY TRAVELS.

NHTSA ID

10690884

Incident

Aug 22, 2013

Mileage

30,345 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 60 MPH, I ENCOUNTERED A HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I APPLIED MY FOOT OPERATED REAR BRAKE FIRST AND FOUND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. ONLY AFTER I APPLIED MY FRONT HAND BRAKE COULD I GET THE CRUISE CONTROL TO DISENGAGE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE LEAD TO SERIOUS RIDER/PASSENGER INJURY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10526088

Incident

Jul 21, 2013

Mileage

17,749 mi

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE BELTWAY AT 60 MILES AN HOUR MY MOTORCYCLE WENT INTO A LIMP MODE. SPEED DROPPED TO 15 MILES AN HOUR QUICKLY AND WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 15 MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES. RECENTLY TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED A SENSOR IN THE HANDLE BAR. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, HAVE TO TAKE THE BIKE BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN DUE TO THE SAME RECURRING PROBLEM. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT IS VERY SCARY. NOT SURE IF ANYONE HAS BEEN INJURED OR DIED AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM (WHAT I EXPERIENCED IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME). THERE ARE (MANY) PAGES OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS THAT HAVE OCCURRED ON THE INTERNET. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY HARLEY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10509345

Incident

Apr 23, 2013

Mileage

5,000 mi

2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROADKING TAKEN TO THE SHOP FOR EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. AT 10,000 MILES, THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET ON THIS MOTORCYCLE DISINTEGRATED AND REPLACED BY THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY.. THIS SPROCKET IS CONNECTED TO THE MAIN SHAFT THIS INCIDENT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A LOOSE ENGINE MOUNT AT FIRST. THE DEALER TIGHTENED IT, BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY CLAIMED IT WAS THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET. REPLACED IT AND VIBRATION WAS NOT CORRECTED. THEY TORE IT BACK DOWN AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE RUNOUT ON THE PRIMARY CRANK (AROUND .015) MY RESEARCH SEEMS TO LEAN TOWARD HARLEY-DAVIDSON INCREASING THEIR RUNOUT SPEC IN RECENT HISTORY. THIS TYPE OF PLAY AND VIBRATION ON THE PRIMARY CRANKSHAFT OF A MOTORCYCLE COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, LOCKUP, FIRE ETC. WHICH COULD CAUSE THE RIDER TO GO DOWN AND POSSIBLY BE FATALLY INJURED. THE SHOP IS REBUILDING THE MOTOR UNDER WARRANTY (ONLY 25K ON THE MOTOR). HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH 2008 AND EARLY 2009 MODELS FROM POSTINGS ON THE WEB WITH SIMILAR STORIES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10361532

Incident

Sep 24, 2010

Mileage

25,000 mi

SERVICE BULLETIN M1684: MARKET SPECIFIC BATTERY INTRODUCTION. PURPOSE: Initial Release. This bulletin informs dealers of the availability of new batteries for new Original Equipment (OE) vehicle production and in the Parts and Accessories (P&A) catalog. Availability of the new Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries will vary by market and will be transitioning over the next few months. NOTE: The ring terminal screws are not compatible between Leoch and East Penn batteries. The new batteries will include new ring terminal screws, which must be used. The ring terminal screws from the old battery need to be discarded.

SERVICE BULLETIN M1650: MILWAUKEE EIGHT AND TWIN CAM CAMSHAFT DRIVE GEAR RETENTION KIT CHANGES. PURPOSE: This bulletin informs dealers that changes have been made to the Camshaft Drive Gear Retention Kit and service proceduresfor the Milwaukee-Eight and Twin Cam applications. In an effort to increase the clamp load of the camshaft drive sprocket bolted joint and prevent the drive bolt from loosening in high lift camshaft applications, the following changes have been made: a. The camshaft drive bolt final torque has been increased to 40 ft-lbs (54 N·m) for all Milwaukee-Eight and certain Twin Cams models. See Vehicles Affected. This increase in torque will make the bolt a one time use application. Never re-use a camshaft drive bolt for service after tightening to the increased specification. See service manual for updated procedure. b. A new camshaft drive gear retention kit (Part No. 91800088) has been created. This new kit is compatible with all Milwaukee-Eight and Twin Cam engines using Parts and Accessories (P&A) camshaft and Original Equipment (OE) camshaft applications. See Instruction sheet for specific fitment on Twin Cam OE camshaft applications. The new kit utilizes friction washers to prevent unwanted rotation of components in the drive sprocket bolted joint under stress. The use of liquid threadlocker on the threads of the bolt and pre-lube to the head of the bolt flange and outside of the washer help the bolt reach full stretch when tightening. NOTE: Engines produced at all Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC) plants will not come with the new kits installed. They will continue to be produced with (Part No. 25566-06).

SERVICE BULLETIN M1555 (REV E): BATTERY WARRANTY GUIDELINES. PURPOSE: Revision E. Added: Added procedures for the DCA-8000 E Battery Tester.* Updated: All sections. This bulletin informs the dealership network that Harley-Davidson has provided guidelines for battery warranty.

SERVICE BULLETIN M1490 (V 24.8.8): DIGITAL TECHNICIAN II - UPDATES AND RELEASE NOTES. PURPOSE: This bulletin informs dealers that Harley-Davidson has made a software update to Digital Technician II (DT II). DIGITAL TECHNICIAN II (PART NUMBER: HD-48650). Version 24.8.8. Release Date: Week of August 5, 2024. New Features for Harley-Davidson vehicles: Advanced Module Replace for 2021 and later Revolution Max; 2023 and later CVO Touring; and 2024 Street Glide (FLHX), Road Glide (FLTRX). New Features for LiveWire vehicles: Updated calibrations for 2024 S2DM EV1/ EV6; 2024 S2MH EV1; and 2024 S2DM, S2MH. Changes: Added Hand Control Module (HCM) (Part No. 71500522A and 71500536A) for reflash support.

GENUINE MOTOR PARTS AND MOTOR ACCESSORIES BULLETIN PAB1158: OIL FILTER PACKAGING AND CASE QUANTITY UPDATE. PURPOSE: To inform dealerships that Harley-Davidson has made updates to oil filters including new part numbers, packaging design, and bulk case quantity changes.

SERVICE BULLETIN M1490 (V 24.6.4): DIGITAL TECHNICIAN II - UPDATES AND RELEASE NOTES. PURPOSE: Revision. This bulletin informs dealers that Harley-Davidson has made a software update to Digital Technician II (DT II). DIGITAL TECHNICIAN II (PART NUMBER: HD-48650). Version 24.6.4. Release Date: Week of May 1, 2024. New Features for LiveWire S2DM and S2MH, 2024 Revolution® Max, and 2024 Touring.