2008 Harley-Davidson Fltr Owner Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE (FLTR). WHILE RIDING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACTED PULLED OVER, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND RESUMED NORMAL RIDING. WHEN THE FAILURE RECURRED, THE CONTACT TOWED THE VEHICLE TO BAER SPORT CENTER HARLEY-DAVIDSON AND POLARIS (330 GRANDVIEW AVE, HONESDALE, PA 18431, (570) 253-2000) WHERE THEY REPLACED THE PLUGS ON THE THROTTLE BODY. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO OTHER UNKNOWN HARLEY-DAVIDSON DEALERS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED EACH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11242860

Incident

Jul 4, 2018

WHILE RIDING ON 3/31/2018 I WAS APPROACHING A STOPLIGHT AND BEGAN MY DOWN SHIFTING AND BRAKING. I STEPPED ON THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL AND TO MY SURPRISE THERE WAS LITTLE RESISTANCE, I PUMPED THE PEDAL AGAIN ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME RESULT. I THEN PUMPED THE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES NOTING SAME RESULT AS PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS BUT WAS ABLE TO STOP USING MY FRONT BRAKE. WE PULLED OFF INTO A GAS STATION PARKING LOT TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND ONE OF TWO WIRES (RED) ON THE REAR BRAKELITE SWITCH SENSOR HAD MELTED OFF FROM THE SWITCH AN WAS LYING NEXT TO THE SWITCH SENSOR AND FLUID HAD LEAKED/SPRAYED OUT COVERING THE SURROUNDING AREA. LOOKING MORE CLOSELY, I FOUND THAT THE BRASS TERMINAL POST OF THE SWITCH HAD MELTED OFF THE SWITCH HOUSING AND WAS STILL LODGED WITHIN THE WIRE CONNECTOR. I RECALLED THIS HAPPENING TO A RELATIVE A FEW YEARS AGO AND IN RESEARCHING THE ISSUE THROUGH FORUMS AND GENERAL ONLINE RESEARCH, I FOUND THERE ARE SEVERAL CASES REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND EVEN A RECALL (HARLEY DAVIDSON RECALL 0145) WHICH ONLY COVERED 2009-2011. THIS SAFETY ISSUE OBVIOUSLY APPLIES TO THE 2008 MODEL FLTRI AS WELL AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED.

NHTSA ID

11193282

Incident

Mar 31, 2019

Mileage

31,250 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTR. WHILE DRIVING 5-65 MPH, THE REAR BRAKES SEIZED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (FORT WORTH HARLEY-DAVIDSON, 3025 W LOOP 820 S, FORT WORTH, TX 76116, (817) 717-4325) FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIR. MONTHS LATER, THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V076000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) BY EMAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT CALLED TO DETERMINE THE RECALL SOLUTION TO REPAIR THE MOTORCYCLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. *TT *TR

NHTSA ID

11071624

Incident

May 15, 2017

Mileage

50,000 mi

FRONT BRAKES FAILED DUE TO BAD ABS MODULE WITH NO WARNING. VERY HARD TO PULL IN WHEN TRYING TO STOP. WORKED FINE AND NOW NOTHING. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN MYSELF WRECKING (REAR ENDING) SOMEONE IF IT HAPPENED A BUSY ROAD.

NHTSA ID

11054639

Incident

Nov 30, 2017

Mileage

66,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTR ROAD GLIDE. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50.

NHTSA ID

10983141

Incident

May 15, 2016

Mileage

50 mi

FRONT BRAKE ABS SYSTEM HCU FAILURE RESULTING IN LOSS OF FRONT BRAKE FUNCTION

NHTSA ID

10945268

Incident

Dec 17, 2016

Mileage

12,797 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTR ROAD GLIDE. WHILEDRIVING APPROXIMATELY10 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDALWAS DEPRESSED,BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT,THE CONTACT SIDESWIPED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO AN ALUMINUM BRIDGE.A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT ARM, LEFT FOREARM, LEFT KNEE, AND ANKLES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

NHTSA ID

10888720

Incident

Jul 22, 2016

Mileage

36,000 mi

THE ABS MODULE ON MY BIKE HAS QUIT WORKING. WITH THE IGNITION ON THE MODULE CLOSES AND THE FRONT BRAKES CANNOT BE APPLIED. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN WHILE RIDING, A CRASH WOULD BE INEVITABLE. THE MODULE SHOULD BE DESIGNED SO THAT THERE IS AN EMERGENCY BYPASS IN THE EVENT THE INTERNALS INSIDE THE MODULE BECOMES STUCK SO THAT THE RIDER IS NOT SUDDENLY WITHOUT BRAKES. HARLEY DAVIDSON SHOULD ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10855689

Incident

Apr 15, 2016

Mileage

27,000 mi

THE PASSENGER FLOORBOARD/FOOTBOARD MOUNTING BOLT IS PRONE TO SHEER OFF. THIS EJECTS THE 10-15 POUND PART FROM THE MOTORCYCLE CAUSING A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND EVEN THOUGH THE PART WAS REDESIGNED IN 2010 TO INCLUDE 2 MOUNTING BOLTS THE HARLEY DAVIDSON CORPORATION HAS DENIED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE EARLIER SINGLE MOUNT BOLT DESIGN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10531932

Incident

Jul 21, 2013

Mileage

31,000 mi

THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED WHILE TRAVELING ON I-85 IN ATLANTA, GA. ON BRAKING TO EXIT THE INTERSTATE THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FULL DOWN POSITION WITH NO EFFECT ON BRAKING. I WAS CLOSE TO WORK AND WHEN I GOT TO WORK, I PRESSED THE PEDAL TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG AND NOTICED A PUDDLE OF FLUID UNDER THE BIKE. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE PEDAL A LARGE AMOUNT OF FLUID STREAMED OUT OF THE AREA WHERE THE PLASTIC PART OF THE SWITCH INSERTS INTO THE METAL HOUSING. ALL OF THE FLUID LEAKED OUT. THERE WERE TWO PUDDLES APPROXIMATELY 8-10 INCHES IN DIAMETER. THE WIRING CONNECTOR IS ALSO CHARRED FROM HEAT COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. THE EXHAUST IS STOCK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10452039

Incident

Mar 11, 2012

Mileage

50,000 mi

HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES WITH THE THROTTLE BY WIRE WILL GO INTO A LIMP HOME MODE. THIS IS WHERE YOU ARE ACCELERATING AND THE MOTOR BASICALLY SHUTS DOWN AND GOES TO JUST ABOVE AN IDLE SPEED. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE THROTTLE BY WIRE IS FAILING. YOU COULD BE ACCELERATING TO TURN INTO TRAFFIC, ACROSS TRAFFIC OR TO GET ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE THROTTLE FAILS AND GOES INTO LIMP HOME MODE AND SLOWS YOU TO A TOP SPEED OF 15 MPH IN 1ST GEAR. IN 6TH GEAR I COULD ONLY DO 40 MPH. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND HARLEY KNOWS THEY ARE FAILING. THIS IS A RECALL OFFENSE. THEY HAVE A SERVICE BULLETIN WHICH I AM ATTACHING A LINK TO FOR YOU. HTTP://WWW.SCRIBD.COM/DOC/55139820/2008-LATER-TOURING-TT418-1 I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF PEOPLE HAVE DIED TRYING TO MANEUVER INTO OR ACROSS TRAFFIC ONLY TO HAVE THEIR MOTORCYCLE STOP ACCELERATING AND ACTUALLY SLOW DOWN. AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION! THIS HAPPENED TO ME AND I FIGURED IT WAS A COMPUTER BLIP. THANK GOD I WAS NOT IN A DANGEROUS SPOT. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED. I SHUT THE BIKE OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT WORKED CORRECTLY FOR THREE MONTHS. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES TODAY. I LIMPED FOR 10 MILES OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WITH MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS ON TO KEEP FROM GETTING REARENDED. I FINALLY SEARCHED FORUMS ON THE INTERNET AND IT SEEMS THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. BIG ENOUGH THAT HARLEY HAS A SERVICE REPORT ON IT. HOW ABOUT A RECALL ON IT? *TR

NHTSA ID

10422522

Incident

Aug 29, 2011

Mileage

12,000 mi

2008 FLTR HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE TWICE WENT TO FORCED IDLE MODE WHILE OPERATING. DTC CODES P1511 AND P2135 WERE SET. HARLEY HAS ISSUED TT 418 NOV 3, 2009, TO ADDRESS THIS WIDESPREAD PROBLEM ON THROTTLE BY WIRE BIKES 2008 - 2011. DEALER COMPLIANCE ON TT 418 WEAK. BIKE CUTTING OFF IN TRAFFIC IS OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. RECALL IS NEEDED TO REPLACE POORLY DESIGNED ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ON TCA (THROTTLE CONTROL ACTUATOR). *KB

NHTSA ID

10416580

Incident

Mar 14, 2011

Mileage

11,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD SHOWS DOUBLE IMAGES. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, HE WILL SEE TWO VEHICLES AND TWO LINES ON THE ROAD INSTEAD OF ONE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE CONTACT'S HEIGHT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE ENGINE SIZE AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 600. UPDATED 01-29-08. *KB UPDATED 01/29/08 *TR

NHTSA ID

10213426

Incident

Oct 19, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTR ROAD GLIDE. WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE DEALER CHECKED THE ALIGNMENT AND FOUND NO FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALER UNTIL A REPLACEMENT CAN BE ISSUED. THEY ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HIS HANDS SHOULD BE ON THE HANDLE BARS AT ALL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER INFORMATION WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF THE MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MOTORCYCLE.

NHTSA ID

10209532

Incident

Oct 28, 2007

Mileage

5 mi