RoadVitals

2009 Harley-Davidson Fltr Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Oct 17, 2023
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
50%
of 16 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Harley-Davidson Fltr submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Brakes
Filed Oct 17, 2023

ABS Module failed for rear brake. The rear brake locks up due to failure from the module. Safety of myself and any passenger is at risk by not having any braking ability while riding the motorcycle. I have taken to a dealer where it was checked in the parking lot and i was told of the issue with 2008-2013 Harley touring models. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone recently. The ABS light flashes at startup but goes away indicating there is no problem with the unit.

NHTSA ID
11550443
Incident
Oct 7, 2023
Brakes
Filed Jun 29, 2017

ABS FAILED WHILE RIDING. I TOOK TO DEALER AND INFORMED ME THAT BRAKE FLUID HAS TO BE CHANGED EVERY 2 YEARS WHICH I HSVE NEVER HEARD BEFORE PLUS MY OWNRRS MSNUSL SAYS INSPECT NOT CHANGE. I ASKED WHY THIS IS NOT INCLUDED IN 5000 MILE INTERVAL SERVICE IF THAT IS THE CASE? WAS ABLE TO BRING BIKE STAVELY TO STOP WORH BACK BRAKES.

NHTSA ID
11002383
Incident
Jun 10, 2017
Mileage
12,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 9, 2017

REAR BRAKE PEDAL LOCKED UP. WENT TO APPLY REAR BRAKE PEDDLE WOULD NOT MOVE. ABS MODULE LOCKED UP.

NHTSA ID
10994246
Incident
Jun 9, 2017
Mileage
15,600 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 13, 2016

SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN 2009 I NOTICED WHEN I APPLIED THE REAR BRAKES SOMETIMES THE PEDAL WOULD GO DOWN AND HIT THE FLOOD BOARD WITHOUT ANY BRAKING PRESSURE. DEALER SAID NOTHING WRONG. NOW AFTER SITTING FOR A FEW WEEKS FRONT BRAKE LEVER IS VERY HARD TO APPLY AT FIRST BUT DOES GET BETTER AFTER USE.I QUIT COMPLAINING BUT AM STILL SCARED TO RIDE IT CANT WAIT TO SELL IT.WOULD APPRECIATE BEING NOTIFIED BY SOMEONE IF A RECALL BECOMES POSSIBLE. I HATE TO SELL AS IS.

NHTSA ID
10884562
Incident
Apr 1, 2009
Mileage
1,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 11, 2016

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN YOU APPLIED PRESSURE TO LEVER TO STOP. HAD TO USE REAR BRAKE TO STOP MOTORCYCLE. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AND WORKED LEVER AND SEEMED TO FREE UP AND WORK OK. RESTARTED BIKE AND DROVE OFF. BRAKES SEEMED TO WORK. DROVE BIKE FOR ABOUT 30 MILES AND BRAKE LEVER FROZE UP AGAIN. NO BRAKES IN THE FRONT. HARD LEVER AGAIN. FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. TOOK BIKE HOME AND LET SIT IN GARAGE. STARTED BIKE THE NEXT MORNING AND BACKED OUT OF GARAGE. HIT FRONT BRAKE TO SLOW BIKE DOWN AND LEVER WAS FROZE UP AGAIN. TOOK BIKE TO HARLEY DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE ABS HCU PART NUMBER 48343-09. THIS ALL HAPPENED WHEN THE BIKE HAD 31268 MILES ON IT. THEY TOLDED ME THAT "THIS HAPPENS" NOTICED ON FOX NEWS THAT THEY MAY HAVE A RECALL. THIS HAPPENED IN 10/2013 GOD FORBID SOMEONE GETS HURT FROM THIS PROBLEM. IT IS GREAT TO HAVE REAR BRAKES

NHTSA ID
10884051
Incident
Oct 1, 2013
Mileage
31,260 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 8, 2016

FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP. WOULD NOT APPLY.

NHTSA ID
10883608
Incident
Jun 3, 2016
Mileage
6,997 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 8, 2016

AFTER REPLACING FRONT BRAKE PADS IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE HANDLE IS LOCKED AND WONT MOVE WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO ACTIVATE FRONT BRAKES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP IT WAS FOUND THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT HAS FAILED. APPARENTLY IT FAILS SO MUCH THAT THERE IS A MONTH LONG BACKORDER TO GET THE PARTS IN TO FIX PROBLEM. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN THE FRONT BRAKES ARE 70% OF THE BIKES BREAKING POWER AND IF THIS ISSUED HAPPENED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAYS OF CALIFORNIA I'M CERTAIN IT WOULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
10854485
Incident
Mar 25, 2016
Mileage
75,960 mi
Brakes
Filed Dec 15, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE (NA). WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT BRAKES FAILED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000. UPDATED 05/11/16*LJ

NHTSA ID
10810477
Incident
Nov 30, 2015
Mileage
27,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .