RoadVitals

2006 Harley-Davidson Vrsca

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
7
Latest Jul 21, 2015
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Feb 19, 2009
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

Overview

Our database contains 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 Harley-Davidson Vrsca, most frequently naming the brakes, electrical and fuel system categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 4 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes330.0%
  • Electrical330.0%
  • Fuel system330.0%
  • Tires & wheels110.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
09E007000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

Feb 19, 2009
97 units potentially affected
The defect: HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING 97 LED TURN SIGNAL MOUNTING KITS, P/NOS. 69951-08 (BLACK) AND 69593-08 (CHROME), FOR INSTALLATION ON MY 2002 THROUGH 2009 VRSC MODEL MOTORCYCLES (EXCLUDING VRSCF MODEL). DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE MOUNTING BRACKET, P/NO. 70497-08, WHICH SECURES THE LED TURN SIGNAL CONTROLLER TO THE MOTORCYCLE FRAME, THE CONTROLLER MAY COME IN CONTACT WITH THE OIL FILTER.
The risk: OVER TIME, THIS CONTACT CAN LEAD TO A HOLE IN THE OIL FILTER AND ALLOW EXCESSIVE OIL TO GET ON THE REAR TIRE, CAUSING A LOSS OF TRACTION, POSSIBLY LEADING TO A CRASH AND POTENTIAL INJURY OR DEATH.
The remedy: HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL REMOVE AND REPLACE THE EXISTING BRACKET WITH A NEW BRACKET, P/NO. 70497-08A, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 26, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-342-4680.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANYManufacturer number 0138View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Fuel system
Filed Jul 21, 2015

FUEL GAUGE IS USELESS. GOES FROM HALF TO EMPTY IN ABOUT 10 MILES. IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED IN A COUPLE OF SPOTS.

NHTSA ID
10735447
Incident
Jul 21, 2015
Mileage
100 mi
BrakesElectrical
Filed Jun 15, 2015

I WAS ATTEMPTING TO REDUCE SPEED TO TURN INTO A GAS STATION AND REAR BRAKES FAILED TO FUNCTION. REAR BRAKE PEDAL IS MUSHY & MY MOTORCYCLE DOES NOT HAVE FUNCTIONING REAR BRAKES. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THIS INCIDENT I'VE HAD WITH THIS BIKE (FIRST TIME WAS IN 2010). IN 2010, AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN I HAD A SUDDEN CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF REAR BRAKES AND NEARLY SUFFERED A COLLOSION. AFTER AN INITIAL DIAGNOSIS & "REPAIR" BY A DEALERSHIP, MY BRAKES AGAIN FAILED AS I WAS STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT & WAS NEARLY T-BONED. I NOTICED FLUID DRIPPING NEAR THE EXHAUST, LATER IDENTIFIED AS BRAKE FLUID. AFTER I INSISTED THEIR ORIGINAL FIX WAS WRONG THEY DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS A MALFUNCTIONING REAR BRAKE LIGHT PRESSURE SWITCH THAT IS LOCATED NEAR THE EXHAUST. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MALFUNCTIONING PART. NUMEROUS PEOPLE ON FORUMS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, INCLUDING CRASHES/NEAR CRASHES. THE CAUSE IS SAID TO BE A DESIGN FLAW - THE SWITCH/SENSOR IS LOCATED NEAR THE EXHAUST AND WHEN TOO HOT MAY CAUSE THE SENSOR TO MALFUNCTION/BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK. THERE IS A RECALL FOR OTHER HARLEY MODELS (TOURING BIKES & TRIKES) FOR THIS EXACT SAME REASON AND I'VE SEEN THAT OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE NHTSA, STATING THE VRSC/A MODELS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND I SUFFERED THE SAME PROBLEM AFTER THE MALFUNCTIONING PART WAS REPLACED, HENCE I MAINTAIN THAT THIS IS A KNOWN, POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM THAT APPARENTLY IS LIKELY TO RE-OCCUR, THEREFORE ASK THAT THIS BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE INJURED.

NHTSA ID
10725300
Incident
Jun 7, 2015
Mileage
13,000 mi
ElectricalFuel system
Filed May 20, 2014

AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES ON A FULL TANK, THE FUEL GAUGE DROPPED TO BELOW EMPTY. AFTER ABOUT 60 MILES ON A FULL TANK, THE FUEL GAUGE WILL SLOWLY RISE BACK TO ABOVE 1/4 TANK (SHOWING APPROXIMATE FUEL LEVEL). THIS HAPPENS EVERY TANK OF GAS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10592618
Incident
Apr 29, 2012
Mileage
3,100 mi
Fuel system
Filed Mar 16, 2012

THE FUEL GAUGE IS NOT ACCURATE AT ALL. IT FLUCTUATES. IT MAY READ FULL AND THEN 1/4 TANK ALL IN THE SAME HOUR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10451889
Incident
Feb 8, 2012
Mileage
5,021 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 19, 2010

I NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHT, TURN SIGNALS AND GAS GAUGE NOT WORKING. THE 15 AMP ACCESSORY FUSE HAD BLOWN. REPLACED FUSE AND EVERYTHING STARTED WORKING. WHILE RIDING IN THE MOUNTAINS I WENT TO USE MY REAR BRAKES AND THEY WERE OUT!!! I BOUGHT SOME DOT 4 BRAKE FLUID AND BLEED THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM AND SYSTEM STARTED WORKING AGAIN. AFTER MY TRIP I STARTED LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM. WHILE USING A CIRCUIT PROTECTOR ON THE SYSTEM I FOUND THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT PRESSURE SWITCH LEAKING EXTERNALLY. CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHT WIRES TO SHORT TOGETHER THRU THE BRAKE FLUID CAUSING THE 15 AMP ACCESSORY FUSE TO BLOW. THE BRAKE LIGHT AND ACCESSORY FUSE WOULD BLOW ABOUT EVERY RIDE ONCE OR TWICE. THE BRAKES FAILED ONCE BEFORE I STOPPED RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE. I AM ASE CERTIFIED AUTOMOTIVE TECH AND THE SERVICE DIRECTOR FOR A BUICK GMC STORE WITH 18 YEARS EXPERIENCE. I WOULD SAY THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SAFETY RELATED FOR ANY PERSON ON A PUBLIC ROAD. I WILL KEEP THIS BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH AND BE GLAD TO MAIL IT IF NEEDED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10361309
Incident
Oct 3, 2010
Mileage
19,321 mi
BrakesElectrical
Filed Aug 16, 2010

THE REAR BRAKE SWITCH IS FAILING. IT APPEARS THE DOT 4 BRAKE FLUID IS EATING THROUGH THE PLASTIC CAUSING YOU TO LOOSE PRESSURE AND YOUR REAR BRAKES WILL FAIL. THE DOT4 FLUID IS EATING THROUGH THE RESERVOIR CAPS ON THE BARS AS WELL. THIS HAPPENED AS I WAS COASTING UP TO A RED LIGHT. LUCKILY THIS WAS NOT AN EMERGENCY SITUATION OR EVEN A NORMAL STOP, AS I WOULD HAVE CRASHED INTO WHATEVER WAS IN FRONT OF ME. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED IF THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ALREADY. I BELONG TO AN INTERNET FORUM WHERE THE PROBLEM IS DISCUSSED CONSTANTLY. I AM SURE THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ARE NOT ON THE WEBSITE THAT HAVE HAD THE FAILURE AS WELL OR WILL HAVE IT SOON. THERE ARE METAL SWITCHES THAT CAN BE USED AND METAL RESERVOIR CAPS THAT CAN ALSO BE USED THAT SEEM TO ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM.THESE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED FROM THE FACTORY AS THE PLASTIC PART IS UNSAFE. THOSE THAT HAVE HAD THEM REPLACED FROM THE DEALER WITH ANOTHER PLASTIC OEM PART ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME FAILURE AND HOPEFULLY IT DOES NOT KILL THEM. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10349787
Incident
Aug 15, 2010
Mileage
10,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 5, 2006
Crash reported

ON 8/22/06 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:20 PM I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON RT. 127 WHEN MY REAR TIRE SPLIT INTO TWO HALVES POPPING OFF THE RIM ON BOTH SIDES CAUSING THE REAR OF THE MOTORCYCLE TO SWING TO THE LEFT AND WOULD NOT RECOVER. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS FORCED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD DOWN INTO THE DITCH SEVERAL YARDS BEFORE I COULD GET IT UNDER CONTROL ENOUGH TO STOP AT WHICH TIME IT FELL TO ITS LEFT SIDE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS A BRAND NEW 06 VSRCA HARLEY DAVIDSON V-ROD PURCHASED ON 8/12/06 ONLY TEN DAYS BEFORE.. THE DUNLOP TIRE ONLY HAD APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES ON IT.. *JB

NHTSA ID
10167367
Incident
Aug 22, 2006
Mileage
500 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

M1490

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

M1490

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

M1313

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

SERVICE BULLETIN M1313: VRSC FUEL PUMP SERVICE PROCEDURE REVISION. PURPOSE: This bulletin is to inform dealers of a change to replace fuel system parts on 2002-2006 VRSC models. Fuel pumps (Part No. 62109-01, 62111-04 & 62109-01A) and suction side fuel filters (Part No. 75170-04, 75170-04A) are no longer available as individual components. See PAB1022 for current options Parts and Accessories (P&A) engineering has developed.

M-1215B

STEERING

STEERING STEM NUT/WASHER. THIS BULLETIN IS TO INFORM DEALERS OF UPDATED PARTS AND SERVICE PROCEDURES TO ELIMINATE LOSS OF CLAMP LOAD ON UPPER STEERING STEM NUT. *PE

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Harley-Davidson Vrsca by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2007210—
2006Viewing710—
2005010—
2004210—
2003910—
2002131034.3

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.