2008 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2008 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system753.8%
- Brakes215.4%
- Driver assistance215.4%
- Electrical215.4%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL GAUGE NEVER READS ACCURATE. WHEN BIKE IS FULL THE GAUGE WILL READ FULL BUT WHEN I TURN BIKE OFF AND RESTART IT AGAIN THE FUEL GAUGE WILL READ 1/4 FULL. GAUGE IS VERY INDEPENDABLE. RESULTING IN THE BIKE RUNNING OUT OF GAS BECAUSE THE IMPROPER READING FROM THE FUEL GAUGE. ALSO RESULTING IN HAVING TO CALL AND AUTO SERVICE FOR A TOW OR FUEL.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO OWN THIS BIKE ARE REPORTING THAT THE FUEL GAUGE IS A PROBLEM THAT THE COMPANY IS UNWILLING TO FIX. SEE THREAD: HTTP://WWW.1130CC.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=106786. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT HAS FAILED WHICH IS CAUSING THE ABS FEATURE TO BECOME UNUSABLE AND BRAKES NOW DEGRADED AND FAULTY WITHOUT PAYING FOR A NEW UNIT WHICH HARLEY HAS QUOTED $1400 TO REPLACE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V076000 ## VIN PASSED ## HARLEY DAVIDSON 2008 ##
I OWN A 2008 VRSCDX HARLEY DAVIDSON - THE REAR BRAKE FAILED AS IT IS EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT, DUE TO ITS PROXIMITY TO THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE FAILURE IS CAUSED BY THE PLASTIC PORTION OF THE SWITCH MELTING ALLOWING THE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK OUT OF THE SYSTEM. I HAVE CONTACTED HD AND PROVIDED THEM WITH MULTIPLE CASES OF OTHER VRSCDX BIKES HAVING THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS ISSUE AND HD DID NOT INCLUDE THIS MODEL IN THEIR CURRENT RECALL OF OTHER MODELS WITH IDENTICAL PROBLEMS - ALSO HD HAS RE-DESIGNED THE BRAKE SWITCH LOCATION ON NEWER MODELS. PLEASE HELP RESOLVE THIS BEFORE SOMEONE ISN'T INJURED OR KILLED. THANK YOU, *TT *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT HAS FAILED WHICH IS CAUSING THE ABS FEATURE TO BECOME UNUSABLE AND BRAKES NOW DEGRADED AND FAULTY WITHOUT PAYING FOR A NEW UNIT WHICH HARLEY HAS QUOTED $1400 TO REPLACE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V076000 ## VIN PASSED ## HARLEY DAVIDSON 2008 ##
FUEL GAUGE READS ERRATICALLY LOW FROM EMPTY UP TO ACTUAL LEVEL. POSSIBLE FUEL SENSOR FAILURE. UNCOMMANDED CHANGES IN POWER APPARENTLY RELATED TO THIS COMMON PROBLEM MAKE IT A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO ERRATIC SPEED/THRUST BEHAVIOR. IT HAS OCCURRED AT HIGH SPEEDS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC FORCING ME TO PULL OVER. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL GAUGE NEVER READS ACCURATE. WHEN BIKE IS FULL THE GAUGE WILL READ FULL BUT WHEN I TURN BIKE OFF AND RESTART IT AGAIN THE FUEL GAUGE WILL READ 1/4 FULL. GAUGE IS VERY INDEPENDABLE. RESULTING IN THE BIKE RUNNING OUT OF GAS BECAUSE THE IMPROPER READING FROM THE FUEL GAUGE. ALSO RESULTING IN HAVING TO CALL AND AUTO SERVICE FOR A TOW OR FUEL.
FUEL GAUGE READS ERRATICALLY LOW FROM EMPTY UP TO ACTUAL LEVEL. POSSIBLE FUEL SENSOR FAILURE. UNCOMMANDED CHANGES IN POWER APPARENTLY RELATED TO THIS COMMON PROBLEM MAKE IT A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO ERRATIC SPEED/THRUST BEHAVIOR. IT HAS OCCURRED AT HIGH SPEEDS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC FORCING ME TO PULL OVER. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .