2015 Harley-Davidson XG500

This investigation was opened on April 20, 2015 to investigate reports of inconsistent throttle control on all MY 2015 HD XG750 and XG500 motorcycles.At the time, ODI had 14 consumer complaints and no crashes reported.At the time of closing this investigation ODI has 51 reports (6 of which allege a crash occurred). In addition to requesting information from Harley-Davidson (HD), ODI interviewed complainants and dealer service/parts department personnel.ODI staff also test rode one of the crash bikes to experience the alleged condition first-hand.At low fuel levels (typically below .8 gallon), the engine may stumble and/or stall when fuel flow from the pump to engine is interrupted.This is due to a poor seal at the fuel pump inlet. Ultimately, HD decided to recall (15V-474) the affected motorcycles (MY 2015 XG500 and XG750 produced 1-20-14 through 6-24-15) to install a new fuel pump assembly.With the recall, our information request is moot and this PE is closed.

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME MY BIKE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE AUGUST 2019. ON MAY 8, 2019, IT HAS BEEN BACK IN THE SHOP FOR SIX WEEK. THE FIRST TIME IT BROKE DOWN IN WAS IN THE SHOP FOR 6 WEEKS. I'M BEING TOLD THE OUTPUT SHAFT IS BEING REDESIGNED. WHEN YOU'RE GOING THOUGHT THE GEARS THE OUTPUT SHAFT BREAKS. YOU DON'T EVEN GET THOUGH THE 6 GEARS. THEN BIKE LOSES ALL POWER TRAIN ONCE THE OUTPUT SHALL. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE IN TRAFFIC. YOU HAVE TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT'S BEEN IN THE FOR THE SAME THING. FIRST TIME AUGUST 27, 2018. SECOND TIME OCTOBER 24, 2018. TOOK MY BIKE IN FOR THEM TO CHECK THE OUTPUT SHAFT AND BOLT. THIRD TIME MARCH 25, 2019.

NHTSA ID

11206113

Incident

Mar 27, 2019

Mileage

3,000 mi

FIRST ACCIDENT WAS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT INTERSECTION, WITH LOW FUEL, BUT NO FUEL LIGHT YET. ACCELERATING ON SLIGHT UPHILL LEFT TURN, FROM STOP AT LIGHT. WENT FROM 1ST TO 2ND, WAS LEAVING THE CURVE WHEN I HIT A POT HOLE. THE BIKE LAGGED SLIGHTLY, THEN ACCELERATED SUDDENLY I WAS UNABLE TO AVOID HITTING THE CURB AND CRASHED. BEING A NEW RIDER I ASSUMED THAT THE POT HOLE HAD CAUSED ME TO ROLL ON THE THROTTLE, WHICH IS VERY RESPONSIVE, AND PUT THIS INCIDENT DOWN TO RIDER ERROR. IT WAS A SANCTIONED CLUB RIDE, SO REPORTS WERE FILED WITH THE DEALERSHIP. THE BIKE SPENT ABOUT 4 MONTHS AT HARLEY DAVIDSON OF BALTIMORE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, FOR WHAT WAS MOSTLY COSMETIC DAMAGE, AND I WAS PAYING CASH FOR REPAIRS, SO THERE IS NO EXPLANATION FOR WHY IT TOOK SO LONG TO REPAIR, BUT THEY ASKED ME MULTIPLE TIMES HOW, OR WHY I THOUGHT THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. THEY NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING TO ME ABOUT THE UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION ISSUES WITH THIS BIKE, BUT IN HINDSIGHT I BELIEVE THEY KNEW FROM THE QUESTIONS THEY ASKED. THE BIKE ALSO HAD A SPEED WOBBLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT WHICH WAS WITNESSED BY OTHERS, DIRECTLY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THAT THEY SAID WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT, EVEN THOUGH I REPORTED IT TO THEM BEFORE THE RIDE, AND WAS SCHEDULED TO LEAVE THE BIKE WITH THEM AFTERWARDS TO INVESTIGATE; THIS DISAPPEARED, AFTER THE MONTHS IN SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE IT. A FEW MONTHS LATER I WENT OUT FOR A RIDE WITH A FRIEND, I WAS MAKING AN UPHILL RIGHT HAND TURN OUT OF A PARKING LOT DRIVEWAY, WITH FULL TANK OF GAS, WHEN THE BIKE HESITATED AND THEN SUDDENLY WENT TO FULL ACCELERATION, AGAIN I HIT THE CURB AND CAME OFF. THE SECOND TIME I REALIZED THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE BIKE AND BEGAN INVESTIGATING AND FOUND THAT OTHERS WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10994411

Incident

Apr 24, 2016

Mileage

50 mi

I BROUGHT MY XG500 TO A HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER TO FIX A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP. AFTER AN ESTIMATED 100 MILES, THE BIKE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER TO THE BACK WHEEL WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65MPH. THE THROTTLE WOULD REV UP THE ENGINE, BUT IT WASN'T MAKING ME MOVE. THIS PUT ME IN A VERY UNSAFE PREDICAMENT AND I HAD TO ROLL ACROSS LANES OF TRAFFIC WHILE DECELERATING.

NHTSA ID

10777821

Incident

Sep 25, 2015

Mileage

8,700 mi

JULY 3, 2015 - IT STALLED TWICE WHILE SITTING COMPLETELY STOPPED AT STOP SIGNS WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY PULLED IN. IT IDLED LOW AND THEN COMPLETELY DIED. RESTARTING THE BIKE, I WAS ABLE TO GET IT MOVING WITH QUITE A BIT OF LEAPING AND LAGGING AND THE ENGINE SPUTTERING. ONCE UP AND THROUGH 1ST AND 2ND GEAR (SPUTTERING LIKE IF WAS MISSING FUEL) IT SEEMED TO SUDDENLY ENGAGE AND WAS OK. I COMPENSATED FOR THE LAGGING, BUT IT KEPT JUMPING AS IF SUDDENLY CATCHING WITHOUT PRESSURE ON THE THROTTLE INCREASING. IT DID THIS MOSTLY AT LOWER SPEEDS AT FIRST, BUT ALSO LEAPS WHEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS (45-55MPH) ON RURAL ROADS - AGAIN, JUMPING INTO THE HIGHER SPEED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT AN INCREASE ON THE THROTTLE. ON JULY 18, 2015, THE BIKE JUMPED WHILE TAKING A TURN FROM ONE STREET ONTO ANOTHER, STARTLING ME AND CAUSING ME TO VEER FROM MY LANE AND LEFT OF CENTER, NEARLY TAKING ME OFF THE ROAD AS IT CONTINUED TO JUMP AND SPUTTER. I CORRECTED MY POSITION AND MARKED IT UP TO THE BIKE STILL NEEDING TO BE "BROKEN IN". JULY 31, 2015 - WHILE NORMAL SHIFTING AND INCREASING SPEEDS TO MATCH THE SPEED LIMIT, MY BIKE ACCELERATED TO A OF 40MPH BEFORE JUMPING, THE ENGINE LIGHT BRIEFLY FLICKERING ON AND THEN OFF A FEW TIMES, AND LOSING THROTTLE POWER. I TURNED THE BIKE OFF AND CHECKED THE CLUTCH, OIL, AND INDICATORS BEFORE RESTARTING, REVVING THE ENGINE AND REENTERING THE ROADWAY. THE ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME BACK ON PRIOR TO REENTERING. ONCE ON THE ROAD AND BACK UP TO 40MPH, THE BIKE JUMPED AGAIN, ENGINE LIGHT FLICKERED OF AND ON 4 TIMES AND REMAINED OFF. RETURN TRIP WAS SIMILAR.

NHTSA ID

10745446

Incident

Jul 3, 2015

Mileage

32 mi

I PREVIOUSLY FILED A REPORT ABOUT MY MOTORCYCLE STALLING AND SURGING ON 4/18 WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH IN WET WEATHER. MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP BROUGHT MY BIKE IN AND HAD IT FOR A WEEK WHILE WAITING FOR A NEW FUEL PUMP. I AM ON MY SECOND FUEL PUMP. THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS AS BEFORE BUT A COMPLETELY NEW FUEL PUMP. I WAS ALMOST HIT WHILE TAKING OFF SLOWLY FROM A LIGHT WHEN THE BIKE SURGED AND THE CAR BEHIND ME EXPECTED ME TO CONTINUE MOVING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND I AM FINANCIALLY TIED INTO IT AND IT IS UNSAFE TO RIDE. MY FUEL LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON AND IT ACTS AS IF THERE IS NO FUEL. IT HAS A 3.3 GALLON TANK AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO PUT MORE THAN 2.5 GALLONS IN IT.

NHTSA ID

10732830

Incident

Jun 24, 2015

Mileage

2,450 mi

LIKE MANY OTHERS, SINCE DAY 1 MY HARLEY STREET 500 HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING A "LAG AND LEAP" ISSUE. THE FIRST DAY I HAD MY BIKE I EXPERIENCED AN ISSUE WHERE WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP, OR MAKING A TURN AT LOW SPEEDS, THE BIKE WOULD STALL LIKE IT WAS OUT OF GAS, AND THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATE AGAIN, ALMOST THROWING ME OFF THE BACK OF THE BIKE. I BROUGHT MY BIKE TO THE DEALER, THEY TOLD ME I WAS LOW ON GAS, FILLED ME UP AND SENT ME ALONG MY WAY. HOWEVER, THE ISSUE HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN EVERY SINGLE TIME (IT IS 100% REPRODUCIBLE) THE BIKE TRAVELS FOR ROUGHLY 100 MILES AFTER FILLING (3.5 GALLON TANK WITH ADVERTISED ~60MPG). WHEN I FILL UP (THE ONLY REMEDY TO THE ISSUE), I CAN USUALLY NEVER GET MORE THAN 2 GALLONS IN. LEAVING 1.5 GALLONS OF UNUSED GAS IN THE TANK. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE WITH THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS, AND IT IS REPRODUCIBLE. SO FAR, MY DEALER HAS SAID THEY HAVE NO KNOWN ISSUES WITH THE BIKE, AND THE RESPONSE FROM HARLEY SEEMS TO BE MIXED AS TO WHAT THEY WILL DO ABOUT IT, OR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE IF THERE IS AN ISSUE. NOTE: THE FUEL LIGHT ALSO NEVER COMES ON, PROBABLY BECAUSE THERE IS OVER 1 GALLON OF GAS IN THE TANK AT ALL TIMES. THIS ISSUE IS INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT ESSENTIALLY REDUCES THE RANGE OF THE BIKE BECAUSE THE ONLY FIX IS TO KEEP IT FILLED ABOVE A CERTAIN LEVEL, BUT IT IS VERY UNSAFE. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME ON AT LEAST 5 SEPARATE INCIDENTS, AND USUALLY ITS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. I HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO NOT FALL OFF THE BIKE DUE TO THE SUDDEN DECELERATION AND ACCELERATION, AND TO NOT CAUSE A MAJOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT DUE TO COMING TO A SUDDEN STOP IN TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10732410

Incident

Jun 18, 2015

MOTORCYCLE WILL BOG DOWN AND THEN SURGE WITHOUT WARNING IF THERE IS ABOUT 1/3 OF A TANK LEFT. LOW FUEL INDICATOR NEVER COMES ON BEFORE IT HAPPENS AND IT'S WORSE WHEN DRIVING ON HILLS OR WHILE BANKING IN TURNS. LAST NIGHT WAS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AS I WAS COMING UP THE HILL AND TURNING IN TO MY DRIVEWAY THE MOTORCYCLE BOGGED DOWN, AND BEFORE I COULD COMPLETELY ROLL OFF THE THROTTLE IT ACCELERATED AND PUSHED THE REAR WHEEL OUT CAUSING ME TO LAY MY BIKE DOWN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10706441

Incident

Apr 17, 2015

Mileage

145 mi

VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY. THROTTLE RESPONSE IS EXTREMELY ERRATIC. THIS CAUSED INEXPERIENCED RIDER TO LOSE CONTROL AT A LOW SPEED AND WAS THROWN FROM VEHICLE AS IT WENT OUT OF CONTROL ONTO THE SIDEWALK. FUEL TANK WAS NEARLY FULL. CONTINUED RIDING EXHIBITED EXTREMELY ERRATIC THROTTLE CONTROL. VEHICLE IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663574

Incident

Oct 18, 2014

Mileage

94 mi

SERVICE BULLETIN M1391A (REVU): MIDTRONICS GRX-3110 AND DCA-8000 SOFTWARE. PURPORSE: Revision U. The purpose of this bulletin is to inform the dealer network that a software update to the GRX-3110 and DCA-8000 is now available. DYNAMIC DIAGNOSTIC CHARGER SYSTEM (PART NUMBER: DCA-8000). [Rev U] Added: Description of improvements made to the testing algorithm for GRX software Version P and DCA-8000 software Version E.

GENUINE MOTOR PARTS AND ACCESSORIES BULLETIN PAB1171 (REV B): SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR SCREAMIN EAGLE PRO STREET TUNER. PURPOSE: Revision B. Updated: Summary. The App has returned to the Apple App Store. This bulletin informs dealers that a recent software update to the Screamin' Eagle Pro Street Tuner application will require the use of a Personal Computer (PC) to complete a Bluetooth Communication Interface (BCI) firmware update.

SERVICE BULLETIN M1490 (V 25.8.9): 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). New Software Update Version 25.8.9 Release Date: Week of September 2, 2025. Changes: LiveWire 2024 S2MH: Removal of incorrect Electro Hydraulic Control Unit (EHCU) reflash support; EHCU Module (Part No. 41100123): Addressed issue where module became unrecoverable after failed reflash attempted. NOTE: Digital Technician II (DT II) supports additional Harley-Davidson motorcycle models and model years outside of those listed.

SERVICE BULLETIN M1490 (V 25.8.7): 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). New Software Update Version 25.6.4, Release Date: Week of August 19, 2025. Includes New Features and Changes for the Models & Model Years listed. NOTE: Digital Technician II (DT II) supports additional Harley-Davidson motorcycle models and model years outside of those listed.

SERVICE BULLETIN M1391A (REV T): MIDTRONICS GRX-3110 AND DCA-8000 SOFTWARE. PURPORSE: Revision T. The purpose of this bulletin is to inform the dealer network that a software update to the GRX-3110 and DCA-8000 is now available. DYNAMIC DIAGNOSTIC CHARGER SYSTEM (PART NUMBER: DCA-8000). [Rev T] Updated: New Software Update, Previous Software Updates and DCA-8000. Added: 192-210335P. Software update 192-210335P for GRX-3110 and DCA-800 to add new battery part numbers.

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.