Owners filed 14 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes. It has been recalled 2 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Service Brakes
7
1
0
1
Structure › Body
1
0
0
0
Structure
1
0
0
0
Steering
1
0
0
0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1
0
0
0
Fuel System, Other
1
0
0
0
Engine
1
0
0
0
Electrical System
1
0
0
0
2 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip18V076000
Filed Jan 29, 2018174,636 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company
Defect. Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling all 2008-2011 Touring, CVO Touring and VSRC motorcycles equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS), including Road King (FLHR), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHP), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHPE), Electra Glide Standard Police (EFI) (FLHTP), Electra Glide Classic (EFI) (FLHTC), Electra Glide Ultra Classic (EFI) (FLHTCU) and Street Glide (EFI) (FLHX), 2008 VROD (VRSCAWA), CVO Road King 4 (FLHRSE4), Night Rod (VRSCDA), CVO Ultra Classic 3 (FLHTCUSE3), Night Rod Special (VRSCDXA), 2008-2010 Road King Classic (EFI) (FLHRC), 2008-2009 Road Glide (EFI) (FLTR) and Electra Glide Standard (EFI) (FLHT), 2009-2010 V-Rod (VRSCAW), 2009 CVO Ultra Classic (FLHTCUSE4) and CVO Road Glide 3 (FLTRSE3), 2009-2011 Night Rod Special (VRSCDX) and V-Rod Muscle (VRSCF), 2010 CVO Ultra Classic 5 (FLHTCUSE5) and CVO Street Glide (FLHXSE), 2010-2011 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (FLHTK) and Road Glide Custom (FLTRX), 2011 Road Glide Ultra 103 (FLTRU103), Street Glide 103 (FLHX103), Road King Classic 103 (FLHRC103), CVO Ultra Classic 6 (FLHTCUSE6), CVO Road Glide Ultra (FLTRUSE), Road Glide Custom 103 (FLTRX103), and CVO Street Glide 2 (FLHXSE2) motorcycles. Deposits may form on components within the brake system if the DOT 4 brake fluid is not replaced for a prolonged period of time beyond the 2-year maintenance schedule specified in the Owners Manual.
Risk. These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy. Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will flush the entire brake system with new Platinum Label DOT 4 brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0171.
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap08V357000
Filed Jul 30, 200847,579 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company
Defect. HARLEY DAVIDSON IS RECALLING 47,579 MY 2008 FLHP, FLHPE, FLHR, FLHRC, FLHRSE4, FLHT, FLHTC, FLHTCU, FLHTCUSE3, FLHTP, FLHX, AND FLTR MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES MAY EXPERIENCE A CRACKING OF THE FUEL FILTER SHELL LEADING TO LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE. THIS LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE CAN CAUSE DIMINISHED PERFORMANCE AND, IN SOME CASES, MAY CAUSE AN ENGINE STALL OR A NO-START CONDITION.
Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WHICH COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILTER SHELL FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Engine
Filed Aug 9, 2019NY
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.
Service Brakes
Filed Apr 2, 201931,250 milesGA
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.
Service Brakes
Filed Feb 7, 201850,000 milesTX
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
Service Brakes
Filed Dec 14, 201766,000 milesGA
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.
Service Brakes
Filed May 2, 201750 milesTX
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.
Service Brakes
Filed Jan 14, 201712,797 milesFL
FRONT BRAKE ABS SYSTEM HCU FAILURE RESULTING IN LOSS OF FRONT BRAKE FUNCTION
Service BrakesCrash1 injured
Filed Jul 26, 201636,000 milesPA
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.
Service Brakes
Filed Apr 15, 201627,000 milesTX
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.
Structure › Body
Filed Jul 26, 201331,000 milesAR
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Mar 16, 201250,000 milesGA
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
Fuel System, Other
Filed Aug 29, 201112,000 milesIL
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
Electrical System
Filed Aug 1, 201111,000 milesTN
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
Structure
Filed Jan 2, 2008NJ
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
Steering
Filed Nov 20, 20075 milesOH
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.
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Jan 29, 2018. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.