2009 Harley-Davidson Fltrse3

Routine

Owners filed 6 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes. It has been recalled 4 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes5
000
Vehicle Speed Control1
000

4 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 Owner’s 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.

Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights › Switch11V506000
Filed Oct 19, 2011250,757 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company

Defect. HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2012 TOURING, CVO TOURING AND TRIKE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16, 2011. SEE THE ABOVE LIST FOR THE MODELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY BE EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.

Risk. THE EXCESSIVE HEAT MAY CAUSE THE SWITCH TO NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP OR ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP WHEN NO BRAKE IS APPLIED AND/OR CAUSE A BRAKE FLUID LEAK AT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, AFFECTING REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. EITHER CONDITION MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL A INSTALL A REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH KIT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Mounting09V457000
Filed Dec 1, 2009111,569 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company

Defect. HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 TOURING FAMILY MOTORCYCLES, INCLUDING CVO TOURING AND TRIKE PRODUCTS, MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008 THROUGH NOVEMBER 19, 2009. THE FRONT FUEL TANK MOUNTS MAY DISTORT IN REACTION TO SEVERE FRAME DAMAGE FROM A FRONTAL COLLISION. THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE A FUEL LEAK AT THE WELD OF THE FRONT BRACKET TO THE TUNNEL.

Risk. A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LEFT AND RIGHT BRACE, WHICH ARE INTENDED TO REDUCE FRONT MOUNT DISTORTION DURING CERTAIN CRASH CONDITIONS. THIS REPAIR WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

Wheels09V267000
Filed Jul 10, 20091,759 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company

Defect. HARLEY DAVIDSON IS RECALLING 1,759 MY 2009 FLTRSE3 MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH BLADE REAR WHEEL ACCESSORY KITS. SOME WHEELS WITHIN THE SUBJECT POPULATION UNDERWENT A SECONDARY HEAT TREATMENT PROCESS. AS A RESULT OF THIS SECONDARY HEAT TREATMENT, THESE WHEELS MAY HAVE A CRACK.

Risk. IF A CRACK IS PRESENT, IT COULD RESULT IN WHEEL FAILURE DURING USE, POSSIBLY LEADING TO A CRASH, WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH OF THE RIDER.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE REAR WHEEL AND INSPECT THE MANUFACTURER'S CODE. WHEELS WITH THE CODES THAT INDICATE THAT THEY UNDERWENT A SECONDARY HEAT TREATMENT PROCESS WILL BE REPLACED. WHEELS THAT DO NOT HAVE THE SUSPECT CODE WILL BE RE-INSTALLED. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 20, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Jan 7, 20187,800 milesFL

FRONT BRAKE LEVER IS FROZEN, LEVER WILL NOT PULL BACK. DOES NOT ENGAGE FRONT BRAKE CALIBERS. BACK BRAKES WORK FINE. LUCKILY NOTICED PROBLEM AT LOW SPEED! IF I WAS MOVING FASTER, COULD'VE REAR ENDED TRUCK ON HIGHWAY (I-4) IN FLORIDA WHERE SPEEDS REACH 80-90 FLOW OF TRAFFIC. BIKES IN MY GARAGE STILL UNFIXED.

Service Brakes
Filed Nov 4, 201650,000 milesGA

STARTED OUT DRIVEWAY AND TRIED TO STOP AT STREET BUT REAR BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT WORK. WAS ABLE TO STOP WITH FRONT BRAKE. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD ABS MODULE WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THERE WAS NO ABS LIGHT INDICATING MALFUNCTION AND COULD HAVE BEEN A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT IF STREET WERE BUSIER. FROM VIEWING COMPLAINTS THERE ARE MORE THAN A FEW INCIDENTS OF THIS PROBLEM.

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 29, 201672,000 milesGA

HYDRAULIC BRAKE MODULATOR (HD USES TERM HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT, OR HCU) WITHIN THE ABS SYSTEM IS FAILING ON MANY BIKES CAUSING BRAKE SYSTEM TO SUDDENLY FAIL, RESULT IN NO BRAKES. THIS HAS OCCURRED AFTER THE BIKE HAS BEEN SITTING, OR WHILE UNDERWAY, NO WARNING OF ANY KIND IS DISPLAYED PRIOR TO THE TOTAL LOST OF EITHER THE FRONT OR REAR BRAKES.

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 14, 201634,000 milesAL

I OWN A 2009 HD ROADGLIDE CVO WITH 34,000 MILES. I RECENTLY ROLLED THE BIKE OUT OF THE GARAGE AND HEADED DWON THE DRIVEWAY AND DISCOVERED THAT MY REAR BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY HARD AND I HAD NO REAR BRAKE. I TOOK THE BIKE TO MY DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS THE ABS MODULE WAS BAD. I HAD NOT ABS LIGHT FLASHING OR NOT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. NOTHING TO INDICATE THAT THE ABS WAS NOT WORKING. THIS FAILURE CAUSED ME TO NOT HAVE ANY REAR BRAKE. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO YOU NOT HAVE REAR BRAKES YOU HAVE NO INDICATION THAT THE ABS IS NOT WORKING UNTIL YOU TRY TO APPLY THE BRAKE. MY DEALER SAYS THE ABS MODULE ARE ON BACK ORDER. THIS MAY INDICATE A DEMAND FOR THE PART DUE TO HIGH FAILURE RATES. I CONTACTED HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THEY TELL ME THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY ISSUES WITH ABS. INTERNET RESEARCH SAYS DIFFERENT. SEVERAL CASES MENTIONED ON HARLEY TECH TALK AND OTHER FORUMS. I AM REQUESTING THAT NHSTA INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AS A POSSIBLE SAFETY RECALL. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FATAL ACCIDENT HAD I NOT REALIZED THAT I HAD NO REAR BRAKE BEFORE LEAVING THE SAFETY OF MY DRIVEWAY.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Oct 2, 201520,000 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE FLTRSE3 MOTORCYCLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE THROTTLE MALFUNCTIONED AND DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PLUG AND HARNESS ON THE THROTTLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

Service Brakes
Filed May 22, 201432,524 milesTX

PARKED THE MOTORCYCLE IN THE EVENING. NEXT MORNING WHEN GETTING READY TO GO, DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT DEPRESS. LUCKILY, THE SPEED AT THE TIME WAS ZERO MPH. NO BRAKE FAILURE INDICATOR LIGHT WAS PRESENT. DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO THE ABS SYSTEM. THE ABS SYSTEM HAS FAILED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE MOTORCYCLE HAS NO REAR BRAKE. ONLY THE DEALERSHIP CAN WORK ON HARLEY ABS SYSTEMS. THIS FAILURE COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. ABS SYSTEMS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED TO "FAIL SAFE". THIS ONE HAS FAILED RENDERING THE MOTORCYCLE WITH NO REAR BRAKE. SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I'VE DISCOVERED SEVERAL INSTANCES OF EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUE, SOME WITH REAR BRAKE FAILURE AND SOME WITH FRONT BRAKE FAILURE. IN EACH CASE I FOUND, THE PEDAL (OR LEVER) WOULD NOT ACTUATE THE BRAKES. *TR

6 of 6 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Reading this record

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.