2008 Harley-Davidson Fxdc

Routine

Owners filed 6 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the fuel system, gasoline. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System2
010
Wheels1
000
Service Brakes1
010
Power Train1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe07V535000
Filed Nov 20, 2007538 vehiclesHarley-Davidson Motor Company

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES BUILT AND SHIPPED TO CALIFORNIA, THE CATALYTIC MUFFLER PROTECTIVE HEAT SHIELD WAS NOT INSTALLED. THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW DIRECT CONTACT WITH THIS MUFFLER AND CAUSE INJURY.

Risk. IF CONTACT OCCURS WHILE RIDING, IT COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE, LEADING TO INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE HEAT SHIELDS TO THE MUFFLERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 26, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service BrakesFire
Filed Dec 9, 2024FL

The rear brake light switch failed. Yes it is available for inspection - I’ll hold onto the part after repair. My safety was put at risk when the switch failed causing a leak in brake fluid and a loss of pressure in the pedal. Losing my rear break functionality entirely. Then the leaking brake fluid went into the electrical connections on the switch and caught on fire. Not confirmed by a dealer but has happened on other Harley models and been recalled before just not for this model of bike. Not inspected by any of the listed. No warning notifications I just hit the pedal one day and it went completely soft then burst into flames.

Wheels
Filed Jul 18, 201418,000 milesNM

MOTORCYCLE BEGAN TO EXHIBIT NOISE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND REAR WHEEL BEGAN LOSING TREAD AT ALARMING RATE. AFTER PROPPING THE MOTORCYCLE UP AND REMOVING THE REAR WHEEL TO REPLACE THE TIRE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS HAD BEGUN TO DETERIORATE. LEFT SIDE BEARING WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE AND THE RIGHT SIDE BEARING SHOWED SIGNS OF RUST AND DAMAGE. REPLACE BOTH BEARING WITH FACTORY NEW AND REPLACED TIRE. 8000 MILES LATER THE REAR TIRE AGAIN BEGAN TO LOOSE TREAD. REMOVED AND REPLACE TIRE A SECOND TIME AND REPLACED BACK ONTO MOTORCYCLE WITHOUT CHANGING BEARINGS. AT APPROXIMATELY 26,000 MILES THE MOTORCYCLE AGAIN BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE NOISE AND VIBRATION. AGAIN REMOVED TIRE AND INSPECTED WHEEL BEARINGS. FOR A SECOND TIME THE BEARINGS WERE BOTH DAMAGED AND THE RIGHT SIDE THIS TIME SHOWED EXTREME LOSS OF BEARING COMPONENTS. CHECKED REMAINDER OF ALL DRIVE COMPONENTS FROM THE FORK TO THE PRIMARY AND FOUND NO OTHER PROBLEMS. AGAIN PURCHASED NEW BEARINGS. AFTER EXTINCTIVE INTERNET SEARCH, MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS OF BEARING PROBLEMS FROM CHANGE BY MOCO FROM A TAPERED TYPE TO A SEALED BEARING ON ALL FOUR WHEELS IS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Jul 10, 201112,639 milesCT

THE GAS GAUGE FAILED THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS PART HAS FAILED ON MY MOTORCYCLE. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS IN JULY 2009 WHICH THEY REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE GAUGE GIVES FALSE READINGS, IT WILL SHOW FULL AND VARIOUS OTHER READINGS REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK. FOR EXAMPLE I FILLED THE TANK AND IT READ FULL THEN 10 MILES LATER IT WENT TO EMPTY AND SHOWED REMAINING MILES TO EMPTY AS 25. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND HARLEY DAVIDSON STILL HASN'T COME UP WITH A FIX.

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jul 10, 201112,950 milesCT

CRUISING AT 40 MPH AND APPLIED REAR AND FRONT BRAKES. THERE WAS NO TENSION WHEN APPLIED CONTINUED A QUARTER MILE AND TURNED ONTO STREET OF MY HOUSE APPLIED BRAKES AND THERE WAS NO REAR BRAKE RESPONSE. UPON STOPPING IN MY DRIVEWAY USING THE FRONT BRAKES, I GOT OFF THE BIKE AND THERE WAS A FIRE AT THE REAR BRAKE RELAY SWITCH AND BRAKE LINE. I HAD TO PUT OUT THIS FIRE AND BRAKE FLUID CONTINUED TO LEAK. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT, THE RELAY SWITCH IS 1 INCH FROM THE EXHAUST AND BELIEVE THIS WAS PART OF THE FAILURE THE HEAT SOURCE BEING SO CLOSE. I ALSO NOTICED THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER HAD A SMALL LEAK AROUND THE SEAL. *TR

Power Train
Filed Jun 8, 20101,000 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROCKER FXCW MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BOLTS SUPPORTING THE DRIVE SPROCKETS TO THE REAR WHEEL COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE HUB. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT WITH THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 1,000.

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Jun 20, 20085,700 milesLA

2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES. THE PLASTIC FUEL FILTER HOUSING HAS PLASTIC LATCHES THAT ATTACH IT TO THE FUEL PUMP AND THE LATCHES ARE BREAKING ON HUNDREDS OF 2008 MOTORCYCLES, TO THE POINT THE PART HAS BEEN ON BACKORDER FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW. I HAVE A 2008 FLHX 105 ANNIVERSARY STREET GLIDE, WHICH IS NOT LISTED IN YOUR DROP DOWN FOR VEHICLE MODEL... WHEN THE PART FAILS THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY STOPS RUNNING DUE TO LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE. THIS OF COURSE IS DISASTROUS WHEN MERGING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, GOING UP BRIDGES, ETC. THERE ARE MANY ACCOUNTS OF THIS ON HDFORUM.COM ALSO ON HDFORUMS.COM LOOK AT HTTP://WWW.HDFORUMS.COM/M_3507391/TM.HTM, AND HTTP://WWW.HDFORUMS.COM/M_3517184/TM.HTM, JUST TO MENTION A FEW. HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERS ARE SAYING THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. I SPOKE TO HARLEY DAVIDSON YESTERDAY 414-343-4056. THE GUY I SPOKE WITH WOULD NOT AGREE WITH ME THAT THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED, BUT DID AGREE IT HAS A DESIGN DEFECT WHICH HAS BEEN CAUSING IT'S LATCHES TO BREAK THUS CAUSING THE BIKE'S FUEL SYSTEM TO SUDDENLY DEPRESSURIZE. THIS OF COURSE STOPS THE BIKE IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I WONDER WHO OUT THERE HAS PULLED OUT IN PLENTY OF TIME TO MERGE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THE BIKE SUDDENLY QUIT RUNNING THUS RESULTING IN THERE DEATH. RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT REPORT WOULD OF COURSE READ: "HE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME", "I DIDN'T SEE HIM".....AFTER ALL WE DON'T DO AUTOPSY'S ON MOTORCYCLES, EVEN SO THE PLASTIC PART WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLY BEEN BROKEN AS A RESULT OF

6 of 6 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2009
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20123000Routine
20101010Routine
20097200Routine
2008 — this page6120Routine
20072100Routine
20060100Routine
20050100Routine

Compare every Fxdc year →

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: Nov 20, 2007. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.