Owners filed 13 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the fuel system, gasoline. It has been recalled 1 time.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Fuel System, Gasoline
8
0
0
0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2
1
0
1
Fuel System, Other
1
0
0
0
Equipment › Motorcycle › Helmets
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
1
0
0
1
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 Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Jun 1, 20115,100 milesUT
2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON NIGHT ROD SPECIAL REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH IS LOCATED 1/2" FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THIS SWITCH GETS HOT AND MELTS THE SWITCH ALLOWING ALL THE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK OUT AND CREATE A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE REAR BRAKE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR
Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Sep 13, 20104,500 milesNC
MY GAS GAUGE HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. IT WILL GO TO EMPTY AND STAY THERE WITH 1/2 TANK OF GAS, UNTIL I CUT THE POWER OF AND BACK ON IT WILL RESET TO I/2 TANKS FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. HAVE REPLACED SENDING UNTIL 3 TIME . HARLEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN ON ALL V-ROD SINCE 2003 THE FIRST YEAR THEY CAME OUT. NEED SOMEONE HELP. IF IT WAS A CAR THE WOULD HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM WITH A RECALL. I HAVE HAD TO WALL ONE TIME TO GET GAS. *TR
Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Jul 22, 201028 milesOH
MY 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON NIGHT ROD VROD. FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK. IT HASN'T WORKED SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT THE BIKE. THERE ARE MORE BROKEN GAUGES THAN WORKING ONES ON THIS MODEL OF BIKE. HARLEY THROWS RANDOM PARTS AND NEVER FIXES THE REAL PROBLEM. *TR
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash1 injured
Filed May 21, 2009AE
BRAND: HARLEY DAVIDSON. MODEL: XR1200 (NEW MODEL NOT REPORTED IN YOUR MODEL LIST). CRASH WITH INJURIES. FRONT BRAKES FAILURE BY LOCK-UP ON A NEW HD XR1200 OWNED BY HD AND LENT TO ME FOR A DEMO-RIDE (OR TEST). THE MAIN WITNESS HAS STATED IN WRITING THAT HE HAS CHECKED AND DOUBLE-CHECKED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL WAS STILL BLOCKED BY THE FRONT BRAKES EVEN AFTER THE CRASH. THERE IS ALSO A POLICE REPORT WITH PICS, AND A MEDICAL REPORT WITH XRAYS. ALL THE DOCUMENTS ARE AT YOUR DISPOSAL. *TR
Fuel System, Other
Filed Jul 24, 20082,580 milesIA
FUEL FILTER CANISTER FAILURE FOR 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON ULTRA CLASSIC. BIKE HAS A BUILD DATE OF 09/07. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THE EARLY MODEL O8'S AND HARLEY IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. YET THEY HAVE UPDATED THE FILTER CANISTER. THERE HAS BEEN NUMEROUS FAILURES. THESE HAVE BEEN NOTED ON THE VARIOUS HARLEY DAVIDSON FORUM WEBSITES. MANY RIDERS LIKE MYSELF ARE TAKING A PROACTIVE APPROACH AND REPLACING CANISTER BEFORE IT FAILS AND LEAVES THE RIDER STRANDED OR WORSE IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IT ONLY FAILS ONCE. DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN IT FAILS, THIS COULD HAVE DEADLY EFFECT ON RIDER. CORRECTED PROBLEM BY BUYING NEW UPDATED CANISTER AND REPLACING OLD ONE. UPON INSPECTION OF OLD ONE, IT HAD STRESS CRACKS ON CANISTER TABS. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON PART # 62229-08. THE UPDATED PART # IS 62229-08A. HAD TO PUT THIS UNDER FXDWG, BECAUSE THERE IS NO FLHCUI LISTED ON WEBSITE. *TR
Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Jul 20, 20082,611 milesAR
THE MOTORCYCLE JUST STOPPED RUNNING. FUEL TANK WAS FULL BUT NO FUEL WAS GETTING TO THE ENGINE. LEFT ME STRANDED. WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. HTTP://WWW.HDFORUMS.COM/M_3599675/TM.HTM. *TR
Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Jul 20, 20081,862 milesTN
AIT APROX 1,800 MILES, MY 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTC EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE FUEL FILTER SHELL WHILE I WAS RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE. I WAS EXITING INTERSTATE 65 SOUTH IN BRENTWOOD, TN AND UPON ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM THE EXIT, I WAS ALMOST HIT FROM BEHIND BY A CAR. THE MOTORCYCLE GAVE NO WARNING/INDICATION OF A PROBLEM. UPON ATTEMPTING TROUGH THE EXIT RAMP. THE BIKE SPUTTERED AND ALMOST STOPPED, WHILE THE AUTOMOBILES BEHIND ME LOCKED UP THEIR BRAKES TRYING TO AVOID ME. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME AFTER SUFFERING INTERMITTENT SPUTTERING AND THE BIKE HAS REMAINED IN MY GARAGE SINCE THEN. MY NEAREST DEALER HAS A PART ON ORDER, BUT NOT IN STOCK. I WAS TOLD THEY HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OF THESE PARTS FAIL ON YEAR 2008 MOTORCYCLES. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AS THESE ARE DANGEROUS. *TR
Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Jul 8, 20086,250 milesFL
ON SUNDAY JULY 6 2008 I WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND ON INTERSTATE 95 AROUND PORT ST LUCY IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN MY 2008 FLHTCU JUST DIED FOR NO APPARENT REASON FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT I DID A SEARCH OF THIS SORT OF PROBLEM AND FOUND MANY SIMILAR ONES BUT WITH NO RECALL NOTICE FROM HARLEY DAVIDSON ,I DID BRING IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND THAT THEY WOULD ORDER THE PARTS ,I FEEL THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH WORSE SCENARIO HAD THE BEEN NO WAY FOR ME TO PULL OVER QUICKLY WITHOUT TRAFFIC AND THAT SERIOUS INJURY COULD HAVE HAPPENED PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE OTHERS GET INJURED OR DIE. *TR
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine1 injured
Filed Jul 6, 20082,500 milesFL
I RECEIVED FIRST DEGREE BURNS TO MY THIGHS. THIS ENGINE IS KNOWN TO BE A PROBLEM WITH BEING HOT AS I FOUND OUT AFTER I PURCHASED THE MOTORCYCLE. I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC, DUE TO AN AUTO ACCIDENT. WHILE MOVING AT A SLOW SPEED OR STOPPED THIS ENGINE GETS HUNDREDS HOTTER THAN NORMAL OPERATION. *TR
Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Jun 30, 20082,400 milesTX
ENGINE ALMOST DIED WHILE PULLING OUT INTO RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. REAL BAD MIS-FIRE WITH SPITTING AND SPUTTERING. TOOK TO SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT HAS A CRACKED FUEL LINE FITTING. I READ A FORUM AND LEARNED THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THERE IS NO SAFETY RECALL. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A DEATH. MY HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC IS AN 2008 MODEL THAT I HAVE HAS LESS THAN A MONTH AND HAVE ABOUT 2400 MILES ON IT. I AM CONCERNED SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND MIGHT HAVE A GRIM OUTCOME. *TR
Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Jun 29, 20081,150 milesIL
FUEL PUMP AND/OR LINES INTERNAL TO FUEL TANK FAIL AND CAUSE VEHICLE TO RUN POORLY OR EVEN DIE OUT AND FAIL TO RESTART. *TR
Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Jun 27, 2008958 milesTX
WHILE RIDING IN HEAVY MORNING TRAFFIC IN HOUSTON TX. MOTORCYCLE BEGINS TO DISPLAY LOSS OF FUEL SYMPTOMS AND QUIT RUNNING ALMOST CAUSING SEVER ACCIDENT. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE BIKE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. WHERE I WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND LIMP THE BIKE A FEW BLOCKS THEN IT HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. BIKE HAD A BUILD DATE OF 9/07 IT WAS PURCHASED 6/08. HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP PRESSURE REGULATORS ON ITS 08 MODELS FOR MANY MONTHS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PART. THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN POSSESSION OF ITS DEALER SINCE OCT. 07 AND NO ONE ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART OR NOTIFY ME THAT A POTENTIALLY HAZZARDOUS SITUATION COULD OCCURE. THERE ARE CURRENTLY (7) '08 HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE AT MY DEALER WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ALL WAITING ON A BACK ORDERED REDESIGNED PART
Equipment › Motorcycle › Helmets
Filed Jan 30, 2008NV
I FEEL THE HELMET LAWS FOR MOTORCYCLE RIDERS IS AN INFRINGMENT OF MY RIGHTS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. *TR
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.