2009 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx

Routine

Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the fuel/propulsion system. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Fuel/Propulsion System2
000
Service Brakes1
000

1 safety recall

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.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Jul 27, 20165,000 milesIL

HARLEY DAVIDSON VRSCDX 2009 ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT FAILURE. WHILE IN MOTION APPROXIMATELY 45MPH I WENT TO DEPRESS THE REAR BRAKE AND IT FELT LIKE THE PEDAL WAS FROZE, UPON PUTTING MORE PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL IT MOVED BUT THE REAR BRAKE INSTANTLY LOCKED UP WITHOUT ANY PROGRESSIVE FEEL CAUSING THE REAR TIRE TO SKID CAUSING THE REAR OF THE BIKE TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE BIKE UPRIGHT AND IN CONTROL WITHOUT HAVING AN ACCIDENT VERY LIKELY THE CURRENT LOWER SPEED I WAS TRAVELING CONTRIBUTED TO BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. AT HIGHWAY SPEED THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS BEING THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT. HARLEY DEALERSHIP QUOTED APPROXIMATELY $1000.00 TO REPAIR WOULD COULD BE A DEADLY ISSUE WITH THEIR ABS CONTROL AND CONFIGURATION. THE CONCERN IS THAT THE FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE BRAKES DO NOT REVERT TO A NORMAL CONFIGURATION WHEN THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT FAILS INSTEAD THEY FEEL AS IF THE PEDAL IS COMPLETELY FROZEN THEN INSTANTLY LOCK UP. THE PART THAT FAILED IS HARLEY PART# 48344-09

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jun 18, 20144,000 milesMI

SINCE TIME OF PURCHASE, FUEL SENDING UNIT HAS NOT BEEN WORKING. TAKEN TO LOCAL HD DEALER FOR A CHECK AND THEY HAVE NO FIX. DOING SOME RESEARCH MOST 2007 AND UP HARLEY DAVIDSON V-RODS HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THEIR FUEL SENDING UNIT NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND THE FUEL GAUGE MALFUNCTIONS. HD HAS TRIED 2 OR 3 FIXES FOR THIS SOLUTION BUT AT THE OWNER'S COST. ON OCTOBER 11TH, 2013 THE FUEL SENDING UNIT ON MY VRSCDX WAS READING 1/2 TANK, AND MY MOTORCYCLE COMPLETELY RAN OUT OF GAS ON I-75 NORTHBOUND. THIS LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE EXPRESSWAY. FINDING OUT THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR OVER 7 YEARS AND HD HAS NOT FOUND A WORKING FIX AND NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS PART. VERY DISTURBING. *TR

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Oct 7, 20133,500 milesCA

FUEL GAUGE NEEDLE DROPS FROM FULL TO COMPLETELY EMPTY IN 5-10 MINUTES EVEN WHEN TANK IS COMPLETELY FULL. SOMETIMES NEEDLE GETS STUCK ON EMPTY, FULL OR ANY OTHER POSITION REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ON TANK. AFTER MOTORCYCLE IS RESTING ON OFF POSITION FOR A WHILE, NEEDLE SEEMS TO RESET TO CORRECT MEASUREMENT UNTIL TANK IS REFUELED AND PROBLEM RECURS ALL OVER AGAIN. SITUATION APPEARS TO BE COMPLETELY RANDOM AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TRACE IT DOWNS TO ANY ELECTRICAL OR VACUUM LEAKS. *TR

3 of 3 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2007
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20162000Routine
20151000Routine
20146000Routine
20131100Routine
20125100Routine
20112100Routine
20102100Routine
2009 — this page3100Routine
20089000Routine
200718020Routine

Compare every Vrscdx 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: Jan 29, 2018. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.