Year: 2015 •Make: Harley-Davidson •Model: V-Rod Muscle (VRSCF) •VIN: [XXX] •Mileage: 5000 ⸻ Complaint Description: While riding my 2015 Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle (VRSCF), the ABS warning light illuminated, and braking became erratic—soft one moment, abrupt the next. Diagnostics revealed a failure in the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU), part number 40664-08A. This component is used across multiple V-Rod models from 2009–2015, including the Night Rod and VRSCDX, suggesting a widespread vulnerability. Similar owner-reported incidents highlight this isn’t isolated: •A V-Rod Muscle owner posted on Facebook: “the ABS is frozen!!!… front brake handle hard as a rock!!!” indicating a seized hydraulic unit.  •In a 2012 Night Rod, repeated ABS light faults were traced to a short sensor harness that caused an open circuit when the rear suspension compressed—highlighting potential design or routing flaws in the system.  Why this matters: A failing ABS HCU can severely impair braking safety, especially in emergencies or poor weather. Repair costs are steep—estimated over $1,000—and there is currently no recall addressing this known issue. I urge NHTSA to investigate whether a safety defect exists and determine if a recall is warranted. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2015 Harley-Davidson Vrscf
Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes. No safety recall has been issued.
| Component | Reports | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What owners reported
Newest filingsHYDRAULIC CONTROLLER FOR REAR BRAKES CAUSED LOSS OF BRAKING FOR REAR BRAKES - FORTUNATELY NO ACCIDENT - HARLEY REPLACING FOR OVER $1300 - AS YOU ARE AWARE THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE ACROSS HARLEY DAVIDSON MODELS (2015 VROD)
2 of 2 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.
Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.