Harley Davidson is recalling all 2008 to 2011 Touring, CVO Touring and VRSC motorcycles with anti-lock brakes. If the brake fluid is not changed for a long time past the scheduled 2 year maintenance period, deposits may form causing a valve in the ABS to stick.
Harley Davidson dealers will flush the system with new Platinum Label DOT 4 brake fluid free of charge.
Details below:
NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V076000
Brakes may Fail Due to Not Flushing Brake Fluid
These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.
NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V076000
Manufacturer Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Components SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Potential Number of Units Affected 174,636
Summary
Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling all 2008-2011 Touring, CVO Touring and VRSC 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.
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 is expected to begin February 12, 2018. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson’s number for this recall is 0171.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
63 Affected Products
Vehicles
MAKE MODEL YEAR
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHP 2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHPE 2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHR 2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHRC 2008-2010
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHRC103 2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHRSE4 2008
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHT 2008-2009
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTC 2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU 2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCUSE3 2008
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCUSE4 2009
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCUSE5 2010
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCUSE6 2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTK 2010-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTP 2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX 2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHX103 2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHXSE 2010
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHXSE2 2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTR 2008-2009
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTRSE3 2009
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTRU103 2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTRUSE 2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTRX 2010-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTRX103 2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCAW 2009-2010
HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCAWA 2008
HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCDA 2008
HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCDX 2009-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCDXA 2008
HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCF 2009-2011
Recall notice: NHTSA
todd says
How is slack maintenance Harley’s responsibility?
Paul Crowe says
Excellent question. Unfortunately, this is the kind of defensive move companies often have to take today. Someone is irresponsible and everyone pays if they crash and sue the manufacturer.
On the other hand, how often do you / should you change brake fluid? Brake pads, sure. Check for leaks, yep, check fluid level, naturally, but brake fluid change? Evidently, two years is called for in the maintenance schedule on these Harleys, but how many do that on their bikes from any manufacturer? I bet I’m not the only one who changes it less. Not saying it’s right, just sayin, …
Michael Clark says
As a retired HD mechanic I can tell you that if Harley had stuck with the dot 5 brake fluid this would not have happened ,But the bean counters now run the company and the product is seriously being compromised, The new engines (1998 forward) no longer have a rebuild-able crank and the latest crank bearings are a Joke. As the older bikers in this country are passing on and the younger generation are not interested in anything except these invasive smart-stupid phones nobody is buying the bikes anymore and they ( HD corporation) are on the way to the end of their run. It was fun while it lasted!
Meehawl says
Design and management that have little connection with the broader scope of the motorcycling world allow decisions like that to be made. Where motorcycling companies go wrong are almost always accurately prophesied by astute members of the motorcycling community in large numbers. If their well informed and experienced observations aren’t part of design & management’s regular circle, then they’ll just establish an echo chamber with a career ladder strapped to the wall. Dysfunction begins to then gain a consensus.
Bob says
For a few cents worth of fluid, the dealership gets to have customers of their more expensive bikes to hang around the showroom for a little while.
Sounds like a good business move to me…
mike says
took mine to the dealer for the recall,bought it from said dealer used. abs unit was damaged and I was forced to pay for it. was told i had no record of the brake fluid being changed so it was my responsibility to pay for the repair. i told the service manager i bought the bike 8 months ago from them. Did they due the proper service to the bike before i bought it, i asked. Not the point i was told. NO RECORD OF SERVICE NO WARRANTY REPAIR. I talked to the dealership owner and was told the same thing again. 950$ plus tax plus the total loss of any future sales being made there. what a joke.now the joke is on the sucker who bought it from me.(full disclosure of course) ABS was replaced and brake fluid replaced. BY the STEALER. Went into a kawasaki dealership, looked at a bike , bought bike with no push to upgrade anything(engine upgrade). was told dealer would stand behind any problems no matter what!