The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Harley Davidson Touring Motorcycle Fuel Tank Mount Recall – Over 111,000 Units Affected

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Harley Davidson Touring fuel tank mount recallHarley Davidson has issued a recall for over 111,000 touring models for a problem with front fuel tank mounts. This is probably not the best time for Harley Davidson to have a recall of this size. Please read below for further details.

Manufacturer: Harley Davidson Motor Company
Models and model years affected:

H-D / FLHP     2009-2010
H-D / FLHPE     2009-2010
H-D / FLHR     2009-2010
H-D / FLHR SHRINE 2009-2010
H-D / FLHRC 2009-2010
H-D / FLHT 2009-2010
H-D / FLHTC 2009-2010
H-D / FLHTCU 2009-2010
H-D / FLHTCU SHRINE 2009-2010
H-D / FLHTCU W/SC 2009-2010
H-D / FLHTCU4-CVO 2009
H-D / FLHTCUSE4 2009
H-D / FLHTCUSE5 2010
H-D / FLHTCUTG 2010
H-D / FLHTK 2010
H-D / FLHTP 2009-2010
H-D / FLHX 2009-2011
H-D / FLHXXX 2010
H-D / FLTR 2009
H-D / FLTR3-CVO 2009
H-D / FLTRSE3 2009

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V457000
Potential Units Affected: 111569
Problem: Harley-Davidson is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 touring family motorcycles, including CVO touring and trike products, manufactured from June 6, 2008 through November 19, 2009. The front fuel tank mounts may distort in reaction to severe frame damage from a frontal collision. This condition may cause a fuel leak at the weld of the front bracket to the tunnel. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire, which could lead to injury or death to the rider.

Corrective Action: Dealers will install a left and right brace, which are intended to reduce front mount distortion during certain crash conditions. This repair will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about December 14, 2009. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson at 1-414-343-4056.

 

Comments

  1. The positive side of this is, Getting 111,000 late model Bike Buyers into the Dealer… T-Shirt and X-Mass Gift Sales may well offset the cost of the recall !!!

  2. Tin Man, that’s definitely a positive take on this and there’s merit to your idea. Good point.

  3. That’s it Tin Man. Is it really surprising that a frame would distort and possibly distort the tank in a severe frontal crash? I’ve seen enough bashed steel tanks that were still fuel tight, but if H-D is that serious about fuel tank safety, why not put a bladder in every new one? On the other hand, when a defective reat mount caused the tank on my nearly new 88 Sportster to crack, it took letters to Milwaukee, bugging the dealer, and too much time to get the tank repainted after it was welded. They never did pay for welding of the tank or mount, the mount done by an H-D shop. There never was a recall of 88 Sportsters to check the rear tank mount. So, sounds like customer service is up, good thing too because that strap weld is where my tank cracked.

  4. I just thought Id point out that in the event of “severe frame damage from a frontal collision” the rider has a lot more to worry about than just burning or dying from fire like say, life threatening head injuries, internal injuries, road rash ect… few and far between are the wrecks that the rider stays with the bike in a frontal collision that would cause “severe frame damage.” Just my thoughts.
    However if the MoCo is going to put stuff on my bike for free, I’m all for it! Its not like they give away services very often.

  5. mmm…. I wonder if this has anything to do with someone that has way more money than brains and a good lawyer; after all, any and all “front fuel tank mounts may distort in reaction to severe frame damage from a frontal collision” shoot even cars depending on how severe

  6. I was thinking that in the case of a severe frame damage from a frontal collision, the rider would leak before the tank … but hey, still always a good thing to proactively recall the bikes and fix the issue, whatever it is.

  7. Dinosaurs are extinct for a good reason. Thousands of species have gone extinct over the ages because of their inability to adapt. Many went away clearing the way for superior species to have the room necessary to flourish. Now is the time for H-D to pack it in and let a real innovator (Buell, MV/Augusta, Triumph, BMW, and the list goes on) have the room that is currently being “hogged”-up by obsolete dinosaurs.

  8. It seems to me that this is good for both Harley and those effected by the recall.
    My ducati tank mounts and tank are having issues and I don’t see them offering any solutions, through my research it seems like a common problem. Harley builds a fine product for a nostalgia loving fan base.
    Gettin people in the dealership is always a good thing.

  9. probably every motorcycle I own could have this issue. Well maybe my old Triumph might not, with it’s center bolt mount. The whole tank might fall off instead. I had a comment for one of the negitive post but decided it wasn’t worth the bother!

  10. Maybe it would make more sense to rig it up so the whole tank just pops right off in the event of severe frame damage, as opposed to trying to reinforce everything? If it just comes off, it’s likely to just get bounced around and banged up, not break open and leak gasoline everywhere.

    As for a Beemer rider wanting Harley to go away, careful what you wish for. If there were no Harley riders to mock, Beemer riders would be next on the chopping block.

  11. Hey beemerwhatever,your post doesn’t make sense.Harley is going way over what they need to,to fix what seems to be a non issue.You like your BMW?good for you,I love my Harley,why do you bother with such posts?

  13. Scott, Just for fun, Do you know the real Pinto story?,,,, The Young Lady who was killed in this horrible accident had just Filled the Fuel tank, She forgot to put the fuel cap back on after filling the tank. This Lady was backing down the side of the road in the Fog looking for the Gas Cap that had fallen off the bumper of her car when she was rear ended by another car at a high rate of speed. It was a posted 55MPH roadway. This resulted in the Famous Pinto lawsuit that you are referring to. Draw your own conclusions, the Jury sure did.

  14. Tin Man 2; Like you cynicism about it all being a ploy to get H-D riders into the t-shirt shop – er – H-D dealership. On the other hand, doing the recall at this time of the year means they’ll miss out on all the pansies who don’t ride when the temperature is 15 degrees below absolute zero.

    PS That certainly was a new take on the Pinto story – right out of a Oliver Stone movie.

  15. Kim, I wasnt being cynical, I was just looking to put a positive spin on an expensive recall. I dont think anyone would fake a recall to sell T-Shirts…. The Pinto story is to my knowledge true, I followed this incident closely when it happened. This was in an Era of runaway lawsuits, Remember the “unintended acceleration” issue that almost put Audi out of bussiness? How about Consumers Reports labeling the then new Dodge Omni Unexceptible because if you yanked the steering at 60MPH and then let go, the car would crash? How about 60 minutes faking the gas tank explosion on a Chevy Pick Up truck. The Legal system is a mess.

  16. Pinto, Gremlin and Firenza were “the american answer” to European and Japanese import “invasion”. Were they good cars? I don’t know. Never drove one.
    I drove Audi a lot though. No problems.

  17. I was following a mini-van the other day and saw – to my amazement – the plastic fuel tank was hanging just below and forward of the plastic/foam bumper like a rotweiler’s nards.

    I think Tin man’s “T-shirt Brief” hit it. Its not about bursting into flames – its about probabilities, exposure and ROI – and T-shirts have really good ROI if they carry the H-D merchandizing logo.

  18. Bob,The Pinto, Vega and Gremlin were stop gap measures only. The VW Rabbit and Dodge Omni were the 1st new generation sub compact cars sold in the USA. The success of these 2 fine little front drive cars forced the Japanese to copy the design and bring out their own modern subcompacts about 2 Yrs after Chrysler and VW. The Honda Civic was here but it was a Micro car that Rusted badly and was not a mainstream vehicle until the next generation arrived here. So in America at least it was Chrysler and VW that introduced customers to Great small cars.

  19. Bob, please understand I was not defaming the Audi, The Acceleration issues were caused by drivers not used to control pedals set up to heal and toe shift. People were driving them into swimming pools and hedge rows and blaiming the cars. I used this only of an example of our Legal system and the folies of the Jury system.

  20. Just my luck! I have an 09 FLHRC. I also had a 1978 Mercury Bobcat (Pinto with chrome). I don’t know about you guys but if I have a crash that is so severe that it bends the frame…. who cares about fuel leaking and burning me up?

    b

  22. Todd, The original Omni used some VW engines as the base engine in the early Yrs of production. This allowed the car to come to market before the Chrysler engine came on line. This was a decent engine and did not suffer the Catalyst meltdowns that plagued the early Rabbits. Although slightly underpowered by American standards the VW engine got the Omni on the road and selling before the more powerfull Chrysler engine was in full production. I owned a new 78 Omni with the VW sourced engine and it was a fine little car, miles ahead of the competition in all regards.

  24. Paulinator, The Mini was a very groundbreaking car, But in the US it was not a Mainstream car, Here it was considered a Micro Car and I never saw one on the road. Now the new Mini is very popular here, and is probably roomy enough for most modern familys, although it is priced more like a Boutique vehicle in the USA. The LE Car from Renault was also sold here before the Omni/Rabbit but it was Quirky and was never a success here, I believe the quality problems ended up forcing Renault out of the US market.

  25. Tin Man, I’m from Candia. We were flush with Mini’s back in the late 70’s and early 80’s. I bought one for 200 bucks – LLLLOVED IT!!!! Wish I had foresight. You’re right about the Le Car. My French loyalist Aunt had one – little piece of junk. Not in the same league as the Mini. Not even close.

  26. I sure would rather them recall my 05 for cam chain tensioners than my 09 tank mounts.That one lasted 8 years and HD didn’t see a need to recall that.I think I will have more to worry about than tank mounts in a hard frontender.Besides I have not heard from HD about this recall. But I did get an e-mail from them about a sale on motorclothes, (go figure)

  27. P.S. didn’t have a pinto or bobcat did have a1977 gremlin x one of the great bobber cars of the 70’s didn’t blow up but the back glass blew out of it twice in the winter when the temp. got below freezing.