Service Brakes. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Structure. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

3 reports

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77,000 miles · May 16, 2018

Service Brakes

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AFTER RECENT BRAKE FLUID RECALL AND A FEW DAYS OF RIDING, ON MY WAY HOME AT A STOP THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER DIDN'T RELEASE AS USUAL. AT THE NEXT STOP THE BRAKES WOULDN'T FULLY DISENGAGE, THIS MADE IT SO THE BIKE COULD BARELY MOVE UNDER ITS OWN POWER. THE FRONT BRAKES ARE LOCKED UP AND WILL NOT ALLOW THE BIKE TO ROLL FORWARD. AFTER SITTING FOR A DAY OR SO THE BRAKES LOOSEN UP, AS SOON AS THE BIKE IS STARTED THE FRONT BRAKES LOCK UP AGAIN. THE ABS LIGHT IS NOW ON. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION. THE DEALERSHIP THINKS IT IS THE HCU UNIT, BUT IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING.

NHTSA ODI #11096405

38,000 miles · Jul 12, 2016

Service BrakesCrash

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHP STREET GLIDE. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE HAND BRAKES TO STOP THE MOTORCYCLE. THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE MOTORCYCLE CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,000.

NHTSA ODI #10884300

78,000 miles · Apr 9, 2014

Service Brakes

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I PURCHASED THIS MOTORCYCLE ON 1/17/2014. ON 1/18/2014 I TOOK THIS VEHICLE FOR A RIDE. THE FRONT BRAKES OPERATED BUT HAD VERY LITTLE DEFLECTION OR MOVEMENT FROM THE BRAKE LEVER. THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO PULL. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. I CONTINUED TO RIDE THE VEHICLE AND I NOTICED THAT NOT ONLY WERE THE BRAKES HARD TO ENGAGE, THEY ALSO WOULD NOT HOLD AT RED LIGHTS. I THEN BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE HMU HAD A STICKING VALVE AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE TUNE OF $1200.00. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ABS ON THESE MOTORCYCLES WAS SUPPOSED TO FEEL LIKE A NORMAL BRAKING SYSTEM AND HAD A FAILSAFE IN PLACE THAT INSURED THAT IF SOMETHING WENT WRONG IT WOULD RESORT TO A SAFE MODE AND THE BRAKES WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY. IN THIS CASE THEY ARE NOT ACTING NORMAL AND I DESCRIBE IT IN THIS MANOR. IF YOU HAVE EVER SHOT A HAND GUN, THE TRIGGER PULL IS APPROXIMATELY13 POUNDS OF PULL. MY FROM BRAKE LEVER IS APPROXIMATELY 60 POUNDS OF PULL AND IT WILL CREEP TOWARDS THE GRIP AT A RED LIGHT. AFTER A MINUTE OF BEING STOPPED AND HOLDING THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER, THE FRONT BRAKES ARE NONEXISTENT. I HAVE DONE INTERNET RESEARCH AND MY FINDINGS ARE THAT THIS MALFUNCTION IS VERY COMMON AND DOES POSE A SAFETY HAZARD TO THOSE THAT EXPERIENCE IT. I WAS ALSO AMAZED THAT MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS HAVE SUFFERED MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. FRONT BRAKES THAT LOCK UP AND CAUSE SERIOUS BODILY INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. I'M REPORTING THIS BASED UPON THE SEVERITY AND THAT IT CAN CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE LEADING TO A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10578439

Official recalls

18V076000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:fluid

Jan 29, 2018

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 Owners Manual.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip

Consequence: 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.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:fluid

Consequence: These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.

08V357000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:filler Pipe And Cap

Jul 30, 2008

HARLEY DAVIDSON IS RECALLING 47,579 MY 2008 FLHP, FLHPE, FLHR, FLHRC, FLHRSE4, FLHT, FLHTC, FLHTCU, FLHTCUSE3, FLHTP, FLHX, AND FLTR MOTORCYCLES. THESE MOTORCYCLES MAY EXPERIENCE A CRACKING OF THE FUEL FILTER SHELL LEADING TO LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE. THIS LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE CAN CAUSE DIMINISHED PERFORMANCE AND, IN SOME CASES, MAY CAUSE AN ENGINE STALL OR A NO-START CONDITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WHICH COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO THE RIDER.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILTER SHELL FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

PE16009 · Sudden Brake Failure - Motorcycle

Opened Jul 6, 2016 · Closed Apr 23, 2018

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation in July 2016 based on forty-three (43) Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ).During the course of this investigation ODI received a total of 145 VOQs related to the alleged defect on the subject motorcycles.Owners allege they experience a sudden and complete loss of brakes on one or both wheels.To better understand the cause of the braking issue on the subject motorcycles, ODI requested NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) conduct inspections and testing of affected vehicle braking systems.Through its work, VRTC determined that deposits were forming on the valves in the Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) of the Antilock Braking System (ABS). These deposits could prevent the proper function of the HCU and render the brakes ineffective.To understand why deposits were forming in the HCU, Harley Davidson completed an analysis of the Dow 460 brake fluid used as original equipment on the subject motorcycles and determined that it had stability issues if left in the brake system for an extended period of time.Harley Davidson found that if a brake fluid flush was not conducted as outlined in the owner?s manual for the motorcycles, and was left in the system for a period of time beyond their recommendation; deposits could form in the HCU.Through further testing, Harley Davidson identified an alternate, commercially available, brake fluid that did not have the same stability issues as the original fluid and could stop the proliferation of any current brake system deposits.ODI sent Information Request (IR) letters to Harley Davidson and Dow Chemical (the supplier of the brake fluid on the subject motorcycles) to collect information about the subject bikes and the alleged defect.Harley Davidson responded in full on Sept 30, 2016 and Dow responded with a confidential submission on October 25, 2017.ODI analyzed the information contained in both IR responses and concluded that motorcycles manufactured during Model Years (MY) 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 were failing at a rate greater than their peers.Based on this analysis and the brake fluid study conducted by Harley Davidson, a group of motorcycles was identified that were potentially affected by the instability of the original brake fluid.2008 marked the introduction of ABS on Harley Davidson motorcycles and a change in the Dow 460 brake fluid used in the 2012 MY vehicles provided the bases for the scope of the affected population.With recall action 18V-076 taken by Harley Davidson this investigation is closed as further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: https://www.nhtsa.gov/ using the complaint identification numbers attached to this resume.