Service Brakes. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports

What owners actually said

81 reports

56,000 miles · Jun 15, 2018

Service Brakes

ABS UNIT FAILED I HAVE NO REAR BRAKE ON THE MOTORCYCLE.

NHTSA ODI #11102150

40,000 miles · Mar 19, 2018

Service Brakes

I RECEIVED A RECALL ON HD ULTRA CLASSIC 2008 ABS SYSTEM. HOWEVER ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE FRONT BRAKE FROZE UP AND BECAME NON-FUNCTIONAL RESULTING IN A VERY UNSAFE EXPERIENCE. WILL THIS RECALL COVER THIS OR AM I ON MY OWN TO PAY FOR THIS FAILURE? I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES IN MY LIFE AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN.

NHTSA ODI #11080216

9,200 miles · Feb 8, 2018

Service Brakes

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO COME TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL THE REAR BRAKE LOCKED UP WITH NO WARNING. LUCKILY I WAS GOING STRAIGHT AND WAS ABLE TO RECOVER THE SKIDDING BIKE BEFORE I HIT THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. I BROUGHT MY BIKE THE LOCAL DEALER AND THE CLAIM THE ABS MODULE IS BAD.NO ONE MENTIONED TO ME ABOUT THE RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #11071740

20,000 miles · Dec 16, 2017

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

1. SUDDEN THROTTLE LOST CONTROL, GET TO SHOULDER, TURNED BIKE OFF AND STARTED. RANDOMLY HAPPENED. 2. LAST YEAR I REPLACE ECU - IT'S OK OVER A YEAR AND NOW IT HAPPENED AGAIN. 3. I SEARCH IN INTERNET - MANY OWNER HAVE SAME ISSUES AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX. THE DEALER SERVICE CHARGE ME A LOT OF MONEY AND THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OU…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #11055067

25,000 miles · Dec 1, 2017

Service Brakes

Read full complaint

WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION I TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE. IT WAS LOCKED IN PLACE. LUCKILY THE REAR BRAKE STILL WORKED AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP. AFTER I STOPPED AND PULLED OVER I WAS ABLE TO GET THE BRAKE LEVER TO MOVE AGAIN. IT DID THE SAME THING AGAIN ON THE NEXT ATTEMPT TO STOP SO I SLOWLY DROVE HOME USING ONLY THE REAR BRAKE. I HAVE BEEN RIDING BIKES FOR 40 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF IT HAS NOT CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENTS LIKE IT ALMOST DID FOR ME AND MY WIFE. THE ABS MODULE HAS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW AND SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN USED ON ANY BIKE! ON TOP OF THAT THE DEALERSHIP WANTS AROUND $1200 TO FIX THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11051676

117 miles · Jul 25, 2017

Wheels

Read full complaint

I AM CONTACTING YOU TO IMPLORE THAT YOU LOOK INTO THE POSSIBLE NEED TO HAVE A RECALL ISSUED FOR THE REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY OF THE HARLEY DAVIDSON 2008 TOURING MODELS. I HAVE NOW REPLACED PORTIONS OF MY REAR WHEEL ON MY 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU THAT SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED OR REPLACED AS OFTEN AS THEY HAVE. UPON RESEARCH, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THE RUBBER ISOLATORS INSIDE THE BOWL COMPENSATOR FAILING, THEREBY CAUSING THE BOLTS THAT CONNECT THE BOWL COMPENSATOR TO THE REAR WHEEL TO FAIL. THERE ARE 5 BOLTS AND ONCE THEY FAIL, THE MOTORCYCLE WILL BE LEFT WITHOUT POWER TO THE REAR WHEEL, POTENTIALLY CAUSING A CRASH. HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS REDESIGNED THE REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY CONSIDERABLY FOR THE 2009 MODEL YEAR BY CREATING A ONE PIECE RUBBER ISOLATOR AND ELIMINATING THE BOWL COMPENSATOR COMPLETELY.

NHTSA ODI #11010505

36,000 miles · Jul 6, 2017

Service Brakes

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE EXPRESS WAY A CAR CHANGED LANES IN FRONT OF ME TO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE REAR BRAKE BUT COULD NOT PUSH THE PEDAL DOWN. I SWERVED AND USED THE FRONT BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN TO CREATE SPACE BETWEEN MYSELF AND OTHER TRAFFIC. I CONTINUED HOME KNOWING I ONLY HAD FRONT BRAKES. ONCE HOME I ATTEMPTED TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT WOULD NOT MOVE. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ON THE COMPUTER I FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHERS SOMETIMES THE REAR BRAKE SOMETIMES THE FRONT BRAKE. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALERS FOR MAINTENANCE. WHAT FAILED WAS THE REAR ABS CONTROL MODULE. THIS IS THE SAME PART LISTED ONLINE BY MANY AS FAILING. ONE WEEK AFTER TAKING THE MOTORCYCLE TO THE DEALER I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM HARLEY DAVIDSON INFORMING ME THAT MY MOTORCYCLE CONTAINED DOT 4 BRAKE FLUID AND THAT IT WAS REQUIRED TO BE CHANGED EVERY TWO YEARS TO PREVENT POSSIBLE FAILURE. I HAVE OWNED THIS BIKE SINCE NEW, 2008, AND NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM HARLEY BEFORE. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS THE ABS MODULE THAT HAD FAILED AND ORDERED ONE. THE PART THAT WAS ON MY BIKE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. (I AM ASSUMING BECAUSE HARLEY KNOWS THEY ARE NO GOOD). THE NEW PART THAT IT HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH WILL NOT WORK ON MY MOTORCYCLE UNLESS I PURCHASE A NEW ELECTRONIC ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT ALSO WHICH IS IN EXCESS OF FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. WHEN THE ABS BRAKES FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY, THEY FAILED IN A MANNER THAT I HAD NO BRAKES. NOT JUST NO ABS BUT NO BRAKES ON THE REAR SYSTEM WHAT SO EVER. ALTHOUGH HARLEY DAVIDSON KNOWS THAT THIS PART WAS DEFECTIVE, AS IT WAS DISCONTINUED AND REPLACED WITH ANOTHER PART, THEY BLAME THE CONSUMER BY SAYING THE BRAKE FLUID WAS NOT CHANGED OFTEN ENOUGH. THIS WAS NOT A GRADUAL FAILURE BUT SUDDEN. THEY WORKED FINE THAT MORNING. THE COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES COULD BE FATAL.

NHTSA ODI #11003513

50,000 miles · Mar 23, 2017

Service Brakes

Read full complaint

THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER SUDDENLY BECAME VERY HARD TO PULL. I KNEW FROM OTHER RIDERS EXPERIENCES WITH THIS THIS SAME PROBLEM THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS (ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM). MY HARLEY CERTIFIED MECHANIC VERIFIED THAT THE ABS MODULE HAD GONE BAD. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL HARLEY-DAVIDSON DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT ABS MODULE WAS OBSOLETE AND THERE WAS NO REPLACEMENT. AFTER SEVERAL CALLS TO HARLEY CUSTOMER SERVICE I WAS GIVEN TWO PART NUMBERS THAT SHOULD WORK ON MY MOTORCYCLE. MY MECHANIC HAS TO DETERMINE WHICH TYPE OF ABS IS ON MY MOTORCYCLE AND THEN I HAVE TO FIND A DEALER THAT CAN GET THE PERT. THE MOTORCYCLE IS STILL OPERABLE BUT IT IS QUESTIONABLE WHETHER OR NOR THE ABS IS WORKING. ALSO WITH THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER VERY HARD TO PULL IT CERTAINLY LEADS TO A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP. I FEEL THAT THIS CONDITION SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY THE MANUFACTURER AND SINCE IT INVOLVES CONTROL AND BRAKING OF THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE MERITED A SAFETY RECALL OR AT THE VERY LEAST A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. IF I AM ABLE TO LOCATE THE CORRECT ABS MODULE IT WILL COST ME $373.71 - $ 481.73 PLUS LABOR COSTS OF INSTALLATION. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT IS GARAGE KEPT AND SERVICED ON A REGULAR BASIS. I FEEL THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE WARNED ME OF THIS PROBLEM AND SHOULD HAVE REPLACED A CRITICAL PART THEY KNEW WAS GOING TO FAIL.

NHTSA ODI #10967954

20,900 miles · Feb 19, 2017

Service Brakes

ON CITY STREET APPLIED FRONT BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE TURN AND LEVER WAS ROCK SOLID. NO FRONT BRAKE AT ALL. ABS LIGHT WAS NOT ON. REAR BRAKE WORKED. DEALER SAID THEY HAD TO ORDER ABS MODULE FROM HARLEY DAVIDSON BECAUSE HARLEY DAVIDSON NEEDED THE OLD ONE TO INSPECT. BIKE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER WAITING ON NEW PART.

NHTSA ODI #10955504

15,000 miles · Jan 6, 2017

Service Brakes

REAR BRAKE PEDAL LOCKED UP- NO REAR BRAKES- ABS MODULE FAILED-VALVE NOT LETTING BRAKE FLUID TO GET TO REAR BRAKE CALIPER-DANGEROUS SITUATION. WORKED FINE ON THE WAY TO RESTAURANT. CAME OUT TO LEAVE AND NO REAR BRAKES.

NHTSA ODI #10940087

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.

PE08043 · Motorcycle Stalling

Opened Jul 17, 2008 · Closed Aug 8, 2008

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery

THE SUBJECT FUEL FILTER HOUSING (P/N 62229-08) CRACKS, RESULTING IN SUDDEN ENGINE STALL DUE TO UNREGULATED FUEL PRESSURE.HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAS MODIFIED THE HOUSING WITH A NEW PART NUMBER 62229-08A.SHORTLY AFTER OPENING THIS PE, ODI RECEIVED HARLEY'S DEFECT NOTIFICATION INDICATING THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE BEING RECALLED TO INSTALL THE NEW FUEL FILTER HOUSING.WITH THAT RECALL, RECEIVED PRIOR TO RELEASE OF OUR INFORMATION REQUEST, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CONCLUDED.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery

Fuel System, Gasoline