2017 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Flhtk

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V734000 (POWER TRAIN) FAILED TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY CANNONBALL HARLEY-DAVIDSON (3912 S US HWY 41, TERRE HAUTE, IN 47802, 1-(812) 232-7821). THE DEALER REFUSED TO PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE AFTER BEING MADE AWARE THAT THE NEW SECONDARY CLUTCH ACTUATOR PISTON ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE CONTACT ORDERED THE PART FROM LEGACY HARLEY-DAVIDSON (1315 ALTHOFF DR, EFFINGHAM, IL 62401, 1-(217) 342-3494) AND THE OWNER REPLACED THE PART. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAS ISSUED THEIR TECHNICAL ADVISORY TA0022 TO DEALERS BUT NOT CUSTOMERS. IT IDENTIFIES A PROBLEM OF OIL TRANSFERRING FROM THE MOTORCYCLE'S TRANSMISSION TO THE PRIMARY CHAIN CASE RESULTING IN BELOW MINIMUM REQUIRED OIL VOLUME IN THE TRANSMISSION AND TOO MUCH OIL IN THE PRIMARY CHAINCASE. INADEQUATE OIL VOLUME IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN RESULT IN TRANSMISSION DAMAGE/FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES FOR THE RIDER (I.E. A CRASH). HARLEY-DAVIDSON STATES IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR THE MOTORCYCLE 'DO NOT OVERFILL THE PRIMARY CHAINCASE WITH LUBRICANT. OVERFILLING CAN CAUSE ROUGH CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT, INCOMPLETE DISENGAGEMENT, CLUTCH DRAG AND/OR DIFFICULTY IN FINDING NEUTRAL AT ENGINE IDLE'. THESE CONDITIONS COULD ALSO PRODUCE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE RIDER SUCH AS BEING UNABLE TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH WHEN TRYING TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THE TA0022 OFFERS NO SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM ON 2017 AND NEWER VEHICLES AND ADVISERS DEALERS ONLY TO 'CHECK THE PRIMARY AND TRANSMISSION OIL LEVELS AND ADJUST THE OIL VOLUMES AS NEEDED. VERIFY OIL LEVELS AGAIN IN 1,600KM (1,000 MI)'. THIS WOULD ONLY HAPPEN IF A CUSTOMER BECOMES AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEN TAKES THE MOTORCYCLE TO A DEALER. CUSTOMERS MUST LEARN OF THE PROBLEM FROM SOME SOURCE OTHER THAN HARLEY-DAVIDSON AS HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAS NOT NOTIFIED CUSTOMERS OF THE PROBLEM OR TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT TRANSMISSION OIL ONLY NEEDS TO BE CHANGED EVERY 20,000 MILES. CLEARLY, HARLEY-DAVIDSON EXPECTED THAT ADEQUATE OIL VOLUME WOULD REMAIN IN THE TRANSMISSION FOR THAT AMOUNT OF USAGE. ENCLOSED IS A COPY OF THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON TECHNICAL ADVISORY TA0022.

IT IS TRANSFERRING OIL FROM THE TRANSMISSION TO THE PRIMARY WHILE RIDING. THIS CAUSES THE PRIMARY TO OVERFILL WHICH RESULTS IN CLUTCH ISSUES AND DIFFICULTY FINDING NEUTRAL. THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING DOWN WHICH IS PROBABLY DECREASING ITS LIFE AND COULD CAUSE IT TO LOCK UP DUE TO LOW OIL LEVEL. THIS IS POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT IF THIS OCCURS AT HIGHER SPEEDS. BIKE HAS ONLY 2500 MILES ON IT AND SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS. NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM THE DEALER.

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH HAS NO ADJUSTMENT AND MY PARTICULAR CLUTCH IS ALL THE WAY AT THE VERY END APPEARS IT MAY EVEN BE SLIPPING SOME LESS THAN 500 MILES ON THE MACHINE AND CLUTCH HAS TO BE WHAT APPEARS TO BE 1/8 INCH FROM THE END BEFORE IT CATCHES AND NO FRICTION ZONE HAS ALMOST GOTTEN ME HIT MORE THAN ONCE DUE TO NO TAKE UP BEFORE RELEASE AND WITH CLUTCH SO FAR HAND HAS SLIPPED FROM CLUTCH HANDLE MORE THAN ONCE. IT HAS ALSO CAUSED ME TO ROLL BACK ALMOST INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE OR HAS CAUSED ME TO KILL THE BIKE TRYING TO TAKE OFF FROM A LIGHT OR STOP. I HAVE OVER 30 YEARS RIDING EXPERIENCE AND WHEN MENTIONED T DEALERSHIP WAS INFORMED THEY HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS BUT I'D JUST HAVE TO GET USED TO IT. I HAVE RIDDEN TO MANY BIKES AND NO BETTER THAN THIS.