Service Brakes. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

8 reports

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Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2023

Service Brakes

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ABS Module failed for rear brake. The rear brake locks up due to failure from the module. Safety of myself and any passenger is at risk by not having any braking ability while riding the motorcycle. I have taken to a dealer where it was checked in the parking lot and i was told of the issue with 2008-2013 Harley touring models. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone recently. The ABS light flashes at startup but goes away indicating there is no problem with the unit.

NHTSA ODI #11550443

12,000 miles · Jun 29, 2017

Service Brakes

ABS FAILED WHILE RIDING. I TOOK TO DEALER AND INFORMED ME THAT BRAKE FLUID HAS TO BE CHANGED EVERY 2 YEARS WHICH I HSVE NEVER HEARD BEFORE PLUS MY OWNRRS MSNUSL SAYS INSPECT NOT CHANGE. I ASKED WHY THIS IS NOT INCLUDED IN 5000 MILE INTERVAL SERVICE IF THAT IS THE CASE? WAS ABLE TO BRING BIKE STAVELY TO STOP WORH BACK BRAKES…

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NHTSA ODI #11002383

15,600 miles · Jun 9, 2017

Service Brakes

REAR BRAKE PEDAL LOCKED UP. WENT TO APPLY REAR BRAKE PEDDLE WOULD NOT MOVE. ABS MODULE LOCKED UP.

NHTSA ODI #10994246

1,000 miles · Jul 13, 2016

Service Brakes

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SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN 2009 I NOTICED WHEN I APPLIED THE REAR BRAKES SOMETIMES THE PEDAL WOULD GO DOWN AND HIT THE FLOOD BOARD WITHOUT ANY BRAKING PRESSURE. DEALER SAID NOTHING WRONG. NOW AFTER SITTING FOR A FEW WEEKS FRONT BRAKE LEVER IS VERY HARD TO APPLY AT FIRST BUT DOES GET BETTER AFTER USE.I QUIT COMPLAINING BUT AM STILL SCARED TO RIDE IT CANT WAIT TO SELL IT.WOULD APPRECIATE BEING NOTIFIED BY SOMEONE IF A RECALL BECOMES POSSIBLE. I HATE TO SELL AS IS.

NHTSA ODI #10884562

31,260 miles · Jul 11, 2016

Service Brakes

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WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN YOU APPLIED PRESSURE TO LEVER TO STOP. HAD TO USE REAR BRAKE TO STOP MOTORCYCLE. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AND WORKED LEVER AND SEEMED TO FREE UP AND WORK OK. RESTARTED BIKE AND DROVE OFF. BRAKES SEEMED TO WORK. DROVE BIKE FOR ABOUT 30 MILES AND BRAKE LEVER FROZE UP AGAIN. NO BRAKES IN THE FRONT. HARD LEVER AGAIN. FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. TOOK BIKE HOME AND LET SIT IN GARAGE. STARTED BIKE THE NEXT MORNING AND BACKED OUT OF GARAGE. HIT FRONT BRAKE TO SLOW BIKE DOWN AND LEVER WAS FROZE UP AGAIN. TOOK BIKE TO HARLEY DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE ABS HCU PART NUMBER 48343-09. THIS ALL HAPPENED WHEN THE BIKE HAD 31268 MILES ON IT. THEY TOLDED ME THAT "THIS HAPPENS" NOTICED ON FOX NEWS THAT THEY MAY HAVE A RECALL. THIS HAPPENED IN 10/2013 GOD FORBID SOMEONE GETS HURT FROM THIS PROBLEM. IT IS GREAT TO HAVE REAR BRAKES

NHTSA ODI #10884051

6,997 miles · Jul 8, 2016

Service Brakes

FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP. WOULD NOT APPLY.

NHTSA ODI #10883608

75,960 miles · Apr 8, 2016

Service Brakes

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AFTER REPLACING FRONT BRAKE PADS IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE HANDLE IS LOCKED AND WONT MOVE WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO ACTIVATE FRONT BRAKES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP IT WAS FOUND THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT HAS FAILED. APPARENTLY IT FAILS SO MUCH THAT THERE IS A MONTH LONG BACKORDER TO GET THE PARTS IN TO FIX PROBLEM. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN THE FRONT BRAKES ARE 70% OF THE BIKES BREAKING POWER AND IF THIS ISSUED HAPPENED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAYS OF CALIFORNIA I'M CERTAIN IT WOULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10854485

27,000 miles · Dec 15, 2015

Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE (NA). WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT BRAKES FAILED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE.…

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NHTSA ODI #10810477

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.

11V506000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Oct 19, 2011

HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2012 TOURING, CVO TOURING AND TRIKE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 6, 2008, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16, 2011. SEE THE ABOVE LIST FOR THE MODELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY BE EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE EXCESSIVE HEAT MAY CAUSE THE SWITCH TO NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP OR ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LAMP WHEN NO BRAKE IS APPLIED AND/OR CAUSE A BRAKE FLUID LEAK AT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, AFFECTING REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. EITHER CONDITION MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL A INSTALL A REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH KIT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

09V457000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting

Dec 1, 2009

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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 BEGAN ON DECEMBER 11, 2009. 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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.