2009 Harley-Davidson VRSCF problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
11 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
9,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 11 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 11 complaints (45.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 6 | 54.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 9.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 9.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 5 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 3 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
Service Brakes: 5; Fuel/Propulsion System: 3; Unknown Or Other: 2; Electrical System: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline: 1; Power Train: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 10 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (10). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
2011: 1; 2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 1; 2016: 4; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2021: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10884850 · 2016-07-14 (July 14, 2016)
WHILE DRIVING ON A SURFACE STREET APPROXIMATELY 40MPH I WAS CUT OFF. APPLIED BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES. ABS ENGAGED NORMALLY. WITHOUT INCIDENT BUT AFTER THAT THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER BECAME EXTREMELY STIFF. AND ONLY GOT STIFFER UNTIL IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANY STOPPING ACTION ON THE FRONT WHEEL. ..UPDATED 02/10/17 *BF THE ABS ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED, NORMAL BRAKING RETURNED. APPROXIMATELY A YEAR LATER AGAIN ON SURFACE STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME BEGAN TO PULL AWAY THEN PANIC STOPPED. I APPLIED BOTH BRAKES, THE A…
Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10884850 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10916224 · 2016-10-15 (October 15, 2016)
WHILE EXITING MY DRIVEWAY AND ATTEMPTING TO USE THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL, I FOUND THAT I COULD NOT PRESS IT AND HAD ONLY THE FRONT BRAKES. I FOUND THAT WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS STATIONARY IF I FORCED THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN, IT WOULD WORK NORMALLY, BUT WOULD SEIZE UP AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING WHILE RIDING. I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO A DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE, AND THEY RECOMMENDED CHANGING THE REAR BRAKE PADS, WHICH I DID. THEY THEN CALLED BACK LATER STATING THAT THE "ABS MODULE" NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH I COULD NOT AFFORD AT THE TIME. CURRENTLY TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,885 miles reported. Look up ODI 10916224 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10924475 · 2016-11-06 (November 6, 2016)
THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE SHIFTER AND LEFT FOOT PEDAL BREAKS, ALLOWING THE FOOT PEDAL TO ROTATE DOWN AND BECOME UNUSABLE AND ALSO ALLOWS IT TO COME OUT AND BECOME FOD ON THE ROADWAY. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE RIDERS LEFT FOOT FALLS TO THE PAVEMENT. MINE HAS BROKEN TWICE, BOTH TIMES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, I REPAIRED USING THE SAME DESIGN EXCEPT WITH A STRONGER BOLT. THE SECOND TIME, I ALTERED THE DESIGN AS CAN BE SEEN ON THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO I MADE TO HELP OTHERS. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=O6SDDFQILG8. IF YOU WATCH THR…
Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10924475 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10435616 · 2011-11-14 (November 14, 2011)
FUEL GAUGE READS ANYWHERE FROM EMPTY TO FULL AT RANDOM TIMES - REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE ACTUAL FUEL LEVEL IN THE TANK IS. EXAMPLE: #1. I FILLED THE FUEL TANK, AS I DRIVE AWAY FROM THE GAS STATION, THE GAUGE SUDDENLY GOES TO "E", AND LOW FUEL INDICATOR COMES ON; #2. THE GAUGE FLUCTUATED FROM FULL TO EMPTY WITHIN 4 MILES OF FILLING UP. #3. AFTER FILLING THE TANK, I DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD, AND THE GAUGE READS "E" AND THE LOW FUEL INDICATOR COMES ON, I STOP TO FILL, AND ONLY 1 GALLON GOES IN BEFORE IT IS AT THE TOP; AS I DRIVE AWAY THE GAUGE READS …
Owner-reported narrative. 425 miles reported. Look up ODI 10435616 at NHTSA ↗