2009 Harley-Davidson FLHR: complaints, problems and recalls

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHR MOTORCYCLE. THE VEHICLE HAS DUNLOP TIRES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE BLOW OUT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER AND RECEIVE $3,500 WORTH OF DAMAGE. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE TIRE SIZE, LINE, AND DOT NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 2,200.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10272852 at NHTSA ↗

ECM PLUG CAUSED BIKE TO BUCK AND RUN ERRATICALLY. BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES UNTIL THEY CHANGED THE PLUG. THEY BLAMED ON THE AFTERMARKET SEAT MADE BY MUSTANG SEAT FOR THE BIKE BUT IT HAPPENED WITH THE STOCK SEAT AS WELL. IT SEEMS OTHERS ARE SAYING THE SAME HAPPENED TO THEM WITH STOCK SEATS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 33,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10496114 at NHTSA ↗

BIKE GOES INTO LIMP MODE, IDLE ONLY, NO THROTTLE RESPONSE,WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE FIRST TIME I WAS GOING 60 MPH IN TRAFFIC AND ALMOST GOT RAN OVER. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE, AND A FEW AT 70 PLUS MPH. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT A PROBLEM. BUT I WERE TO BE PASSING IN TRAFFIC OR HUNG IN THE CENTER LANE. IT COULD BE TRAGIC. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER , THE SERVICE MANAGER ACTED AS IF HE NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM. WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT IT IS EASY TO FIND INFO ON THE INTERNET, INCLUDING A HARLEY…

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10520570 at NHTSA ↗

PULLED UP TO A STOPLIGHT EVERYTHING WAS FINE, WENT TO PULL AWAY AFTER LIGHT CHANGED BIKE LOST POWER FELT LIKE IT WAS RUNNING ON ONE CYLINDER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. MANAGED TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC WITHOUT GETTING HIT SHUT BIKE OFF THEN RESTARTED THE BIKE AND ACCELERATION RETURNED TO NORMAL. CHECKED FOR CODES AND HAD A P2135 THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR CLEARED CODES AND HAS NOT RETURNED AS OF YET BUT GETTING READY TO TAKE A TRIP AND DON'T TRUST THIS BIKE.... *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 13,758 miles reported. Look up ODI 10523838 at NHTSA ↗

SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS I HAVE LOST ABILITY TO CONTROL MY THROTTLE. THROTTLE POSITION CLOSES AND DOES NOT ACCEPT INPUTS FROM THE ACCELERATOR. SEVERAL TIMES WHILE TRAVELING ON THE EXPRESSWAY THE THROTTLE HAS SHUT AND THE MOTORCYCLE WENT INTO 'LIMP HOME' MODE. THIS WILL ONLY ALLOW A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 10-15MPH (DANGEROUS WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED). THE CONCERN IS WELL KNOW BY THE HARLEY DAVIDSON COMPANY. THEY HAVE EVEN ISSUED A TECHNICAL TIP BULLETIN (#TT418A) ON THE SUBJECT. HOWEVER, NO VOLUNTARY OR REQUIRED SAFETY …

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10611249 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY AT 55MPH WHEN I SLIGHTLY BANKED RIGHT, THE ENGINE DIED. I COASTED TO THE SIDE, TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF, THEN BACK ON AND IT STARTED AND RAN PERFECTLY. THE ENGINE DIED AGAIN WHILE ENTERING THE FREEWAY AT A LATER TIME. AGAIN, I WAS BANKING TO THE RIGHT ON A SWEEPING TURN. THE BIKE STARTED AS BEFORE AFTER COASTING TO SIDE OF THE ONRAMP. I RODE WITHOUT A PROBLEM UNTIL I ENTERED THE FREEWAY AT THE SAME ON RAMP A FEW HOURS LATER. THE ENGINE DIED IN THE SAME EXACT PLACE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 28,540 miles reported. Look up ODI 10643722 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE FAILED TO ENGAGE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT DROVE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE MOTORCYCLE AND FOUND THAT THE ABS MODULE INTERLOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. THE CONTACT DISCONNECTED THE ABS FUSE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000. UPDATED 5/12/15*CN UPDATED 10/2/2017*CN

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10701606 at NHTSA ↗

NO FRONT BRAKE. UNABLE TO APPLY FRONT BRAKE. FRONT BRAKE FROZEN. MOTORCYCLE TAKEN TO HARLEY DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, ABS HCU REPLACED.

Owner-reported narrative. 19,851 miles reported. Look up ODI 10887659 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2009-12-01 (December 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: 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.

Reported: 2011-10-19 (October 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: 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.

Reported: 2018-01-29 (January 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 Owner’s Manual.

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.