2009 Harley-Davidson FLTRSE3: complaints, problems and recalls

PARKED THE MOTORCYCLE IN THE EVENING. NEXT MORNING WHEN GETTING READY TO GO, DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT DEPRESS. LUCKILY, THE SPEED AT THE TIME WAS ZERO MPH. NO BRAKE FAILURE INDICATOR LIGHT WAS PRESENT. DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO THE ABS SYSTEM. THE ABS SYSTEM HAS FAILED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE MOTORCYCLE HAS NO REAR BRAKE. ONLY THE DEALERSHIP CAN WORK ON HARLEY ABS SYSTEMS. THIS FAILURE COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. ABS SYSTEMS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED TO "FAIL SAFE". THIS ONE HAS FAILED RENDERING THE MOTORCYCL…

Owner-reported narrative. 32,524 miles reported. Look up ODI 10593383 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE FLTRSE3 MOTORCYCLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE THROTTLE MALFUNCTIONED AND DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PLUG AND HARNESS ON THE THROTTLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10779392 at NHTSA ↗

I OWN A 2009 HD ROADGLIDE CVO WITH 34,000 MILES. I RECENTLY ROLLED THE BIKE OUT OF THE GARAGE AND HEADED DWON THE DRIVEWAY AND DISCOVERED THAT MY REAR BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY HARD AND I HAD NO REAR BRAKE. I TOOK THE BIKE TO MY DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS THE ABS MODULE WAS BAD. I HAD NOT ABS LIGHT FLASHING OR NOT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. NOTHING TO INDICATE THAT THE ABS WAS NOT WORKING. THIS FAILURE CAUSED ME TO NOT HAVE ANY REAR BRAKE. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO YOU NOT HAVE REAR BRAKES YOU HAVE NO INDICATION THAT TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10855402 at NHTSA ↗

HYDRAULIC BRAKE MODULATOR (HD USES TERM HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT, OR HCU) WITHIN THE ABS SYSTEM IS FAILING ON MANY BIKES CAUSING BRAKE SYSTEM TO SUDDENLY FAIL, RESULT IN NO BRAKES. THIS HAS OCCURRED AFTER THE BIKE HAS BEEN SITTING, OR WHILE UNDERWAY, NO WARNING OF ANY KIND IS DISPLAYED PRIOR TO THE TOTAL LOST OF EITHER THE FRONT OR REAR BRAKES.

Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10862218 at NHTSA ↗

STARTED OUT DRIVEWAY AND TRIED TO STOP AT STREET BUT REAR BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT WORK. WAS ABLE TO STOP WITH FRONT BRAKE. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD ABS MODULE WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THERE WAS NO ABS LIGHT INDICATING MALFUNCTION AND COULD HAVE BEEN A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT IF STREET WERE BUSIER. FROM VIEWING COMPLAINTS THERE ARE MORE THAN A FEW INCIDENTS OF THIS PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10924221 at NHTSA ↗

FRONT BRAKE LEVER IS FROZEN, LEVER WILL NOT PULL BACK. DOES NOT ENGAGE FRONT BRAKE CALIBERS. BACK BRAKES WORK FINE. LUCKILY NOTICED PROBLEM AT LOW SPEED! IF I WAS MOVING FASTER, COULD'VE REAR ENDED TRUCK ON HIGHWAY (I-4) IN FLORIDA WHERE SPEEDS REACH 80-90 FLOW OF TRAFFIC. BIKES IN MY GARAGE STILL UNFIXED.

Owner-reported narrative. 7,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11061032 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2009-07-10 (July 10, 2009)

HARLEY DAVIDSON IS RECALLING 1,759 MY 2009 FLTRSE3 MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH BLADE REAR WHEEL ACCESSORY KITS. SOME WHEELS WITHIN THE SUBJECT POPULATION UNDERWENT A SECONDARY HEAT TREATMENT PROCESS. AS A RESULT OF THIS SECONDARY HEAT TREATMENT, THESE WHEELS MAY HAVE A CRACK.

Consequence: IF A CRACK IS PRESENT, IT COULD RESULT IN WHEEL FAILURE DURING USE, POSSIBLY LEADING TO A CRASH, WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH OF THE RIDER.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE REAR WHEEL AND INSPECT THE MANUFACTURER'S CODE. WHEELS WITH THE CODES THAT INDICATE THAT THEY UNDERWENT A SECONDARY HEAT TREATMENT PROCESS WILL BE REPLACED. WHEELS THAT DO NOT HAVE THE SUSPECT CODE WILL BE RE-INSTALLED. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 20, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HARLEY DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

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.