M1470: SAFETY RECALL 0171: 2008 – 2011 ABS MODELS – NEW HARLEY-DAVIDSON PLATINUM LABEL DOT 4 BRAKE FLUID – 2008-2011 Harley-Davidson Motorcycles

January 29, 2018

Brakes may Fail Due to Not Flushing Brake Fluid

These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V076

Manufacturer Harley-Davidson Motor Company

Components SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Potential Number of Units Affected 174,636

 

Summary

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.

 

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.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

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IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL
SECOND NOTIFICATION

This notice applies to your vehicle,

November 15, 2018
Harley-Davidson Recall No. 0171
NHTSA Recall No. 18V-076

 

Dear Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Owner:

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Inc. has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on certain model year 2008 – 2011 Touring, CVO Touring and VRSC model motorcycles equipped with Antilock Braking Systems (ABS). We are notifying you because our records indicate that you may own one of these motorcycles.

 

What is the Issue?

If brake fluid in your motorcycle is not flushed for a prolonged period of time beyond the 2-year maintenance schedule specified in the Owner’s Manual and Service Manual, a braking issue may develop. Specifically, the DOT 4 brake fluid will absorb moisture over time, potentially causing the formation of deposits within the brake system.  These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash. To again reinforce the importance of regular brake fluid flushes, we are conducting a recall campaign to provide a one-time brake fluid flush on your motorcycle.

 

What Should You Do?

We urge you to contact your authorized Harley-Davidson dealer to schedule an appointment to have your brake fluid flushed, at no cost to you. Factory trained Service Technicians have the knowledge and tools necessary to thoroughly flush the ABS module as required.

This free flush will utilize a specialized DOT 4 brake fluid formulation [H-D Platinum Label DOT 4 Brake Fluid]. Following this one-time free fluid flush, it is your responsibility to have your brake fluid flushed every two years thereafter, regardless of how far or how often you ride, as stated in your owner’s manual. We recommend that subsequent flushes also use the new H-D Platinum Label DOT 4 Brake Fluid.

Included with this letter is an insert for your owner’s manual, which lists the recommended fluid for brake fluid flushes.  Please add this page to your manual for future reference.

The service will require less than 1.5 hours to perform. However, due to scheduling, your dealer may request to have your motorcycle for a longer period of time. To verify that the service has been completed, your dealer will ask you to sign a repair/work order.

If you have sold your motorcycle and have an address for the current owner, it is important that you forward this notice to the new owner. Alternatively, you may contact us at the Harley- Davidson phone numbers listed below and provide us with the new contact information so that we may notify the new owner of this recall. Also, Federal law requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days.

Until this recall work has been performed on your motorcycle, you should ensure that both brakes are properly functioning after startup. Then, be sure to use both brakes while riding, as instructed in the MSF “Riding Tips” booklet that accompanied your Owner’s Manual.

 

What If You Have Additional Questions or Concerns?

If you previously paid to remedy the specific condition that is the subject of this recall, you may be eligible for reimbursement. For more information or if you take your motorcycle to your dealer on a mutually agreed upon date and they are unable to perform the required service to your satisfaction, please contact Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Inc. for immediate assistance at 1-800-258-2464 in the U.S. or 1-414-343-4056 world-wide.

If you are still having difficulty getting your vehicle serviced in a reasonable time, you may write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590; or call the toll-free Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY:1-800-424-9153); or go to https://www.safercar.gov.

We regret any inconvenience this may cause you, but we are initiating this action in the interest of your personal safety and satisfaction with our products. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Inc. Recall 0171

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63 Affected Products

Vehicles

HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHP	2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHPE	2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHR	2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHRC	2008-2010
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHRC103	2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHRSE4	2008
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHT	2008-2009
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHTC	2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHTCU	2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHTCUSE3	2008
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHTCUSE4	2009
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHTCUSE5	2010
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHTCUSE6	2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHTK	2010-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHTP	2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHX	2008-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHX103	2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHXSE	2010
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLHXSE2	2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLTR	2008-2009
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLTRSE3	2009
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLTRU103	2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLTRUSE	2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLTRX	2010-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	FLTRX103	2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	VRSCAW	2009-2010
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	VRSCAWA	2008
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	VRSCDA	2008
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	VRSCDX	2009-2011
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	VRSCDXA	2008
HARLEY-DAVIDSON	VRSCF	2009-2011

 

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18 Associated Documents

Recall 573 Report – AMENDMENT 2

RCLRPT-18V076-8280.PDF 229.939KB

 

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Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-18V076-3366.pdf 381.369KB

 

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ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-18V076-3992.pdf 164.78KB

 

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Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-18V076-9747.pdf 144.195KB

 

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Manufacturer Reimbursement Plan

RMRP-18V076-5339.pdf 127.537KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-18V076-2382.pdf 359.373KB

 

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-18V076-4574.PDF 230.228KB

 

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Chronology

RMISC-18V076-9924.pdf 108.314KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – AMENDMENT 1

RCLRPT-18V076-1251.PDF 229.801KB

 

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ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)- second notification

RCONL-18V076-7893.pdf 160.074KB

 

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Miscellaneous Document – July 17, 2018 – Re-notification Letter

RMISC-18V076-2114.pdf 164.397KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2018-3

RCLQRT-18V076-0807.PDF 211.342KB

 

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Remedy Instructions and TSB – Added Required Dealer Action/Brake Fluid – 2018-06-01 Flush Stickers

RCRIT-18V076-6005.pdf 335.675KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)- Recall 0171 Brake Fluid Change Reminder Stickers

RCMN-18V076-3567.pdf 80.107KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – AMENDMENT 3

RCLRPT-18V076-5152.PDF 229.968KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2018-2

RCLQRT-18V076-6933.PDF 214.63KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2018-1

RCLQRT-18V076-5588.PDF 214.528KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #5, 2019-1

RCLQRT-18V076-0819.PDF 211.572KB

 

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1 Associated Investigation

Sudden Brake Failure – Motorcycle
NHTSA ID: PE16009
Dated opened: July 6, 2016

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation in July 2016 based on forty-three (43) Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ). During the course of this investigation ODI received a total of 145 VOQs related to the alleged defect on the subject motorcycles. Owners allege they experience a sudden and complete loss of brakes on one or both wheels.

To better understand the cause of the braking issue on the subject motorcycles, ODI requested NHTSA’s Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) conduct inspections and testing of affected vehicle braking systems. Through its work, VRTC determined that deposits were forming on the valves in the Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) of the Antilock Braking System (ABS). These deposits could prevent the proper function of the HCU and render the brakes ineffective.

To understand why deposits were forming in the HCU, Harley Davidson completed an analysis of the Dow 460 brake fluid used as original equipment on the subject motorcycles and determined that it had stability issues if left in the brake system for an extended period of time. Harley Davidson found that if a brake fluid flush was not conducted as outlined in the owner’s manual for the motorcycles, and was left in the system for a period of time beyond their recommendation; deposits could form in the HCU. Through further testing, Harley Davidson identified an alternate, commercially available, brake fluid that did not have the same stability issues as the original fluid and could stop the proliferation of any current brake system deposits.

ODI sent Information Request (IR) letters to Harley Davidson and Dow Chemical (the supplier of the brake fluid on the subject motorcycles) to collect information about the subject bikes and the alleged defect. Harley Davidson responded in full on Sept 30, 2016 and Dow responded with a confidential submission on October 25, 2017.

ODI analyzed the information contained in both IR responses and concluded that motorcycles manufactured during Model Years (MY) 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 were failing at a rate greater than their peers. Based on this analysis and the brake fluid study conducted by Harley Davidson, a group of motorcycles was identified that were potentially affected by the instability of the original brake fluid. 2008 marked the introduction of ABS on Harley Davidson motorcycles and a change in the Dow 460 brake fluid used in the 2012 MY vehicles provided the bases for the scope of the affected population.

With recall action 18V-076 taken by Harley Davidson this investigation is closed as further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.

The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at:https://www.nhtsa.gov/ using the complaint identification numbers attached to this resume.

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=18V076&docType=RCL

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