2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

AT THE END OF AUGUST 2016, I WAS RIDING MY 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON AND WITHOUT WARNING, MY REAR BRAKE FAILED. THANK GOD, I WAS IN A PARKING LOT, NOT ON THE MAIN STREET. I TOOK IT DOWN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT TOOK OVER TWO HOURS OF LABOR TO FIGURE OUT THAT IT WAS THE ABS UNIT THAT FAILED. EVEN THE TECHNICIAN WAS SURPRISED THAT THE ABS LIGHT NEVER LIT TO INDICATE A FAILURE. I FOUND IT STRANGE THAT ABS FAILURE WILL DISABLE THE BRAKING SYSTEM. I HAD AN ABS FAILURE ON A CAR BEFORE AND BOTH SYSTEM ARE INDEPENDENT. I AM A CANADIAN, AND I DID REPORT TO TRANSPORT CANADA THE ABS UNIT ITSELF IS $1000, WITH LABOR AND MISC PARTS, THE BILL CAME OVER $1800. IT TOOK OVER A MONTH TO GET MY MOTORCYCLE BACK, THE ABS PART WAS ON BACK ORDERED. THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

AT THE END OF AUGUST 2016, I WAS RIDING MY 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON AND WITHOUT WARNING, MY REAR BRAKE FAILED. THANK GOD, I WAS IN A PARKING LOT, NOT ON THE MAIN STREET. I TOOK IT DOWN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT TOOK OVER TWO HOURS OF LABOR TO FIGURE OUT THAT IT WAS THE ABS UNIT THAT FAILED. EVEN THE TECHNICIAN WAS SURPRISED THAT THE ABS LIGHT NEVER LIT TO INDICATE A FAILURE. I FOUND IT STRANGE THAT ABS FAILURE WILL DISABLE THE BRAKING SYSTEM. I HAD AN ABS FAILURE ON A CAR BEFORE AND BOTH SYSTEM ARE INDEPENDENT. I AM A CANADIAN, AND I DID REPORT TO TRANSPORT CANADA THE ABS UNIT ITSELF IS $1000, WITH LABOR AND MISC PARTS, THE BILL CAME OVER $1800. IT TOOK OVER A MONTH TO GET MY MOTORCYCLE BACK, THE ABS PART WAS ON BACK ORDERED. THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND UTILIZING A HAND BRAKE AND FOOT BRAKE TO STOP, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE MOTORCYCLE RODE INTO AN INTERSECTION. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY NON-FUNCTIONAL. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS MODULE WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,584. UPDATED 08/02/16*LJ ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE BRAKE PEDAL AND LEVER WERE HARD AND THE BIKE WOULD NOT STOP. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER AND HYDRAULIC CLUTCH UNIT. ALSO, THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING. UPDATED 08/15/16.*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND UTILIZING A HAND BRAKE AND FOOT BRAKE TO STOP, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE MOTORCYCLE RODE INTO AN INTERSECTION. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY NON-FUNCTIONAL. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS MODULE WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,584. UPDATED 08/02/16*LJ ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE BRAKE PEDAL AND LEVER WERE HARD AND THE BIKE WOULD NOT STOP. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER AND HYDRAULIC CLUTCH UNIT. ALSO, THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING. UPDATED 08/15/16.*JB

I WAS OPERATING MY 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU WHEN I APPLIED MY REAR BREAKS ONLY TO FIND I HAD NO REAR BREAKS. I STILL HAD MY FRONT BREAKS THAT WORKED VERY WELL. I HAVE 9,600 MILES ON THE MOTROCYCLE. I TOOK MY MOTORCYCLE TO THE HARLEY DEALER AND ASKED THE SERVICE WRITER TO CHECK MY REAR BREAKS AS I TOLD HIM THERE WERE NO BREAKS. THE SERVICE WRITER WALKED OUT TO MY MOTORCYCLE BENT DOWN ON ONE KNEE UNDER THE RUNNING BOARD ON THE RIGHT SIDE, PUSHED DOWN ON THE BREAK AND SAID YOU HAVE A PIN HOLE IN YOUR BREAK LINE CAUSED BY THE CLUTCH CABLE RUBBING ON THE BREAK LINE. I HAD CONCERNED THAT HE KNEW EXACLTY WHERE TO LOOK AND I ASKED IF THIS WAS SOMETHING HE HAD SEEN BEFORE, HE ANSWERED YES I HAVE SEEN IT A FEW TIMES AND AS A MATTER OF FACT HE JUST HAD ANOTHER ONE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, IT WAS A 2003 AND HE WOULD HAVE TO ORDER THE PART AND ASKED THAT I BRING IT BACK THE FOLLOWING THURSDAY. HAVING BEEN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR FOR MANY YEARS AS A MOTOR POLICE OFFICER. I SENT AN E-MAIL TO HARLEY CUSTOMER CARE AND GOT A PHONE CALL BACK AND I TOLD THEM OF THE PROBLEM, THE REPRESENATIVE THERE HAD NOT HEARD OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE AND I STATED I THOUGHT THEY HAD A PROBLEM WHEN THE DEALER SERVICE WRITER GOES TO THE EXACT PLACE WHERE THE PIN HOLE WAS. I TOLD HIM I WAS CONCERNED IF THIS HAD HAPPEND AT LEAST THREE TIMES AT THE SAME DEALER IT HAD TO BE MORE OF A PROBLEM AND HE SHOULD CHECK TO SEE HOW MANY BREAKLINES HAD BEEN ORDERED FOR THE SAME MODEL. HIS STATEMENT TO ME WAS THEY RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM DEALERS ALL OVER AND IF IT WAS A PROBLEM THEY WOULD KNOW ABOUT IT. I TOLD HIM NOT IF THEY ARE GETTING VARIED REASONS FOR THE DEALERSHIP AND MY CONCER WAS NO PERSON GET INJURED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MAYBE A SERVICE NOTICE SHOULD BE PUT OUT TO CHECK THESE LINES. HE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE VERY CONCERNED AND THIS IS WHY I AM REPORTING THIS TO YOU. LINE REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. I DID NO KEEP OLD PART. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)

I WAS OPERATING MY 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU WHEN I APPLIED MY REAR BREAKS ONLY TO FIND I HAD NO REAR BREAKS. I STILL HAD MY FRONT BREAKS THAT WORKED VERY WELL. I HAVE 9,600 MILES ON THE MOTROCYCLE. I TOOK MY MOTORCYCLE TO THE HARLEY DEALER AND ASKED THE SERVICE WRITER TO CHECK MY REAR BREAKS AS I TOLD HIM THERE WERE NO BREAKS. THE SERVICE WRITER WALKED OUT TO MY MOTORCYCLE BENT DOWN ON ONE KNEE UNDER THE RUNNING BOARD ON THE RIGHT SIDE, PUSHED DOWN ON THE BREAK AND SAID YOU HAVE A PIN HOLE IN YOUR BREAK LINE CAUSED BY THE CLUTCH CABLE RUBBING ON THE BREAK LINE. I HAD CONCERNED THAT HE KNEW EXACLTY WHERE TO LOOK AND I ASKED IF THIS WAS SOMETHING HE HAD SEEN BEFORE, HE ANSWERED YES I HAVE SEEN IT A FEW TIMES AND AS A MATTER OF FACT HE JUST HAD ANOTHER ONE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, IT WAS A 2003 AND HE WOULD HAVE TO ORDER THE PART AND ASKED THAT I BRING IT BACK THE FOLLOWING THURSDAY. HAVING BEEN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR FOR MANY YEARS AS A MOTOR POLICE OFFICER. I SENT AN E-MAIL TO HARLEY CUSTOMER CARE AND GOT A PHONE CALL BACK AND I TOLD THEM OF THE PROBLEM, THE REPRESENATIVE THERE HAD NOT HEARD OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE AND I STATED I THOUGHT THEY HAD A PROBLEM WHEN THE DEALER SERVICE WRITER GOES TO THE EXACT PLACE WHERE THE PIN HOLE WAS. I TOLD HIM I WAS CONCERNED IF THIS HAD HAPPEND AT LEAST THREE TIMES AT THE SAME DEALER IT HAD TO BE MORE OF A PROBLEM AND HE SHOULD CHECK TO SEE HOW MANY BREAKLINES HAD BEEN ORDERED FOR THE SAME MODEL. HIS STATEMENT TO ME WAS THEY RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM DEALERS ALL OVER AND IF IT WAS A PROBLEM THEY WOULD KNOW ABOUT IT. I TOLD HIM NOT IF THEY ARE GETTING VARIED REASONS FOR THE DEALERSHIP AND MY CONCER WAS NO PERSON GET INJURED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MAYBE A SERVICE NOTICE SHOULD BE PUT OUT TO CHECK THESE LINES. HE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE VERY CONCERNED AND THIS IS WHY I AM REPORTING THIS TO YOU. LINE REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. I DID NO KEEP OLD PART. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)

FRONT BRAKE ROTOR FOUND TO BE WARPED AT 12,946 MILES AFTER BRAKE PADS CHANGED AT 10,163 MILES. ONLY ONE ROTOR WARPED CAUSING A LESSENING OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS. WARPING OF ROTOR (S) APPEARS TO BE ON-GOING HARLEY DAVIDSON PROBLEM. *TR

FRONT BRAKE ROTOR FOUND TO BE WARPED AT 12,946 MILES AFTER BRAKE PADS CHANGED AT 10,163 MILES. ONLY ONE ROTOR WARPED CAUSING A LESSENING OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS. WARPING OF ROTOR (S) APPEARS TO BE ON-GOING HARLEY DAVIDSON PROBLEM. *TR

2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE HAS A BRAKE PROBLEM. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE REAR BRAKES ARE MAKING A SCREAMING NOISE. *NJ THE DEALER CLEANED THE PADS WITHOUT REMOVING THEM WITH BRAKE CLEAN. THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE PAD PINS, BUT THE PROBLEM RETURNED 10 MILES LATER. *JB

2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE HAS A BRAKE PROBLEM. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE REAR BRAKES ARE MAKING A SCREAMING NOISE. *NJ THE DEALER CLEANED THE PADS WITHOUT REMOVING THEM WITH BRAKE CLEAN. THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE PAD PINS, BUT THE PROBLEM RETURNED 10 MILES LATER. *JB

2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE DEFECTIVE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM. CONSUMER STATED THAT HE GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT THE DAY HE BOUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE. MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MOTORCYCLE. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO STOP, HE BEGAN TO GEAR THE MOTORCYCLE DOWN FROM A SPEED OF 35 MPH AND BEGAN TO FEATHER THE FRONT BRAKE TO REDUCE SPEED. THE SECOND TIME HE GENTLY SQUEEZED THE FRONT BRAKE HANDLE, AND IT DIDN'T FEEL COMPLETELY NORMAL. THE THIRD TIME HE TOUCHED THE BRAKE LEVER THE FRONT BRAKE AND WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED. HE IMMEDIATELY RELEASED THE BRAKE LEVER GRIP WHEN THE WHEEL LOCKED. THE SPEED AT THAT TIME WAS 5-10 MPH. THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND IT WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAVEMENT THEN FELL OVER ON THE CONSUMERS LEG. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE THAT HIS BIKE WAS EQUIPPED WITH BREMBO BRAKES THAT WERE CONSIDERED HIGH END BRAKES USED ON EXOTIC CARS AND RACING BIKES. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE BRAKES WOULD BUILD UP PRESSURE WHEN FEATHERING FOR A STOP, INSTEAD OF RELEASING PRESSURE WHEN THE LEVER WAS RELEASED, IT WOULD HOLD THE PRESSURE AND WHEN ENOUGH PRESSURE BUILT UP THE BRAKE WOULD LOCK THE NEXT TIME IT WAS TOUCHED. *JB

2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE DEFECTIVE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM. CONSUMER STATED THAT HE GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT THE DAY HE BOUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE. MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MOTORCYCLE. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO STOP, HE BEGAN TO GEAR THE MOTORCYCLE DOWN FROM A SPEED OF 35 MPH AND BEGAN TO FEATHER THE FRONT BRAKE TO REDUCE SPEED. THE SECOND TIME HE GENTLY SQUEEZED THE FRONT BRAKE HANDLE, AND IT DIDN'T FEEL COMPLETELY NORMAL. THE THIRD TIME HE TOUCHED THE BRAKE LEVER THE FRONT BRAKE AND WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED. HE IMMEDIATELY RELEASED THE BRAKE LEVER GRIP WHEN THE WHEEL LOCKED. THE SPEED AT THAT TIME WAS 5-10 MPH. THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND IT WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAVEMENT THEN FELL OVER ON THE CONSUMERS LEG. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE THAT HIS BIKE WAS EQUIPPED WITH BREMBO BRAKES THAT WERE CONSIDERED HIGH END BRAKES USED ON EXOTIC CARS AND RACING BIKES. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE BRAKES WOULD BUILD UP PRESSURE WHEN FEATHERING FOR A STOP, INSTEAD OF RELEASING PRESSURE WHEN THE LEVER WAS RELEASED, IT WOULD HOLD THE PRESSURE AND WHEN ENOUGH PRESSURE BUILT UP THE BRAKE WOULD LOCK THE NEXT TIME IT WAS TOUCHED. *JB