2008 Harley-Davidson Flhrc Recalls & Complaints

Incident: October 28, 2020 · Filed: November 1, 2020

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO WARN DRIVERS ATTEMPTING TO CUT ME OFF, OR JUST LETTING THEM KNOW THAT I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY BY THEIR DRIVING HABITS, I HAVE HONKED THE HORN ON MY MOTORCYCLE WITH LITTLE OR NO REACTION. SIMPLY PUT, THE HORN ON THIS MOTORCYCLE IS ABOUT AS LOUD AS A FART IN A RAINSTORM! I HAVE TALKED WITH NUMEROUS OTHER ROADKING OWNERS WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. THE HORN IS TOO WEAK TO NOTIFY OTHER DRIVERS OF IMPENDING DISASTER! THERE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL. NOTE: HARLEY DAVIDSON OFFERS A LOUDER HORN REPLACEMENT FOR THE STOCK HORN HOWEVER IT IT A $50.00 UPGRADE! THAT TELLS ME THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE INFERIOR STOCK HORNS ON THESE MOTORCYCLES, HOWEVER THEY WANT ME TO "FOOT THE BILL" FOR LOUDERS REPLACEMENT UNITS. NOTE: ALL NEWER HARLEY-DAVIDSONS ARE NOW EQUIPPED WITH THIS UPGRADED HORN.

Incident: September 2, 2018 · Filed: September 4, 2018

REAR BRAKE SWITCH WIRING MELTED. BRAKE SWITCH BEGAN LEAKING PROFUSELY. DEALER SAYS BRAKE FLUID EXCHANGE RECALLED FOR YEAR. THE SWITCH WAS NOT. HOWEVER, FORUMS SAY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO EXCESSIVE EXHAUST HEADER HEAT. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE SWITCH HAS BEEN REDESIGNED. I HAVE ONE ORDERED. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED SPONTANEOUSLY AND COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC.*DT VIN PROVIDED HAS NO DISPLAYABLE RECORDS. UPDATED 10/2/18*JB

Incident: November 1, 2017 · Filed: November 20, 2017

WHILE STARTING TO EXIT AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND ENTERING THE RADIUSED EXIT RAMP, I APPLIED BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES ON MY MOTORCYCLE IN ORDER TO SLOW FROM 65 MPH TO A SAFE EXIT SPEED. WHILE ENTERING THE TURN, THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR THE REAR BRAKES, WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN. I LOST ALL REAR BRAKING ABILITY ON THE EXIT RAMP. I WAS UNABLE TO SAFELY SLOW TO THE POSTED EXIT SPEED. THIS MOTORCYCLE IS EQUIPPED WITH ABS BRAKING. I RETURNED HOME USING FRONT BRAKES ONLY. THE REAR BRAKE RESERVOIR DID NOT LOSE ANY BRAKE FLUID. THE FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. I HAVE NOT RIDDEN THE MOTORCYCLE SINCE.

Incident: September 26, 2015 · Filed: October 20, 2015

2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROADKING CLASSIC WITH 23,748 MILES STARTED HAVING EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AND THE STARTER MADE A LOUD "BANG" DURING HOT STARTS...ALSO NOTICED A LOUD CLUNK SOUND FROM THE PRIMARY CHAIN CASE WHEN SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF. THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE A WORN COMPENSATOR AND SPROCKET. APPARENTLY THESE COMPONENTS ARE HAVING A HIGH RATE OF PRE--MATURE FAILURE ON 2007 THRU 2010 HARLEY MOTORCYCLES. THIS PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AND POSSIBLE DEATH IF NOT PROPERLY DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED. CURRENTLY THERE IS NO RECALL BEING OFFERED BY HARLEY-DAVIDSON FOR THIS COMPONENT. THEY DO HOWEVER OFFER AN UPGRADED VERSION SE COMPENSATOR AT A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE TO THE OWNER. I OPTED FOR THE UPGRADED SE COMPENSATOR REPLACEMENT AND NOW ALL PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS ARE GONE!

Incident: August 22, 2013 · Filed: February 26, 2015

THE GEAR SHIFT AND HEAL-TOE SHIFT LEVERS FELL OFF THE MOTORCYCLE WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 75 MPH, LEAVING NO MECHANISM FOR CHANGING GEARS. I HAVE RECEIVED ANECDOTAL INFORMATION FROM MANY OTHER RIDERS OF HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES THAT THE LOSS OF THE HEAL-TOE SHIFT LEVERS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE, AND THEY ARE FORCED TO REPLACE THE SHIFT LEVERS WITH ACCESSORIES FROM INDEPENDENT PARTS MANUFACTURERS. I HAVE WITNESSED MANY SUCH AFTER-MARKET MODIFICATIONS DURING MY TRAVELS.

Incident: July 21, 2013 · Filed: July 22, 2013

WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 60 MPH, I ENCOUNTERED A HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I APPLIED MY FOOT OPERATED REAR BRAKE FIRST AND FOUND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. ONLY AFTER I APPLIED MY FRONT HAND BRAKE COULD I GET THE CRUISE CONTROL TO DISENGAGE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE LEAD TO SERIOUS RIDER/PASSENGER INJURY. *TR

Incident: April 23, 2013 · Filed: April 23, 2013

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE BELTWAY AT 60 MILES AN HOUR MY MOTORCYCLE WENT INTO A LIMP MODE. SPEED DROPPED TO 15 MILES AN HOUR QUICKLY AND WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 15 MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES. RECENTLY TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED A SENSOR IN THE HANDLE BAR. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, HAVE TO TAKE THE BIKE BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN DUE TO THE SAME RECURRING PROBLEM. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT IS VERY SCARY. NOT SURE IF ANYONE HAS BEEN INJURED OR DIED AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM (WHAT I EXPERIENCED IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME). THERE ARE (MANY) PAGES OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS THAT HAVE OCCURRED ON THE INTERNET. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY HARLEY. *TR

Incident: September 24, 2010 · Filed: October 21, 2010

2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROADKING TAKEN TO THE SHOP FOR EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. AT 10,000 MILES, THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET ON THIS MOTORCYCLE DISINTEGRATED AND REPLACED BY THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY.. THIS SPROCKET IS CONNECTED TO THE MAIN SHAFT THIS INCIDENT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A LOOSE ENGINE MOUNT AT FIRST. THE DEALER TIGHTENED IT, BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY CLAIMED IT WAS THE COMPENSATOR SPROCKET. REPLACED IT AND VIBRATION WAS NOT CORRECTED. THEY TORE IT BACK DOWN AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE RUNOUT ON THE PRIMARY CRANK (AROUND .015) MY RESEARCH SEEMS TO LEAN TOWARD HARLEY-DAVIDSON INCREASING THEIR RUNOUT SPEC IN RECENT HISTORY. THIS TYPE OF PLAY AND VIBRATION ON THE PRIMARY CRANKSHAFT OF A MOTORCYCLE COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, LOCKUP, FIRE ETC. WHICH COULD CAUSE THE RIDER TO GO DOWN AND POSSIBLY BE FATALLY INJURED. THE SHOP IS REBUILDING THE MOTOR UNDER WARRANTY (ONLY 25K ON THE MOTOR). HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH 2008 AND EARLY 2009 MODELS FROM POSTINGS ON THE WEB WITH SIMILAR STORIES. *TR

Incident: June 14, 2009 · Filed: July 14, 2010

OUR 2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING CLASSIC WITH CRUISE CONTROL AND ABS PULLS TO THE LEFT IF CONSTANT PRESSURE IS NOT APPLIED TO THE HANDLEBARS. IF YOU TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF THE BARS IT WILL PROMPTLY CROSS THE CENTER LINE AND WOULD BE HEADING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WE MADE THE DEALER AWARE OF THIS SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO POINT IT OUT TO THEM AND HAVE QUESTIONED THE SAFETY OF THE MACHINE. WE WERE ASSURED THAT ALL OF THEIR BIKES WILL GO A LITTLE TO THE LEFT OR A LITTLE TO THE RIGHT, IT IS NORMAL. "THAT IS JUST HOW THEY ARE MADE". WE HAD A HANDLING ISSUE WHICH CAUSED THE BIKE TO CROSS THE CENTER LINE ON A CURVY ROAD. THE BIKE THEN TRAVELED ACROSS THE OPPOSITE LANE. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AT THE TIME. THERE WAS A VERY SMALL AND SOFT SHOULDER ON THIS ROAD. THE FRONT TIRE ENTERED THE SHOULDER AND WAS "SUCKED" IN, CAUSING THE BIKE TO GO INTO THE SOFT, MUDDY, SHALLOW DITCH. THERE WAS COSMETIC DAMAGE TO THE FENDER, CRASH BAR, HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY, AND, FORK TIN. THE BIKE WAS CHECKED OUT BY THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND NO MAJOR DAMAGE. AFTER REPLACING THE PARTS THE BIKE NOW PULLS EVEN HARDER TO THE LEFT. WE HAVE HAD THE DEALER CHECK IT OUT. THEY HAVE TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THEY CLAIM THAT THE BIKE IS SAFE AND THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO RIDE IT. WE HAVE YET ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THEM TO HAVE OUR BIKE FOR A FEW DAYS SO THEY CAN TRY ONCE AGAIN TO FIX IT. THEY HAVE ADMITTED THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I KNOW THAT ALL BIKES ARE NOT MADE PULLING LEFT OR RIGHT. OUR BIKE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT PROVES THAT. HARLEY WILL NOT EVEN CONSIDER THAT THERE IS SOMETHING "WRONG" WITH THIS BIKE. IT IS AFTER ALL A HARLEY. A $25,000 TOURING BIKE SHOULD BE SAFE AND GO STRAIGHT. A BIKE THAT PULLS LEFT OR RIGHT IS NOT SAFE, IT IS DANGEROUS. *TR

Incident: June 16, 2010 · Filed: June 23, 2010

MY HARLEY DAVIDSON 2008 ROAD KING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND HARLEY DAVIDSON CAN'T SEEN TO OFFER A SOLUTION. THE ERROR CODE IS PO577 AND HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL. I'VE HAD IT IN 3 TIMES WITH THE SAME RESULTS. NO FIXES. IN TO THE DEALER TWICE UNDER WARRANTY ONE TIME AFTER THAT. *TR