NHTSA vehicle safety data

2012 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx Recalls & Complaints

The 2012 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 5 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2012 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2012 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx owner complaints

Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx, describing incidents dated March 24, 2012 to April 15, 2018.

Most-cited components

Service Brakes 3 complaints
Engine 1 complaint
Fuel/Propulsion System 1 complaint

Of the 5 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11090785 · Filed April 28, 2018
THERE IS A KNOWN FAILURE OF THE ABS MODULES ON THE 2008-2011 MODEL BIKES. I BELIEVE MY ABS MODULE HAS FAILED. THE FRONT BRAKE WILL NOT ENGAGE AND THE BRAKE HANDLE WILL NOT MOVE. THIS HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER START UP WHILE MOVING ON MY DRIVEWAY AT ABOUT 10MPH. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE BIKE WITH THE REAR…
ODI #11004308 · Filed July 11, 2017
I HAVE A 2012 HARLEY DAVISON V-ROD NIGHT SPECIAL WITH ABS BREAKING SYSTEM INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. THIS IS NOT AN AFTERMARKET SYSTEM. THE FRONT BREAK LEAVER IS HARD AS A ROCK. YOU CAN`T SQUEEZE THE BREAK HANDLE TO APPLY FRONT BREAKS. THERE IS NO BYPASS BUILT INTO THE BREAK SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS BREAKS…
ODI #10853107 · Filed April 2, 2016
REAR BRAKE PEDAL CANNOT BE ENGAGED , SOLID AS A ROCK,NO REAR BRAKES PRESURE. HAS ABS SYSTEM. HAPPENED WHILE LEAVING MY HOUSE, LOOKS LIKE THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT REAR BRAKE VALVE IS IN THE SHUT POSITION PREVENTING HYDRAULIC OIL TO THE REAR BRAKE.ABS LIGHT WORKING NOMAL.

Read all 5 complaints

License Plate Bracket Assembly

NHTSA #12V503000 · Equipment · NHTSA notice

Reported October 18, 2012 · HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY

Potentially affected: 2,798 vehicles

Harley-Davidson campaign 0148 · Owners notified November 6, 2012 · Vehicles built June 14, 2011 – August 1, 2012 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling all model year 2012 and certain model year 2013 VRSCDX motorcycles manufactured from June 14, 2011, through August 1, 2012. The license plate bracket assembly's mounting screws may loosen and the assembly may separate from the rear fender. This condition may lead to contact with the rear tire which could cause the license plate bracket to rotate, possibly damaging the rear brake line.

Safety consequence

If the license plate bracket contact with the rear brake line remains undetected, it may affect rear brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash, which could lead to injury or death of the rider.

Manufacturer remedy

Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair any affected motorcycles free of charge. The safety recall began on November 6, 2012. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson at 1-414-343-4056.

Notes

This is Harley-Davidson recall 0148.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.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2012 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

5 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx.

Service Brakes

ODI #11090785

Incident: April 15, 2018 · Filed: April 28, 2018

THERE IS A KNOWN FAILURE OF THE ABS MODULES ON THE 2008-2011 MODEL BIKES. I BELIEVE MY ABS MODULE HAS FAILED. THE FRONT BRAKE WILL NOT ENGAGE AND THE BRAKE HANDLE WILL NOT MOVE. THIS HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER START UP WHILE MOVING ON MY DRIVEWAY AT ABOUT 10MPH. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE BIKE WITH THE REAR BRAKE.THIS RECALL SHOULD INCLUDE THE 2012 MODEL YEAR.

Service Brakes

ODI #11004308

Incident: June 28, 2017 · Filed: July 11, 2017

I HAVE A 2012 HARLEY DAVISON V-ROD NIGHT SPECIAL WITH ABS BREAKING SYSTEM INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. THIS IS NOT AN AFTERMARKET SYSTEM. THE FRONT BREAK LEAVER IS HARD AS A ROCK. YOU CAN`T SQUEEZE THE BREAK HANDLE TO APPLY FRONT BREAKS. THERE IS NO BYPASS BUILT INTO THE BREAK SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS BREAKS TO ACT AS A MANUAL BREAKING SYSTEM. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEIR WAS NO RECALL ON THE ABS SYSTEM ON THIS BIKE AND IF I WANTED TO BRING MY MOTORCYCLE TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT FOR $110.00 AN HOUR THE WOULD CHECK THE SYSTEM. THEY SAID THAT IT COULD BE THE ELECTRONIC ABS MODULE OR THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THAT IT WOULD BE $ 480.00 IF IT WAS THE HYDRAULIC MODULE PLUS LABOR. THIS IS A LARGE MOTORCYCLE WITH NO FRONT BREAKS. (WHICH DO 75-80 PERCENT OF THE STOPPING FOR THE MOTORCYCLE AND IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. I KNOW THAT THEIR WAS A RECALL ON EARLY MODELS OF THIS CYCLE. I CHECKED ON-LINE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT LOTS OF HARLEY DAVISON MODELS WITH THE FACTORY ABS SYSTEM. COULD YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER.

Service Brakes

ODI #10853107

Incident: March 27, 2016 · Filed: April 2, 2016

REAR BRAKE PEDAL CANNOT BE ENGAGED , SOLID AS A ROCK,NO REAR BRAKES PRESURE. HAS ABS SYSTEM. HAPPENED WHILE LEAVING MY HOUSE, LOOKS LIKE THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT REAR BRAKE VALVE IS IN THE SHUT POSITION PREVENTING HYDRAULIC OIL TO THE REAR BRAKE.ABS LIGHT WORKING NOMAL.

Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #10671776

Incident: June 20, 2014 · Filed: January 12, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HARLEY DAVIDSON VRSCDX (NIGHT ROD). THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL GAUGE WAS NON FUNCTIONAL AND FAILED TO READ THE AMOUNT OF FUEL WITHIN THE TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,200.

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10453713

Crash

Incident: March 24, 2012 · Filed: April 1, 2012

THROTTLE STUCK ON MY 2012 V-ROD NIGHT ROD SPECIAL. THE BIKE HAD LESS THAN 100 MILES ON IT. WHEN THE THROTTLE STUCK I COULD NOT MOVE IT EITHER DIRECTION. I N TRYING TO SLOW THE BIKE I LOST CONTROL AND WRECKED THE BIKE. *TR

Other Harley-Davidson Vrscdx model years

Check your 2012 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Harley-Davidson Vrscdx at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Harley-Davidson VIN