NHTSA Complaint #10073135 — 2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCUI

25 MAY, 2004 I WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL FOR MY 2003 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCUI IN MID APRIL. I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP, PETERSON'S HD OF MIAMI, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PART AND THAT THEY WOULD CALL ME WHEN IT WAS AVAILABLE. THEY REPEATED THIS STATEMENT THE NEXT TIME I CALLED THEM. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL WOULD NOT AFFECT MY BIKE BECAUSE IT DID NOT HAVE A BUNCH OF ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES. I HAVE THREE ADDITIONAL REAR SPOILER LIGHTS AND FRONT XENON AND TWO HALOGEN BULBS  THEY TOLD ME THAT THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH POWER TO CAUSE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER TO SHUT OFF THE BIKE. THIS MORNING, WHILE ENTERING A HIGHWAY, THE BIKE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. BECAUSE I WAS ENTERING, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE AND TURN OFF THE BIKE, AND TRY TO POWER UP THE BIKE (IT TOOK A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEFORE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RESPONDED AND CAME ON). AT THE TIME OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER INTERRUPT, I HAD MY HALOGEN PASSING LIGHTS AND THE STEREO ON. SINCE THEN, I HAVE BEEN RIDING WITHOUT THE PASSING LAMPS ON AND WITH THE RADIO OFF.+ WHEN I CALLED MY DEALER TODAY, I WAS NOW TOLD THAT THEY WOULD ORDER THE RECALL PARTS FOR ME INDIVIDUALLY AND WOULD CONTACT ME WHEN IT CAME IN, WITHOUT AN EXPECTED DELIVERY DATE. I CALLED HARLEY DAVIDSON HEADQUARTERS AND THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL EITHER AND SIMPLY TOLD ME NOT TO RIDE THE BIKE. I REPORT THIS INCIDENT WHERE MY BIKE SHUT DOWN, I HAVE NOTIFIED HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THEY WERE NOT SUPPORTIVE AT ALL. I WILL PARK MY BIKE TODAY UNTIL I CAN GET THE RECALL SERVICED BY HARLEY DAVIDSON WHO IS TAKING THEIR TIME. WHAT IS TROUBLING, IS THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON, WHO IS BENEFITING FROM RECORD REVENUES, MARKETS THEIR PRODUCT AS RELIABLE. THEN WHEN THEY HAVE A MANUFACTURING DESIGN FLAW THAT IS VERY UNSAFE, THEY DRAG BUTT IN PROVIDING DUE RESPONSE AND SUPPORT. NOW I HAVE A $23,000 DISPLAY ITEM THAT CAN'T BE RIDDEN BECAUSE IT HAS A SAFETY DEFECT. *NM