NHTSA Complaint #10293298 — 2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHT

2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHT ELECTRA GLIDE STANDARD. MY MOTORCYCLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE OF ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO INCLUDE AN UNCOMMANDED ENGINE FAILURE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT. H-D HAS A FAULTY DESIGN THAT DOES NOT PERMIT THE ADEQUATE COOLING OF A 50 AMP SELF RESETTING CIRCUIT BREAKER LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE BATTERY LOCATED SLIGHT AFT AND ABOVE THE AFT CYLINDER AND CYLINDER EXHAUST EXPOSED TO EXTREME HEATING AND INADEQUATE COOLING. RIDER HAS NO INSTRUMENTATION TO SHOW IMPENDING ELECTRICAL FAILURE AS THE COMPONENT LACKS DANGEROUS TEMPERATURE WARNINGS. THIS EVENT OCCURRED AT NIGHT WITH THE IMMEDIATE AND ULTIMATE LOSS OF ALL EXTERNAL LIGHTING AND ENGINE POWER. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT THAT NEEDS DOT INVESTIGATION FOR A RECALL FOR MANDATORY INSTALLATION OF A COOLING FAN AND TEMPERATURE SENSOR. RIDER IS A LIFELONG RIDER, FORMER MILITARY INSTRUCTOR PILOT, CURRENT FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR (OPERATIONS) WITH EXTENSIVE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE IN AIRCRAFT AND AUTOMOTIVE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION. SHOULD THIS HAVE BEEN AN AIRCRAFT INVESTIGATION FAA AAI-100 WOULD HAVE BEEN URGED TO MANDATE AND EMERGENCY AD TO CORRECT THE DESIGN FAULT. *TR