NHTSA Complaint #10433622 — 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCUTG

ON THE ABOVE DATE THIS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE LESS THAN A MINUTE AFTER STARTING IT. I HAD RODE THIS VEHICLE TO WORK AND WAS AT WORK FOR AROUND TWO HOURS. UPON LEAVING WORK, I STARTED THE MOTORCYCLE WITHOUT GETTING ON AND WAS REACHING TO PUT ITEMS IN THE TRUNK WHEN THE FIRE STARTED. WHEN WALKING UP TO THE VEHICLE I DID NOT SMELL GASOLINE OR NOTICE ANY LEAKING FUEL BEFORE STARTING THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES VERY QUICKLY. I WAS VERY CLOSE TO BEING BURNED. SOME CO-WORKERS AND MYSELF ATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, BUT WERE UNABLE TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH DUE TO THE INTENSE HEAT AND FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED FAIRLY QUICKLY TO PUT THE FIRE OUT, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE FIRE MARSHAL STATED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO MECHANICAL FAILURE. TO THIS DATE HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY INQUIRIES ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AND HAS REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS FIRE. *TR