NHTSA Complaint #10433863 — 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLSTC

A FRIEND WAS FOLLOWING ME AND TOLD ME MY BRAKE LIGHT WAS STAYING ON. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND RELEASED IT, BUT THE LIGHT STAYED ON. I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO HARLEY DAVIDSON WORLD IN OKLAHOMA CITY FOR REPAIR. THEY REPAIRED IT BY REPLACING THE REAR BRAKE SWITCH. SINCE THEN HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS RECALLED ALL TOURING MODEL BIKES FROM 09 AND UP, BUT EXCLUDED SOFTTAIL MODELS LIKE MINE FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. ACCORDING TO THE RECALL, HEAT CAUSES THE CONTACTS ON THE SWITCH TO MELT CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHT TO EITHER STAY ON OR NOT COME ON AT ALL OR ALLOW BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK OUT. I'VE CONTACTED HARLEY DAVIDSON TO SEE IF THE SWITCH ON MY SOFTTAIL SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED DUE TO THE SIMILARITIES OF THE COMPLAINTS. HARLEY CUSTOMER CARE INDICATED THERE WAS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN MY SWITCH GOING OUT AND THE RECALL ON TOURING MODELS. THE CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVE SAID MY FAILURE WAS A ONE IN A MILLION CHANCE. I DOUBT HIS ASSUMPTION AND BELIEVE THERE IS A CONNECTION AND AM CONCERNED THAT THE SWITCH THAT REPLACED MY FAULTY SWITCH MAY ALSO MALFUNCTION CAUSING AN ACCIDENT BY MY EITHER LOSING BRAKE FLUID AND THE RESULTING LOSS OF BRAKES OR BY MY GETTING REAR ENDED BY A MOTORIST NOT REALIZING THAT I WAS STOPPING DUE TO NO BRAKE LIGHTS. *TR