NHTSA Complaint #10794565 — 2014 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTCU

AFTER USING THE USB AS A MEDIA SOURCE, THE NEXT TIME THE MOTORCYCLE IS POWER CYCLED THE STEREO DEFAULTS TO FM AND RESETS THE FADE CONTROL. HARLEY INITIALLY SAID THIS WAS DUE TO SOFTWARE, BUT THEN CHANGED TO SAYING IT WAS NORMAL OPERATION. ON NOVEMBER 16TH, I SPOKE WITH CASE MANAGER (JOHN), WHO ADVISED THAT THIS IS DUE TO THE SYSTEM SENSING A VOLTAGE CHANGE WHEN SHUTTING DOWN. I HAVE REPLACED THE HEAD UNIT TWICE; ONCE WITH A FACTORY REFURBISHED DEVICE, AND THEN WITH A 2015 MODEL. I MUST NOTE THAT I DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE FOR THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. SINCE HARLEY HAS CHANGED THEIR CAUSE ANALYSIS TWICE, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A WIDESPREAD ISSUE. JOHN STATED THAT HARLEY HAS NOT ISOLATED THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND IS NOW PRESENTING THIS THE "THE WAY THE UNIT SHOULD WORK". MY CONCERN IS THAT I RODE FOR 2 YEARS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS, AND NOW HAVE ONE THAT THE COMPANY CANNOT RESOLVE. SINCE THIS OCCURS APPROXIMATELY 60 - 65% OF THE TIME, I WORRY THAT THIS IS NOT REALLY A STEREO PROBLEM, BUT IS SYMPTOMATIC OF A LARGER PROBLEM WITHIN THE CENTRAL ELECTRICAL/WIRING SYSTEM OF THE MOTORCYCLE. SINCE AUGUST I HAVE WORKED WITH 3 SEPARATE DEALERS, AND WITH HARLEY-DAVIDSON TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM TO NO AVAIL. I FEEL THAT THIS MAY BECOME A DEGRADING ISSUE THAT COULD CREATE MORE SERIOUS ELECTRICAL TROUBLES THAT MAY LEAD TO MAJOR FAILURES.