NHTSA Complaint #11020472 — 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTC

IN MAY 2017 THE REAR BRAKE FAILED TO OPERATE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE PEDDLE WAS LOCKED AND COULD NOT BE PUSHED DOWN WITH ANY AMOUNT OF FORCE. FORTUNATELY THE FRONT BRAKE WAS STILL FUNCTIONAL AND I WAS ABLE TO SLOW MY SPEED WITH OUT CRASHING. THIS FIRST OCCURRED GOING OUT MY 1/4 MILE GRAVEL DRIVEWAY WITH A 90 DEGREE TURN AT THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY. AFTER THE INCIDENT I WAS ABLE TO GET THE REAR BRAKE PEDDLE TO SLOWLY MOVE DOWNWARD WITH A GREAT AMOUNT OF FORCE AND WITH MULTIPLE PUSHES IT BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY FOR THE REST OF MY 60 MILE RIDE. THE FROZEN REAR BRAKE PEDDLE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO OCCUR AFTER THE BIKE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT. BEFORE I WOULD RIDE THE BIKE I WOULD NEED TO PUT GREAT PRESSURE ON THE PEDDLE AND PUMP IT SEVERAL TIMES TO GET IT TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. EVENTUALLY I COULD NOT GET THE PEDDLE TO FUNCTION NORMALLY AND THE BIKE IS IN FOR REPAIRS. THE FRONT BRAKE CONTINUED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY OVER THE ENTIRE TIME PERIOD. THE BIKE HAS ABS BRAKES AND APPARENTLY A CONTROL MODULE HAS FAILED THAT WILL COST $1,100 TO REPLACE.