NHTSA Complaint #11115656 — 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLD

THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER ON MY 2012 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE FAILED. I WAS LEAVING A BUSINESS, THE EXIT WAS ON AN INCLINE TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. AS I WAS GOING UP THE INCLINE I GRABBED THE FRONT BRAKE TO STOP FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE BRAKE LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE, I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE BIKE WITH THE REAR BRAKE AT THE TOP OF INCLINE RAMP. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I FOUND THAT THE ABS BRAKE MODULE ON 2008-2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON WERE FAILING AND ABOUT 175,000 BIKES WERE AFFECTED. HARLEY-DAVIDSON SAID THE BRAKE FLUID SHOULD BE CHANGED EVERY TWO YEARS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT MOISTURE GETS INTO THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND CLOGS THE ABS MODULE PORTS. MY BIKE HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE PLAN, HOWEVER HARLEY-DAVIDSON DOESN'T CHANGE YOUR BRAKE FLUID IN THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE MILESTONES. THEY DO OPEN YOUR MASTER CYLINDER AND CHECK FOR MOISTURE, THEY DON'T DOCUMENT MOISTURE LEVEL. IF THE MOISTURE LEVEL IS ABOVE A CERTAIN LEVEL THEY WILL TELL YOU, BUT IF IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS AND YOUR CURRENT WITH YOUR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE THEY SHOULD CHANGE THE FLUID. THEY DON'T, THEY JUST OPEN YOUR SYSTEM UP TO BE EXPOSED POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION AND IF THE FLUID CHECKS GOOD FOR 3,4 OR 5 YEARS THEY WON'T SAY ANYTHING. THE MERE FACT THEY TAKE THE TOP OFF THE MASTER CYLINDER IN A SEALED SYSTEM COULD BE WHEN INTRODUCTION OF MOISTURE BEGINS. HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND MAKES NO PROACTIVE STEPS TO HELP CONSUMERS WITH COST OF CORRECTING THIS COSTLY OR POSSIBLE FATAL DISCREPANCY. BRAKES ARE A NECESSITY FOR SAFE MOTORCYCLING. IF HARLEY-DAVIDSON RECOMMENDS CHANGING BRAKE FLUID EVERY TWO YEARS THEY SHOULD HAVE THAT ON RECORD WHEN THE BIKE COMES IN FOR SERVICE, JUST LIKE OIL CHANGES.