NHTSA Complaint #11217354 — 2014 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTK

THE 2014 HARLEY-DAVIDSON SERVICE MANUAL TOURING MODELS (99483-14) CONTAINS A PROCEDURE FOR BRAKE FLUID REPLACEMENT WHICH DOES NOT REQUIRE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER UNLESS AIR IS INTRODUCED INTO THE BRAKE SYSTEM. SUBSEQUENT TO THE PUBLICATION OF THIS MANUAL, SOME 2008-2011 HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE MODELS WERE INVOLVED IN AN NHTSA RECALL FOR ABS BRAKE ISSUES. AFTER THE RECALL WAS ISSUED, HARLEY-DAVIDSON NOW REQUIRES THAT ALL YEAR MODEL MOTORCYCLES WITH ABS HAVE THE BRAKE FLUID REPLACEMENT PERFORMED USING THE DIGITAL TECHNICIAN II (HD-48650), WHICH IS NOT AVAILABLE TO OWNERS. THE DIGITAL TECHNICIAN II ACTIVATES THE ABS MODULE DURING A BRAKE FLUID REPLACEMENT TO ENSURE ALL CONTIMANATED BRAKE FLUID IS FLUSHED FROM THE ABS MODULE AND BRAKE LINES. AS I STATED, THE 2014 SERVICE MANUAL DOES NOT REQUIRE THIS STEP. HARLEY-DAVIDSON ALLOWS OWNERS TO PURCHASE SERVICE MANUALS IN ORDER FOR OWNERS TO PERFORM THEIR OWN SERVICE AND REPAIRS TO THEIR HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE THE MOTORCYCLES TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND REPAIRS. THEREFORE, OWNERS WOULD HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT A CRITICAL BRAKE SERVICE PROCEDURE HAS BEEN CHANGED WHICH, IF DONE AS OUTLINED IN THE OLDER SERVICE MANUAL, COULD END UP CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO THE THE RIDER AND/OR PASSENGER. I FEEL IT IS NEGLIGENT OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON TO SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGE THIS PROCEDURE WITHOUT NOTIFYING OWNERS.