NHTSA Complaint #11291357 — 2014 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHXS

I FILLED THE GAS TANK AND RETURNED HOME. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR, THE WIFE NOTICED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL COMING FROM THE GARAGE. I WENT OUTSIDE AND NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GASOLINE WAS ON THE FLOOR. I STARTED INVESTIGATING AS TO WHY THIS OCCURRED. I WASN'T ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, BUT NOTICED THAT WHEN I LIFTED THE FRONT OF THE TANK, THE LEAK WOULD STOP. I TOOK THE BIKE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND BETWEEN US WE DETERMINED A WELD ON THE FRONT OF THE TANK WAS THE LEAK. WE DRAINED APPROXIMATELY A GALLON AND A HALF OF FUEL OUT AND THE LEAK STOPPED. I CONTACTED TWO DEALERSHIPS AND WAS TOLD TO BRING THE BIKE DOWN AND THEY WOULD CHECK IT, BUT DO TO THE AGE IT WOULD LIKELY NOT BE COVERED. I REMOVED THE TANK AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK WAS NOT SEALED (BARE SHEET METAL) AND IT WAS OBVIOUS THERE WAS GAP IN THE SHEET METAL INSIDE THE TANK, WHERE IT WAS LEAKING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TANK. I OBTAINED A TANK FROM A 2017 HD TOURING AND INSTALLED IT ON MY 2014. THE 2017 TANK WAS SEALED ENTIRELY ON THE INSIDE AND ONCE INSTALLED THERE WERE NO ISSUES. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE ORIGINAL TANK TOOK SO LONG TO LEAK NOR WHY IT JUST OCCURRED OUT OF THE BLUE. I HAVE FILLED THE TANK MANY TIMES AND NEVER HAD AN ISSUE.