NHTSA Complaint #11321064 — 2013 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTRU

I HAD JUST LEFT MY HOUSE AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF RIDING, I CAME UP TO A STOP, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO SQUEEZE THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER, IT WAS FROZEN AND WOULD NOT BUDGE. LUCKILY, I WAS NOT GOING FAST AND OR NEEDED AN "EMERGENCY STOP," I WAS ABLE TO STOP WITH DOWNSHIFTING AND REAR BRAKE. I COASTED BACK HOME SLOWLY WITH NO ADDITIONAL ISSUES OTHER THAN NO FRONT BRAKES. THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER FROZE AND I WAS UNABLE TO SQUEEZE THE LEVER, CAUSING ME TO BRAKE WITH THE REAR (FOOT) BRAKE TO STOP. I CONTACTED THE HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP, EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID MY ABS "ECU" WAS BAD AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I ASKED HOW COULD I LOSE MY FRONT BRAKE AND IF THERE IS ANY WARNING, AND HE SAY, IT COULD BE WORKING FINE AND JUST FREEZE "FROM ONE STOP LIGHT TO ANOTHER." I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE ABS SYSTEM FAILURE WOULD CAUSE THE BRAKE TO WORK AS "NORMAL" NON-ABS BRAKE. THE BIKE WAS TRANSPORTED BY THE H-D DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND REPAIR. AS INDICATED BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR OVER THE PHONE CALL, THE ABS "ECU" WAS BAD AND WAS REPLACED, ALONG WITH NEW BRAKE FLUID AND BLEEDING OF THE LINE. *TR