2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLTRI — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THE ENGINE ON THIS MOTORCYCLE HAS A DEFECT IN THE CAM TENSIONER THAT CAN CAUSE THE MOTOR TO FAIL AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING DUE TO OIL PRESSURE BEING LOST. THE MOTORCYCLE CAN LOCK-UP, CAUSING THE RIDER TO FALL THE ENGINE CASE CAN BECOME CRACKED CAUSING OIL ON THE REAR TIRE CAUSING THE RIDER TO FALL. HARLEY DAVIDSON IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY OFFER A KIT TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM EXIST ON ANY MOTORCYCLE BUILT WITH THE TWIN CAM 88, 96, 103, 110 ENGINE DATING BACK TO 1999. MY QUESTION IS WHY HASN'T SOMEONE LOOKED INTO THIS? THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF MOTORCYCLES WITH THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM. I WAS LUCKY, AND NOTICED MY OIL PRESSURE DROPPED AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. HARLEY SAYS THIS IS A MAINTENANCE ITEM, YET IT IS NOT IN THE BOOK ANYWHERE. I ONLY FOUND AT ABOUT IT WHEN TALKING TO A HARLEY DEALER. THE INTERNET IS FILLED WITH MAGAZINE ARTICLES AND STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. *TR

THE FRONT BRAKE ON MY HARLEY FLTRI FAILED DECEMBER 4, 2004 AT 15933 MILES. THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS STICKING ON. BECAUSE OF WORK AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS I DID NOT RIDE MUCH FOR A WHILE. THE DEALER REBUILT THE MASTER CYLINDER. BECAUSE OF WORK AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS I DID NOT RIDE MUCH FOR A WHILE. ON NOVEMBER 18, 2005, AT 20507 MILES, I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE BACK BECAUSE THE FRONT BRAKES WERE AGAIN VERY SOFT. THE DEALER BLED THEM. ON OCTOBER 26, 2006, AT 22515 MILES, I COMPLAINED AGAIN THAT THE FRONT BRAKES WERE EXTREMELY SOFT. THE DEALER BLED THEM AGAIN I THINK. NO MENTION OF IT ON THE SERVICE REPORT. ON MARCH 28,2007, I AGAIN COMPLAINED OF THE FRONT BRAKE BEING EXTREMELY SOFT AND NOW THE BRAKE LIGHT IS SPORADICALLY STICKING AGAIN. THIS IS AT 23261 MILES. THE DEALER WRITES THEY SERVICED THE FRONT BRAKE. THEY TOLD ME THE MECHANISM WAS DIRTY AND THEY CLEANED IT. ON APRIL 18,2007, AT 23343 MILES I AGAIN COMPLAINED OF SOFT FRONT BRAKES, THE BRAKE LIGHT STICKING, AND ALSO THE FAIRING MAKING A LOUD RATTLE. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND WITH THE BRAKES OR THE FAIRING. I LATER DISCOVERED THE FAIRING HAD BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. I REINSTALLED IT CORRECTLY AND THE NOISE WAS GONE. IT IS NOW MAY 25, AT 23600 MILES, AND THE FRONT BRAKE IS SOFT, SOMETIMES NO PRESSURE A ALL, AND THE BRAKE LIGHT IS STICKING FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME. PERHAPS SOON IT WILL STAY ON AND THE DEALER WILL FINALLY REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER. OR WORSE MAYBE I WILL GET REARENDED BECAUSE SOME ONE DOES NOT KNOW I HIT THE BRAKES. OR THE BRAKES WILLL FAIL AT THE WRONG TIME AND I WILL RUN OVER SOMEONE ELSE.

THE FRONT BRAKE ON MY HARLEY FLTRI FAILED DECEMBER 4, 2004 AT 15933 MILES. THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS STICKING ON. BECAUSE OF WORK AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS I DID NOT RIDE MUCH FOR A WHILE. THE DEALER REBUILT THE MASTER CYLINDER. BECAUSE OF WORK AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS I DID NOT RIDE MUCH FOR A WHILE. ON NOVEMBER 18, 2005, AT 20507 MILES, I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE BACK BECAUSE THE FRONT BRAKES WERE AGAIN VERY SOFT. THE DEALER BLED THEM. ON OCTOBER 26, 2006, AT 22515 MILES, I COMPLAINED AGAIN THAT THE FRONT BRAKES WERE EXTREMELY SOFT. THE DEALER BLED THEM AGAIN I THINK. NO MENTION OF IT ON THE SERVICE REPORT. ON MARCH 28,2007, I AGAIN COMPLAINED OF THE FRONT BRAKE BEING EXTREMELY SOFT AND NOW THE BRAKE LIGHT IS SPORADICALLY STICKING AGAIN. THIS IS AT 23261 MILES. THE DEALER WRITES THEY SERVICED THE FRONT BRAKE. THEY TOLD ME THE MECHANISM WAS DIRTY AND THEY CLEANED IT. ON APRIL 18,2007, AT 23343 MILES I AGAIN COMPLAINED OF SOFT FRONT BRAKES, THE BRAKE LIGHT STICKING, AND ALSO THE FAIRING MAKING A LOUD RATTLE. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND WITH THE BRAKES OR THE FAIRING. I LATER DISCOVERED THE FAIRING HAD BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. I REINSTALLED IT CORRECTLY AND THE NOISE WAS GONE. IT IS NOW MAY 25, AT 23600 MILES, AND THE FRONT BRAKE IS SOFT, SOMETIMES NO PRESSURE A ALL, AND THE BRAKE LIGHT IS STICKING FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME. PERHAPS SOON IT WILL STAY ON AND THE DEALER WILL FINALLY REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER. OR WORSE MAYBE I WILL GET REARENDED BECAUSE SOME ONE DOES NOT KNOW I HIT THE BRAKES. OR THE BRAKES WILLL FAIL AT THE WRONG TIME AND I WILL RUN OVER SOMEONE ELSE.

DT: CONTACT'S SON OWNED A 2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE THAT WAS OVERHEATING. THE SPEED HAD NO IMPACT ON THE MOTORCYCLE OVERHEATING AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES. THE SERVICE DEALER TRIED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AT LEAST 6 TIMES. THEY REPLACED A NEW COMPUTER CHIP AND THE PIPES. THE SERVICE DEALER COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY OFFERED NO RECOMMENDATIONS. *AK

UNEXPECTED INTERRUPTION OF ALL ELECTRICAL POWER CAUSING ENGINE SUDDENLY TO QUIT WHILE RIDING HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES. *BF RECALL CAMPAIGN: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 04V134000 THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED SERIOUS BODILY INJURIES WHEN HE CRASHED INTO A TREE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER WAS NEVER GIVEN NOTICE THAT THE MOTORCYCLE MAY HAVE CONDITIONS WHEREBY THE 40 AMP MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER COULD OPEN DUE TO REASONS OTHER THAN FOR WHICH IT WAS DESIGNED. *TC (LAWYER [XXX] ON BEHALF OF CLIENT [XXX]) *JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR