Harley-Davidson Recall – ID Number: 19V574

What:  Replacement Rear Reflectors Missing from Kit. Without the rear red reflectors, the motorcycle has reduced visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V574000

Potential Number of Units Affected — 12,733  (All markets (except Japan) are affected)

Summary — In April 2019, Harley-Davidson’s Technical Subcommittee (TSC) is notified by their Parts and Accessories Engineering group that the current P&A Detachables Tour-Pak kits for 2014 – current Touring models have been sold without reflectors to replace the original equipment rear reflector that may be removed on some models to install this kit.  An investigation was initiated.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company determined that the P&A Detachables Tour-Pak Luggage Conversion Kits (Part No. 53000291, 53000291A and 53000567) were not equipped with reflectors to replace the factory-installed rear reflector, which may have been removed when installing this kit. Installation of these kits may cause the vehicle to fail to meet federal regulations that require motorcycles to be equipped with a red reflex reflector on the rear of the motorcycle. The absence of these reflectors could reduce the rear conspicuity of the vehicle, possibly increasing the risk of a crash.  As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”

Remedy — In August 2019, Harley-Davidson initiated a recall on certain Touring and CVO Touring motorcycles, including 2017-2019 FLHTCU, FLHTCUL, FLHTK ANV, FLHTKL, FLTRU, FLHTK, and 2016-2019 FLHTKSE, FLHTKSE ANV, and FLTRUSE models equipped with a Harley-Davidson Detachable Tour-Pak Luggage Conversion Kit (Part numbers 53000291, 53000291A, and 53000567). The kit did not include replacement rear red reflectors for the ones that are eliminated by installing this kit.

Harley-Davidson has notified owners, and dealers will install the replacement reflectors, free of charge. The recall began August 19, 2019. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson’s number for this recall is 0629.

REFERENCE DOC: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RCLRPT-19V574-9143.PDF
SERVICE BULLETIN: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RCRIT-19V574-0248.pdf

Notes — Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236, or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Photo courtesy of Harley-Davidson.

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Harley-Davidson 2014 Touring Model Brake Line Recall

Harley-Davidson is recalling 66,421 Touring and CVO Touring motorcycles from the 2014 model year because their front wheels can lock up without warning.

The motor company says the front brake line can get pinched between the fuel tank and the frame which could cause front brake fluid pressure to increase, increasing the risk that the front wheel could lock up while riding. Motorcycles with anti-lock brakes built between July 1, 2013, and May 7, 2014, are included in the recall.

NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V-319

Components:
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Potential Number of Units Affected: 66,421

Problem Description:
Harley-Davidson Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2014 ABS-equipped Touring and CVO Touring motorcycles, models FLHTK, FLHTKSE, FLHTKSHRINE, FLHTCU, FLHTCUTC, FLHTP, FLHX, FLHXS, FLHXSHRINE, FLHR, FLHRC, FLHP, and FLHRSE, manufactured July 1, 2013, through May 7, 2014. The affected motorcycles may have been assembled with the front brake line positioned so that it can be pinched between the fuel tank and frame causing the front brake fluid pressure to increase.

Consequence:
A pinched brake line will increase the front brake fluid pressure, possibly resulting in a front wheel lock-up, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy:
Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the motorcycles for brake line damage and replace the damaged lines as necessary. Dealers will also install one or two cable straps to properly prevent the line from being pinched in the future, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in July 2014. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464.

The chronology of events leading up to the recall:  Harley began an investigation on September 11, 2013 after it was “advised of a pinched brake line under the rear fuel tank mounting bracket of a police motorcycle being set up for service.”

On October 8, 2013, H-D determined that “six warranty claims/consumer contacts” were potentially linked to the brake line issue. Among those six incidents were “one crash with no injuries.”

Within a week corrective action was taken on the final assembly line at the York facility, as on October 14 a cable strap was added to retain the brake lines from being pinched under the aforementioned fuel tank mounting bracket. H-D reports it then closed its investigation on November 11, 2013.

However, the investigation was reopened on May 7, 2014 when the York Final Vehicle Audit “reported a Touring bike with a brake line pinched in a different location, between the fuel tank and the frame several inches forward of the rear fuel tank mounting bracket.”

Harley-Davidson added another cable strap to the production process addressing the issue at the new suspect location. The company subsequently reanalyzed its warranty data on May 12, reporting “a cumulative total of 39 warranty claims potentially related to this issue, four of which reported crashes (with one reported minor injury).” On May 20, it determined another “customer complaint involving a reported crash with minor injuries” was related to the front brake line issue.

In total the company knows of five crashes and two minor injuries related to the defect.

Photo courtesy of H-D and NHTSA.

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Was Project Rushmore Rushed?

Do Not Ride

Last week, Harley-Davidson recalled about 29,000 model-year-2014 touring (Project Rushmore) bikes.  

The recalled models include 25,185 touring models (FLHTCU, FLHTK, FLHTP, FLHX, FLHXS, FLHTKSE, FLHRSE) and 3,861 CVO and Trikes (FLHTCUTG, FXSBSE, FLSTNSE) built between May 3rd and October 14, 2013.

The cause is a possible safety issue involving the hydraulic clutch.  Some of the motorcycles may exhibit a condition in which the hydraulic clutch system may lose the ability to generate enough lift to disengage the clutch, making it hard to slow or stop.  The company included a “Do Not Ride” notice to owners and a “Do Not Deliver” notice to dealers until the motorcycles were fixed.  The repairs have been identified and should take less than an hour to correct.

Because the NHTSA was closed last week as a result of the partial government shutdown there is yet to be a NHTSA campaign ID number issued.  Harley-Davidson is moving ahead as if the agency was fully operational.  The recall is expected to cost the motor company $4.9M in the fourth quarter, but it’s not expected to have much of an effect on production.

Since 2009, Harley-Davidson management has consistently repeated how they have been intensely focused on improving the cost structure and transforming the business to be stronger, more flexible and more profitable… Knowing a few riders with new motorcycles that have had warranty failures, I’d like them to talk more about the quality improvements being made YOY.

If you have a motorcycle manufactured during this time you can visit your dealer or call H-D at 414.343.7988.

Photo courtesy of Biker Law web site.

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