Because the ABS system is not supposed to fail in a way the prevents the normal braking operation from working properly. Maintenance issue or not causing the failures, it's a safety issue the way it fails. Most guys I've seen have an issue say the front brake lever is rock solid and no front brakes. If that happened on a pickup truck or passenger car and started occurring more frequently, there would be a recall. Harley needs to recall the ABS module.

 

If you believe that then its appropriate for MOCO to at least warn customers and update the manual, "if brake fluid is not changed every 24 months on 'ABS EQUIPPED' motorcycles 2008~2011, major brake failure can occur and cause serious injury or death".

And tell us, why is the abs failure only a problem from 2008~2011? Given your comment, it must be that owners of 2008~2011 bikes dont change fluid per schedule but owners of 2012+ bikes do? And why does MOCO advertise "if abs failure occurs, braking will resume to normal, non-abs braking".

 

Page 269 of my 2015 SGS owners manual "Perform the service and maintenance operations as indicated in the regular service interval table. Lack of regular maintenance at the recommended intervals can affect the safe operation of your motorcycle, which could result in death or serious injury. (00010a)"
So I guess they did update the owners manual! I don't have an older version to see if that is already there.

 

Thats very specific. (sarcasm) And on pg 269 you say.... lol

Moco used to advertise that abs will resort to normal braking if abs fails. Dont know if they still do. And why did the problem stop after a certain year?

 

I have a 2008 Ultra that this just happened to and I have only had the bike for one year. I did however buy the bike from a H-D Dealer and they state that they always service all bikes before they put them up for sale. If that's true then mine should not have failed, right?

 

Last time I was at my dealer getting some work done, they asked if I wanted brake fluid flushed and told me it should be done every two years. I went for it but thought it was a bit odd given that in cars you don't often hear of people flushing their brake fluid. They had posters up in the service area as well reminding people to flush the fluid, must be pushing this given the issues that are being mentioned here.

 

Not an excuse for the bad design of non fail safe of the ABS module,

besides brake fluid flush,

It's a good idea to exercise the abs module every now and then, keep things moving in there.

Should periodically practice max braking anyway, and know the feel when abs kicks in.

 

not so sure that it did stop 'after a certain year'. my wife's 2012 had the abs module replaced this past summer for not working on the rear. she couldn't use her rear brake, it wouldn't move until it moved so far that the abs kicked in. nothing in between.

 

I agree with you. Hence to 2008 "~" 2011. The NHTSA investigation states years 2008-2011. But their are reports of 2012 bike failures. I have not read anything about 2013+ bikes. Given the part numbers are the same up until 2013, it makes sense 12's and 13's would also have problems. What is very troublesome is, those of us that have replaced the abs module can only assume we replaced it with the same pos abs module that failed. And have to wonder if it will fail again.

Here are the MoCo vids advertising abs. They discuss self-diags and if diags fail, the bike will behave like a non-abs bike. Given the MoCo's statement if abs diags fail normal braking will resume, the diags appear to only check the electrical/electronics portion of abs. Not the hydraulics or abs module. My guess is, abs diags only check bearings to pickup sensors to ecm. Maybe the abs electronic abs controller to some extent, maybe not. If it did check the electronics abs module, it should exercise the solenoids which would exercise the abs plungers/valves. At this point the diags should notice the valves/plungers are not working properly.



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