Total complete brake failure! Read!!!
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 271
Likes: 169
From: South Africa
Found this on a site called FixMyHog.com:
There are countless vehicles on the road, other than Harley Davidson, that utilize ABS systems and Dot 4 brake fluid. It is unsettling to us why Harley Davidson is, seemingly, the only vehicle manufacturer failing in this area. We realize that Dot 4 attracts moisture, but what is the engineering flaw that allows moisture to breach the sealed brake system? If you think about it for a minute, the answer is in a flawed brake modulator design. Harley was using Dot 4 in their brake systems, without issue, for years before Harley ABS models were produced and released to the public. When ABS was added, a module and modulator were added.The Harley ABS modulator is the only added component to the physical, working, ABS braking system (also added electrical: ABS sensor & module, and a magnetic wheel bearing). Being that the modulator is the only added component in contact with the brake fluid, it has to be the culprit. Rather than issue a recall, Harleys solution to this issue was to send out a mass mailing to owners. The letter stresses that owners have their brake fluid changed right away, if it has not been changed within the last two years. Then, the fluid needs to be changed every two years after. The kicker, of course, is that the brake system can only be correctly bled with the dealerships Digital Technician (or at a shop that has the Centurion Super Pro software or the Twin Tec software).
There's a bit more info and a couple of pix. I can't see what the date of this publication was, but it looks from the comments like this was back in 2017. Here's the site:
https://www.fixmyhog.com/post/shop-a...ator-failure/#
This at least satisfies my curiosity about how you can lose both brakes at one time, these systems are linked through the ABS system. Starting to make sense, but sure doesn't make it a less serious concern!!!! We need a fix, OEM or aftermarket, I don't care.
Harley ABS
One increasingly common issue that Harley Davidson owners have been facing is ABS module and modulator failure. Dot 4 brake fluid will absorb moisture over time. If your Harley is stored outdoors or in a humid environment, contamination of the fluid may happen even sooner. The moisture will eventually contaminate the internals of the ABS modulator. When this occurs, the front or rear brake lever becomes rock hard and actual brake function is nonexistent.There are countless vehicles on the road, other than Harley Davidson, that utilize ABS systems and Dot 4 brake fluid. It is unsettling to us why Harley Davidson is, seemingly, the only vehicle manufacturer failing in this area. We realize that Dot 4 attracts moisture, but what is the engineering flaw that allows moisture to breach the sealed brake system? If you think about it for a minute, the answer is in a flawed brake modulator design. Harley was using Dot 4 in their brake systems, without issue, for years before Harley ABS models were produced and released to the public. When ABS was added, a module and modulator were added.The Harley ABS modulator is the only added component to the physical, working, ABS braking system (also added electrical: ABS sensor & module, and a magnetic wheel bearing). Being that the modulator is the only added component in contact with the brake fluid, it has to be the culprit. Rather than issue a recall, Harleys solution to this issue was to send out a mass mailing to owners. The letter stresses that owners have their brake fluid changed right away, if it has not been changed within the last two years. Then, the fluid needs to be changed every two years after. The kicker, of course, is that the brake system can only be correctly bled with the dealerships Digital Technician (or at a shop that has the Centurion Super Pro software or the Twin Tec software).
There's a bit more info and a couple of pix. I can't see what the date of this publication was, but it looks from the comments like this was back in 2017. Here's the site:
https://www.fixmyhog.com/post/shop-a...ator-failure/#
This at least satisfies my curiosity about how you can lose both brakes at one time, these systems are linked through the ABS system. Starting to make sense, but sure doesn't make it a less serious concern!!!! We need a fix, OEM or aftermarket, I don't care.
thanks for sharing this, its frightening to read the comments posted by riders to whom this happened and seemingly continues to happen at the end of the article
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 320
Likes: 43
From: NYC
Not trying to downplay what happened to you, and your interaction with the dealer or defend H-D, but my bike also is an 18 and it is 2 years old. While you said your bike is 10 months old could it have been an 18 manufactured early on in Jul/Aug/Sep of 2017 and then sat around with little movement on the showroom floor or some unheated storage area until you purchased it 10 months ago? As I said not defending the dealer on H-D, just wondering if the fluid was in fact over 2 years old and perhaps had little movement before your purchase..
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 283
From: California, Md now Savannah, Ga
Checking is all that's required,not changing. Although I believe the checking also includes a moisture check.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,589
Likes: 4,551
From: USA
Ive had brake fluid that looked like mud and it stopped the vehicle. In my life I have never been concerned about changing brake fluid. 160,000 miles on my 17 year old truck, same brake fluid. As long as it showed in the reservoir I was good to go. Changing fluid in an 8 month old Harley? Biggest line of bull **** Ive ever heard.
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Joe Kucinski
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 952
Likes: 528
From: Richmond TX
I'm okay with ABS, but wouldn't have paid extra if it was an option. My model came with it standard. I would still be okay with it if this design problem hadn't surfaced. I'm going to dig some more but as it stands right now I am faced with flushing my brake fluid every two years, except.... I have to pay a shop to do it or spring for an aftermarket device to force the ABS module open for bleeding, at $175. Other devices are apparently available for a lot more cash. Or, I will be bypassing the module and pulling the fuse. I'll still want to flush and install new fluid every couple of years, but at least I won't have an inherent failure mode that leaves me with effectively no brakes. I'll take the chance that the insurance company won't send out a forensic scientist mechanic to check that my ABS was working. I think my widow will have enough cash to burn my sorry *** and give me a burial at sea, speaking of flushing.
