Paint cracking on my oil tank.
 

Well, as some of you guys might now, the paint in my oil tank started to crack by itself for no apparent reason. I took it to the dealership today and they agreed to replace it. here is the catch though, according to the explanation i got...... they have to take my oil tank off the bike and send it to get re-painted.

According to them, that paint job is not from Harley, Harley gets the oil tank painted by an outside vendor (somewhere in Arizona). For some reason they can't just order a new oil tank, they have to send mine to get re-painted by the vendor.

Does anyone else find that kind of strange???

Yes very strange. Did they say how long it would take? I would call cust service and see what they have to say about it. Hey, they will replace any other painted part why not the oil tank?

I have seen the powder coat come off a softail tank one or two times. We just ordered up a new one, when it came in we replaced it. It may be because it is a painted part, warranty department told them to send it in, sounds wrong to me. I would call up Harley Customer service and ask them to send a new tank to the dealer and swap them out. You do not want to lose primer riding season. If a painted tank can be ordered out of the parts book, then there is no reason to have to send yours in first.

It seems to me that they can do as much...or as little...as they feel like at the time. Good luck.

What are you going to do if paint don't match when it comes back. BS tell them to order you one they can change it then

Sorry to hear that your woes continue on...and yes it does sound strange that they can't just order you another one...what if
I went in and wanted to order a new oil tank would they tell me no, very doubtful...I'd check further into that one if I were you brother...hope it goes your way...you've had one thing after another it seems go wrong for you this past winter and now into the spring...

That sure sounds fishy to me. I have heard of painted parts taking awhile to come in but never having to send your parts out to be painted. Doesn't make any sense. I work for Mercedes Benz in parts and have worked for GM in the past and painted parts always came one of 2 ways, either painted or primed and we had to send them out to be painted. I've never - in over 20 years in the business - had to have a customer take a part off their car and have it painted. One suggestion - see if you pay the difference if they'll give you the chrome oil tank from the SE springer. Just a thought.

alain someone else round here has had the same problem maybe 2 others
check around old posts, tell those buzzards to get you an oil tank
good luck

If your bike was in an accident and needed a new oil tank they would be able to order one. Now that I think about it, that shop is totally wrong. Ask them to order a new one and wait until it comes to have it installed, meanwhile ride with the old one. If they refuse, call Harley direct at their customer service. Just be cool and calm, they will straighten it out.

Harley-Davidson customer service (414) 343-4056.