'12 Ultra Classic Trouble, AGAIN..........
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 52
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From: Ohio
'12 Ultra Classic Trouble, AGAIN..........
Been fighting with this bike since I bought in in May 2012. 3 voltage regulators, 2nd battery.......took it in to HD 1 month ago and they checked the electrical system and said all was well except the battery. They charged the battery and I have ridden it for a couple of weeks then today the electrical system completely shuts down while I am on the highway. I pull off and my wife brings me a brand new battery. I change it out and by the time I get home (approx. 7 miles) the brand new battery is showing that its dying - engine light and battery light come on and volts drop wayyyy down, again........... I take the battery back to where I got it and they check it and it is fully charged.
So I call Harley and tell them to come get the bike so they are coming to get it on Monday. I plan on telling them to keep it until they find the problem. How does the bike have this many problems with the electrical system and there is no problem to be found?
Anybody ever contact the main HD offices and have any luck? I feel as if I am stuck with a lemon bike and the issue will never be resolved.
So I call Harley and tell them to come get the bike so they are coming to get it on Monday. I plan on telling them to keep it until they find the problem. How does the bike have this many problems with the electrical system and there is no problem to be found?
Anybody ever contact the main HD offices and have any luck? I feel as if I am stuck with a lemon bike and the issue will never be resolved.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
well,
the electrical system is a bunch of inter-related parts
a failure or fault in one part (say the battery) can destroy another part (say the VR).
in this case the battery may be recharged ( masking the fault) and a new VR is installed...and off we go FIXED!
and then the battery goes duff and we are roadside scratching our heads.
if the entire system shut down instantly, that more indicates a fuse/relay/breaker- can you describe in detail what actually happened?
if something overheated, then it would have cooled while your wife was bringing you a battery
a competent tech ( good luck) needs to test as in the manual- methodical checks.
long story short:
A neighbor came by a couple of years ago because he knows I have bikes.
He had spent $1300 at the dealer, a couple of batteries, a couple of stators, and maybe 3 VR's...
in less than 10 minutes I found this:
the battery cable was rotted- and the charging systems would "see" at time an open connection due to high resistance...and this would change depending on temperature and which circuits were used ( more current creates heat, which creates more resistance...which creates more heat etc etc etc
when you go to the dealer, do not describe the problem as "I need a new VR" or they will just replace that and send you on the way.( my neighbor described above had done similar to that)
describe as best you can what has happened and that will help lead them to make the correct diagnosis based on the tests in the manual.
In most cases the guy you speak to at the desk is NOT a technician- they are in sales...a "service writer" is usually a commission position, the more parts and services they sell you the more flat black paint they can put on their sportster.
If they don;t seem to understand your statements ask to speak with the technician who will be assigned to your bike
a bad VR can destroy the stator or the battery
a bad battery can destroy the VR or stator
a bad stator can destroy the battery
once discharged a battery will only recharge to about 60% of its previously rated capacity
Lastly...Harley-Davidson makes motorcycles, they sell them with a 2yr warranty.
the Dealer sells motorcycles and is a completely different company- calling H-D will do you no good unless the Dealer has done you some egregious harm...in which case you'd be better satisfied with a legal action.
You can, and should ask H-D if as a good will gesture they will help you on this as they did have some bad voltage regulators in their supply chain and those bad VR's may have been sold on to you.
Easier to substantiate if you kept the old parts
Mike
the electrical system is a bunch of inter-related parts
a failure or fault in one part (say the battery) can destroy another part (say the VR).
in this case the battery may be recharged ( masking the fault) and a new VR is installed...and off we go FIXED!
and then the battery goes duff and we are roadside scratching our heads.
if something overheated, then it would have cooled while your wife was bringing you a battery
a competent tech ( good luck) needs to test as in the manual- methodical checks.
long story short:
A neighbor came by a couple of years ago because he knows I have bikes.
He had spent $1300 at the dealer, a couple of batteries, a couple of stators, and maybe 3 VR's...
in less than 10 minutes I found this:
the battery cable was rotted- and the charging systems would "see" at time an open connection due to high resistance...and this would change depending on temperature and which circuits were used ( more current creates heat, which creates more resistance...which creates more heat etc etc etc
when you go to the dealer, do not describe the problem as "I need a new VR" or they will just replace that and send you on the way.( my neighbor described above had done similar to that)
describe as best you can what has happened and that will help lead them to make the correct diagnosis based on the tests in the manual.
In most cases the guy you speak to at the desk is NOT a technician- they are in sales...a "service writer" is usually a commission position, the more parts and services they sell you the more flat black paint they can put on their sportster.
If they don;t seem to understand your statements ask to speak with the technician who will be assigned to your bike
a bad VR can destroy the stator or the battery
a bad battery can destroy the VR or stator
a bad stator can destroy the battery
once discharged a battery will only recharge to about 60% of its previously rated capacity
Lastly...Harley-Davidson makes motorcycles, they sell them with a 2yr warranty.
the Dealer sells motorcycles and is a completely different company- calling H-D will do you no good unless the Dealer has done you some egregious harm...in which case you'd be better satisfied with a legal action.
You can, and should ask H-D if as a good will gesture they will help you on this as they did have some bad voltage regulators in their supply chain and those bad VR's may have been sold on to you.
Easier to substantiate if you kept the old parts
Mike
Last edited by mkguitar; Sep 11, 2015 at 05:21 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,680
Likes: 602
From: South Florida
well,
the electrical system is a bunch of inter-related parts
a failure or fault in one part (say the battery) can destroy another part (say the VR).
in this case the battery may be recharged ( masking the fault) and a new VR is installed...and off we go FIXED!
and then the battery goes duff and we are roadside scratching our heads.
if the entire system shut down instantly, that more indicates a fuse/relay/breaker- can you describe in detail what actually happened?
if something overheated, then it would have cooled while your wife was bringing you a battery
a competent tech ( good luck) needs to test as in the manual- methodical checks.
long story short:
A neighbor came by a couple of years ago because he knows I have bikes.
He had spent $1300 at the dealer, a couple of batteries, a couple of stators, and maybe 3 VR's...
in less than 10 minutes I found this:
the battery cable was rotted- and the charging systems would "see" at time an open connection due to high resistance...and this would change depending on temperature and which circuits were used ( more current creates heat, which creates more resistance...which creates more heat etc etc etc
when you go to the dealer, do not describe the problem as "I need a new VR" or they will just replace that and send you on the way.( my neighbor described above had done similar the that)
describe as best you can what has happened and that will help lead them to make the correct diagnosis based on the tests in the manual.
In most cases the guy you speak to at the desk is NOT a technician- they are in sales...a "service writer" is usually a commission position, the more parts and services they sell you the more flat black paint they can put on their sportster.
If they don;t seem to understand your statements ask to speak with the technician who will be assigned to your bike
a bad VR can destroy the stator or the battery
a bad battery can destroy the VR or stator
a bad stator can destroy the battery
once discharged a battery will only recharge to about 60% of its previously rated capacity
Lastly...Harley-Davidson makes motorcycles, they sell them with a 2yr warranty.
the Dealer sells motorcycles and is a completely different company- calling H-D will do you no good unless the Dealer has done you some egregious harm...in which case you'd be better satisfied with a legal action.
You can, and should ask H-D if as a good will gesture they will help you on this as they did have some bad voltage regulators in their supply chain and those bad VR's may have been sold on to you.
Easier to substantiate if you kept the old parts
Mike
the electrical system is a bunch of inter-related parts
a failure or fault in one part (say the battery) can destroy another part (say the VR).
in this case the battery may be recharged ( masking the fault) and a new VR is installed...and off we go FIXED!
and then the battery goes duff and we are roadside scratching our heads.
if the entire system shut down instantly, that more indicates a fuse/relay/breaker- can you describe in detail what actually happened?
if something overheated, then it would have cooled while your wife was bringing you a battery
a competent tech ( good luck) needs to test as in the manual- methodical checks.
long story short:
A neighbor came by a couple of years ago because he knows I have bikes.
He had spent $1300 at the dealer, a couple of batteries, a couple of stators, and maybe 3 VR's...
in less than 10 minutes I found this:
the battery cable was rotted- and the charging systems would "see" at time an open connection due to high resistance...and this would change depending on temperature and which circuits were used ( more current creates heat, which creates more resistance...which creates more heat etc etc etc
when you go to the dealer, do not describe the problem as "I need a new VR" or they will just replace that and send you on the way.( my neighbor described above had done similar the that)
describe as best you can what has happened and that will help lead them to make the correct diagnosis based on the tests in the manual.
In most cases the guy you speak to at the desk is NOT a technician- they are in sales...a "service writer" is usually a commission position, the more parts and services they sell you the more flat black paint they can put on their sportster.
If they don;t seem to understand your statements ask to speak with the technician who will be assigned to your bike
a bad VR can destroy the stator or the battery
a bad battery can destroy the VR or stator
a bad stator can destroy the battery
once discharged a battery will only recharge to about 60% of its previously rated capacity
Lastly...Harley-Davidson makes motorcycles, they sell them with a 2yr warranty.
the Dealer sells motorcycles and is a completely different company- calling H-D will do you no good unless the Dealer has done you some egregious harm...in which case you'd be better satisfied with a legal action.
You can, and should ask H-D if as a good will gesture they will help you on this as they did have some bad voltage regulators in their supply chain and those bad VR's may have been sold on to you.
Easier to substantiate if you kept the old parts
Mike
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 24
From: Minden LA
You will pretty much know you have a good wrench if he starts asking you a bunch of questions, when, where, how quick did it happen, full power, cruise, bogging, pinging, blah blah. I've found in 50+ yrs. of wrenching that many times, if you ask enough pertinent question, the customer will tell what is wrong. They don't know it, but they do, if you can communicate with each other. I used to talk to the older gals with my "rolling pin" approach. I explained wheel bearings like it was dough caught in the handle and needed to be cleaned out so the rolling pin handle wouldn't try to turn in your hand while using it. If the guy is doing something similar, chances are you found someone who will find and fix your problems. And it makes the wrench try even harder when you come back next time and ask for him personally.
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