I would like to share a customer service issue I experienced with HD Corporate. After a conversation with HD in Milwaukee, I emailed Keith Wandell, President, CEO of Harley Davidson. Here is the email to Keith and the reply.



Mr. Wandell,



I am writing to you to ask for your help. In 2009 I purchased a HD speedometer/tachometer combo unit for my 2003 Road King Classic from my local dealer. In 2011 the tachometer portion of the unit stopped working properly. For the past year I have done everything from talk to my local dealer as well as many other HD dealers to talk to HD customer service in Milwaukee. I am trying to get it repaired.



Every HD dealer, that I have spoken to, has told me that these units are not reliable and discouraged me from buying another. I have read many threads on HDForums.com that state the same issues with these units. I also tried to have the odometer on the original speedometer reset to read the current mileage, which is 25,000 miles higher. No luck there either. No dealer or HD customer service will do anything for me. The common answer I get is “buy a new one and we will set the mileage”. Now I have a $450.00 unit (model #74461-03A) that does not function properly.



All I am asking is to repair this unit or add miles on the odometer to the stock unit so I can reinstall it. I have invested over $6,000 customizing my RKC over the past 3 years with genuine HD accessories and I’m embarrassed when someone says, “what’s up with your tach”. I have got to believe after reading so many complaints about this unit that Harley-Davidson has probably heard them as well. I appreciate you taking the time to read this and I hope to hear from you soon.



Here is the reply:
This email is being sent to acknowledge our receipt of your email dated May 29, 2012. Katherine Jackson and Keith Wandell have been made aware of your file in its entirety (our reference number is 1304392).

Our records indicate that our representative Jon has advised you that we will not be able to meet your requests. Considering that the details surrounding your case have remained unchanged since your last contact with us, we will not be able to offer an alternate resolution. While we regret the unsatisfactory experience you had with your speedometer/tachometer, we are unable to tamper with and/or modify any existing speedometer. If the circumstances of your case change, or if you can provide additional relevant information, we will be happy to reopen the issue.

Please understand that we take your customer satisfaction very seriously. However, there is no further comment we can provide with regard to your particular situation. We do, however, appreciate your proactive effort in providing feedback on our products. We hope our position on this specific issue will not negatively impact your overall Harley-Davidson experience.

Sincerely,

Harley-Davidson Customer Care Team
Harley-Davidson Motor Company

 

Sorry to hear about your issues with MoCo.

I have an open thread in the forum too asking for feedback on the speedometer/tachometer combo as I'm interested in the mod for my 2012 FLHR too (P&A part #70900072).

If it is the same model/make, then I might just pass on this particular mod.

 

A polite way of saying F**K off.

 

I would say "not even that polite" but the F%*K off bit is loud and clear.
Thing is though, as long as we buy their crap, they keep supplying it.
They should re-name it "customer don't care" department.

 

Mike,
I'm one of those guys who most likely would say the MOCO is just trying to f%^k you over, but in this case ......

it was a two year old part, well past any part warranty period, so if they give you a new one, where do they make the cutoff, now they have to give everyone new parts out of warranty that fail within two years?

as far as resetting the mileage on your old one, they are "unable to tamper with and/or modify any existing speedometer" because there is a federal law against that ....

 

Not the same part #, but the same OEM. You make the decision. I know what I would do.

 

I agree, but the part that bothers me the most is that they made no effort what so ever to help. They could have made an attempt to get it repaired.

 

That is not correct.

If the manufacturer of the product, i.e. Harley, is the one that corrects the mileage and documents the fact that they did so it is Not tampering.

I am in the industry and it is done all the time without any problem.


.

 

That actually makes sense, but would this apply with the speedometer having been removed from the vehicle and handed to them? Not that it is, but what if the guy had his original speedo with 5K on it, his replacement with 50K on it and a take off from his buddy with 10K on it? He hands them his original and his buddy's and asks them to sync his original at 15K when the bike actually has 55K. Make sense? Would that work in your examples you have seen?

 

Just to comment. When I bought the combo unit from the dealer, he asked me what mileage I wanted on the new one. They did not verify what was on the original. They just ordered it. I could have ordered the new one with 10K on it and but it in my buddys bike that has 50K on it. To many scenarios.