Daily Slideshow: 251,000 Harley Bikes are Getting Recalled Over Brake Failure
Vehicle recalls are an unfortunate and costly part of the auto industry, and Harley-Davidson are no exception.
A major recall by Harley standards.
2018's been on the rough side for Harley-Davidson so far. They recently issued a voluntary recall on roughly 251,000 of their bikes. If you look at any of the waning sales figures they've had in recent years, that's a major figure for the company to call in. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) called for them to resolve the potential risk of corroded brakes after cases were reported after neglectful maintenance. The bikes affected are comprised of thirty-one different bike models, manufactured between 2008 and 2011. 175,000 of these bikes were sold in the United States alone.
From a safety perspective, concerns with brakes ride near the top of the list. The problem itself isn't as bad as some might fear when corrosive brakes are mentioned --indeed, the risk is negligible if they've been cared for regularly enough. Still, there merits great attention whenever the rider's safety is concerned, and Harley-Davidson has been quick to set this recall in motion.
What is wrong, exactly?
According to a Harley-Davidson press release: "The failure to periodically flush and replace the bike’s brake fluid can lead to deposits in the braking system which may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, and thus reducing braking power. Owners with mentioned models will have their fluids replaced and systems checked free of charge."
In other words, if the oil isn't changed on these bikes every two years as per the recommendation, there's an increased risk that the brakes will fail out, sending the biker out of control. The brakes should function properly within the recommended parameters, but if there are potentially life-threatening instances that this could avoid, it's easy to see why they issued the recall.
The problem is avoidable with proper maintenance.
If you own one of the recalled Harleys and have kept up with the recommended upkeep, there's nothing to worry about. The valve actuator's only been shown to corrode with stale oil that should have been switched out long ago. No one's downplaying the significance of the issue, especially if the NHTSA's already reported at least a few accidents to have occurred because of it. Still, the safety within parameters makes it understandable why some riders are in no rush to take up the recall, or why Harley-Davidson tried to negotiate making a campaign publicizing the issue and importance of oil changes in lieu of the recall proper. The NHTSA demanded they go the full way with this one; considering how it'd look on both parties if someone eventually died from this, we can see why.
The problem took a while to find.
While the bikes reportedly affected were made between 2008 and 2011, the NHTSA only made a case for it in 2016. Given that the problem resulted from natural corrosion over long-term use (and with improper care at that) one can see why it would have slipped through the cracks and made it into the sold product.
Costly but doable-- Harley-Davidson rides on.
A vehicle recall, if anything, is a good thing-- it's the causes behind them that are problematic for customers' trust and the company's bottom line. A 30 million dollar foul-up is a costly mistake for a company Harley's size to contend with, but it won't go down in history with brand-shaming notoriety. Considering the 200-300 million dollar recalls conducted by Ford or General Motors, or the billion-dollar-plus scandals from Toyota or Volkswagen, and it's easier to take this one in stride. Recalls are to be expected with just about any mass-produced item where safety is a concern, and Harley-Davidson have rolled with this punch about as well as could as an owner could hope.
For help with your Harley maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.
