Harley Davidson Recalling 250,000 Motorcycles due to Potential Brake Failure

Harley Davidson is recalling 250,000 motorcycles world-wide to fix an issue that has the potential to cause the brakes to fail.  175,000 of those motorcycles are in the United States.

The investigation began in July 2016 when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received 43 complaints of problems with the brakes, including reports of 3 crashes and 2 injuries.  This led the NHTSA to pressure Harley Davidson to declare a recall.

The recall notice says that “deposits may form on components within the brake system if the DOT 4 brake fluid is not replaced for a prolonged period of time beyond the 2-year maintenance schedule specified in the Owner’s Manual.”  The deposits can cause a valve in the antilock brake control unit to stick. The recall service involves a full flush of the brake fluid, but no parts need to be replaced.

This follows another recall from June in which Harley Davidson recalled 57,000 motorcycles due to an oil leak that may have been linked to multiple accidents.  For a full list of the Harley Davidson models that are a part of the recall refer to the NHTSA recall notice.

Starting on February 12, dealers will begin flushing and replacing brake fluid.

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