Who does the Harley-Davidson USA brake fluid recall affect?
There are currently many reports circulating about a voluntary recall campaign by Harley-Davidson USA, which points out possible brake problems on some models.
It affects 31 models from 2008 to 2011 that are being recalled in the USA. The effect of the braking force may not develop the expected force in the event of emergency braking.
There are 43 complaints in the US and 3 cases so far where accidents may or may not have occurred as a result.
However, the traffic authority in the USA is strict when it comes to suspected cases and forces the manufacturer to take action until it is clarified. It affects V-Rod, Touring and CVO Tourer models with an ABS system if the brake fluid is older than two years.
Then problems with braking could occur due to deposits in the brake fluid. If you have your vehicle serviced at an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer, you don't have to worry about this; after two years, the brake fluid will be changed during the inspection according to the checklist.
Maintenance should generally be carried out according to the manufacturer's checklist!
What has already happened is that customers have not had this done because of the effort and costs, which can be around 100 euros.
So you should check this carefully, even if you bought a used vehicle with a complete service book, to see whether the item has not been excluded. There is currently no official recall in Germany, but anyone who has an imported vehicle from this model group should definitely order it.
Don't assume that Harley-Davidson will cover the costs if changing the brake fluid after 2 years is on the checklist anyway.
Conclusion: If you have maintenance done at a Harley-Davidson dealer according to the checkbook and checklist, it doesn't affect you and if you haven't followed the maintenance plan, or drive an imported vehicle or vehicle without a comprehensible maintenance plan (workshop invoices), you should definitely do so Change brake fluid.
When should the brake fluid be changed?
This recommendation also applies to cars and not just to motorcycles. The brake fluid should be used according to the manufacturer's instructions, the driving performance does not necessarily depend on it, the brake fluid can form deposits and a special characteristic is that it attracts water, which lowers the boiling point of the brake fluid and when braking hard, gas bubbles are formed, which can lead to this that you lose brake pressure. The gas bubbles are compressible and, under pressure, form a buffer that does not pass on the brake pressure to the brake cylinder. Porous brake lines are also a real problem; they are usually looked at during the main inspection, but you should always keep an eye on the condition of the brake hoses yourself. It is also possible to have the brake fluid checked, but not without changing the seal afterwards. If you're unskilled, you should definitely stay away from the braking system. If you don't bleed the system properly, you'll have more problems afterwards than before. In the specialist workshop, not only is the brake fluid changed, but the pipe is also flushed to remove any remaining water. And disposal must only be carried out professionally, even if you like to work on your machine yourself, you shouldn't try anything with the brakes.
Photo credit: Symbol photo Harleysite
