Model year record
2008 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx recalls & problems
The 2008 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 9 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (4 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2008 Harley-Davidson Vrscdx.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system, gasoline | 4 | 850 mi |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 10,000 mi |
| Electrical system | 2 | — |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 1 | — |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | — |
| Service brakes | 1 | — |
| Forward collision avoidanceAutomatic emergency braking | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Service brakes
THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT HAS FAILED WHICH IS CAUSING THE ABS FEATURE TO BECOME UNUSABLE AND BRAKES NOW DEGRADED AND FAULTY WITHOUT PAYING FOR A NEW UNIT WHICH HARLEY HAS QUOTED $1400 TO REPLACE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V076000 ## VIN PASSED ## HARLEY DAVIDSON 2008 ##
- Electrical system
FUEL GAUGE NEVER READS ACCURATE. WHEN BIKE IS FULL THE GAUGE WILL READ FULL BUT WHEN I TURN BIKE OFF AND RESTART IT AGAIN THE FUEL GAUGE WILL READ 1/4 FULL. GAUGE IS VERY INDEPENDABLE. RESULTING IN THE BIKE RUNNING OUT OF GAS BECAUSE THE IMPROPER READING FROM THE FUEL GAUGE. ALSO RESULTING IN HAVING TO CALL AND AUTO SERVICE FOR A TOW OR FUEL.
- Fuel/propulsion system
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO OWN THIS BIKE ARE REPORTING THAT THE FUEL GAUGE IS A PROBLEM THAT THE COMPANY IS UNWILLING TO FIX. SEE THREAD: HTTP://WWW.1130CC.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=106786. *TR
- Fuel/propulsion system
FUEL GAUGE READS ERRATICALLY LOW FROM EMPTY UP TO ACTUAL LEVEL. POSSIBLE FUEL SENSOR FAILURE. UNCOMMANDED CHANGES IN POWER APPARENTLY RELATED TO THIS COMMON PROBLEM MAKE IT A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO ERRATIC SPEED/THRUST BEHAVIOR. IT HAS OCCURRED AT HIGH SPEEDS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC FORCING ME TO PULL OVER. *TR
- Service brakes, hydraulic
I OWN A 2008 VRSCDX HARLEY DAVIDSON - THE REAR BRAKE FAILED AS IT IS EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT, DUE TO ITS PROXIMITY TO THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE FAILURE IS CAUSED BY THE PLASTIC PORTION OF THE SWITCH MELTING ALLOWING THE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK OUT OF THE SYSTEM. I HAVE CONTACTED HD AND PROVIDED THEM WITH MULTIPLE CASES OF OTHER VRSCDX BIKES HAVING THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS ISSUE AND HD DID NOT INCLUDE THIS MODEL IN THEIR CURRENT RECALL OF OTHER MODELS WITH IDENTICAL PROBLEMS - ALSO HD HAS RE-DESIGNED THE BRAKE SWITCH LOCATION ON NEWER MODELS. PLEASE HELP RESOLVE THIS BEFORE SOMEONE ISN'T INJURED OR KILLED. THANK YOU, *TT *TR
- Fuel system, gasoline
2008 HARLEY DAVIDSON VRSCDX (NIGHT ROD SPECIAL) AFTER PURCHASING MY MOTORCYCLE, 5 MONTHS PASSED WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE WENT OUT. I TOOK IT BACK TO HARLEY, AS IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, THEY REPLACED SOME PARTS WHICH FIXED THE ISSUE. THE ISSUE RESURFACED AGAIN LAST MONTH (JUNE 2011) WHERE THE FUEL GAUGE IS CONSTANTLY READING EMPTY. IT APPEARS THAT HARLEY HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THERE ARE NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVING ISSUES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. *TR
- Fuel system, gasoline
ERRATIC FUEL GAUGE. OFTEN READS FULL WHEN IT'S ACTUALLY MUCH LOWER. THIS IS MORE CRITICAL ON A MOTORCYCLE (AND ON MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS) AS THE DRIVEN WHEEL AND TIRE ARE DIRECTLY CONNECTED FROM THE ENGINE TO THE ROAD. IF THE MOTORCYCLE ENGINE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY SHUTS DOWN, THE RIDER COULD BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD AND A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR. ANOTHER CONCERN WOULD BE CROSSING A BUSY INTERSECTION WHERE THE ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY SHUTS OFF, LEAVING THE RIDER GROSSLY EXPOSED TO SEVERE INJURY. *TR
- Fuel system, gasoline
FUEL GAUGE NOT WORKING ALL THE TIME. *TR
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Sudden Brake Failure - MotorcycleClosedLed to recall 18V076000
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation in July 2016 based on forty-three (43) Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ).During the course of this investigation ODI received a total of 145 VOQs related to the alleged defect on the subject motorcycles.Owners allege they experience a sudden and complete loss of brakes on one or both wheels.To better understand the cause of the braking issue on the subject motorcycles, ODI requested NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) conduct inspections and testing of affected vehicle braking systems.Through its work, VRTC determined that deposits were forming on the valves in the Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) of the Antilock Braking System (ABS). These deposits could prevent the proper function of the HCU and render the brakes ineffective.To understand why deposits were forming in the HCU, Harley Davidson completed an…