2008 Harley-Davidson VRSCDXA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
2 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
14,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data updated: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 2 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 2 | 100.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 2 |
Service Brakes: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2018: 1; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11076911 · 2018-03-08 (March 8, 2018)
HARLEY DAVIDSON RECALL 0171 NHTSA RECALL 18V-076 RECALL STATES THAT THERE IS A CHANCE IN REDUCED BRAKING ABILITY. MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT I COMPLETELY LOST THE FRONT BRAKES WHICH IS 75% OF THE BRAKING ABILITY ON A MOTORCYCLE. WHEN MY VRSCDXA WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FLUSH, THE TECHNICIANS DETERMINED THAT THEY COULD NOT FLUSH THE BRAKES DUE TO THE ABS MODULE NOT RESPONDING PROPERLY. THIS REQUIRES A REPLACEMENT OF THE ABS MODULE THAT IS NOW OBSOLETE FOR HD AND AFTERMARKET SUPPLIERS DO NOT MAKE THIS PART. IT IS COMPLETE NONSENSE TO HAVE A…
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11076911 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11203146 · 2019-04-23 (April 23, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCDXA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BRAKE FLUID LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE DUE TO A MELTED BRAKE LINE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11203146 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
18V076000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Fluid
Reported: 2018-01-29 (January 29, 2018)
Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling all 2008-2011 Touring, CVO Touring and VSRC motorcycles equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS), including Road King (FLHR), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHP), Road King Police (EFI) (FLHPE), Electra Glide Standard Police (EFI) (FLHTP), Electra Glide Classic (EFI) (FLHTC), Electra Glide Ultra Classic (EFI) (FLHTCU) and Street Glide (EFI) (FLHX), 2008 VROD (VRSCAWA), CVO Road King 4 (FLHRSE4), Night Rod (VRSCDA), CVO Ultra Classic 3 (FLHTCUSE3), Night Rod Special (VRSCDXA), 2008-2010 Road King Classic (EFI) (FLHRC), 2008-2009 Road Glide (EFI) (FLTR) and Electra Glide Standard (EFI) (FLHT), 2009-2010 V-Rod (VRSCAW), 2009 CVO Ultra Classic (FLHTCUSE4) and CVO Road Glide 3 (FLTRSE3), 2009-2011 Night Rod Special (VRSCDX) and V-Rod Muscle (VRSCF), 2010 CVO Ultra Classic 5 (FLHTCUSE5) and CVO Street Glide (FLHXSE), 2010-2011 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (FLHTK) and Road Glide Custom (FLTRX), 2011 Road Glide Ultra 103 (FLTRU103), Street Glide 103 (FLHX103), Road King Classic 103 (FLHRC103), CVO Ultra Classic 6 (FLHTCUSE6), CVO Road Glide Ultra (FLTRUSE), Road Glide Custom 103 (FLTRX103), and CVO Street Glide 2 (FLHXSE2) motorcycles. 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 Owners Manual.
Consequence: These deposits may cause a valve within the ABS Hydraulic Control Unit to stick, reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Harley-Davidson will notify owners, and dealers will flush the entire brake system with new Platinum Label DOT 4 brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Harley-Davidson's number for this recall is 0171.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
2 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 2100.0%ODI 11076911 · 25,000 miHARLEY DAVIDSON RECALL 0171 NHTSA RECALL 18V-076 RECALL STATES THAT THERE IS A CHANCE IN REDUCED BRAKING ABILITY. MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT I COMPLETELY LOST THE FRONT BRAKES WHICH IS 75% OF THE BRAKING ABILITY ON A MOTORCYCLE. WHEN MY VRSCDXA WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FLUSH, THE TECHNICIANS DETERMINED THAT THEY COULD NOT FLUSH THE BRAKES DUE TO THE ABS MODULE NOT RESPONDING PROPERLY. THIS REQUIRES A REPLACEMENT OF THE ABS MODULE THAT IS NOW OBSOLETE FOR HD AND AFTERMARKET SUPPLIERS DO NOT MAKE THIS PART. IT IS COMPLETE NONSENSE TO HAVE A… |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | Too few reports for a range | 14,000 mi | 2 (sparse) | ODI 11076911 · 25,000 miHARLEY DAVIDSON RECALL 0171 NHTSA RECALL 18V-076 RECALL STATES THAT THERE IS A CHANCE IN REDUCED BRAKING ABILITY. MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT I COMPLETELY LOST THE FRONT BRAKES WHICH IS 75% OF THE BRAKING ABILITY ON A MOTORCYCLE. WHEN MY VRSCDXA WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FLUSH, THE TECHNICIANS DETERMINED THAT THEY COULD NOT FLUSH THE BRAKES DUE TO THE ABS MODULE NOT RESPONDING PROPERLY. THIS REQUIRES A REPLACEMENT OF THE ABS MODULE THAT IS NOW OBSOLETE FOR HD AND AFTERMARKET SUPPLIERS DO NOT MAKE THIS PART. IT IS COMPLETE NONSENSE TO HAVE A… ODI 11203146 · 3,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HARLEY-DAVIDSON VRSCDXA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BRAKE FLUID LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE DUE TO A MELTED BRAKE LINE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000. |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2008: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Service Brakes |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.