Vehicle report
Technical service bulletins are instructions a manufacturer sent its dealers about a known fault. They are not recalls and the work is usually not free, but they are the clearest signal of a problem the manufacturer already knows about.
M1514
SERVICE BULLETIN M1514: 2020 SOFTAIL - CLUTCH RAMP RUNNING CHANGE. PURPOSE: To inform dealers of a running change to the inner and outer ramp of the clutch actuation system in all 2020 Softails built on and after March 15, 2020. Changing to the new inner and outer ramp from the previous design is not a warrantable event. Motorcycles Affected: 2018-2020 Softail - Built before March 15, 2020.
M1510
SERVICE BULLETIN M1510: MILWAUKEE-EIGHT ENGINE - NEW OIL FILTER. REVISION. PURPOSE: To inform dealers of an improved oil filter for the Milwaukee-Eight® (MKE-8) engine. The new oil filter uses the same synthetic 5-micron media as the current filter, however, the new oil filter effective media surface area was increased by 25%. The increased media supports the higher oil flow rate of MKE-8 engines. Fitment, clearance and performance testing has only been performed on MKE-8 vehicles. All Twin Cam vehicles continue to use the current oil filter.
M1493
SERVICE BULLETIN M1493: FUEL CAPS AND CUP CHANGE. REVISION. PURPOSE: This bulletin informs dealers that Harley-Davidson is making a fuel tank running change on side fill Touring, Police Touring, Touring CVO, Trike and all Softail® and Sportster platforms. This running change is starting May 22, 2019. Service parts for Dyna tanks and fuel caps are also covered by this bulletin. The running change is to the thread pitch in the fuel cap and in the fuel cup. The running change will affect OE (Original equipment) and P&A (Parts and Accessories) parts. All new fuel tanks and caps are retrofittable to previous years. Fuel caps from previous years will not fit on a new fuel tank.
M1450
SERVICE BULLETIN M1450: MILWAUKEE-EIGHT EQUIPPED VEHICLES - LOSS OF POWER OR HIGH ENGINE BRAKING. REVISION. Purpose: 2017 - 2019 model motorcycles equipped with a Milwaukee-Eight? engine can experience a condition known as sumping during extended periods at high rpm or under heavy engine load. Sumping is when an excessive amount of oil is suspended in the engine crankcase and the flywheel must travel through the oil, resulting in loss of power or a high degree of engine braking and potential engine component damage with extended use under these conditions. This bulletin provides the diagnostic procedure for determining if sumping is occurring.
PAB1084
GENUINE MOTOR PARTS AND ACCESSORIES BULLETIN PAB1084: SOFTAIL BACKREST PAD IMPROVEMENTS. Purpose: To inform dealers of design improvements for the Compact Passenger Backrest Pads. Some of these pads can become loose resulting in the backrest pad slipping on the sissy bar. The new backrest pads, designated with an ?A? revision, have been redesigned to fix this issue.
1HD-L9F4N-11
SERVICE BULLETIN M1466: STREET - UPPER STEERING HEAD BEARING SEAL. REVISION. Purpose: This bulletin informs dealers that Harley-Davidson has developed a new upper steering head bearing seal for fitment on Street models. The new seal replaces the current seal on the upper steering head bearing only. The lower steering head bearing seal will still use the current seal. Current service procedures and specifications remain the same.
1HDM5V2A05
TECH ARTICLE TA0023: TA0023: Crankshaft Rod Bearing. Purpose: Technicians have been falsely identifying connecting rod bearings as failed due to a perception of resistance as the rods are rotated. The clearance of the Twin Cam and Milwaukee-Eight® crank pin bearings are maintained to a very tight range. This optimizes performance and maintains low mechanical noise in operation. The connecting rod bore can also distort slightly in operation due to stress relaxation. As a result, bearing clearance decreases due to the contact zone broadening and the load being distributed over more rollers. The combination of a bore being slightly out of round and reduced bearing clearance can result in varying degrees of resistance through the range of motion. Axial clearance is also tightly controlled for proper alignment. For these reasons, zones of resistance can be found when the connecting rods are rotated by hand through their range of motion. Resistance during rod motion, by itself, is not an indication of a performance or durability concern.
1HDT2E2N05
SERVICE BULLETIN M1463: MILWAUKEE-EIGHT - ROCKER COVER GASKET INVENTORY PURGE AND REPLACE. Purpose: To inform dealers that previous rocker cover gasket design on Milwaukee-Eight? are prone to varying degrees of oil leaks. These leaks may occur on certain vehicles with different combinations of painted, polished and chrome parts. Purge inventory of old gaskets and replace with new gasket which has enhanced sealing features.
1HDQ4U5H05
SERVICE CALL TASK CT2018-005. During a fender assembly process some rear fenders may have been under torqued at the plant. Follow the steps in call task to repair MY2018 Softail Rear Fender Fasteners. Torque 28-37 Nm (21-27 ft-lbs.) as instructed in the service manual.
1HD-E4C2Y-12
TECH TIP TT462: TEAR-AWAY CABLE STRAP. Issue Description: Damage has occurred on some hand grips or brake levers when using side cutters to cut the cable strap that holds the keys in place. Reason for Tech Tip - The assembly plants are trying a new tear-away cable strap.
1HD-G5V6H-12
CALL TASK: Jiffy stand screws part number 4687. Issue Description: a washer may have been incorrectly installed between jiffy stand bracket (Part No.50000137) and frame. During visual inspection, if the washer is present it must be removed.
1HDG4C4U11
SERVICE BULLETIN M1450: MILWAUKEE-EIGHT WITH STAGE KITS - LOSS OF POWER OR HIGH ENGINE BRAKING. Revision. Purpose: 2017 and 2018 model motorcycles equipped with a Milwaukee-Eight? engine and a Stage III or Stage IV kit can experience a condition known as sumping during extended periods in low gear, at high rpm or under heavy engine load. This bulletin provides the diagnostic procedure for determining if sumping is occurring.
1HDD4N4Q11
SERVICE BULLETIN M1454: 2018 TOURING AND SOFTAIL PLATFORMS - SCREAMIN' EAGLE STAGE II AND ADJUSTABLE PUSHROD INSTALLATION. Purpose: Dealers must order four washers (Part Number 6762D) separately when installing the kits listed on 2018 Milwaukee-Eight ®. The washers will be added to the kits on a later date. Required Dealer Action: Update the affected kits with washer stated when installing them on motorcycles. Refer to SIP (Service information portal) for the updated I-Sheets for the kits.
1HDW4S7Y11
SERVICE BULLETIN M1452: 2018 SOFTAIL INITIAL CARE PROGRAM. The purpose of this Initial Care Program is to monitor Harley-Davidson quality delivered to our customers. Harley-Davidson Technical Service is providing an Initial Care Program for 2018 Softail vehicles equipped with the various components listed. Pre-authorization from the Technical Service Initial Care Team is required for all warranty repairs of components and systems listed.
1HDR6U9Z11
SERVICE BULLETIN M1455: 2018 SOFTAIL MILWAUKEE-EIGHT 107 - CLUTCH PACK. Purpose: This bulletin informs dealers of a running change from a 9-plate clutch pack to a 10-plate clutch pack on 2018 Softail® models with a Milwaukee-Eight® 107 engine. When replacing any Milwaukee-Eight 107 Softail clutch pack, the 10-plate clutch pack is the correct fitment for the service part. Do not attempt to order a 9-plate clutch pack, it is not available. Do not mix components of 9-plate and 10-plate clutch packs as parts are not interchangeable.
1HD-R2F7Z-09
SERVICE BULLETIN M1452: 2018 SOFTAIL INITIAL CARE PROGRAM. The purpose of this Initial Care Program is to monitor Harley-Davidson quality delivered to our customers. Harley-Davidson Technical Service is providing an Initial Care Program for 2018 Softail vehicles equipped with the various components listed. Refer to Table 1 (in bulletin). Harley-Davidson is asking the dealer network to provide information on the parts listed in this service bulletin to Harley-Davidson Technical Service within 24 hours of a customer concern. The goal is to provide a rapid resolution that will enable Harley-Davidson to have our customer back on the road within 72 hours.
1HD-R5V4K-09
SERVICE BULLETIN M1451: ACCESSORY FUEL CAP FITMENT. Accessory fuel caps manufactured before model year 2018 should not be used on 2018 and later Softail® motorcycles. While these accessory fuel caps will physically fit the model year 2018 Softail models, they will not meet certain regulatory functional requirements. 2018 and later Softail models must use updated fuel caps which are identifiable by the gray colored threads. The updated fuel caps will retrofit on previous model year motorcycles.
1HD-F5K3A-09
TECH ARTICLE TA0020: Oil Tinted Orange or Pink. Description: Some vehicles arriving from the factory have an orange or pink tint to the oil. Reason: Vehicles are selected at the plant at random times to perform an audit inspection. During these audit inspections, a fluorescent dye is added to the oil which can be orange or pink. This dye is used to check for leaks, seeps, and weeps after the vehicle is put through a test ride. This dye is oil soluble and does not effect the performance of the oil or the vehicle. The dye may be found in any oil cavity on the vehicle. Action: No action is required if there is dye identified in the oil.
1HD-R6S7Y-09
SERVICE BULLETIN M1453: 2018 SOFTAIL DRIVE BELT DEFLECTION SPECIFICATION. This bulletin informs dealers that Harley-Davidson has updated 2018 Softail drive belt deflection specification since the owner's manual was printed. The specification printed in the owner's manual is no longer accurate. See Table 1 for updated table. The digital version of the Softail Owner's Manuals available on H-D.com and SIP (Service information portal) is accurate, as are the printed and digital versions of the Softail Service Manual. The previous specification does not effect belt durability or safety, but may cause increased belt noise.
1HD-N3S9A-09
PHONE CAMPAIGN: Dealer Product Quality Alert Request photos from dealers of warranty claims relating to cosmetic scratches on Heritage Softail windshields.
1HD-R7V8M-09
PARTS & ACCESSORIES BULLETIN PAB1067: SCREAMIN? EAGLE SMART TUNE PRO RELEASED FOR SHIPMENT. Purpose is to notify dealers that the Smart Tune PRO ? Automatic Tuning Module is 50-state U.S. EPA approved and released for shipment.
Complaint counts are reports filed with NHTSA, not failure rates. A common model collects more of them than a rare one that breaks more often.