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2001 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FL — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

fire · 324838 · 2001-11-29

Vehicle

Make
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
Model
FL
Year
2001
Manufacturer
Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
Speed
65 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 M.P.H. IN HEAVY RUSH HOUR MORNING TRAFFIC,MOTORCYCLE STALLED OUT IN HIGH SPEED LANE.HAD TO CROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO BREAKDOWN LANE WITH NO POWER WHATSOEVER TO MY ENGINE,COASTING TO A STOP.JUST MISSED BEING A FATALITY FROM AN 18 WHEELER.UPON INSPECTION KEY SWITCH ON GAS TANK DASHPANEL WAS FOUND TO HAVE A BURNED AWAY ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR. FROM A WIRE FIRE.FIRE BURNED ITSELF OUT,MELTING CONNECTION AND DE-ENEGISING THE IGNITION SYSTEM CAUSING STALLING,BUT STOPPING FIRE.SMOKE WAS NOTED UNDER THE DASH PANEL UPON STOPPING THE MOTORCYCLE.THIS IS A REOCCURING PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL OF MY FRIENDS AND THE MANUFACTURER WILLNOT HONOR THE SWITCH AS A RECALL.THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM.SOMEBODY WILL BE KILLED FROM THIS!ONE FRIEND HAS A 2000 MODEL YEAR FLSTC AND HAD REPLACED THE SWITCH 3 TIMES TWICE THE FAILURE HAS CAUSED NEAR FATAL RESULTS ON THE HIGHWAY,DUE TO POWER FAILURE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.MY MOTORCYCLE IS A SOURCE OF TRANPORTATION, NOT A PLEASURE TOY. I RELY ON IT DAILY AND HAVE ALMOST 10,000 MILES ON IT IN A YEAR.I DONOT WANT TO BE A RED SPOT ON YOUR HIGHWAY.PLEASE NOTIFY ME AS TO WHAT CAN BE DONE.THANK YOU FOR YOU TIME.DOUG HILL.*AK

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
755061
Machine
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