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2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Soft Tail

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

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There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

21 reports with mileage · 2 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

6 reports
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1,750 miles · Apr 4, 2011
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

TURN SIGNALS FAIL TO FLASH AFTER THE APPLICATION OF THE SERVICE BRAKES ON HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10394163

8,000 miles · Sep 22, 2010
Electrical SystemService Brakes, Hydraulic

REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE < THAN 8000 MILES (NO BRAKE LIGHTS) HARLEY DAVIDSON KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT FIX. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10356997

1,100 miles · Aug 22, 2010
Electrical System

2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON VRSC V-ROD MUSCLE. HAVE BEEN READING OF NUMEROUS MUSCLES GOING DEAD FROM AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE TO INCLUDE ISSUES WITH GAS GAUGE FAILING. I RECENTLY PURCHASED NEW 2009 MUSCLE APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AGO, AND JUST HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME TONIGHT. BIKE STARTED AND THEN IMMEDIATELY WENT DEAD AS I STARTED TO PULL A…

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2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON VRSC V-ROD MUSCLE. HAVE BEEN READING OF NUMEROUS MUSCLES GOING DEAD FROM AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE TO INCLUDE ISSUES WITH GAS GAUGE FAILING. I RECENTLY PURCHASED NEW 2009 MUSCLE APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AGO, AND JUST HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME TONIGHT. BIKE STARTED AND THEN IMMEDIATELY WENT DEAD AS I STARTED TO PULL AWAY. BIKE HAD TO BE TOWED TO MY HOME AND IS AWAITING DEALERSHIP PICK-UP. THIS CAN BE A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND CAUSE A CRASH, AND AT VERY LEAST LEAVE ONE STRANDED IN A VERY UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10351105

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2010
Electrical System

I HAVE A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET GLIDE,BACKED OUT OF GARAGE STARTED ENGINE, AND THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND HAD NO THROTTLE, BUT IDLES, FLY-BY-WIRE THROTTLE,SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED A COUPLE TIMES IT STARTED WORKING PROPERLY, STARTED OUT ON TWO DAY TRIP, ABOUT 30 MILES ON FOUR LANE UP HILL CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AN…

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I HAVE A 2009 HARLEY DAVIDSON STREET GLIDE,BACKED OUT OF GARAGE STARTED ENGINE, AND THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND HAD NO THROTTLE, BUT IDLES, FLY-BY-WIRE THROTTLE,SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED A COUPLE TIMES IT STARTED WORKING PROPERLY, STARTED OUT ON TWO DAY TRIP, ABOUT 30 MILES ON FOUR LANE UP HILL CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND NO THROTTLE BUT HAD IDLE, HAD TO COAST OFF ROAD, UNPLUGGED COMPUTER AND PLUGGED BACK IN AND WENT ON OUR TRIP, RAN OK TO DESTINATION, AFTER STOP AT MOTEL AND EAT SUPPER IT HAPPENED AGAIN,CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND NO THROTTLE BUT HAD IDLE,TURNED OFF AND ON A COUPLE OF TIMES AND WE WENT TO THE MOTEL, NEXT DAY RAN OK UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON WHEN WE WERE COMING OUT OF A CITY AND IT HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC, YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN COULD BE IN TRAFFIC AND IF IT HAPPENS YOU COULD GET HIT IN THE REAR OR WORSE. WHEN WE GOT HOME WE TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO A DEALERSHIP THEY RECORDED THE CODES THEN ERASED THEM WORKED OK FOR 3 WEEKS AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN GOING UP A HILL IN TRAFFIC, HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH DEALERSHIP TO CHECK AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10346011

1,500 miles · Aug 3, 2009
Electrical System

BATTERY COVER DOES NOT STAY CLOSED DURING THE OPERATION OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE COVER WILL FALL OPEN WHILE RIDING CAUSING IT TO HIT THE RIDERS LEG. ALTHOUGH THE COVER IT'S SELF DOES NOT WEIGH ENOUGH TO CAUSE INJURY, IT IS A SIGNIFCANT DISTRACTION WHICH COULD RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL. BOTH BIKES HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER SEV…

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BATTERY COVER DOES NOT STAY CLOSED DURING THE OPERATION OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE COVER WILL FALL OPEN WHILE RIDING CAUSING IT TO HIT THE RIDERS LEG. ALTHOUGH THE COVER IT'S SELF DOES NOT WEIGH ENOUGH TO CAUSE INJURY, IT IS A SIGNIFCANT DISTRACTION WHICH COULD RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL. BOTH BIKES HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR REPAIRS, UNFORTINATLY THE REPAIR PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. CONTINUED DIFFICULTY IN GETTING THE COVER TO STAY CLOSED ON THE 08 BIKE CAUSED THE DEALER TO REMOVE THE COVER AS A TEMPORARY FIX UNTIL THE REPAIR PARTS CAN BE HAD. THIS MODIFICATION HAS RESULTED IN THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS BEING EXPOSED. THE 09 BIKE IS NOW GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THE COVER WON'T STAY CLOSED FOR MORE THAN 15 MINUTES AT A TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10279214

1,600 miles · Aug 3, 2009
Electrical System

BATTERY COVER DOES NOT STAY CLOSED DURING THE OPERATION OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE COVER WILL FALL OPEN WHILE RIDING CAUSING IT TO HIT THE RIDERS LEG. ALTHOUGH THE COVER IT'S SELF DOES NOT WEIGH ENOUGH TO CAUSE INJURY, IT IS A SIGNIFICANT DISTRACTION WHICH COULD RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL. BOTH BIKES HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER SE…

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BATTERY COVER DOES NOT STAY CLOSED DURING THE OPERATION OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE COVER WILL FALL OPEN WHILE RIDING CAUSING IT TO HIT THE RIDERS LEG. ALTHOUGH THE COVER IT'S SELF DOES NOT WEIGH ENOUGH TO CAUSE INJURY, IT IS A SIGNIFICANT DISTRACTION WHICH COULD RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL. BOTH BIKES HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR REPAIRS, UNFORTUNATELY THE REPAIR PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. CONTINUED DIFFICULTY IN GETTING THE COVER TO STAY CLOSED ON THE 08 BIKE CAUSED THE DEALER TO REMOVE THE COVER AS A TEMPORARY FIX UNTIL THE REPAIR PARTS CAN BE HAD. THIS MODIFICATION HAS RESULTED IN THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS BEING EXPOSED. THE 09 BIKE IS NOW GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THE COVER WON'T STAY CLOSED FOR MORE THAN 15 MINUTES AT A TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10279212

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.