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Campaign 11V506 Posted October 19, 2011 250,757 units

2009-2012 Harley-Davidson Touring/Trike Recall 11V506: Heat

RN
Reviewed by the RecallNotify editorial team
Published June 2, 2026

Recall 11V506 covers 250,757 2009-2012 Harley-Davidson Touring, CVO Touring, and Trike vehicles for overheated rear brake light switches. Free repair at franchised Harley-Davidson dealers.

Harley-Davidson is recalling 250,757 2009-2012 Touring, CVO Touring, and Trike motorcycles, including Flhrc and FLHTCUSE6 models, because exhaust heat can damage the rear brake light switch. The switch can fail to turn the brake lamp on, turn it on when no brake is applied, or leak brake fluid, affecting rear brake performance and increasing crash risk; the dealer repair will be free once available.

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What's wrong?

The rear brake light switch on these 2009-2012 Harley-Davidson Touring, CVO Touring, and Trike motorcycles sits in the rear brake system and sends the signal that turns on the brake lamp. When the rider uses the rear brake, the switch tells following traffic that the motorcycle or trike is slowing.

On affected Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the switch is too close to heat from the exhaust system. That heat can damage the switch housing and internal contacts. Once the switch is heat-damaged, the brake lamp signal can stop working when the rear brake is applied, so traffic behind the rider loses that visual cue.

There is no warning sign before failure. A rider checking the lamp from behind the motorcycle with the rear brake applied can see whether it illuminates, but the recall record does not list an in-ride warning before the switch fails.

Who's affected?

Covers multiple Harley-Davidson touring, police, CVO, and trike models from 2009-2012, all tied to the brake-light switch.

2011 Harley-Davidson Flhrc Switch
2011 Harley-Davidson FLHTCUSE6 Switch
2010 Harley-Davidson Fltru Switch
2010 Harley-Davidson FLHTCUSE5 Switch
2009 Harley-Davidson Flht Switch
Units affected250,757

A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific motorcycle is included.

What's the safety risk?

Excessive heat can make the rear brake lamp fail to turn on, turn on when the brake is not applied, or cause a brake fluid leak at the brake light switch. A leak affects rear brake performance, and either condition increases crash risk. Schedule the recall repair soon. Repair will be free at any franchised Harley-Davidson dealer once available.

What should I do?

  1. Check your VIN to confirm your 2009-2012 Harley-Davidson Touring, CVO Touring, or Trike model is included in this recall.
  2. Contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-414-343-4056 to confirm the current repair path for recall number 11V506.
  3. Ask a franchised Harley-Davidson dealer about the free rear brake light switch kit that fixes heat damage near the exhaust system.
  4. Bring the recall notice if Harley-Davidson mailed one, and reference recall number 11V506 when you call.
  5. Ride cautiously until the repair is complete. Watch for a brake lamp that fails to activate, stays on, or any change in rear brake performance.

What happens at the repair

At the dealer, a Harley-Davidson technician installs a rear brake light switch kit to address heat exposure from the exhaust system around the rear brake light switch. The final dealer repair will be free once available, with parts and labor covered by the recall. Ask the Harley-Davidson dealer to confirm parts availability for campaign 11V506 before bringing the motorcycle in, so the visit is tied to the recall repair.

Timeline

October 19, 2011 NHTSA published the recall
October 31, 2011 Owner notification mailed

Frequently asked questions

What is recall 11V506?

Recall 11V506 covers 250,757 2009-2012 Harley-Davidson Touring, CVO Touring, and Trike vehicles with a rear brake light switch exposed to excessive exhaust heat. Harley-Davidson dealers will install a rear brake light switch kit for free.

What should I do if my 2009-2012 Harley-Davidson Touring, CVO Touring, or Trike is on this recall?

Check your VIN to confirm your specific motorcycle is included in recall 11V506. If it is, contact a franchised Harley-Davidson dealer to schedule the rear brake light switch kit installation. Reference recall number 11V506 when you call. The repair is free.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Harley-Davidson will install the rear brake light switch kit free of charge at any franchised Harley-Davidson dealer.

What is the safety risk in recall 11V506?

The safety risk is a brake lamp that fails to activate, turns on when no brake is applied, or a brake fluid leak at the brake light switch. The brake fluid leak affects rear brake performance. Either condition increases crash risk.

What if I bought my Harley-Davidson used?

The free recall repair still applies. Federal recall law follows the vehicle, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your motorcycle is included, then call a franchised Harley-Davidson dealer and reference recall number 11V506.

More information

NHTSA campaign pagenhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/11V506000
Harley-Davidson customer service1-414-343-4056
NHTSA recall #11V506
NHTSA recall # (full)11V506000

Source documents

This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 2, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →