- The problem
- Polaris is recalling 2,444 my 2008 victory vision motorcycles. The terminal nuts that secure the main power supply wires could be loose at the circuit breaker, which can cause an unexpected loss of electrical power to the motorcycle. Also the current fuel ignition map pre-programmed into the electronic control module (ecm) can cause engine stalling.
- The risk
- Either condition could cause the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a loss of control and a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect and tighten the circuit breaker terminal nuts and re-program the ecm free of charge. The recall began on september 23, 2008. Owners may contact polaris/victory at 1-888-704-5290.
Vehicle safety record
2008 Victory Vision Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 30 complaints about the 2008 Victory Vision with NHTSA, most often about the brakes (15) and the body, doors & structure (6). It is covered by 3 recalls, the latest in September 2008 for the fuses and circuit breakers. For comparison, the 2009 has 10.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Vision year, for its age
#199 most complained-about 2008 vehicle
- Complaints
- 30
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2008 Victory Vision problems
Share of all 30 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2008 Victory Vision recalls 3
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Polaris is recalling 1,585 my 2008 victory vision motorcycles. The electrical contact plate on the ignition switch base may not be properly secured to the ignition switch body, which can cause an unexpected loss of electrical power to the vehicle.
- The risk
- A loss of electrical power could cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a loss of control and a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will fully secure the ignition switch base to the switch body. The recall began on april 2, 2008. Owners may contact polaris/victory at 1-888-704-5290.
- The problem
- On certain motorcycles, the voltage regulator/rectifier assembly may have an overcharging condition. An overcharging situation in conjunction with the loose battery connection could cause a stalling condition.
- The risk
- An unexpected loss of engine power could cause a loss of control of the motorcycle increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the voltage regulator/rectifier and inspect both battery cables for tightness. The recall began on november 5, 2007. Owners may contact polaris/victory at 1-888-704-5290.
What owners say
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30 complaints about the 2008 Victory Vision
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 2.
The rear brakes have failed a number of times. I have had them bleed and master cylinder replaced at the dealer but the problem continues to occur. Now that victory is no longer around service is becoming impossible. This is an extreme danger and the problem reoccurs. Air is getting into the lines somewhere. Bike is now parked as it is too dangerous to ride.
The rear brakes on my victory vision have gone out several times. I have tried everything that I can think of to fix the problem. Victory/polaris needs to recall this item and fix it. Driver safety is of great importance.
When bike sits for a few weeks the rear break goes soft. Have to have mechanic bleed the breaks 1 or 2 times a year. Somehow air is getting in the line eather from break line or master cylinder. Problem is recurring.
Started smelling fuel after filling up, steadly getting worse over the months, dealer suggested replacing fuel cap which I did ( I noticed was updated with a better seal). After replacing it helped a bit. After checking closer noticed the filler neck on the tank is very thin aluminum and the surface is deformed not allowing the cap to seat properly.
The steering on the bike is wobbling. At first I believed the front tire was damaged so I replaced it. However this wobbling continued at take up and low speeds. Once the bike got up to about 45 miles per hours it stopped. It appears that there is something wrong with the front folks. However there is no visible leaks or signed of lost oil. Very dangerous. I love my vision but this is getting to be to much.
The gas fuel gauge just stopped working. First it started to read wrong then it just stopped working all together. This happened at about 35,000 miles.
Have had several issues with rear brake failure. Rear brake pedal goes all the way down, and does not engage the brakes. No leak signs of any fluid. This seems to be a serious problem with victory motorcycles after doing some research on line. Www.Vision-riders.Com. I have had my bike in the shop several times with this issue. The brakes were bled every time the rear brakes failed. I was traveling on a city street, a black in color chevrolet truck had pulled out in front of me. I immediately applied by front and...
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rear breaks. When I applied my rear brakes, the pedal went down to the floor. I downshifted as fast has I could in order to avoid striking the vehicle. Victory dealership stated that no recalls have been put out by victory. Please look into this matter before someone gets hurt or even killed. Thank you. *Tr
While exiting I 75 to buy 50 west my rear brake failed leaving me only 1/2 front brakes. Traverser polaris in ross oh. Made warranty repairs on 7/3/14. On 8/17/14 the brakes failed again on pa rt. 641 Whereby I nearly went over a 200 foot cliff. Traverser repaired the brakes a 2nd time on 8/19 /14. The brakes failed a 3rd time on 9/6/14. In cincinnati near oh rd 50 in sadansville. I afraid to let traverser repair them again. *Tr
Luckily for me I was parked. While washing my vision I noticed the rear section of the front fender was broken & dangling. I removed the piece so it didn't fall off while riding and get wedged in the tire. I have been riding the motorcycle with the front section of the front fender only. It has four bolts holding it on. This morning 7/30/14 (29,700 miles) I heard a rattle while exiting the freeway. The left side has cracked completely loose. Again luckily I was only 2 blocks from work. Now I don't have a front fender on the motorcycle at all. *Tr
The rears brakes on my victory vision are working correctly the pedal is going to the floor. All of the pads are brand new. I have bleed the brakes two times they work better then stop working and the pedal after about 45 miles starts to go back to the floor. I have also read that many people are also having the same problem with victory vision rear brakes on their bikes. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 victory vision motorcycle. While driving 10 mph, the vehicle failed to turn without warning. The contact pulled the vehicle over and noticed that the rear section of the two-piece front fender was jammed between the front fork and lower assembly. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.
Back half of front fender cracked at bolts and feel off. I drove over and crashed. *Tr
I was driving my victory vision and my fuel gauge started to not work correctly. I had a almost full tank of fuel and the indicator read low fuel. I was on a long trip from ohio back to the northern virginia area. After a about 100 miles it started to work again. Now it will not work correctly at all mostly reads low fuel and the fuel dictator light is on it will go off for a few seconds only. No matter how much fuel is in the fuel tank. So you can not read the fuel gauge at all. The gauge this also effects the...
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mile indicator and other items on the fuel system gauges. The light staying on is also distracting. The system is electronic so this is a big problem. This is a safety problem. Victory really needs to address this problem as soon as possible. Please assist I think this is a recall item. *Tr
Rear brakes have failed twice. Fixed both times under warranty. They have twice replaced parts and have no guarantee it wont fail again. Seem to happen to their motorcycles after sitting for a few weeks. *Tr
The left side passenger hand hold bracket broke off with a passenger on the bike when we hit a bump. The bracket appears to be made from pot metal and poses a serious threat to the safety of passengers. Victory/polaris is aware of this and declines warranty and/or recall service stating "the hand hold typically fails from picking up the bike incorrectly." *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 victory vision motorcycle. The contact stated that the brakes failed to function properly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be replicated. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage and vin was not available. *Tr
Rear brake suddenly not functional brake pedal goes all the way down to floorboard. This has now happened again for the 4th time in 5 years. Victory shop says they just have to bleed from the front caliper to remove air. They tell me that victory says it is due to the vinyl brake line, and that temperature changes cause air to build up in the apportionment valve. This is a very dangerous problem, and seems to have affected hundreds of bikes from reading forums on the internet. Polaris needs to find a fix and perform a recall. *Tr
Rear brake failure on 2008 victory vision.. While out riding went to use rear brake pedal and it just went down, no brakes. Took to dealer in cedar rapids iowa. When they bled brakes they said there was a large volume of air in system .No leaks in brakeline or from caliper. This is a known problem with the 2008 visions and victory will not step up to fix the problem.This is a true safety problem. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 victory vision motorcycle. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle at approximately 85 mph the front fender and rear portion of the vehicle began to vibrate abnormally. In addition, the front fender had a molding around the plastic which became dislodged and would not allow the bike to turn left or right. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing and the technician stated that the rear fender would have to be replaced. The fender washers were replaced...
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temporarily. The contact stated that the failure occurred previously and the vehicle was repaired for the same failure. The failure was not corrected. The approximate failure mileage was 46,000 and the current mileage was 47,238. Updated 12/14/12*lj the consumer stated the rear part of the front fender came loose. It jammed into the molding around the fairing, on the bottom, where the two parts of the molding came together, and the front wheel would not turn. Also, below the hinges of the door, covering the gas filler pipe cracked straight through. The covering on the seat separated at the seam. The ball on the kickstand flew off. Updated 12/18/2012 *js updated 01/02/13
After bike sits awhile @2-3weeks there isn't any rear brakes,pedal goes to floor . I was able to pump them but they just go back to nothing just air.After bleeding brakes they seemed to work good but for how long I'm unsure ..After reading several complaints on line in reference to the same problem victory needs to take responsibility and recall this bike and correct the issue. *Tr *js
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 victory vision motorcycle. While driving approximately 30 mph, there was a complete loss of steering power due to the partially detached front wheel support bolt. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road. The rear fender was disabled and removed in order for the vehicle to be driven. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated the front fender would need to be replaced. In addition, a new hardware mounting kit required installment. The similar failure occurred one...
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year ago and the front fender mounting bolts were replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired because the part would not be available until november of 2012. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate mileage was 36,000. The vin was unavailable.
Riding 2 up at 25mph when steering locked up. It was determined the plastic rear portion of the front fender broke of and lodged into the engine cowl locking up the front tire. Victory had no recall in place so I had to buy another fender. I later had a steel fender made after reading of other incidents of the same nature. *Tr
In may 2011, I was contemplated riding my motorcycle after sitting for the winter (nov through may). As I checked the bike, I noticed that the brake pedal for the rear brakes had no pressure. I realized my motorcycle had no rear brakes. I called the dealer and was advised to bring the bike in and they would check it, and as a result, they had to bleed the brakes. Afterwards, I didn't incur any problems with the bike for the remainder of the summer. During the winter months, again the bike was not used. Last...
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month, (may 2012) I took my bike for a ride, again, I experienced problem with the rear brakes. I called the victory dealer again and advised them of the same problem. Once again, I was told to bring the bike in and they would bleed the brakes. The technician checked the brakes and then advised me that the master cylinder is bad.The bike has 11,300 miles. There is no leak coming from the brakes or brake lines. I feel that the braking system on these bikes are flawed, and hope that your agency can look into this matter before someone is injured. I implore you to investigate this matter after finding similar problems (during my research) with the master cylinder. I believe there is a defect with the master cylinder part and I would like to be contacted. *Js
After the bike sat for the winter, I found I had no rear brakes. The dealer bled the brakes and they worked fine for about 6 weeks and then went out again; they bled them again. When I rode the other day I noticed the rear brake pedal is going down again. I hate to think what would happen at 70 mph if someone pulled out in front of me and I had to stop quickly.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 victory vision. The contact stated that the rear brakes failed on numerous occasions. The air flow was entering through the brake line and causing the brakes to fail. The dealer was contacted who bled the brakes system and replaced the master cylinder to repair the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 56,205.
Victory Vision: every year compared
All Vision years2008 Victory Vision vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Victory Vision | 30 | 3 | F | |
| 2008 Victory Vision Tour | 13 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2008 Victory Hammer | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 2008 Victory Ness Jackpot | 1 | 0 | - | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2008 Victory Vision
Does the 2008 Victory Vision have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2008 Victory Vision: fuses and circuit breakers (September 2008); switch (March 2008); alternator / generator / regulator (November 2007). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Victory Vision?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the brakes (15), body, doors & structure (6), fuel system (5).
How many complaints has the 2008 Victory Vision had?
30 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on May 27, 2008 and the latest on July 16, 2019. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2008 Victory Vision a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 11 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Victory Vision year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Victory Vision years have the most complaints?
2008 (30), 2011 (12), 2009 (10). See every Victory Vision year compared.
What should I do if my 2008 Victory Vision has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data