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2004 Harley-Davidson Road KingProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 10 owner complaints about the 2004 Harley-Davidson Road King, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints101 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage0kSuspension, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 2, 2007. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2004 Harley-Davidson Road King has problems

10 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Suspension30
Service brakes, hydraulic20
Fuel system, gasoline10
Power train11
Tires10
Electrical system10
Vehicle speed control10
Engine and engine cooling10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2004 Harley-Davidson Road King recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Storage: tank assembly

Recall 04V-465 · Sep 30, 2004 · 2,828 vehicles

Risk. THESE SITUATIONS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY OR CREATE A FIRE HAZARD FOR PERSONS OR PROPERTY ON OR NEAR THE MOTORCYCLE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Harley-Davidson.

Best & worst years

2004 vs. every other Road King year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Road King median. How we score

'97'98'99'01'02'03'04
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What Road King owners report

Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I HAVE REPORTED THIS BEFORE BUT HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM YOU... CAN YOU PLEASE HELP? POOR HANDLING MOTORCYCLE, 2004 HARLEY DAVIDSON, FLHTCI - MOTORCYCLE TENDED TO WANT TO "PULL" TO THE LEFT, ESPECIALLY WHEN DECELERATING - SEVERAL VISITS TO THE DEALER FOR "ALIGNMENTS" OF THE ENGINE/FRAME/DRIVETRAIN…
Complaint 10091250 · Sep 18, 2004 · 50 miles
PASSING A SEMI TRACTOR TRAILER A ABOUT 70MPH FRONT END STEERING ON NEW 04 ELECTRAGLIDE CLASSIC BEGAN A WOBBLING OF THE FRONT TIRE. IT WAS EXTREMELY NOTICABLE AND NEARLY CAUSED THE BIKE TO GO INTO THE TRACTOR TRAILER. IN ORDER TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM I REDUCED MY SPEED W/O APPLYING BRAKES TO ABOUT…
Complaint 10086292 · Aug 9, 2004 · 3,000 miles
MOTORCYCLE STABILITY ISSUE. I PURCHASED NEW WITH ABOUT 20 TEST MILES, AN FLHTCI, 2004, HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYLE. IMMEDIATELY UPON RIDING I FOUND IT "PULLED" TO THE LEFT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ROLL OFF THE THROTTLE(DECELERATE). THE AMOUNT OF DEFLECTION WOULD HAVE CAUSED A SWERVE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC…
Complaint 10082583 · Jul 24, 2004 · 20 miles

Own a 2004 Road King?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.