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FaultScore report

2004 Harley-Davidson Road King problems

Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 2004 Harley-Davidson Road King with NHTSA between 2004 and 2007. The largest single group is the suspension.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Harley-Davidson Road King All 2004 cars
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Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

11

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

1

Injuries reported

3,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

100%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

How 2004 compares with every other Harley-Davidson Road King

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2004 Harley-Davidson Road King

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Suspension 3 27.3%

Median failure at 50 miles

Brakes 2 18.2%

Median failure at 5,000 miles

Tires 1 9.1%

Median failure at 3,000 miles

Fuel & Propulsion 1 9.1%

Median failure at 13,100 miles

Acceleration & Cruise Control 1 9.1%
Electrical System 1 9.1%
Transmission & Drivetrain 1 9.1%
Engine & Cooling 1 9.1%

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

Under 1,000 miles 2 33.3%
1,000 – 9,999 miles 3 50.0%
10,000 – 24,999 miles 1 16.7%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Apr 2004 peak 3 Aug 2007

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Buffalo, NY 1 injured

POWER TRAIN

HARLEY DAVIDSON ROADKING 2004 PURCHASED NEW. GEAR SHIFTER WENT "FLACID" AND I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. THIS HAPPENED ONCE IN 2004; TWICE IN 2005; TWICE IN 2006; AND ONCE LAST WEEK IN 2007. EACH TIME THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS TIGHTENED BY THE AMERICAN HARLEY DEALER HERE IN WESTERN NEW YORK; AND ONE TIME IN 2006 HARLEY REPLACED THE GEAR SHIFTER. ON SUCH A NEW BIKE, IT MAKES NO SENSE THAT THIS SAME PROBLEM CONTINUES TO REOCCUR. I COULD BE THROWN OVER THE HANDLEBARS TO MY DEATH IF THIS PROBLEM OCCURS AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THIS BIKE IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD, AND I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS ANOTHER "CHINA" PRODUCT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED DUE TO CHEAP STEEL!!! AMERICAN HARLEY CHARGED FOR LABOR THE TIME THAT THEY REPLACED THE GEAR SHIFTER, BUT THEY DID REIMBURSE ME FOR THE PART.

NHTSA complaint #10198293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Buffalo, NY 1 injured

POWER TRAIN

HARLEY DAVIDSON ROADKING 2004 PURCHASED NEW. GEAR SHIFTER WENT "FLACID" AND I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. THIS HAPPENED ONCE IN 2004; TWICE IN 2005; TWICE IN 2006; AND ONCE LAST WEEK IN 2007. EACH TIME THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS TIGHTENED BY THE AMERICAN HARLEY DEALER HERE IN WESTERN NEW YORK; AND ONE TIME IN 2006 HARLEY REPLACED THE GEAR SHIFTER. ON SUCH A NEW BIKE, IT MAKES NO SENSE THAT THIS SAME PROBLEM CONTINUES TO REOCCUR. I COULD BE THROWN OVER THE HANDLEBARS TO MY DEATH IF THIS PROBLEM OCCURS AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THIS BIKE IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD, AND I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS ANOTHER "CHINA" PRODUCT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED DUE TO CHEAP STEEL!!! AMERICAN HARLEY CHARGED FOR LABOR THE TIME THAT THEY REPLACED THE GEAR SHIFTER, BUT THEY DID REIMBURSE ME FOR THE PART.

NHTSA complaint #10198293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Skiatook, OK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

HORN GETS WORSE AND BECOMES INAUDIBLE. THE HARLEY MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD RECALL AND REPLACE ALL HORNS WITH BETTER QUALITY PARTS. MINE HAS BEEN REPLACED AT MY COST.

NHTSA complaint #10137366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 13,100 miles Flora, IL

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

DT: THE CALLER HAD WARRANTY WORK DONE ON GAS TANK LINE AND THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS OF THE SAME DESIGN ONLY SHORTER. THE CALLER SAID THE LINE FROM THE GAS PUMP WAS RUBBING ON TANK AND CAUSING A HOLE IN THE LINE INSIDE THE TANK. DEALER SAID THE REPLACEMENT PART WILL FAIL. THE CALLER DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM YET WITH REPLACEMENT PART. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET.

NHTSA complaint #10134022 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sandy, UT

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

DT: CONSUMER STATES: MOTOR CUTS OUT UPON ACCELERATION FROM STOP OR IF STARTING THE MOTORCYCLE AND MAKING A TURN. ALSO, IT CUTS OUT. IT MAKES A NOISE PRESSURE RELEASE OF THE AIR.

NHTSA complaint #10121991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50 miles Round Rock, TX

SUSPENSION:REAR

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 - PROBLEM MINIMIZED BUT NOT ELIMINATED. - "HIGH SPEED WOBBLES" OCCURRED REGULARLY AND WITHOUT NOTICE WHICH I HANDLED BECUASE I AM AN EXPERIENCED RIDER AND VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SURVIVE. - REMOVAL OF TIRE TO REPAIR PUNCTURE AND CHECK OF SWINGARM FOUND THE SWINGARM MOVES LEFT TO RIGHT ABOUT 1/4 INCH.

NHTSA complaint #10091250 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 3,000 miles Dublin, OH

SUSPENSION

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 40MPH AND THE WOBBLING FINALLY STOPPED. *AK

NHTSA complaint #10086292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 3,000 miles Dublin, OH

TIRES

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 40MPH AND THE WOBBLING FINALLY STOPPED. *AK

NHTSA complaint #10086292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 5,000 miles Albuquerque, NM

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHEN BRAKING THERE WOULD BE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE, WHICH COULD CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10087113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 20 miles Round Rock, TX

SUSPENSION

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 HAD I NOT BEEN AN EXPERIENCED RIDER. DEALER HAS MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BUT IS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #10082583 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tallahassee, FL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS . HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #10074196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Homestead, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WITHOUT WARNING, THE MOTORCYCLE LOST POWER WHEN RIDING AT ANY SPEED. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *AK *SC

NHTSA complaint #10071707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.