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2004 HARLEY-DAVIDSON Road King

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

About this comparison →
10Owner complaints

Model-year median: 4

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
8
20016
20021
200310
2004
Compare all Road King years →

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

What owners reported most

Suspension
3Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Electrical System
1Engine And Engine Cooling
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1
All reported categories
Power Train
1Tires
1Vehicle Speed Control
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 5 of 10 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Suspension. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 1 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 reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Power Train complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2007
Power TrainInjury

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 REPLAC…

Read full complaint

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. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10198293

Official recalls

1

04V465000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

Sep 30, 2004

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, A CONDITION OCCURS THAT COULD ALLOW PRESSURE TO BUILD UP IN THE FUEL TANK. ON FUEL INJECTED VEHICLES, THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE FUEL TO SPRAY OUT UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN THE FUEL CAP IS REMOVED. ON CARBURETED VEHICLES, EXCESSIVE FUEL COULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE CARBURETOR, WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY ALLOW FUEL TO DRIP FROM THE AIR CLEANER.

Consequence & remedy

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

Remedy: DEALERS WILL TEST EACH CANISTER FOR BLOCKAGE, THEN REPLACE AS NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN NOVEMBER 4, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT 1-414-343-4056.

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.