AI Damage2004 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 33% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 3 Electronic stability control 11% of all complaints
- 4 Equipment 11% of all complaints
- 5 Seats 11% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 11% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (33% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Electronic stability control: 1 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Equipment: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Seats: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
2004 harley davidson flhtcse screaming eagle went into high speed wobble, causing rider to lose control.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 (na) harley davidson electra glide ultra l. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v216000 (power train) and stated that the part was not available within a reasonable timeframe to schedule the recall repair.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 harley davidson electra (na). The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v216000 (power train); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
The contact stated that while driving 15 mph the vehicle would wobble, shaking the contact's arms and making the vehicle hard to control. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who decided to grease the barring in the steering column in order to remedy the problem. The failure recurred.
While driving approximately 65 mph, the rear brakes failed to engage when applied. The contact used the front brakes to stop the vehicle. The vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. The contact called the manufacturer who stated that there were no related recalls. The current and failure mileages were 13,287.
Backing vehicle, engine off - ignition on, spark under seat then fire in wire harness. Hd service dept said it was a failure in the voltage regulator. Advised this was a common problem, no recalls no service bulletin.
Tl contact owns a 2004 harley davidson electra glide. While riding 45-50 mph over a bump, the gps that was attached to the inner fairing became detached. The failure dented the fuel tank. The part number was 92100-05, which clipped onto the vehicle. The failure mileage was 14,500 and current mileage was 15,000.
Dt*: the contact stated the bracket that holds the seat to the motorcycle fractured. As a result, the seat leans to one side. The dealer and manufacturer were informed, but no repairs were made. Updated 04/17/06.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 11,366 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Electra Glide has 5 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 9, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Electronic stability control. ABS/ESC sensors, steering angle, codes after suspension repair.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, electrical system, electronic stability control. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (11%), smoke, burning smell, fire (11%), vibration (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2004 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2004 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.