AI Damage2004 Harley-Davidson Softail: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Harley-Davidson Softail filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 25% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 25% of all complaints
- 3 Wheels 25% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Wheels: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
After 500 miles, wobble was discovered in handlebars between 38 to 42 miles per hour. Taken to dealer was told it was trait on model. Called harley, they told me to take it to another dealer of my choice. Took back to dealer where purchase was made. They adjusted steering head bearings. Problem solve.
Vehicle stalled intermittently. Dealer stated the vehicle needed new pipes, air breather and carburetor.
While driving at high speeds vehicle shook, causing consumer to slow down. Consumer contacted dealership about this issue, however, the problem recurred. The bikes wheels were unstable. The solid wheels caught wind vorticies which caused the vehicle to be unstable. The dealer refuse to change the wheels.
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 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Softail has 3 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 4, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Harley-Davidson Softail?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, suspension, wheels. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Harley-Davidson Softail?
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 Softail 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.