AI Damage2004 Kawasaki Concours: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Kawasaki Concours filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 67% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 33% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 33% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (67% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 1 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 3 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Also, excessive vibration throughout the entire body. The consumer found out that the frame was stressed when the motor was mounted.
A loose balancer chain can cause catastrophic engine failure. 3) no repair has been made yet. The spring may be in the engine.
It made a knocking noise that sounded like a rod was defective within the engine. This noise occurred when the motorcycle was started and continued. Consumer took the motorcycle to the dealer where the motorcycle was purchased and contacted the manufacturer, who would not authorize the dealer to go into the crank case…
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 17,150 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 47% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Concours has 4 complaints (2 years in the data). This year has 3, about average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Kawasaki Concours?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, service brakes, structure. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: engine failure or replacement (33%), knocking, grinding or other noise (33%), vibration (33%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Kawasaki Concours?
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 Kawasaki Concours 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.