RoadVitals

2004 Harley-Davidson Flstfi Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2
Latest Apr 26, 2006
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
2
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2004 Harley-Davidson Flstfi, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Other / unspecified266.7%
  • Powertrain (other)133.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Other / unspecified

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

ON SATURDAY APRIL 15 AT APPROX. 3:30 PM PT TRAVELING EAST ON I-8, 1/2 MILE IN TO YUMA AZ, TRAVELING AT APPROX. 75 MPH, I HAD 5 BOLTS FAIL ON THE MAIN DRIVE PULLEY ATTACHED TO MY REAR WHEEL. ONE BOLT FLEW FORWARD AND ONE FLEW BACK AND STRUCK ANOTHER MOTORCYCLE RIDER IN THE LEFT SHIN CAUSING MINOR INJURY (FIRST AID ONLY). THE REAR WHEEL DIDN'T LOCK UP SO AN ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED. THIS COULD HAVE HAD A VERY DIFFERENT OUT COME HAD I BEEN ON WET PAVEMENT WHICH WOULD HAVE MOST LIKELY CAUSED THE WHEEL TO LOCK WHEN ONE OF THE BOLTS HIT THE SWING ARM. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TRUCKED BACK TO MY HOME IN MISSION VIEJO CA WHERE I REMOVED THE REAR WHEEL. ALL FIVE BOLTS HAD BROKE OFF INSIDE THE WHEEL AT ABOUT WHERE THE TREADS ON THE BOLT START. THE BOLTS HAD NEVER BEEN REMOVED TO MY KNOWLEDGE AND WAS CHECKED AT THE 10K MAINT. AT 60LBS. PER THE MANUAL FOR THAT YEAR AND MODEL. ONLY MY SELF OR A HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALER HAS WORKED ON THE BIKE. I TOOK THE WHEEL AND PULLEY TO MY LOCAL HARLEY DAVIDSON DEALERSHIP SERVICE AND THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN SUCH A THING. CAPISTRANO HD SERVICE MANAGER CONTACTED THE HD HQ AND THEN RELAYED TO ME THAT HD WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. I CONTACTED HD DIRECTLY AND THEY AGAIN STATED THAT THE BIKE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (LESS THAN A MONTH) AND THAT SINCE I TOOK THE WHEEL OFF AND THEY DIDN'T WISH TO EVEN LOOK AT THE WHEEL OR BOLTS. *JB

NHTSA ID 10156142 · filed Apr 26, 2006

2004 HARLEY DAVIDSON, SOFT TAIL FATBOY. STOCK WHEELS AND TIRES. TRAVELING AT APPROX. 75 MPH ON I-8 ENTERING YUMA AZ. ALL 5 BOLTS HOLDING THE MAIN DRIVE PULLEY TO THE REAR WHEEL BROKE OFF. ONE BOLT FLEW BACK AND HIT ANOTHER RIDER THUS CAUSING MINOR INJURY TO THE LEG. NOT REPORTED. BIKE DID NOT CRASH BUT WAS DAMAGED. PULLEY AND WHEEL WERE TAKEN TO HARLEY DAVIDSON, THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN FINDING THE CAUSE. MANY MECHANICS HAVE LOOKED AT THIS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. BIKE HAS 16002 MILES AND THE BOLTS WERE LAST CHECKED AT 10KMILES FOR 60 FTLBS. *JB

NHTSA ID 10155764 · filed Apr 20, 2006

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Powertrain (other)

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

2004 HARLEY DAVIDSON, SOFT TAIL FATBOY. STOCK WHEELS AND TIRES. TRAVELING AT APPROX. 75 MPH ON I-8 ENTERING YUMA AZ. ALL 5 BOLTS HOLDING THE MAIN DRIVE PULLEY TO THE REAR WHEEL BROKE OFF. ONE BOLT FLEW BACK AND HIT ANOTHER RIDER THUS CAUSING MINOR INJURY TO THE LEG. NOT REPORTED. BIKE DID NOT CRASH BUT WAS DAMAGED. PULLEY AND WHEEL WERE TAKEN TO HARLEY DAVIDSON, THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN FINDING THE CAUSE. MANY MECHANICS HAVE LOOKED AT THIS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. BIKE HAS 16002 MILES AND THE BOLTS WERE LAST CHECKED AT 10KMILES FOR 60 FTLBS. *JB

NHTSA ID 10155764 · filed Apr 20, 2006

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .