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U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Honda GL1800 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

101 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

11,750 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 52 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Structure:Frame And Members is the most frequently named component, appearing in 30 of 101 complaints (29.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior98.9%
Steering behavior33.0%
Transmission and shifting22.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Structure:Frame And Members
30
Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields
14
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
11
Structure:Body
7
Steering
6
Service Brakes
5
Suspension:Rear
4
Power Train:Manual Transmission
3
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Structure:Frame And Members30
Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields14
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System11
Structure:Body7
Steering6
Service Brakes5
Suspension:Rear4
Power Train:Manual Transmission3

Structure:Frame And Members: 30; Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields: 14; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 11; Structure:Body: 7; Steering: 6; Service Brakes: 5; Suspension:Rear: 4; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
35
25,000 to 49,999
9
50,000 to 74,999
3
75,000 to 99,999
3
100,000 to 149,999
2
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00035
25,000 to 49,9999
50,000 to 74,9993
75,000 to 99,9993
100,000 to 149,9992
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 35; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (35). 49 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2002
11
2003
33
2004
14
2005
14
2006
3
2007
4
2008
2
2009
3
2010
3
2011
1
2012
1
2015
2
2016
1
2017
3
2018
2
2019
1
2020
3
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200211
200333
200414
200514
20063
20074
20082
20093
20103
20111
20121
20152
20161
20173
20182
20191
20203

2002: 11; 2003: 33; 2004: 14; 2005: 14; 2006: 3; 2007: 4; 2008: 2; 2009: 3; 2010: 3; 2011: 1; 2012: 1; 2015: 2; 2016: 1; 2017: 3; 2018: 2; 2019: 1; 2020: 3

Pattern summary

Structure:Frame And Members leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10041807 · 2003-10-14 (October 14, 2003)

I HAVE A 2003 HONDA GOLDWING GL1800 MOTORCYCLE WITH ABS, VIN NUMBER [XXX]. ON 9/6/03 I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO MY DEALER, HINSHAW'S MOTORCYCLE STORE, 1611 WEST VALLEY HWY, AUBURN, WA 98001, FOR SERVICE. ON 9/9/03 I RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER AT HINSHAW'S. WHEN I RETURNED HIS CALL ON 9/10/03 I WAS TOLD THAT MY MOTORCYCLE WAS AN AFFECTED UNIT IN A RECALL BY THE MANUFACTURER FOR A CRACK IN A CROSS MEMBER OF THE FRAME. I WENT TO THE DEALER ON 9/10/03 AND LOOKED AT THE FRAME AND TOOK SEVERAL PHOTOS OF THE CRACK. I WAS TOLD BY A …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041807 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10044721 · 2003-10-24 (October 24, 2003)

THERE WAS A CRACKED WELD IN THE FRAME OF THE BIKE WHICH SUPPORTED THE REAR SUSPENSION. THE MANUFACTURER. SUGGESTED THAT THE OWNER GO TO AN AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THEM TO DISASSEMBLED IT AND THEN TAKE IT TO A CONTRACTED WELDER AND HAVE IT REASSEMBLED. THE OWNER STATED IT COULD TAKE UP TO 60 DAYS AND OWNER DID NOT FEEL SECURE OF THIS TYPE WORK. HE PREFERRED TO HAVE THE FRAME REPLACED OR GIVEN A NEW BIKE AND NOT A WELDING JOB. OWNER STATED T HE WELDED FRAME COULD BRAKE AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY, IF TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS. PROVIDE FU…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,280 miles reported. Look up ODI 10044721 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10118634 · 2005-04-28 (April 28, 2005)

I HAVE A HONDA GL1800 GOLDWING MOTORCYCLE. ALL THESE BIKES HAVE AN ISSUE WITH FRONT END WOBBLE WHILE DECELERATING BETWEEN 35-45 MPH. MY HONDA DEALER SAYS HONDA KNOWS ABOUT IT BUT HAVEN'T RECALLED IT YET BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY OTHER RECALLS CURRENTLY ACTIVE. A REVIEW OF A WEB SITE OF OWNERS CALLED GL1800.ORG HAS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HOW TO FIX IT. MY HONDA DEALER SAYS THE BEARING IN THE STEERING COLUMN ISN'T SUFFICIENT AND IT WOULD COST ME ABOUT $300 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. MY BIKE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. HOND…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10118634 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10135765 · 2005-09-08 (September 8, 2005)

I OWN A 2003 HONDA GOLDWING MOTORCYCLE WHICH I PURCHASED NEW LATE IN MAY OF 2003, VIN#[XXX]. IT IS STILL, AT THIS TIME, WITHIN THE FACTORY WARRANTY PERIOD. SINCE IT WAS NEW, THE FRONT FORK AND HANDLEBARS HAVE HAD A STRONG WOBBLE AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH-45 MPH. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL HONDA MOTORCYCLE DEALERS AND AM TOLD THAT MANY GOLDWINGS DO THIS AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. AT MY OWN EXPENSE, I HAVE HAD THE FRONT TIRES RE-BALANCED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, REPLACED THE FRONT TIRE AND REAR TIRE. HAD THE STEERING HEAD BEARINGS REA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10135765 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10282473 · 2009-08-31 (August 31, 2009)

MY 2002 HONDA GOLDWING 1800 TRANSMISSION FAILED ALMOST CAUSING A WRECK. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD JUMP OUT OF 5TH GEAR ON OCCASION AND GRADUALLY GOT WORSE UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. I HAD TO HAVE IT HAULED HOME AND THEN LATER ON HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE SHOP AND HAVE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED OUT OF MY POCKET. $3200 WORTH. IT IS A VERY UNSAFE ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED.THERE ARE SEVERAL CASES OF THIS FROM VARIOUS PEOPLE I HAVE TALKED TO AND HONDA HAS DECIDED TO IGNORE THE COMPLAINTS SO WE HAVE NO OTHER CHOI…

Owner-reported narrative. 22,180 miles reported. Look up ODI 10282473 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10300291 · 2010-01-19 (January 19, 2010)

TRANSMISSION ON 2003 HONDA GOLDWING JUMPS FROM 5TH TO 4TH GEAR. THIS HAPPENS OFTEN AND HAS FOR SEVERAL OCCASIONS. IT CAUSES THE POTENTIAL OF LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 26 miles reported. Look up ODI 10300291 at NHTSA ↗