2001 Honda GL1800: complaints, problems and recalls

HONDA GOLD WING OVERHEATED AT LOW SPEEDS.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008090 at NHTSA ↗

OVERHEAT/SPEWING OF COOLANT ON REAR BRAKES AND REAR TIRE OF MY GL 1800/A HONDA MOTORCYCLE. SITUATION WAS ON THE WASHINGTON DC BELTWAY, NO SHOULDER TO PULL OVER ONTO, STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. MOTORCYCLE WAS SPEWING COOLANT ON THE THE BRAKES AND REAR WHEEL, CAUSING A VERY HOT STEAM TO RISE ON OUR LEGS AND LOWER TORSO, ALSO CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL & BRAKES TO BECOME EXTREMELY SLIPPERY, AS WELL AS UNCONTROLLABLE UNDER EXISTING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. HONDA HAS NOT FULLFILLED IT'S PROMIS TO REPAIR THESE MOTORCYCLES AS OF YET!*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 9,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030580 at NHTSA ↗

FAILURE OF REAR TIRE ON MOTORCYCLE. SEPARATION OF SIDEWALL FROM TREAD. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 30,050 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049390 at NHTSA ↗

MOTORCYCLE TIRE: AVON VENOM FOR HONDA GL1800 GOLDWING REAR TIRE 1.TIRE CRACKED AND TREAD SEPERATED- LESS THAN 5000 MILES 2. TIRE HAD BULGE IN TREAD, READY TO SEPERATE-LESS THAN 5K MILES 3. TIRE IS GETTING BULGE IN IT, CAN FEEL WHEN RIDING-LESS THAN 2000MILES ALL OF THESE WERE REPLACED BY AVON. I OWN A SMALL MOTORCYCLE SHOP AND HAVE HEARD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.*AK SOME ONE WILL DIE BECAUSE OF THESE TIRES. I ASKED THE REP. AT AVON IF THIS WAS A PROBLEM AND HE DENIED THERE IS A PROBLEM. I ALSO ASKED …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10091362 at NHTSA ↗

FRONT BRAKE ANTILOCKED UP. WHEN HITTING A SEVERE BUMP IN THE ROAD, NOT A POTHOLE, THE LEFT FORK SEAL BLEW OUTWARD, RELEASING A MASSIVE AMOUT OF SUSPENSION OIL COVERING THE LEFT FRONT OF THE BIKE INCLUDING SATURATING THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. I REPLACED THE FAILED SEAL WITH A NEW ONE AND EXAMINED THE ANTI DIVE VALVE FOR OPERATION. IT OPERATED NORMALY AT THAT TIME, BUT ON FURTHER EXAMANATION AT A LATER DATE WAS FOUND TO AGAIN BE LOCKED UP, AND AT THAT TIME I REPLACES THE DEFFECTIVE PLUNGER MECHANISM ON THE TOP OF THE ANTI DIVE UNIT T…

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10104604 at NHTSA ↗

FRAME TUBBING FRACTURE IN THE REAR TRIANGLE OF THE MAIN FRAME ON THE EDGE OF A WELD. NOTE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN FAILURE POINT ON THIS MODEL OF HONDA GOLDWING WHICH OCCURS IN THE TUBING AT THE EDGE OF THE WELD TO A FRAME CASTING.*AK NO REPAIR IS RECOMENDED ON THIS 7003 TYPE OF ALUMINUM WHEN THE FAILURE IS OUTSIDE OF THE WELD

Owner-reported narrative. 44,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114054 at NHTSA ↗

THERE IS A NOTICEABLE WOBBLE IN THE FRONT END OF MY 2001 HONDA GL1800 AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. IT WASN'T THERE WITH THE FIRST TIRE I HAD, DUNLOP. IT HAS BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AS THE FRONT TIRE AGES. THIS IS SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF ODI#10135765. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10136112 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH, THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE FUEL INJECTOR FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL PUMP TO SHUT DOWN AUTOMATICALLY. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONTACT AN FI LIGHT WAS SUPPOSED TO ILLUMINATE ON THE MOTORCYCLE PRIOR TO FAILURE OF THE FUEL INJECTOR; HOWEVER THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE A LIGHT ILLUMINATED.

Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10166755 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2001-04-23 (April 23, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED PULSE ROTOR. THE CRANKSHAFT PULSE ROTOR, A DEVICE USED FOR IGNITION TIMING, COULD FAIL AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL.

Consequence: THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REDESIGNED PULSE ROTOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 19, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.

Reported: 2001-05-09 (May 9, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ENGINE STOP SWITCH. THE ENGINE STOP SWITCH IS SENSITIVE TO ACCIDENTAL CONTACT OR STRONG JOLTING, SUCH AS HITTING A POTHOLE OR RIDING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS,WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO CUT OUT MOMENTARILY OR EVEN SHUT OFF.

Consequence: SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A CONTACT PLATE, E-CLIP, AND 2 CONTACT PLATE SPRINGS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 19, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-310-532-9811.

Reported: 2005-01-31 (January 31, 2005)

ON SOME MOTORCYCLES, CERTAIN FRAME WELDS DO NOT MEET MANUFACTURING SPECIFICATIONS. HIGH LOADS CREATED WHEN RIDING ON ROUGH ROAD SURFACES OR THROUGH POTHOLES CAN CAUSE THE AFFECTED WELDS TO CRACK.

Consequence: THE WELDED AREA COULD BREAK, RESULTING IN REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSE OR LOWER CROSS MEMBER SEPARATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REINFORCE THE WELDS ON 2001-2002 MOTORCYCLES FREE OF CHARGE. ON 2003-2004 MOTORCYCLES, THE UNITS WILL BE REPAIRED, NO INSPECTION WILL BE NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 9, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-866-784-1870.

Reported: 2011-12-01 (December 1, 2011)

HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2001-2010, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 GL1800 GOLDWING MOTORCYCLES. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE COMBINED BRAKING SYSTEM'S SECONDARY MASTER CYLINDER MAY CAUSE THE REAR BRAKE TO DRAG.

Consequence: UNEXPECTED BRAKING INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH, AND RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE WITH THE REAR BRAKE DRAGGING MAY GENERATE ENOUGH HEAT TO CAUSE THE REAR BRAKE TO CATCH FIRE.

Remedy: HONDA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SECONDARY MASTER CYLINDER AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 6, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-866-784-1870.

Reported: 2015-10-23 (October 23, 2015)

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2010 and 2012-2015 GL1800, 2001-2005 GL1800A and 2013-2015 GL1800B motorcycles. The rear brakes of the affected motorcycles may drag after the brakes are released.

Consequence: A rear brake that drags may increase the risk of a vehicle crash. Additionally, extended riding with the rear brake dragging could generate enough heat to result in a fire.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary brake master cylinder and the rear brake master cylinder, and flush the brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on December 7, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is JV6. Note: This recall supercedes recall 14V-472.