2004 Honda GL1800: complaints, problems and recalls

THE RADIATOR OVERFLOW TANK ON THE HONDA GL1800 IS UNDER THE BIKE AND IS LOWER THEN THE FRAME. THE FRONT TIRE CAN KICK UP ROAD DEBREE AND IT WILL KNOCK A HOLE IN THE TANK. THIS HAPPENED TO MY BROTHER-IN-LAW AND TO MY BIKE. WHEN THE TANK HAS A HOLE IN IT, THE ANTIFREEZE RUNS OUT ON TO THE GROUND AND UNDER THE REAR TIRE ON A TWO WHEEL BIKE. I ASKED THE DEALER WHAT HONDA IS DOING ABOUT THIS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT HONDA WILL NOT PAY TO FIX IT. I CAN PUT A NEW TANK ON THE BIKE, BUT THE NEXT TIME THE FRONT TIRE KICKS UP ANY THING I'LL HAVE ANOTHER…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,389 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121374 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE RIDING MY HONDA GL1800 MOTORCYCLE, THE FRONT TIRE RAN OVER A FLAT PIECE OF METAL APPROX. 1" X 8". THE METAL STRIP FLIPPED UP AND PUNCTURED THE RADIATOR OVERFLOW TANK, CAUSING RADIATOR FLUID TO SPILL ONTO THE ROADWAY. THE TANK IS DIRECTLY INFRONT OF THE REAR TIRE. LUCKILY, THE PUNCTURE WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TANK, AND THE FLUID SPILLED ONTO THE ROADWAY APPROX. 2" TO THE RIGHT OF THE TIRE. HAD THE PUNCTURE BEEN 2" - 3" FURTHER LEFT, THE RESULT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS BODILY INJURY, OR DEATH. HONDA NEEDS TO PROTECT THE COOLANT …

Owner-reported narrative. 11,990 miles reported. Look up ODI 10129965 at NHTSA ↗

REAR BRAKES INEFFECTIVE ON ALL MODELS OF HONDA GOLDWING 1800 MOTORCYCLES. MANY, MANY WING OWNERS COMPLAIN OF HAVING TO PUMP THE REAR BRAKES TO GET THEM TO WORK. IF YOU'RE IN A PANIC SITUATION, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT. I'VE HAD MINE TO THE DEALER TWICE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH NO RESOLUTION. THEY CONTACTED HONDA OF AMERICA AND WERE GIVEN NO HELP. MINE HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE NEW AND IT IS NOW 2 YEARS OLD. MANY WING OWNERS STATE THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS, BOTH IN PERSON AND VIA THE INTERNET. THE "INCIDENT DATE" IS INVALID BUT Y…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10157952 at NHTSA ↗

2004 GOLDWING OCTOBER 2003 BUILD DATE. AT ROUGHLY 12,000 MILES SPRING 2005, THIRD GEAR ENGAGEMENT, UP OR DOWN, WOULD OCCASIONALLY RESULT IN A SINGLE LOUD CLUNK AS THROTTLE POWER WAS APPLIED. BY THE TIME THE BIKE WAS AT 55,000 MILES SUMMER 2009, THIS CONDITION OF CLUNKING (SKIPPING A GEAR DOG) WAS 100% LIKELY. I HAVE IN THAT TIME BEEN MINDFUL OF THIRD GEAR AND GENERALLY SKIP IT OR ONLY APPLY MODERATE THROTTLE WHEN I KNOW I AM IN THIRD GEAR; BUT BY 55,000 MILES EVEN SLIGHT ACCELERATION FORCE WOULD RESULT IN THE TRANSMISSION SKIPPING A DOG AND CLU…

Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10287011 at NHTSA ↗

THE GL1800 MOTORCYCLE HAS A REVERSE ON IT. THIS SHOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED TO ENGAGE, WHEN IN NEUTRAL & NEVER WHILE RUNNING. I FOUND A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT ALLOWED IT TO START ENGAGING, AND POSSIBLY COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS HAD I NOT ACTED QUICKLY. THE STEPS FOR THIS ARE: -BIKE IS IN 1ST GEAR -BIKE IS STARTED -THE REVERSE SWITCH IS ACCIDENTALLY HIT WHILE PRESSING THE START BUTTON (RIDING GLOVES MAKE THIS SOMEWHAT SIMPLE IN THE DARK - IT IS LOCATED RIGHT BY YOUR STARTER AND YOUR CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS) -YOU TAKE OFF IN 1ST GEAR (IN MY SCENARIO I…

Owner-reported narrative. 49,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10432802 at NHTSA ↗

HJC SYMAX II MODULAR HELMET COMPLAINT BOTH MY FRIEND AND I, [XXX] (WITNESS), BOTH RIDING 30 YEARS, WERE TRAVELING.ON THE BLUE RIDGE PKWY ENTERING THE PARKWAY AT WAYNESBORO, VA TO AVOID THE SKYLINE DRIVE. AROUND 7:15 WE DECIDED TO HEAD TO ROANOKE WHERE WE WOULD HAVE CELL AND INTERNET. HEADED SOUTH ON BRP. I HAS EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT DEER. APPROX 5 MINUTES LATER, DEER RAN ACROSS THE ROAD FORCING BOTH OF US TO BRAKE HEAVILY. APPROX 5 MINUTES LATER, SEVERAL MORE DEER RAN ACROSS THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME. 2 COMPLETED THE CROSSING A 3RD …

Owner-reported narrative. 74,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10484671 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA GOLDWING MOTORCYCLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE FINALLY COMING TO A STOP. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BRAKES AND BRAKE PADS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10648369 at NHTSA ↗

AS YOU ARE DRIVING WHEN ENGINE GETS WARM KILLS ON YOU .FOUND OUT ITS THE COMPUTER HONDA IS HAVING ISSUES WITH THEM AND KNOW THEY ARE TRYING TO UPDATE HAS NOT MADE RECALL. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10662128 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-01-24 (January 24, 2005)

CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH COMBINED-BRAKE SYSTEMS HAVE A PROPORTIONING CONTROL VALVE (PCV) THAT MECHANICALLY PROPORTIONS BRAKE FORCE WHEN THE REAR BRAKE IS APPLIED. A SEAL IN SOME PCVS IS IMPROPERLY SHAPED, AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR.

Consequence: IF THE MOTORCYCLE CONTINUES TO BE USED AFTER A LEAK OCCURS, THE REAR BRAKE WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME INOPERATIVE. A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE FORCE COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR BRAKE FORLEAKAGE. IF LEAKAGE IS CONFIRMED, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PCV FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 866-784-1870.

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.