2008 Honda GL1800: complaints, problems and recalls

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA GOLD WING. WHILE DRIVING 25-35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLINKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. HE NOTICED THAT THE SPRING DISENGAGED IN THE CENTER, WHICH CAUSED IT TO FALL TO THE PAVEMENT. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REINSTALLED THE SPRING. THERE HAD BEEN NO OTHER OCCURRENCES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,292 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,600. UPDATED 11/14/07 *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,292 miles reported. Look up ODI 10207403 at NHTSA ↗

ON THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2008, I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW HONDA METROPOLITAN SCOOTER FROM LAKE CITY POWER SPORTS AT 12048 LAKE CITY WAY N.E., SEATTLE, WA 98125. IN A MATTER OF FOUR DAYS, A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED. IMMEDIATELY AFTER LEAVING THE STORE, I NOTICED THE MIRROR WAS LOOSE. MY BOYFRIEND, ANTHONY SHEARS, TOOK THE SCOOTER TO THE SHOP THE NEXT DAY, FRIDAY MAY 9, TO GET IT TIGHTENED. AGAIN, THE MIRROR CAME LOOSE AND ANTHONY HAD TO BRING IT BACK A SECOND TIME FOR TIGHTENING. ON SATURDAY MAY 10, ANTHONY WENT TO THE SHOP AGAIN BECAUSE THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 60 miles reported. Look up ODI 10229785 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA GOLDWING MOTORCYCLE. WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 30 MPH AND THE HANDLE BARS BEGAN TO SHAKE. HE WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT IT WAS NORMAL AND THAT THE TIRES MIGHT BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FIRST DEALER ALSO TOLD HIM THAT THEY HAD TWO OTHER OWNERS THAT WEEK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NONE OF THE TIRE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 800 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1.

Owner-reported narrative. 1 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232195 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA GL1800. THE FRONT END SHIMMIED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER FOR WARRANTY SERVICE AND INQUIRED ABOUT THE SHIMMY. HONDA STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,500. UPDATED 07/29/08 *BF UPDATED 07/31/08

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234212 at NHTSA ↗

MY NEW HONDA GOLDWING MOTORCYCLE HAS A WOBBLE AT ABOUT 40MPH. I HAVE CHECKED THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND HAVE FOUND THE FRONT TO REAR WHEEL OFFSET 7MM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234916 at NHTSA ↗

IN MAY 2008 I PURCHASED A NEW HONDA GOLDWING. AT APPROXIMATELY 3000 MILES. I NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT FORK SEAL WAS LEAKING AND THE TIRES WERE WEARING ABNORMALLY. SPECIFICALLY, THE TIRES BOTH FRONT AND REAR WERE CUPPING OR SCALLOPING AND STARTED MAKING EXCESSIVE ROAD NOISE OR "HOWLING". DURING THE NEXT 4000 MILES THE TIRE ABNORMALITIES BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A "SHIMMY" OR "WOBBLE" AT CERTAIN SPEEDS AND THROTTLE POSITION IN ADDITION TO FEELING UNSAFE ON ANY SURFACE OTHER THAN DRY SMOOTH PAVEMEN…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235608 at NHTSA ↗

FRONT END WOBBLE AT SLOWS SPEEDS BETWEEN 30 AND 45 MPH. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I RIDE. THE DEALER SAID THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND MANY RIDERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT, BUT HONDA WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE IT AS A PROBLEM. AT MY COST (ABOUT $300.00 USD), AFTER MARKET TAPERED FORK BEARINGS WERE INSTALLED TO REPLACE THE HONDA OEM FORK BEARINGS THAT ARE NOT TAPERED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10237466 at NHTSA ↗

THERE IS AN INCREASING NUMBER OF CURRENT GENERATION HONDA GL1800 GOLD WING MOTORCYCLES THAT HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WHICH, CAUSE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, RANDOM DOWN SHIFTING, AND MISSED SHIFTS. HONDA ONLY WILL DEAL WITH THESE ON A WARRANTY BASIS IF THERE IS TOTAL FAILURE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10242228 at NHTSA ↗

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.

Reported: 2016-05-24 (May 24, 2016)

Honda (American Honda Motor, Inc.) is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Honda GL1800 (Gold Wing) motorcycles manufactured February 8, 2006, to May 14, 2009 originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Honda is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 Honda GL 1800 (Gold Wing) motorcycles manufactured May 10, 2007, to May 14, 2009 originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Motorcycles not originally sold or ever registered in either Zones A or B are not subject to this safety recall. These motorcycles are equipped with an air bag inflator assembled as part of the air bag module, used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the rider resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag module containing the inflator, free of charge. Honda distributed an interim notification to owners on July 19, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is KA8.

Reported: 2017-01-10 (January 10, 2017)

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2006-2009 and 2012 Honda GL1800 (Goldwing) motorcycles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, if not included in "Zone A," Honda is recalling certain 2006-2009 Honda GL1800 (Goldwing) motorcycles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, if not included in Zone A or Zone B above, Honda is recalling certain 2006-2008 Honda GL1800 (Goldwing) motorcycles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the operator resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Honda Motorcycle Customer Support at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is KE5.