2003 HONDA GL1800A

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

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.

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

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.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

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.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

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.

IN :MARCH, 2016, I PURCHASED A 2003 HONDA GOLDWING 1800A FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, A PRIVATE PARTY. I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE IN REPAIRS, AS IT WAS DAMAGED. THE MECHANIC FOUND A CRACK IN THE REAR FRAME NEAR A WELD, AND REFERRED ME TO REDLANDS HONDA. I SPOKE TO WES IN SERVICE WHO INSPECTED THE FRAME AND CALLED HONDA. HONDA SENT REDLANDS HONDA A FRAME. ON 6/23/2016, WES INFORMED ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR TO REPLACE THE FRAME, ESTIMATED TO BE OVER $2500. AS A SAFETY RECALL, I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY PARTS OR LABOR TO HAVE THE SAFETY RECALL PROCEDURE PERFORMED. NO FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TO DATE. I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE CRACK.

Mileage: 77,450

BOUGHT THE BIKE JULY 9. PRIVATE PARTY. I WAS GOING THRU THE BIKE CHECKING EVERYTHING OUT AND FOUND THE FRAME IS BROKE BEHIND THE PASSENGER FLOORBOARDS ON BOTH SIDES. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND THIS IS VERY COMMON. *TR

Mileage: 89,600

IF THE REAR FOOT PEDAL BRAKE IS APPLIED WITHOUT ALSO USING THE FRONT HAND BRAKE THE BIKE SHUDDERS, SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY, AND THE BRAKING POWER IS DIMINISHED .APPLYING THE FRONT BRAKE USUALLY ELIMINATES THE SHUDDER. THE GREATER THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE THE WORSE THE PROBLEM GETS. (OVER 105 DEGREES IT BECOMES UNRIDEABLE) ALL BRAKE COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN CHECK BY THE DEALER AND FOUND TO BE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. HONDA TECH DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM AND TELLS THEIR DEALERS TO INSTRUCT RIDERS TO APPLY BOTH BRAKES AT THE SAME TIME. ALL MC RIDERS KNOW THAT APPLYING THE FRONT BREAK IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS CAN CAUSE A CRASH. *TR

Mileage: 131,000

A FRIEND ON MINE ALSO RIDING A GL1800 FOUND A FRAME TUBE CRACKED ON HIS MOTORCYCLE. AFTER CHECKING MANY BULLETIN BOARDS ON THE INTERNET HE FOUND THIS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM IN THE SAME MODEL YEARS OF BIKES THAT HONDA PUT OUT A RECALL ON IN 2005 BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE WELDS. HIS ENTIRE FRAME WAS REPLACE BY HONDA. MY MOTORCYCLE WAS ONE OF THE ONES REQUIRING RE-WELDING OF THE FRAME. HE CAME TO MY HOME YESTERDAY AND EXAMINED MY BIKE AND WE FOUND THE SAME FRAME CRACK IN MY BIKE AS WAS ON HIS BUT MINE IS BIGGER. WE HAVE PHOTOS OF THIS CRACK ON THE FRAME. BECAUSE OF THIS CRACK I AM NOW AFRAID TO RIDE THE BIKE FOR FEAR IT MAY FAIL COMPLETELY AND POSSIBLY CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO MYSELF OR MY WIFE. I ONLY HAVE 32000 MILES ON THIS BIKE. OF THE DOZEN OR SO BIKES MY FRIEND HAS EXAMINED MINE HAS THE LOWEST MILEAGE OF ALL OF THEM. I WANT THE FRAME REPLACED OR PROVIDED WITH A NEW REPLACEMENT BIKE. *TR

Mileage: 32,000

CRACKED SUBFRAME. *TR

Mileage: 153,100

LOCATED CRACKED FRAME (2)TUBES ON REAR TRIANGULAR AREA OF THE ALUMINUM FRAME. THE TUBE ON EACH SIDE OF THE BIKE IS CRACKED. THE LEFT SIDE IS APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY THROUGH. THE AREA SUPPORTS THE REAR OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND PASSENGER. *TR

Mileage: 106,954

SHIFT SHAFT SEAL DISLODGED FROM ENGINE/TRANSMISSION, CAUSING ENGINE OIL TO BE DUMPED ONTO ROADWAY AHEAD OF REAR TIRE. FIRST OCCURRENCE-SEAL REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. SECOND OCCURRENCE-OWNER CHARGED FOR REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE IS COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY. CAUSE OF PROBLEM NOT CORRECTED, THEREFORE SAFETY HAZARD REMAINS SHOULD PROBLEM RECUR.*JB

Mileage: 55,749

ENGINE APPEARS TO BE OVERHEATING DURING SLOW SPEED OPERATION. TEMPERATURE GAUGE ENTERS THE RED DANGER ZONE DURING "PARADE MODE RIDING" (HEAVY TRAFFIC). COOLING FAN OPERATION AND BRAKE (LIGHT) OPERATION HAVE DRAMATIC IMPACT ON GAUGE INDICATION WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM. ACCORDING TO HONDA'S RECORDS THE HEATING SYSTEM RECALL HAS BEEN PERFORMED ON THIS MOTORCYCLE. LOCAL DEALER IS NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM OR ITS SOLUTION. *JB

Mileage: 2,000

2003 GL 1800A EXCESSIVE FRONT END WOBBLE BEGINNING SHORTLY AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE MOTORCYCLE OF WHICH HONDA HAS MADE CLEAR IS "NORMAL" WHEN IN REALITY IT'S HIGHLY DANGEROUS. *JB

Mileage: 700

NOTICE OF GL1800/A GOLD WING FRAME WELD RECALL WAS RECEIVED FROM NHTSA ABOUT MARCH OF 2005. TOOK NOTICE AND BIKE TO DEALER: BEND RECREATION, OF BEND OREGON. APPOINTMENT WAS MADE TO REPAIR WELDS. APPOINTMENT WAS CANCELLED BY BEND RECREATION BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE A "HONDA CERTIFIED WELDER". WHEN CHALLENGED ON THIS MATTER AFTER HONDA SENT OUT ANOTHER NOTICE OF RECALL, BEND RECREATION SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THEY WOULD GET TO ME AS SOON AS THEY HAD THE TIME. THAT WAS THREE MONTHS AGO, AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY HAVE ANY INTEREST IN DOING THE RECALL ORDERED WORK. THEY REFUSED COMPLETELY UNTIL I TOLD THEM I BOUGHT THE 2003 WING IN THEIR DEALERSHIP. AND HAVE SUGGESTED I TAKE IT TO PORTLAND, OREGON FOR THE REQUIRED WORK.

UNSATISFACTORY SERVICING OF RECALL WORK ON THE 2003 HONDA GOLDWING. *MR THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT IN THE FORM OF A GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE AND WRONGFUL DELAY. *SC *JB

CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS GETTING RECALL WORK PERFORMED ON THE MOTORCYCLE. *PH THE DEALER REFUSE TO PROVE RECALL SERVICE FOR THE CONSUMER MOTORCYCLE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT PURCHASED AT THAT LOCATION. *NM

THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE'S FRAME WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. THE FRAME CRACKED MORE THAT THE FRAME WELD RECALL STATED (03V350000). *AK *NM

Mileage: 9,300

UPON REINFORCING THE WELDS ON THE FRAME AS STATED IN RECALL 03V350000 FOR THE FRAME WELD DEALERSHIP NOTICED LARGE CRACK IN THE FRAME. MANUFACTURER INSTRUCTED THE DEALERSHIP TO STUFF CRACKS WITH METAL INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE FRAME. THIS WAS A TEMPORARY FIX, AND THE FRAME COULD CRACK AGAIN AT ANYTIME.*AK

Mileage: 1,600

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE RECALL BEING DONE BY AMERICAN HONDA CORP. (AHC) ON THEIR GOLD WING GL1800 TO REPAIR POSSIBLE FRAME AND WELD DAMAGE. MY MOTORCYCLE WAS PURCHASED 4/24/03. IT IS LESS THAN 7 MONTHS OLD. MY MOTORCYCLE WAS REJECTED FOR THEIR 'NORMAL' RECALLS SERVICE BECAUSE THE FRAME WAS TOO HEAVILY DAMAGED FOR IT TO BE REPAIRED IN THE FIELD. AHC WANTS TO SHIP THE BIKE BACK TO THE FACTORY IN OHIO (FROM NJ) AND EITHER REPAIR THE CRACKS THEY DISCOVERED OR REPLACE THE FRAME ON THE BIKE. THEY ARE GIVING ME NO CHOICES EXCEPT TO ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT. MY PROBLEM WITH THEM FIXING IT AT THE FACTORY, IS TWO FOLD: 1. THE PEOPLE AT THE FACTORY ARE USED TO PUTTING A BIKE TOGETHER FROM SCRATCH, ON AN ASSEMBLY LINE, ACCORDING TO STRICT ENGINEERING GUIDELINES, BUT PROBABLY HAVE NEVER TAKEN ONE APART BEFORE AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER. I, DO NOT WISH TO BE THE "GUINEA PIG". 2. I HAVE OVER $5000 IN ADDED ACCESSORIES ON MY MOTORCYCLE AND THEIR SOLE REPRESENTATIVE (A "STEVE" WHO WILL NOT PRO

Mileage: 12,500

THE GL1800 OVERHEATS TO THE POINT OF SPILLING COOLANT. THE COOLANT OVERFLOW HOSE IS IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE. HONDA HAS IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AND ATTEMPTED A FIX BY INSTALLING A NEW ECM, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *LA

Mileage: 1,000