1996 Honda CN250 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1996 Honda CN250, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine240.0%
- Brakes120.0%
- Fuel system120.0%
- Tires & wheels120.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I BOUGHT A 1996 HONDA ACCORD COUPE W/91,000 MILES AND A VTEC ENGINE, IN MAY OF 2004 AND NOW ITS DEC 2004 I WAS TOLD THAT MY ENGINE IS GONE DUE TO A BALANCE SHAFT SEAL WITHOUT ITS RETAINER ATTACHED. WITHOUT THE RETAINER, THE BALANCE SHAFT SEAL CAME LOOSE AND MY OIL CAME OUT AND NOW I'VE BEEN TOLD BY TWO MECHANICS THAT MY ENGINE IS BAD. THIS ALL HAPPENED IN THE SPAN OF TWO DAYS.*AK
THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AT 81133 MILES WHILE DRIVING. I PULLED THE CAR OVER. ALL THE ENGINE OIL HAD SPILLED OUT OVER THE PREVIOUS MILE, IN A SCHOOL ZONE. A PARTICULARLY LARGE PUDDLE OF OIL WAS AT THE LAST STOP SIGN WHERE THE OIL LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE MECHANIC AT ANDERSON HONDA IDENTIFIED THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT SEAL HAD FAILED (POPPED OUT). TOTAL REPAIR COST $857, INCLUDING THE REQUIRED BALANCE SHAFT SEAL RETAINER. HONDA ADMITS TO HAVING A "SERVICE UPDATE" FOR THIS ISSUE FROM 09/2000 TO 01/2003. DURING THIS PERIOD HONDA NOTIFIED THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO INSTALL A BALANCE SHAFT SEAL RETAINER. SINCE 01/2003 HONDA HAD PROACTIVELY REMOVED INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEED FOR A BALANCE SHAFT SEAL RETAINER FROM THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT DATABASES. SERVICE DEPARTMENTS ARE NO LONGER MAKING OWNERS AWARE OF THE NEED FOR A BALANCE SHAFT SEAL RETAINER. SIMILARLY HONDA HAS REMOVED ALL EVIDENCE OF THIS REQUIRED SERVICE UPDATE FROM THE OWNERS LINK AT HONDA.COM. HONDA IS FAILING IN IT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE CUSTOMERS AWARE OF THE NEED FOR THIS BALANCE SHAFT SEAL RETAINER. YES HONDA NOTIFIED CUSTOMERS BY MAIL IN 2000, BUT THIS IS NO EXCUSE FOR BURYING THIS ISSUE AFTER 01/2003. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
1996 HONDA GL1500 ASPENCADE ENGINE WILL STOP RUNNING AS I AM OVERTAKING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND ALSO DRIVING UP INCLINES WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING WHAT SO EVER. NUMEROUS TIMES I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED BY TRACTOR TRAILERS AND CARS AS I TRY MY BEST TO PUT ON THE 4-WAYS AND GET THE MOTORCYCLE OFF OF THE ROADWAY BEFORE I AM KILLED. I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES BUT IT SEEMS THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE BIKE COMES OUT WORSE. I AM ALSO ENCOUNTERING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAVE SEEN LISTED IN ANOTHER COMPLAINT AND THAT IS DEALING WITH THE HYDRAULIC BRAKES. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE COMPLAINED THEY NEVER SEEM TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE BIKE IS SITTING THE BRAKES APPEAR TO WORK OK BUT WHEN THE BIKE IS BEING RIDDEN YOU HAVE TO STOMP DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER FOR IT TO EVEN START TO WORK, NEVER MIND STOPPING THE BIKE IN THE NEXT 4 MILES. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
1996 HONDA GL1500 ASPENCADE ENGINE WILL STOP RUNNING AS I AM OVERTAKING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND ALSO DRIVING UP INCLINES WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING WHAT SO EVER. NUMEROUS TIMES I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED BY TRACTOR TRAILERS AND CARS AS I TRY MY BEST TO PUT ON THE 4-WAYS AND GET THE MOTORCYCLE OFF OF THE ROADWAY BEFORE I AM KILLED. I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES BUT IT SEEMS THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE BIKE COMES OUT WORSE. I AM ALSO ENCOUNTERING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAVE SEEN LISTED IN ANOTHER COMPLAINT AND THAT IS DEALING WITH THE HYDRAULIC BRAKES. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE COMPLAINED THEY NEVER SEEM TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE BIKE IS SITTING THE BRAKES APPEAR TO WORK OK BUT WHEN THE BIKE IS BEING RIDDEN YOU HAVE TO STOMP DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER FOR IT TO EVEN START TO WORK, NEVER MIND STOPPING THE BIKE IN THE NEXT 4 MILES. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
HELIX SCOOTER HAS TIRES THAT ARE J SPEED RATED(62MPH), HOWEVER BIKE CAN GO OVER 70MPH. MANUFACTURER SHOULD EQUIP BIKE WITH TIRES THAT MATCH THE SPEED CAPABILITIES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .