2003 Honda GL1800 Engine Problems

THE ENGINE RUN HOTTER THAN USUAL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND GOING UP HILL AT HIGHER RPM . ALL FANS ARE RUNNING OK AS EXPECTED BUT STILL WHEN EVER STUCK IN TRAFFIC AT 75 DEGREE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE SEEM TO CREEP UP HIGHER TOWARDS THE RED MARK . THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IF THE ENGINE SPILL COOLANT , I AND MY PASSAGE RISK GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT DUE TO SLIPPERY SURFACE. HAD IT CHECK BY THE PRO AND THEY ARE POINTING AT THE ECM . THIS SHOULD BE FIX AND IS HONDA'S RESPONSIBILITY . MANY OTHER OWNERS HAD PREVIOUSLY COMPLAINED OF SIMILAR ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

11090454

Incident

Sep 14, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA GOLDWING. WHILE IDLING WITH THE RPMS UNDER 1,000, THE MOTORCYCLE MADE A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE EXCEEDED 1,000 RPMS, THE NOISE SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

NHTSA ID

10748456

Incident

Aug 9, 2015

Mileage

66,000 mi

RECALL NOTICE ON THE FRAME WELD OF MOTORCYCLE. DEALERSHIP WELDED ONLY ABOUT 45 PERCENT OF THE FRAME INSTEAD OF 100 PERCENT. *LA RECALL#03V350000 *SC THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE DEALER SOLD HIM THE MOTORCYCLE KNOWING THAT IT HAD AN OVERHEATING PROBLEM AND EVENTUALLY A RECALL WAS ISSUED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10051661

ENGINE OVERHEATING AT SLOW SPEEDS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10030806

Incident

Jul 27, 2003

Mileage

4,000 mi

AFTER 15 MINUTES IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THE CYCLE OVERHEATED (THE TEMP GAUGE WAS IN THE RED AREA). THE CONSUMER PULLED TO THE SIDE AND THE COOLING FAN COULD NOT BE HEARD. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10025092

Incident

Jun 26, 2003

Mileage

600 mi

BOTH OVERHEATS IN THE RED WHERE AT SLOW SPEEDS BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MPH. DT

NHTSA ID

769956

Incident

Sep 26, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN DRIVING IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR VEHICLE WILL OVERHEAT. *MR

NHTSA ID

8020227

Incident

Aug 3, 2002

HONDA GL1800 GOLDWING. WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 10 TO 20 MPH ENGINE OVERHEATS AND EXPENDS COOLANT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE CAUSING A SERIOUS LOSS OF TRACTION WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH. ADDITIONAL DRIVER DISTRACTIONS ARE CREATED. TS

NHTSA ID

767813

Incident

Aug 4, 2002

ENGINE WILL OVERHEAT DURING SUSTAINED LOW-SPEED OPERATION, SUCH AS SLOW-MOVING TRAFFIC IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. TEMPERATURE GUAGE NEEDLE WILL MOVE ALL THE WAY TO THE RED MARK, UNLESS THE MOTORCYCLE IS EITHER STOPPED OR SPEEDED UP. EVENTUALLY, COOLANT IS EXPELLED ONTO THE GROUND DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE AND ONTO THE TIRE, DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK AND ITS OVERFLOW HOSE. TS

NHTSA ID

767797

Incident

Sep 7, 2002

MOTORCYCLE HAS A TENDENCY TO OVERHEAT WHEN DRIVEN SLOW, IE., IN TRAFFIC OR WHEN GOING THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION AREA. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, AS IT TAKES AWAY MY CONCENTRATION TO DRIVE, SINCE I HAVE TO KEEP A CONSTANT EYE ON THE TEMP GAUGE. THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE SO FAR, ONCE IN A TRAFFIC JAM, AND THE OTHER IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. THERE IS ALSO THE VERY REAL POSSIBILTY OF LOOSING COOLANT IN THIS OVERHEATING SITUATION, AND GETTING IT ON THE REAR TIRE, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN LOOSING CONTROI OF THE BIKE. IF I AM FORCED TO PULL OVER DUE TO OVERHEATING, I RUN THE RISK OF ME AND/OR MY PASSENGER TO BE STRUCK BY A PASSING VEHICLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN REVIEWING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

767570

Incident

Sep 12, 2002

MOTORCYCLE OVERHEATS IF RIDDEN AT SLOW SPEEDS 100% OF THE TIME - COULD CAUSE COOLANT OVERFLOW WHICH WOULD GET ON REAR WHEEL CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION*AK

NHTSA ID

767458

Incident

Sep 17, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

766982

Incident

Sep 8, 2002

HONDA COMPLETELY REDESIGNED THE GOLD WING MOTORCYCLE, INCLUDING AN ENTIRELY NEW ENGINE, BEGINNING WITH THE 2001 MODEL. OVERHEATING HAS BEEN A STUBBORN PROBLEM WITH THE 2001, 2002, AND NOW THE 2003. HONDA DENIES THE PROBLEM AND HAS TOLD US TO CONTINUE USING THE MOTORCYCLE REGARDLESS OF READING OF THE GAUGE. MINE HAS GONE BEYOND THE REDLINE, ON OCCASION. I STOPPED AND CALLED DEALER. DEALER SAYS HONDA SAYS NOT TO WORRY, IGNORE THE GAUGE. MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED COOLANT LOSS WHEN THIS OCCURS. SOME HAVE HAD RADIATOR TEMPS MEASURED WITH IR EQUIPMENT DURING THESE CONDITIONS AND FOUND TO BE WELL ABOVE 240 DEG. WHILE NO IMMEDIATE DAMAGE HAS BEEN APPARENT TO ME, I AM CONCERNED OF LONG TERM EFFECT AND UNREVEALED DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. FURTHER, THE COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK IS LOCATED UNDER AND BEHIND THE ENGINE, JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE. IF COOLANT LEAKS, AS SOME HAVE EXPERIENCED, IT PLACES A SLICK SUBSTANCE ON THE ROAD JUST AHEAD OF THE REAR TIRE LEAVING A HIGH RISK OF LOSS OF CONTROL TO THE DRIVER AND OTHERS WHO PASS OVER THE SPOT.*AK

NHTSA ID

766889

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

ENGINE OVERHEATS AT LOW SPEEDS, COOLANT SPEWS ONTO ROADWAY AND REAR TIRE SLIPS IN THE COOLANT. MUST PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD TO AVOID ENGINE DAMAGE, VERY HAZARDOUS. RADIATOR FANS ARE RUNNING AS DESIGNED DURING OVERHEATING SITUATIONS, OCCURS AT LOW SPEEDS FROM 15 TO 25 MPH.*AK

NHTSA ID

766868

Incident

Aug 14, 2002

THE DESIGN OF THE HONDA GOLDWING COOLING SYSTEM FAILS MISERABLY IN HEAVY, SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS FOUND AT CONSTRUCTION SITES, METRO AREAS, PARADES, ETC. IN MY CASES AS THE ENGINE TEMP ROSE TO THE UPPER LIMITS I WAS HEMMED IN BY TRAFFIC AND UNABLE TO PULL OVER TO ALLOW THE ENGINE TO COOL. SERIOUS PERSONAL HAZARDS ARE PRESENTED BY THIS DESIGN FLAW: 1) BEING STRUCK BY OTHER VEHICLES WHILE SITTING ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. 2) MANY SIDE ROAD SURFACES NOT SUITABLE FOR PULLING OFF ONTO. 3) MANY ROADS NOT HAVING A SHOULDER. 4) COOLANT VENTED BY BIKE FALLS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF REAR WHEEL CREATING AN EXTREMELY SLIPPERY SURFACE AND INCREASING THE POTENTIAL OF SERIOUS HARM AND EVEN DEATH TO RIDER AND PASSENGER.*AK

NHTSA ID

765700

Incident

Aug 2, 2002

VEHICLE OVERHEATS AT LOW SPEED OPERATION, CONCERN OF BOILING OVER, ENGINE FAILURE WHICH WHILE MANUEVERING ON A MOTORCYCLE COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. *AK

NHTSA ID

765410