2003 Honda GL1800A Owner Complaints

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.

NHTSA ID

10883175

Incident

Jun 23, 2016

Mileage

77,450 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10610240

Incident

Jul 9, 2014

Mileage

89,600 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10519662

Incident

May 30, 2013

Mileage

131,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10282059

Incident

Aug 27, 2009

Mileage

32,000 mi

CRACKED SUBFRAME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10244559

Incident

Oct 4, 2008

Mileage

153,100 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10234852

Incident

Jul 18, 2008

Mileage

106,954 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10180905

Incident

Dec 12, 2006

Mileage

55,749 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10164505

Incident

Jun 23, 2005

Mileage

2,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10136020

Incident

Aug 26, 2003

Mileage

700 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10134132

Incident

Aug 24, 2005

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

NHTSA ID

10124678

Incident

Mar 12, 2005

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

NHTSA ID

10063569

Incident

Mar 8, 2004

Mileage

9,300 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10056025

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

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

NHTSA ID

10049800

Mileage

1,600 mi

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 PROVIDE HIS LAST NAME BUT GIVES HIS ID AS MT56: A. REFUSES TO GIVE ME ANY WRITTEN ASSURANCE THAT ALL MY ACCESSORIES WILL WORK WHEN I GET THE BIKE BACK. B. INSISTS THAT THE ONLY WAY I MAY GET THAT INSURANCE IN WRITING IS TO HAVE A LAWYER CONTACT HIS COMPANIES LEGAL DEPT. C. WILL NOT GIVE ME A NAME TO CONTACT. D. THREATENED ME THAT IF I DID NOT HAVE THEM DO IT NOW, THAT IT "MAY TAKE THEM A LOT LONGER TO DO IT LATER." E. ADMITTED THAT MANY OTHER BIKES HAD DAMAGE TO THE FRAME WAS MUCH WORSE THAN THEY EXPECTED AND ARE FINDING THAT MANY BIKES WILL HAVE TO BE SHIPPED BACK TO THE FACTORY TO BE REPAIRED. THIS "STEVE-MT56" (WHOEVER HE IS) WILL ONLY GIVE ME 'HIS' WORD THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE HANDLED CORRECTLY AND THAT I MUST CHECK OUT THE BIKE FULLY BEFORE I PICK IT UP AFTER THE REPAIR, TO HAVE DAMAGE THEY DO, COVERED BY AMERICAN HONDA. I AM QUITE UPSET BY THEIR TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT ATTITUDE AND LACK OF WRITTEN ASSURANCE. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE IN THIS MATTER? *LA

NHTSA ID

10047328

Incident

Nov 20, 2003

Mileage

12,500 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10041702

Incident

Aug 22, 2003

Mileage

1,000 mi