NHTSA Complaint #10147164 — 2003 HONDA VFR800

REGARDING INVESTIGATION PE05047 THIS INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED 12/20/05, BUT I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF THIS MODEL THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. MY HONDA VFR800 SHOWS SIGNS OF FAILURE DURING NORMAL USE AND THERE ARE NO "MODIFICATIONS TO THE WIRING HARNESS" AS SUGGESTED BY YOUR INVESTIGATION. THE ONLY AUXILIARY LOADS I HAVE ON MY BIKE ARE CONNECTED BY SEPARATE HARNESS DIRECTLY TO THE BATTERY AND THEREFORE BYPASS THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS. YET A CABLE, FUSE BLOCK AND A CONNECTOR ON THE FACTORY HARNESS DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO THE BATTERY GET HOT TO THE TOUCH IN NORMAL USE. SEVERAL OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THAT THEY HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT HAVING THE HONDA DEALERS ADMIT TO THE PROBLEM, AND THAT THE FACTORY NEVER DID, YET AFTER SUFFICIENT COMPLAINTS REPLACED THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS WITH AN UPGRADED MODEL. I WOULD THINK THAT THIS KIND OF FAILURE (MELTED WIRING INSULATION, BURNT FUSE BLOCK, MELTED CONNECTORS) WOULD CONSTITUTE A SAFETY HAZARD AND THAT NHTSA AND HONDA WOULD WANT TO RESOLVE THIS MORE PROACTIVELY. *NM