2001 HONDA GL1800 Engine And Engine Coolingcooling System Problems

HONDA GOLD WING OVERHEATED AT LOW SPEEDS.*JB

ENGINE OVERHEATS WHEN RIDING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES AT OR ABOVE APPROX. 80 DEG. FAHRENHEIT. COOLANT MAY ESCAPE THE RECOVERY TANK, AND LAND ON THE ROAD JUST AHEAD OF THE REAR TIRE. DT

NO SUMMARY. DT

THIS VEHICLE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF HEATING TEMPERATURES THAT GO INTO THE RED ON TEMP GAUGE FREQUENTLY. TWO TIMES THE MOTORCYCLE HEATED TO A TEMPERATURE THAT CAUSED THE COOLING SYSTEM TO LOOSE COOLANT AND TO CAUSE A VERY DANGEROUS SLICK CONDITION AT THE REAL TIRE. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL DEALERS AND A HONDA REP IN CA. THEY ALL SEEM TO QUIETLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS BUT REFUSE TO RECOMMEND A REPAIR OR FIX FOR THIS REAL PROBLEM. IN MY OPINION, IT IS GOING TO TAKE A FATAL ACCIDENT OR SEVERALPERSONAL INJURY LAWSUITS BEFORE HONDA ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY. THE PROBLEM IS REAL, AND WIDE SPREAD. THE FIX IS DISTANT AND NOT ON THE HORIZON. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS BURNED OR WORSE YET KILLED. DT

THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. THE COOLING FANS ARE DESIGNED TO STOP FUNCTIONING AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 15 MPH. WHEN I RIDE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, OR SLOW TRAFFIC. THIS MOTORCYCLE IS CERTAIN TO OVERHEAT (TEMPERATURE GAUGE IS IN THE RED SECTION). I MUST PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO ALLOW THE FANS TO COME ON AND COOL THE MOTORCYCLE DOWN OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. DT

1-MOTORCYCLE ENGINES REACHES EXTREME TEMPS. WHEN CONDITIONS ARE: ROAD CONSTRUCTION, ACCIDENT, ASSEMBLY/ACTIVITY GATHERING OR RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC LIMITS TRAFFIC SPEED TO BETWEEN 0 AND 20 MPH. WITH FREQUENT CHANGE IN SPEED AND FEW FULL STOPS. THE RADIATOR FANS DO ACTIVATE, BUT ARE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN A 'SAFE" OPERATING TEMP AS INDICATED BY THE ENGINE TEMP. GAUGE GOING FULLY INTO THE RED AND LARGE AMOUNT OF RADIANT HEAT BEING FELT BY THE OPERATOR. THIS CONDITION CAUSES THE OPERATOR TO SEEK A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OFF THE ROADWAY, SOMETIMES ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. THEREBY CUTTING ACROSS OTHER LANES OF TRAFFIC AND BECOMING POTENTIALLY TO UNLAWFUL "SHOULDER RIDERS" (THIS HAS OCCURED RESULTING IN A NEAR MISS WHILE "COOLING DOWN" ON THE SHOULDER OF I-287 IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY ENROUTE HOME FROM LAKE GEORGE, NY FROM AMERICADE 2001) HONDA DEALER WAS ADVISED OF THIS AND TWO ADDITIONAL INCIDENTS, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX...

ENGINE OVERHEATS AT SLOW SPEEDS IN ANY GEAR. THIS CAUSES VEHICLE TO HAVE TO BE PULLED OVER IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURY. MR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 HONDA GOLDWING IN CITY TRAFFIC PROCEEDING AT APPROX. 15-20 MPH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE ON THE COOLING SYSTEM GOES INTO THE RED ZONE, INDICATING IT IS TOO HOT. THE BIKE HAS TO BE STOPPED AND ALLOWED TO COOL DOWN, TO PROCEED. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROX. 4 TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE BIKE AND ALL UNDER THE SAME TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. COOLANT FLUID LEVEL HAS BEEN CHECKED AND IS OKAY,THE COOLING FANS DO COME ON UNDER 15 MPH ONLY. I HAVE BEEN TO FOUR HONDA MOTORCYCLE DEALERS AND BEEN TOLD, THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM AND TO JUST DRIVE IT. NLM

DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC MY MOTORCYCLE'S TEMPERATURE GUAGE BEGAN RISING INTO THE 'RED' AREA AFTER ABOUT 10 MINS OF 5-15 MPH STOP AND GO TRAFFIC - THIS IS A WELL KNOW ISSUE ON THE WWW.GL1800RIDERS.COM GENERAL MESSAGE BOARD.*AK

OCCURRED DURING TRIPS UP HILL, BEHIND SLOW TRAFFIC 20 MPH OR LESS, OR IN SLOW TRAFFIC IN NATIONAL PARKS, SPEED AGAIN LESS THAN 20 MPH. TEMPERATURE CREPT INTO THE RED OR HOT. VEHICLE HAD TO BE STOPPED AND LET COOL DOWN.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

HONDA GOLDWING OVERHEATS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC LESS THAN 15 MPH, REGARDLESS OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE MOTORCYCLE TRAVELING AT JUST 10-15 MPH WILL BEGIN TO OVERHEAT. ON TWO OCCASIONS WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, THE TEMPERTURE GAGE WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE RED ZONE , FEARING ENGINE DAMAGE, I PULLED OVER UNTIL BIKE COOLED DOWN. I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND DROVE SURFACE STREETS UNTIL FREEWAY TRAFFIC RESUMED AN ACCEPTABLE SPEED.*AK

MOTORCYCLE HAS A OVERHEATING PROBLEM AT SLOW 15 TO 25 MPH.I HAVE LOST COOLANT .MY MAIN CONCERN IS FOR MY PASSENGER AND MY SAFETY. I RIDE IN LOS ANGLES TRAFFIC AND SOMETIMES CAN'T GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.AND WHEN MOVING SLOW IN TRAFFIC U CAN'T BE LOOKING DOWN TO C IF IT PUKING COOLANT ON THE GROUND .THIS IS ONE SAFETY ISSUE THE OTHER IS THE SAFETY OF TRYING TO GET OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY WHEN THERE ARE FOUR LANES OF BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC.I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH HONDA UNTIMELY MANNER OF TAKING CARE OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE.*AK

TEMPERATURE GUAGE MOVES TO RED ZONE AND ENGINE APPEARS TO OVERHEAT WHEN TRAVELING 12-17 MPH. *AK

ENGINE OVERHEATS IN SLOW TRAFFIC. TEMP GAUGE GOES INTO RED ZONE, NO COOLAND LOSS BUT COOLANT SMELL IS STRONG, HONDA SAYS THERE IS NO PROPLEM

UNDER SLOW TRAFFIC CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE WILL OVERHEAT AND HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. IT IS REPRODUCABLE ON ANY MOTORCYCLE OF THIS MODEL. *AK

MOTORCYCLE HAS GONE INTO THE "RED ZONE" ON THE GAUGE NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THE FIRST TIME THAT I EXPEREINCED IT LAST SUMMER. IT DEFINITELY IS GETTING HOT, AS THE HEAT IS NOTICEABLE AND THE MOTORCYC WILL ALSO "MISS SHIFTS" WHILE RUNNING HOT. ORIGINALLY IT ONLY OCCURED WHEN I WOULD GET TRAPPED IN TRAFFIC AND WAS UNABLE TO EITHER STOP OR GO FAST ENOUGH TO COOL DOWN THE MOTORCYCLE. IT HAS PROGRESSED AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED IT UNDER OTHER CONDITIONS, SUCH AS CLIMBING THE HILL TO CAVE OF THE WINDS IN COLORADO SPRINGS AND ON A GRADE AT 40 - 50 MPH SUSTAINED SPEED IN UTAH. ONCE MOTORCYCLE HAS COOLED DOWN THE SHIFTING RETURNS TO NORMAL, BUT THE MISSED SHIFTING SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE AND MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN HOT. (OR MAYBE THE BIKE IS GETTING HOTTER.) I ASKED MY DEALER ABOUT THIS SITUATION LAST SUMMER AND AT THAT TIME THEY...

ENGINE OVERHEATS AT LOW SPEED IN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR, CAUSING OPERATOR TO HAVE TO DISRUPT TRAFFIC AND PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. ALSO COOLANT IS DISPERSED FROM THE COOLING SYSTEM OVERFLOW.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

MOTORCYCLE OVERHEATS IN SLOW TRAFFIC CONDITIONS CAUSED BY A DESIGN FLAW. POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZZARD FROM COOLANT BEING EXPELLED IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE.*AK

VEHICLE OVERHEATS BETWEEN 15-20MPH, CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN CONSISTENTLY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

INITIAL ENCOUNTER OF PROBLEM WHEN FOR FIRST TIME PLACED IN HEAVY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON 8/16/2001. HAS REPEATEDLY FAILED APPROX 10 TIMES SINCE. HONDA HAS BEEN GIVEN THREE ATTEMPTS TO FIX WITH NO POSITIVE RESULTS. ENGINE HAS STALLED ON NUMEROUS EVENTS. REAR WHEEL SEIZING ONCE WHILE MOVING AT ABOUT 22 MPH. BOILOVER OF COOLANT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ALSO, COOLANT DUMPS RIGHT IN FRONT OF REAR WHEEL CREATING A POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL. KNOWN "TECH FACT" AS PER HONDA FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL, COOLING FANS WILL NEVER EVER COME ON ABOVE 15 MPH REGARDLESS OF TEMP.SEEKING LEGAL RECOURSE UNDER MAGNUSON MOSS WARRANTY ACT.

VEHICLE OVERHEATED, IN SLOW TRAFFIC, DOING DAMAGE TO O2 SENSORS, RESULTING IN REDUCED GAS MILEAGE OF 26 - 32 MPG, WHICH IS 10 - 12 MPG BELOW ORIGINAL MILEAGE AND OTHER GL1800'S I RIDE WITH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER BOTH KNOW OF THE PROBLEM, BUT WILL NOT REPLACE THE O2 SENSORS UNLESS THE FI LIGHT ON THE DASH COMES ON. FUEL MILEAGE SHOULD BE A CONCERN TO MOTORCYCLE MFRS. JUST AS IT IS WITH CARS. NOW I GET MILEAGE THAT IS NEAR WHAT MY 3200 LB., V6, 200HP SEDAN DOES AND HONDA THINKS THIS IS OK?

WHILE THIS FAILURE NEVER CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP COMPLETELY, HONDA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE OVERHEATING AS A PROBLEM. THIS HAS OCCURRED TO ME AND MANY OTHER GL1800 OWNERS. IT IS A PROBLEM IN THE BASIC DESIGN WHICH CREATES A TERRIBLE CONDITION WHEN IT OCCURS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. HONDA NEEDS TO ADDRESS IT BEFORE IT CAUSES INJURY OR DEATH, NOT AFTER. IT MAY NOT SEEM TO BE THE BIGGEST PROBLEM, BUT IT DOES EXISTS AND SHOULD BE RESOLVED BY HONDA.*AK

MANY HONDA GOLDWING GL 1800 OWNERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THEIR MOTORCYLES OVERHEATING WHILE INCHING ALONG IN TRAFFIC AND/OR BEING IN SITUATIONS WHERE LOW SPEEDS ARE NECESSARY, SUCH AS PARADES. IT APPEARS THAT THE ENGINE COOLING FANS/SYSTEM IS NOT DESIGNED TO RIDE THIS BIKE IN ALL DRIVING SITUATIONS SAFELY WITHOUT THE POSSIBLILITY OF OVERHEATING AND CAUSING INJURY.*AK

VEHICLE OVERHEATS WHEN DRIVEN AT SLOW SPEEDS. *AK

COOLANT DUMP HAPPENED AFTER SHORT RIDE ON COOL MORNING. GAUGE DOES NOT GO ABOVE THE HALF MARK NOW EVEN IN HIGH TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS. DEALER DID NOT PERFORM SERVICE FOR NEW HARNESS. INDICATED THAT WAS NOT REQUIRED. INDICATED THAT HAS NOT HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE.*AK

COOLANT TEMPERATURE WENT TO RED MARK SEVERAL TIMES UNDER SLOW MOVING CONDITIONS. BIKE WAS STOPPED TO COOL IT DOWN. SAFETY CONCERN.

MOTORCYCLE OVERHEATS WHEN STUCK IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, REPORTED TO DEALER SERVICE DEPT. AND WAS TOLD THAT HONDA SAID THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM.*AK

DURING SLOW SPEED OPERATION THE MOTORCYCLE OVERHEATS THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN REPORTED TO MY PURCHASING DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND NO REMEDY HAS BEEN PROVIDED.*AK

DESIGN OF COOLING SYSTEM IS THAT FANS PULL AIR THROUGH RADIATORS. FANS DESIGNED TO TURN OF AT SPEEDS OVER 15 MPH. WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AT SPEEDS ABOVE 15 BUT LESS THAN 25, MOTORCYCLE WILL OVERHEAT. WHEN I DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE DEALER & MANUFACTURER I WAS TOLD THIS ISN'T AN ISSUE JUST DON'T DRIVE IN THOSE CONDIDTIONS. I WAS ALSO ASKED IF IT GOT HOT ENOUGH TO SPIT OUT ANTU-FREEZE. I STATED NO, I DIDN'T WANT TO DAMAGE THE ENGINE AND BECAUE OF THEIR DESIGN IF IT DID SPILL OUT ANTI-FREEZE IT COMES OUT IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. NOT TOO SAFE. THE FIX IS TO REVERSE THE DIRRECTION OF THE FANS AND CHANGE THE OPERATION TO WHERE THE FANS COME ON AND STAY ON AT A CERTAIN TEMPATURE UNTIL THE ENGINE FALLS BELOW THAT TEMPATURER. SO FAR THE MANUFACTURE...

TEMPERATURE GAUGE WILL CLIMB IF DROVE AT SPEED'S 10 TO 15 MPH IF IN A TRAFFIC JAM COOLING SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY ENGINE WILL HEATUP WITH POSSIBLE OVER HEATING IF RODE SLOW FOR VERY LONG. *AK