2002 HONDA GL1800 Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA GL1800 MOTORCYCLE. WHILE TRAVELING 14 MPH, THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD OVERHEAT AND SHUT OFF. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ECM WAS FAILING. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST WAS $1,000. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED BECAUSE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,000.

MY MOTORCYCLE WAS SUBJECT TO THE JUNE 2003 ENGINE COOLING CAMPAIGN WHICH INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF THE ECM AND OTHER ADJUSTMENTS. I HAD MY BIKE REPAIRED ON JULY 30, 2003 AT HONDA OF MILPITAS (R/O 94030949). SINCE THE CAMPAIGN REPAIRS WERE DONE, THE BIKE HAS HAD A SURGING PROBLEM AT 1500 RPM. WHEN RIDING, OR IF THE BIKE IS STATIONARY, WHEN I OPEN THE THROTTLE TO 1500 RPM, THE ENGINE SPEED DROPS TO 1000 RPM AND THEN JUMPS BACK TO 1500 RPM. THIS WILL GO ON FOR AS LONG AS I HOLD THE THROTTLE AT 1500 RPM. WHILE THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM WHEN THE BIKE IS STATIONARY, IT IS A BIG PROBLEM WHEN RIDING. WHEN RIDING IN PARKING LOTS, IN TRAFFIC OR WHEN MAKING LOW SPEED TURNS, I FREQUENTLY RUN THE ENGINE AROUND 1500 RPM AND WHEN I HIT THAT RPM, THE ENGINE SPEED DROPS WITHOUT WARNING. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS...

I HAVE A 2002 HONDA GOLDWING. IT HAS A RECALL FOR A OVER HEATING PROBLEM AND A FRAME BREAKING PROBLEM. I DO NOT AT ALL FEEL SAFE ON THIS MOTORCYCLE OR WOULD I IF SOMEONE WERE TO WELD ON AN ALUMINUM FRAME. THIS FRAME BREAKAGE IS MORE THAN JUST SOMETHING THAT WILL LEAVE YOU STANDING BESIDE THE ROAD. HONDA NEEDS TO BE MADE TO REPLACE THESE BIKES, NOT MODIFY THEM. MY FRAME IS NOT BROKEN BUT IS UNDER RECALL AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WITH OR WITH OUT THE FIX. *LA

HONDA GL1800 GOLD WING MOTORCYCLE FRAME FAILURE. *MR FRAME FAILURES OCCURRED WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS IN MOTION. THE ENGINE DROPPED TO THE HIGHWAY AND THE STEERING WAS DANGEROUSLY AFFECTED. HONDA HAD BEEN SECRETLY REPLACING THESE. THE ENGINE ALSO OVERHEATED AND CAUSED COOLANT TO SPILL ON THE HIGHWAY JUST AHEAD OF THE REAR TIRE. *SCC *JB

MY 2002 GL1800A HAS A CRACKED WELD ON THE FRAME UNDER THE SEAT AREA AND IS NOT SAFE TO RIDE. THE MOTORCYCLE ALSO OVERHEATS IN SLOW TRAFFIC ON WARM DAYS, CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO PULL OVER AND LET IT COOL DOWN.

MOTORCYCLE OVERHEAT, DEALER REPAIR ON SEVERAL OCCASION CONSUMER STATES THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING. REGIONAL MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, COOLANT SPEWS ON TIRES CAUSING SLICK AND DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. NLM *NLM *DT

TEMPERATURE GAUGE HAS A TENDENCY TO GO INTO THE RED WHILE BEING DRIVEN. THE OWNER WAS INSTRUCTED BY HONDA MOTOR COMPANY TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND CHECK THE ANTI-FREEZE, FANS ARE RUNNING, ETC., THE PROBLEM ALSO EXSISTED WITH THE 2001 MODELS BUT WAS MODIFIED. HONDA MOTOR COMPANY IS TELLING HIM THAT THEY CAN NOT DO ANYTHING AT THIS TIME. NLM

ON THE DAY THAT I BOUGHT MY MOTORCYCLE I RODE HOME THROUGH THE "MIXMASTER" IN DALLAS, TX AT A TIME WHEN, DUE TO AN ACCIDENT, TRAFFIC WAS STOP AND GO FOR MANY MILES. I SOON NOTICED MY TEMPERATURE GUAGE RISING TO THE HOT POINT ON THE INDICATOR. I PULLED OVER AND LET THE MOTORCYCLE COOL DOWN AND WAITED FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR TO PROCEDE HOME. I HAVE NOT PUUT MYSELF IN THE SAME OR SIMILAR SITUATION AS YET ALTHOUGH I COULD FIND MYSELF THERE AT ANY TIME. THE OVER HEATING OF THE ENGINE IS A PROBLEM THAT HONDA WILL NOT ADDRESS IN A RECALL TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM.*AK

DRIVER, PASSENGER, AND GENERAL MOTORING PUBLIC SAFETY IS COMPROMISED WITH THE HONDA GL1800 MODEL MOTORCYCLE. ENGINE TEMPERATURE RISES TO AN UNSAFE CONDITION AS INDICATED ON THE MANUFACTURERS TEMPERATURE GAUGE WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT CITY SPEEDS OF LESS THAN APPROX. 30 MPH, OR WHEN DETAINED IN STOP AND GO CONGESTION TRAFFIC WITH THE SAME SPEED EXAMPLE. THE CONDITION SEVERLY DISTRACTS AND IMPEDES THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AND EFFECTS NOT ONLY THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER BUT OTHER MOTORIST AS WELL, WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE OPERATOR IS TRYING TO RELOCATE THEMSELVES INTO A PLACE THAT WOULD ALLOW ENGINE TEMP. TO RETURN TO NORMAL IE: ( FIND A PLACE TO PARK, OUT OF TRAFFIC, TO ALLOW THE FOWARD DESIGNED AIR FLOW OF FANS TO RETURN COOLANT TEMP TO NORMAL AFTER TIME, OR SPEED UP ENOUGH TO FACILITATE ADDITIONAL AIR FLOW THRU RADIATORS TO ALLOW ENGINE TEMPS TO RETURN TO NORMAL. ) EITHER...

COOLANT TEMPERATURE GAUGE HAS PEGGED TO HOT 2 TIMES, 1ST. TIME 1993DEGREES ON FREEWAY IN VERY SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC, 2ND. TIME 78 DEGREES GOING 5MPH.. *AK

WHEN RIDING MY GOLDWING BETWEEN 5 AND 15 MILES AN HOUR, THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE QUICKLY GOES TO FULL RED AND PINS THERE UNTIL I STOP OR GO FASTER. NIETHER OPTION IS A SAFE ONE IN TODAYS TRAFFIC. IF I WERE TO BOIL OVER, THE FLUID WILL POUR OUT IN FRONT OF MY REAR TIRE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDE SPREAD AND HONDA HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX IT IN THE THREE YEARS THEY HAVE BEEN MAKING THIS GOLDWING.*AK

TEMPERATURE GAUGE REACHES "RED " LINE WHEN MOTOR CYCLE IS DRIVEN AT 15 MPH FOR 5-10 MINS OF DRIVING. *AK

TEMPERATURE GAUGE REACHES "RED " LINE WHEN MOTOR CYCLE IS DRIVEN AT 15 MPH FOR 5-10 MINS OF DRIVING. *AK

WHEN OPERATING MOTORCYCLE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR OTHER SLOW OPERATING CONDTIONS, BETWEEN 10-18 MILES PER HOUR, THE TEMPERATURE WILL IMMEDIATELY RISE INTO THE RED ZONE CAUSING SEVER OVERHEATING CONDITIONS. THE OVERFLOW TANK WILL THEN DEPOSIT ANTIFREEZE ON THE GROUND, AHEAD OF THE REAR TIRE. ON A MOTORCYCLE THIS CAN BE A DEADLY CONDITION. HONDA DENIES PROBLEM EXISTS AND ADVISES RIDERS TO EITHER IGNORE GAUGE OR DO NOT RIDE UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS. THIS IS COMPLETLY UNACCEPTABLE AND THE HONDA MOTORCYCLE COMPANY SHOULD RECALL AND REPAIOR THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION.*AK

DRIVING SLOWER IN HEAVY TRAFFIC CAUSES ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE TO GO IN THE RED. *AK

TEMPERATURE GAUGE RISES WHENEVER MOTORCYCLE IS DRIVEN AT SLOW SPEEDS, REGARDLESS OF OUTSIDE TEMP. DRIVING IN 1ST OR 2ND GEAR THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD OR A COUNTY PARK CAUSES TEMP GAUGE TO RISE TOWARD RED DANGER MARK. DRIVING THROUGH MOUNTAINS, STEEP UPHILLS WITH NO PLACE TO PULL OVER, TEMP GAUGE RISES TO RED MARK. OWNER'S MANUAL SAYS TO PULL OVER IF TEMP GAUGE RISES TO RED MARK. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE WITHOUT POSSIBLE INJURY IF THERE IS NO PLACE TO PULL OVER WITHOUT STOPPING TRAFFIC OR FALLING OFF EDGE OF ROAD IF THERE IS NO SHOULDER. COOLANT CAN SPILL OUT FROM OVERHEATING, CAUSING REAR TIRE TO SKID OR SLIP, CAUSING INJURY OF RIDER OR PASSENGER.*AK

TEMPERATURE GUAGE WENT TO THE RED ZONE WHILE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. I WAS FORCED TO PULL INTO A VERY UNSAFE CONSTRUCTION SITE TO STOP AND LET THE ENGINE COOL DOWN. C9NE. *AK

I HAVE RIDDEN THE MOTORCYCLE FOUR TIMES IN TRAFFIC AND EACH TIME THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATED A READING THAT ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL WAS UNSAFE TO THE OPERATION OF THE ENGINE. UPON CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER THEY CLAIMED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS INNACCURATE AND THAT OVERHEATING ACTUALLY OCCURRED ONLY WHEN COOLANT WAS DISPERSED FROM THE COOLING TANK, CONTRARY TO WHAT IS STATED IN THE MANUAL. THE MOTORCYCLE OPERATES ENTIRELY DIFFERENT WHEN RUNNING IN THE RED ZONE, IT IS HARD TO SHIFT AND EXTREMELY HOT. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT RIDING AT THESE CONSTANT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES IS SAFE FOR THE ENGINE OR THE RIDER. ADDITIONALLY, INDEPENDANT TESTING OF THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE CONFIRMS THE DEGREE AT WHICH THE ENGINE IS OPERATING AT POTENTIAL PROLONGED PERIODS IS INDEED EXCESSIVE AND DAMAGING. THIS CAUSES ONE TO HAVE TO FIND ANY SHOULDER, GRASS AREA OR CURB TO PULL OVER EVERYTIME ONE IS STUCK IN TRAFFIC WHICH...

THE BIKE PEGS THE WATER TEMP GAUGE WHEN YOU TRAVEL BETWEEN 10 AND 30 MPH IN LOW GEAR. REPORTED TO HONDA AND MY DEALER. THEY STATE THEY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAVE NO FIX. THEY SAY THE BIKE WAS NOT MADE TO BE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE TO FORCE HONDA TO FIX THE PROBLEM

THIS MOTORCYCLE PEGS THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IN THE RED WHENEVER IT IS IN SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC. IT HAS OVERFLOWED COOLANT ON ONE OCCASION. THIS IS VERY SCARY AND UNSAFE DUE TO THE COOLANT OVERFLOW BEING IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE. HONDA OF AMERICA REFUSES TO ADMIT THIS IS A PROBLEM AND WILL NOT REPAIR IT. I HAVE READ MANY MANY REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE. IT SEEMS TO BE AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL SUPOSE IT WILL TAKE SOMEONE HAVING AN ACCIDENT BEFORE HONDA WILL TAKE NOTICE. I HOPE NOT.*AK

WHILE RIDING BRAND NEW MOTORCYCLE IN TRAFFIC MY TEMPERATURE GUAGE "REDLINED". I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD FAIRLY QUICKLY WHERE I WAITED 30 MINUTES FOR TEMP TO COME DOWN. I THEN PROCEEDED WHEN MOTORCYCLER COOLED ENOUGH. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CONTACT DEALER AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THEY ARE CLOSED SUNDAYS AND MONDAYS. I AM A MEMBER OF A LARGE "GOLDWING CLUB" AND HAVE READ ABOUT OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. HONDA'S REPLY IS THAT THE BIKE IS NOT OVERHEATING IT IS JUST A "PERCEPTION" THAT IT IS. THS WAS NO PERCEPTION ... THE GUAGE PEGGED OUT OVER THE REDLINE AND THERE WAS MUCH HEAT COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. THE GL1800 HAS AN AL BLOCK AND I AM CONCERNED THAT DAMAGE MAY BE DONE BY THE "PERCEIVED" OVERHEATING. HONDA WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE SITUATION AS I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEM AND...