2003 HONDA GL1800A — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
16
Owner Complaints
4
Recalls
4
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2003 HONDA GL1800A
The 2003 HONDA GL1800A has received a total of 16 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 4 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER, STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC. 4 technical service bulletins have been issued by Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Structureframe And Members (6 complaints), Structureframe And Membersunderbody Shields (2 complaints), and Engine And Engine Cooling (1 complaint).
Recalls for the 2003 HONDA GL1800A
NHTSA has recorded 4 recalls for the 2003 HONDA GL1800A, potentially affecting up to 224,380 vehicles.
Recall 15V700000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
| 145,219 vehicles affected
Defect: American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2010 and 2012-2015 GL1800, 2001-2005 GL1800A and 2013-2015 GL1800B motorcycles. The rear brakes of the affected motorcycles may drag after the brakes are released.
Consequence: A rear brake that drags may increase the risk of a vehicle crash. Additionally, extended riding with the rear brake dragging could generate enough heat to result in a fire.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary brake master cylinder and the rear brake master cylinder, and flush the brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on December 7, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service...
View full details →Recall 05V027000 — STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
| 34,919 vehicles affected
Defect: ON SOME MOTORCYCLES, CERTAIN FRAME WELDS DO NOT MEET MANUFACTURING SPECIFICATIONS. HIGH LOADS CREATED WHEN RIDING ON ROUGH ROAD SURFACES OR THROUGH POTHOLES CAN CAUSE THE AFFECTED WELDS TO CRACK.
Consequence: THE WELDED AREA COULD BREAK, RESULTING IN REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSE OR LOWER CROSS MEMBER SEPARATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REINFORCE THE WELDS ON 2001-2002 MOTORCYCLES FREE OF CHARGE. ON 2003-2004 MOTORCYCLES, THE UNITS WILL BE REPAIRED, NO INSPECTION WILL BE NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 9, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT...
View full details →Recall 05V010000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
| 36,046 vehicles affected
Defect: CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES EQUIPPED WITH COMBINED-BRAKE SYSTEMS HAVE A PROPORTIONING CONTROL VALVE (PCV) THAT MECHANICALLY PROPORTIONS BRAKE FORCE WHEN THE REAR BRAKE IS APPLIED. A SEAL IN SOME PCVS IS IMPROPERLY SHAPED, AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR.
Consequence: IF THE MOTORCYCLE CONTINUES TO BE USED AFTER A LEAK OCCURS, THE REAR BRAKE WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME INOPERATIVE. A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE FORCE COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR BRAKE FORLEAKAGE. IF LEAKAGE IS CONFIRMED, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PCV FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 866-784-1870.
View full details →Recall 03V350000 — STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
| 8,196 vehicles affected
Defect: ON SOME MOTORCYCLES, CERTAIN FRAME WELDS DO NOT MEET MANUFACTURING SPECIFICATIONS. HIGH LOADS CREATED WHEN RIDING ON ROUGH ROAD SURFACES OR THROUGH POTHOLES CAN CAUSE THE AFFECTED WELDS TO CRACK.
Consequence: THE WELDED AREA COULD BREAK, RESULTING IN REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSE OR LOWER CROSS MEMBER SEPARATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REINFORCE THE WELDS ON ALL FRAMES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DURING OCTOBER 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-866-784-1870.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2003 HONDA GL1800A
16 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 HONDA GL1800A. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structureframe And Members | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structureframe And Membersunderbody Shields | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Coolingcooling System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Trainmanual Transmission | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering Steering Wheelhandle Bar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent 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.
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
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
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
CRACKED SUBFRAME. *TR
Safety Rating for the 2003 HONDA GL1800A
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2003 HONDA GL1800A in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2003 HONDA GL1800A
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) has issued 4 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2003 HONDA GL1800A. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
The Wrench - Jun — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK
Technician newsletter - When troubleshooting it is good to have all of the tools at your disposal. If you are diagnosing a power trunk lock remote control issue on a GL1800, there is a Honda tool that you may not know is capable of testing the trunk lock remote.
05012005 — STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
FRAME WELDING TIPS. *TT
05012005 — POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
DRIVE SHAFT BOOT TORN/VENTING. *TT
0516 — STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
FRAME WELD INSPECTION CHART. REVISED. *TT
NHTSA Investigations for the 2003 HONDA GL1800A
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the HONDA GL1800A
- 2001 HONDA GL1800A — 15 complaints
- 2002 HONDA GL1800A — 8 complaints
- 2003 HONDA GL1800A (current)
- 2004 HONDA GL1800A — 5 complaints
- 2005 HONDA GL1800A — 0 complaints
- 2006 HONDA GL1800A — 0 complaints
- 2008 HONDA GL1800A — 1 complaint
Other HONDA Models
- HONDA ACCORD — 30,831 total complaints
- HONDA CR-V — 20,109 total complaints
- HONDA CIVIC — 19,776 total complaints
- HONDA ODYSSEY — 15,588 total complaints
- HONDA PILOT — 12,071 total complaints
- HONDA FIT — 2,686 total complaints
- HONDA RIDGELINE — 2,527 total complaints
- HONDA HR-V — 2,201 total complaints