2006 HONDA ST1300A — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES AND RESUMING, THE MOTORCYCLE HAD A NOTICEABLE DRAG. I GOT IT THE REST OF THE WAY HOME AND THE REAR BRAKE ROTOR WAS EXTREMELY HOT. I PUT THE MOTORCYCLE ON THE CENTER STAND AND TRIED TO TURN THE WHEEL AND I COULD NOT TURN THE REAR WHEEL BY HAND. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND CONCLUDED IT WAS CAUSED BY THE SECONDARY MASTER CYLINDER LOCATED ON THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER. I AM FILING THE COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THE BIKE AFFECTING YEARS 03-07. IF THE REAR BRAKE WERE TO COMPLETELY LOCK UP AT A HIGH SPEED IT COULD CAUSE A CRASH OR THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM COULD GET HOT ENOUGH TO CAUSE A FIRE. *TR

THE POOR DESIGN OF THE SECONDARY MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER (SMC), WHICH APPLIES THE REAR BRAKE WHEN THE FRONT BRAKES ARE IN USE, ALLOWS CORROSION, FROM EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS, TO DEVELOP. WATER, AND ROAD DEBRIS COLLECT AT THE TOP OF THE SMC, AND SLOWLY SEEPS IN PAST THE EXTERNAL RUBBER BOOT, AND THE INTERNAL BRAKE ROD SHAFT-SEAL, WHERE IT BEGINS TO ATTACK THE BRAKE CYLINDER BORE SURFACE. THE CORROSION CAUSES THE SMC PISTON TO SEIZE-UP WITHIN THE SMC BORE, RESULTING IN A FAILURE TO RELEASE THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER. THE DESIGN OF THE SMC IS SUCH THAT PRESSURIZED BRAKE FLUID (PROVIDED BY THE REAR BRAKE CIRCUIT) CAN PASS AROUND THE SEIZED PISTON TO ACTUATE THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER, HOWEVER THE SEIZED PISTON PREVENTS THE RETURN OF BRAKE FLUID, WHICH RESULTS IN THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER NOT RELEASING. A NON RELEASING BRAKE CALIPER CAN CREATE A SERIOUS, AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. MY HONDA ST1300A (VIN [XXX]) HAS HAD THE SMC SEIZE UP ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE FIRST TIME AT 8,600 MILES, THE SECOND TIME AT 57,000 MILES, AND THE LAST TIME AT 66,200 MILES. CURRENTLY I HAVE 90,123 MILES ON THIS MOTORCYCLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT FOUR MILES AT LOW SPEED ON A SECONDARY ROAD, THE REAR BRAKE OF THE MOTORCYCLE SUDDENLY LOCKED UP AND I CAME TO AN ABRUPT HALT IN THE LINE OF TRAFFIC. I WAS UNABLE TO PUSH THE MOTORCYCLE OFF THE ROAD AND HAD TO CALL A WRECKER TO TAKE IT TO THE HONDA DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION OF THE SECONDARY MASTER CYLINDER. WHEN I ASKED TO SEE THE PART THAT HAD FAILED, I WAS TOLD THAT HONDA HAD REQUESTED THAT THE PART BE SENT TO THEM FOR ANALYSIS. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN OR HEARD OF THIS TYPE OF MALFUNCTION BEFORE. THE LAST BRAKE SERVICE HAD BEEN DONE BY THE DEALER. I AM NOT AN AGGRESSIVE RIDER AND WAS NOT APPLYING THE BRAKE AT THE TIME OF THE MALFUNCTION. THE BRAKE IS NOW FIXED, BUT I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT A RECURRENCE. IF THIS ABRUPT BRAKING HAD OCCURRED ON THE INTERSTATE I WOULD BE DEAD AND THE BLAME FOR MY DEATH WOULD FALL ON ME , WITHOUT ANYONE KNOWING WHAT ACTUALLY CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. LUCKILY, I WAS ON A LOW TRAFFIC SECONDARY ROAD WITH NOBODY BEHIND ME WHEN I CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. *TR

I OWN A 2006 HONDA ST1300 MOTORCYCLE WITH AN ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM AND LINKED BRAKES. WITH THE LINKED BRAKE SYSTEM THE FOOT BRAKE CONTROLS THE CENTER PISTON ON THE REAR BRAKE ROTOR AND THE CENTER PISTON ON EACH OF THE TWO FRONT ROTORS - FOR A TOTAL OF THREE PISTONS. THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER CONTROLS THE TWO OUTER PISTONS ON EACH OF THE TWO FRONT ROTORS AND THE TWO OUTER PISTONS ON THE REAR BRAKE ROTOR - FOR A TOTAL OF SIX PISTONS. THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER OPERATES THE REAR TWO PISTONS BY MEANS OF A SECONDARY MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE FRONT WHEEL FORK IN A POSITION WHICH IS QUITE EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS. THERE IS, ON THE 06 MODEL A SMALL WEEP HOLE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO DRAIN AWAY WATER. ON MY BIKE , BECAUSE THIS WEEP HOLE BECAME CLOGGED, OR FOR OTHER REASONS, WATER MADE ITS WAY INTO THE CYLINDER AND CAUSED CORROSION WHICH RESULTED IN THE CYLINDER STICKING AND LOCKING UP THE REAR BRAKE. THIS HAPPENED TO ME ON A QUIET ROAD IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO SO NOTHING SERIOUS RESULTED BUT HAD IT HAPPENED ON I - 15 GOING INTO SAN BERNADINO I WOULD VERY LIKELY BEEN KILLED, ALONG WITH OTHERS, IN A MASSIVE PILEUP. HONDA FIXED THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY AND I NOW MONITOR THE CONDITION OF THE SECONDARY MASTER CYLINDER VERY CLOSELY. I DO NOT ANTICIPATE THE PROBLEM TO HAPPEN AGAIN. HONDA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS IN FACT REDESIGNED THE PART - REPLACING THE WEEP HOLE WITH A SLOT. I HAVE PERSONALLY CONFIRMED THIS BY INSPECTING AN 08 -- WHICH EXPLAINS THE DELAY IN FILING THIS REPORT. THEY HAVE NOT RECALLED THE WEEP HOLE MODELS NOR HAVE THEY NOTIFIED OWNERS/DEALERS - TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE - TO WATCH FOR SIGNS OF A PROBLEM. MY SECONDARY MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED WITH ONE OF THE OLD DESIGN DESPITE THE NEW DESIGN BEING AVAILABLE IN 08. I THINK HONDA'S RESPONSE HAS BEEN DEFICIENT AND WOULD LIKE YOU TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER. *TR