What 34 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Honda Gl1800

There is a Service Bulletin on the steering handle bars. The dealership I take it to is Go Az Flagstaff, AZ (928)526-7959. On a recall service appointment I was advised by the service manager of the loose handle bar service bulletin. It was addressed at that time. I had my motorcycle in for another recall and told them that the handle bars are still loose and American Honda told them they wouldn't cover it. This seamed illogical to me. It is obvious that their problem that generated the steering SB was not fixed by the direction Honda has given them. I am asking for assistance in raising the issue with American Honda. I don't feel comfortable riding a motorcycle with loose handle bars that Honda has a Service Bulletin generated to the public.

NHTSA ODI 11668158

The contact owns a 2018 Honda GL1800 Motorcycle. The contact stated that while releasing the accelerator pedal at speeds of 40 MPH or higher, whether on cruise control or not, the motorcycle experienced the death wobble. The motorcycle was taken to the dealer and was not diagnosed. The contact stated that the bearings on the handlebar were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The motorcycle was taken to another dealer, Xtreme Machines (700 NJ-33, Millstone, NJ 08535); who did not diagnose the failure and confirmed that the motorcycle was not safe to ride. The dealer tightened the bolts on the 2nd set of bearings underneath the bearings on the handlebar; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 9,000.

NHTSA ODI 11661403

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Gold Wing GL 1800 Motorcycle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V113000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11616004

The UBS bolt broke off ( according to honda mechanics who worked on the bike) causing the motorcycle to lose all power instantly. The engine basically fell apart. I was traveling 55 miles an hour on a two lane curvy mountain road with virtually no shoulder and traffic in both directions. With no power I tried to pull off the road But could not as my first reaction was to grab the brakes, causing traffic to come dangerously close behind me. with on coming traffic I had no choice but to try and get off the road. There was a 6 to 8 inch drop off onto the grass (no shoulder) at this point I lost control of the motorcycle and struggled to keep from falling over- injuring my left leg, right arm, and left neck. Honda dealers and Honda have told me this is a problem they are aware of and have had several other cases of failure in the same way. The vehicle has been with the Honda dealership since April 29, 2024 This is a very serious and life threatening problem of which Honda is aware. My injuries are still on going.

NHTSA ODI 11609224

31300-KVZ-632 1.00 MOTOR, RATIO CONTROL - this is the part that failed. It is not available for inspection as the dealer has replaced the failed part under warranty. The safety risk is, if it breaks under acceleration, you are stuck in that gear so merging onto an interstate you could in fact be run over. Yes, the dealer confirmed and replaced the component. Yes, there were warning lamps including the check engine light. After starting and restarting the bike several times it cleared, and I rode the bike to the hotel (approx. 10 miles) and then it failed again. My assessment is as follows: This motor is mounted to the rear underside of the engine and moisture can infiltrate and cause intermittent or complete failure. Possibly from a bad gasket? I had ridden 260 miles that day in the rain while on a trip. After stopping for an hour then restarting the bike, the failure occurred. It wouldn't go into gear (it's a DCT - automatic) and the warning lamps were flashing (see attachments). I was able to eventually, after several restarts of the engine, to get the bike drivable and get to my hotel where it failed again. Fortunately, it didn't fail while in motion or under acceleration, but it can. In fact, Honda mentions that in the owner's manual, page 181.

NHTSA ODI 11607446

The contact owns a 2018 Honda GL1800 Motorcycle. The contact stated that while the motorcycle was parked and the parking brake was activated, the parking brake failed, and the motorcycle rolled backwards. The contact fell off the motorcycle and sustained bruises and was checked out by the office nurse after the failure. The motorcycle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.

NHTSA ODI 11607234

The BOLT holding the Alternator/Starter or ISG unit BROKE. While this caused no injury as the Alternator stayed together, it could have caused the motorcycle to shut down while riding. The Honda Dealer replaced the Alternator under the Honda Extended Warranty. There were no symptoms, lights, or warnings.

NHTSA ODI 11607365

The contact owns a 2018 Honda GL1800 Motorcycle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V113000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11605460

There are quite a few 2018 and 2019 GL1800 that have had a failing UBS bolt that breaks and locks up the engine. I believe this is the case with my motorcycle. I am a [XXX] disabled vet who was riding my motorcycle down [XXX] in NJ going 60mph when I began slowing down for the exit onto [XXX]. Just about as I got to the exit the engine all of the sudden made a noise and locked up and pulling in the clutch made no difference so it cam to an abrupt stop and I fell over. Luckily the traffic was able to negotiate past me. If I had been in the center lane I do not know what would have happened. I have not taken it to a repair shop because I believe with uncertainty what is the failure after reading all of the forums online about these transmissions locking up due to an inferior bolt which has been replaced in the newer bikes with an upgraded part. There were no warnings, symptoms or lights prior to the failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11602624

The contact owns a 2018 Honda GL1800 Motorcycle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V113000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11602725

I was riding over the Commodore Barry Bridge when my transmission "locked" in 4th gear. The display showed 4 asterisks instead what driving mode the bike was in. I limped the bike to the closest dealer where it was determined that the Ratio Control Motor had malfunctioned. The motor along with the associated gaskets were replaced under the extended warranty that I purchased when the bike was new. The mechanic showed me the failed part that had burned contacts due to water intrusion into the housing.

NHTSA ODI 11599708

Took my 2018 Honda Goldwing for replacement of the fuel pump as stated in the recall on April 26 of this year to LeJuene Motorsports. The repairs have not been completed and it is over the 60 days timeline for a reasonable time for repair.

NHTSA ODI 11597305

The contact owns a 2018 Honda GL1800. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the handlebars had become extremely loose at the stem. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Item Number: 10187553 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 34,000.

NHTSA ODI 11579982

I was pulling into the parking lot of a restaurant and stopped briefly to decide where to park. When lightly applying the throttle to pull into a parking space the engine revved up, the bike surged, and my wife and I crashed into a picnic area. This GL1800 DCT motorcycle has no clutch lever or foot shifter because it has a 7-speed automatic transmission. Therefore it wasn't possible to stop the rapid acceleration by pulling in a clutch lever, and activating the kill switch would have required taking my hand off the right hand grip as we ricocheted off picnic tables. Luckily no one was sitting in the picnic area. My wife and I suffered a broken leg and a broken knee from the crash. The motorcycle was declared totaled by the insurance company at a value of $23,500.

NHTSA ODI 11573604

Failure to restart after a 30 to 40 ride. Honda kept the bike for almost 3 months and said they could no duplicate issues. I rode bike the day after getting bike back and duplicated problem. I traced it to a defective fuel pump. I replaced fuel pump and problem was solved. Honda has refused to repair or to pay for the repair. Bike was still under factory waranty .

NHTSA ODI 11561297

Veh accelerated on its own into traffic was sitting at a stop sign it just took off i was t-boned in the incident no lights or warning lights were on

NHTSA ODI 11511126

The front brake calipers have been serviced 2 times in the last 9 months by the same Honda service facility. The vehicle is under Mfg. warranty into 2023. The first service was at about 8,000 miles because the front brake would not release after being applied. The calipers would slowly retract after sitting for some time, but then malfunction again upon next activation. The dealer said that there was debris in the system that caused the problem. They flushed the hydraulic system. I paid out of pocket as the dealer said "This was not covered under the warranty". The second service was on the same components at 9,500 miles. This time the issue was air in the front brake system, causing almost a complete loss of the front brake. It was returned to the same dealer for service. They indicated that it was debris on the outside of caliper pistons. This was also paid out of pocket as is wasn't covered either. I contacted Honda Powersports and they stated that this was not a warranty or safety issue. Stating that "they spoke with the service center and concluded that the solution was to occasionally spray brake cleaner on it. " Also that that I live in Florida and my proximity to salt air was the root cause. I indicated that I live about 1 mile from the coast and rarely go there. The short is that I don't feel confident in the brakes being there when I need the.

NHTSA ODI 11458775

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Gold Wing Motorcycle. The contact stated that while riding at various speeds, the motorcycle would pull to the right side. The suspension was replaced, and the failure was remedied. Also, the front tire had experienced uneven wear on both the right and left sides causing the motorcycle to become extremely unstable while riding on wet pavement. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 1,500.

NHTSA ODI 11438402

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Motorcycle Gold Wing Tour. The contact stated that he tapped on the throttle upon parking his motorcycle in a parking lot, which caused the motorcycle to independently accelerate without warning. The motorcycle crashed into two pillars in front of a convenience store which stopped the unintended acceleration by bringing the vehicle to a stop. Police were called to the scene and a police report was filed. The contact was able to drive the motorcycle back to his home, once home, he was taken to a hospital and treated for a bruised right leg. The front end of the motorcycle was damaged due to failure and had remained parked in his garage. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The contact was then referred to a dealer where they requested to have the throttle sent to the manufacturer for an investigation. The motorcycle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 7,000.

NHTSA ODI 11428480

Removed the wheels to replace tires at 13000 miles. Noticed the front brake pads are extremely unevenly worn. Inside pads are near the metal while the outside pads are like new. I've begun mentioning this in forums and find that others are saying the same thing.

NHTSA ODI 11427596

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Gold Wing motorcycle. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the rpm decreased, and the vehicle decelerated without warning. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was 13,262.

NHTSA ODI 11423246

HONDA MADE ACCESS TO THE FUEL DOOR A MULTI PROCESS OPENING ONE DOOR VIA AN ACTUATOR TO ACCESS THE MAIN FUEL DOOR. RIDERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE DOOR EITHER OPENING ON ITS OWN CATCHING WIND AND BREAKING OFF THE HINGES TO NOT OPENING AT ALL FORCING THE DOOR TO BE BROKEN TO GAIN ACCESS TO FUEL. WHEN THE DOOR OPENS ON ITS OWN IT CREATING AN UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT FROM THE WIND CATCHING THE BIKE MOVEMENT AND ACTUALLY BREAKING FROM THE FORCE TO NOT OPENING AT ALL IN A REMOTE AREA NOT ABLE TO FUEL LEAVING THE BIKE STRANDED IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE ONLY OPTION IS TO BREAK THE DOOR WHICH HONDA WONT COVER. I HAVE PICTURE OF MINE REPRESENTING THE ISSUE AND THIS HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED GREATLY.

NHTSA ODI 11395538

THROTTLE STICKS OPEN AT SPEEDS. WILL TRAVEL AT 50MPH IF YOU DON'T OVERRIDE THE THE STUCK THROTTLE GRIP. HAPPENS ON ALL ROADS. DEALERSHIP VERIFIED PROBLEM AND SAID THEY WOULD CONTACT HONDA TO GET APPROVAL TO REPLACE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY.

NHTSA ODI 11363661

I TRAILERED MY 2018 GOLDWING DCT, IN A TOY HAULER 5TH WHEEL. I SECURED THE BIKE WITH RATCHETING TIE DOWNS AT THE HANDLEBARS, ACROSS THE SEAT AND MORE IN THE BACK OF THE BIKE. THE BIKE WAS FINE AFTER DAY 1 OF TRAVEL. AFTER DAY 2, WHEN WE ARRIVED WE DISCOVERED THAT THE SPINDLE ON WHICH THE HANDLEBARS PIVOT, HAD COMPLETELY SHEARED OFF, AND THE HANDLEBARS WERE NO LONGER CONNECTED TO THE STEERING SYSTEM. HONDA DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER CLAIMED THE OWNER'S MANUAL SPECIFICALLY WARNED NOT TO ANCHOR AT THE HANDLEBARS; MY OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT STATE ANYTHING REGARDING ANCHORING/NOT ANCHORING AT THE HANDLEBARS. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING THE BIKE, WITH ZERO ABILITY TO STEER, I WOULD HAVE CRASHED. THIS WAS AS CATASTROPHIC A STEERING FAILURE AS I CAN IMAGINE. THERE ALREADY IS A SHOP BULLETIN, REGARDING MY BIKE, BUT MY DEALERSHIP TOLD ME MY BIKE DIDN'T QUALIFY, AS THE REPORTED SLOP IN MY HANDLEBARS WAS NOT VERTICAL, SO THEY ALLOWED ME TO LEAVE WITHOUT ACTUALLY MY BIKE'S STEERING SPINDLE. I HAVE VIDEO OF THE DAMAGE, BUT THIS PAGE WON'T LET ME LOAD IT. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS SPINDLE HAS CRACKED, PREVIOUSLY, BASED ON THE DISCOLORATION. THE BIKE WILL BE DELIVERED TO MY DEALERSHIP ON TUESDAY, 9/8/2020. THEY CLAIM THEY WILL NOT WARRANTY THIS ISSUE. I COULD HAVE DIED. THEY NEED TO RECALL ALL 2018 GOLDWINGS, AS HONDA ALREADY KNOWS ABOUT AN EXISTING ISSUE (THE SHOP BULLETIN).

NHTSA ODI 11353462

I WAS SEATED ON MY 2018 DCT GOLDWING, HAVING JUST ROLLED BACK OUT OF PARKING SPACE IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT, (I DID NOT USE THE REVERSE FUNCTION) IT WAS RUNNING, WHEN I PUSHED "D" FOR DRIVE IT SHOT OUT FORWARD ON IT'S OWN, AS IF THE THROTTLE WAS WIDE OPEN. WITHIN 1 SECOND OR LESS I REAR ENDED ANOTHER 2018 GOLDWING ABOUT 1 CAR LENGTH IN FRONT OF ME. WE BOTH CRASHED. NO SIGNIFICANT BODILY INJURY TO US. BUT THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OF DEATH TO BYSTANDERS IN THE PARKING LOT IF WE HAD HIT THEM. I WAS NOT TWISTING THE THROTTLE, AS THE PARKING LOT WAS CROWDED. THE ENGINE DID NOT SLOW TILL IT HIT THE GROUND WHEN THE AUTO KILL ENGAGED. I FEAR THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION IN EITHER THE THROTTLE BY WIRE, OR COMPUTER CONTROLS. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF OTHER 2018 DCTS THAT LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT TWISTING THE THROTTLE.

NHTSA ODI 11338896