2012 Honda GL1800 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other GL1800 years
- Far more complaints than other years 6th of 22 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 31 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Honda GL1800. That ranks 6th out of 22 GL1800 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (17 complaints, 55%), typically at around 300 miles. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 31owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Honda GL1800 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 17 | 55% | 300 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 17 | 55% | 1,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 16% | 4,700 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 10% | 1,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 6% | 2,300 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 6% | 4,200 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 3% | 19,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 3% | 3,200 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 3% | 4,700 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Honda GL1800 recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2010 and 2012-2016 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing motorcycles. These motorcycles have air bag inflators assembled as part of the air bag module that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the rider resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Honda Motorcycle Customer Support at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is KJ1.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2006-2009 and 2012 Honda GL1800 (Goldwing) motorcycles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, if not included in "Zone A," Honda is recalling certain 2006-2009 Honda GL1800 (Goldwing) motorcycles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, if not included in Zone A or Zone B above, Honda is recalling certain 2006-2008 Honda GL1800 (Goldwing) motorcycles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the operator resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Honda Motorcycle Customer Support at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is KE5.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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 at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is JV6. Note: This recall supercedes recall 14V-472.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: Honda is recalling certain model year 2001-2010, and model year 2012 gl1800 goldwing motorcycles. Under certain conditions, there is a possibility that the combined braking system's secondary master cylinder may cause the rear brake to drag.
Risk: Unexpected braking increases the risk of a crash, and riding the motorcycle with the rear brake dragging may generate enough heat to cause the rear brake to catch fire.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the secondary master cylinder and if necessary, replace it, free of charge. The safety recall began on january 6, 2012. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-866-784-1870.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Inconsistent Throttle Control (PE15014) — opened Apr 20, 2015, closed Nov 13, 2015.
- Southern Honda Powersports (AQ12001) — opened May 14, 2012, closed May 13, 2013.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I am having slow speed hesitation with the throttle while riding on the road. When i roll the throttle on the bike sometimes hesitates, does nothing so when i try more fuel the throttle control finally decides to start working and has made for some wild rides especially in turns. It is dangerous to…
My goldwing has the hesitation problem like so many others. I have almost dropped the bike a couple of times because of the stumble. It will hesitate and then the engine will suddenly get fuel again and lunge forward dangerously. If i would hit sand or gravel or be on a gravel road or gravel…
My honda gold wing 2012 has a dangerous stumble that frequently causes the engine to stutter and nearly stall. Many times, i open the throttle to enter an intersection, or to pull away from a stop, and the power drops off to nothing, then, when i open the throttle to compensate, the motorcycle…
On cold start-ups(even in the summer in florida), the motorcycle will stumble or hesitate until warmed up. This causes inconsistent and unpredictable throttle control in slow turns. I have nearly dropped the motorcycle multiple times and also have encountered pulling out in traffic and not having…
Engine has a serious safety issue with severe hesitation to a momentary loss of complete power during cold operating temperatures and same severe problem on hot shut down and restart. Also hesitates at all times while driving but not as severe as first two. This is a serious safety issue in traffic…
Other Honda GL1800 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 GL1800 | 3 | 1 |
| 2023 GL1800 | 2 | 1 |
| 2022 GL1800 | 1 | 2 |
| 2021 GL1800 | 7 | 3 |
| 2020 GL1800 | 1 | 3 |
| 2019 GL1800 | 8 | 2 |
| 2018 GL1800 | 34 | 2 |
| 2016 GL1800 | 5 | 1 |
| 2015 GL1800 | 8 | 2 |
| 2014 GL1800 | 7 | 2 |
| 2013 GL1800 | 9 | 2 |
| 2012 | 31 | 4 |
| 2010 GL1800 | 24 | 4 |
| 2009 GL1800 | 2 | 5 |
| 2008 GL1800 | 47 | 4 |
| 2007 GL1800 | 20 | 4 |
| 2006 GL1800 | 22 | 5 |
| 2005 GL1800 | 18 | 2 |
| 2004 GL1800 | 10 | 4 |
| 2003 GL1800 | 101 | 6 |
| 2002 GL1800 | 182 | 6 |
| 2001 GL1800 | 84 | 5 |
See all Honda GL1800 problems by year, every Honda model, or the Honda VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Honda GL1800?
Owners most often report engine, fuel/propulsion system, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 17 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Honda GL1800?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Honda GL1800 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other GL1800 model years, the 2012 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.