Honda GL1800 Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 179 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Honda GL1800 across 8 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (115). The words owners use most often: “rear tire” (16% of reports).
- 179engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- 1%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Rear tire: mentioned in 29 of 179 complaints (16%)
- Temperature gauge: mentioned in 21 of 179 complaints (12%)
- Red zone: mentioned in 19 of 179 complaints (11%)
- Motorcycle overheats: mentioned in 16 of 179 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 22 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 179 complaints, 1 an injury.
Honda GL1800 engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 GL1800 | 1 | 13% | — |
| 2013 GL1800 | 1 | 11% | 5,000 |
| 2008 GL1800 | 1 | 2% | 80 |
| 2005 GL1800 | 3 | 17% | 14,680 |
| 2004 GL1800 | 2 | 20% | 8,190 |
| 2003 GL1800 | 14 | 14% | 2,300 |
| 2002 GL1800 | 115 | 63% | 4,500 |
| 2001 GL1800 | 42 | 50% | 8,725 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021 GL1800 Goldwing motorcycles. The primary drive gear bolt on the crankshaft may break, which can result in an engine stall and lock up the rear wheel.
Risk: An engine stall and rear wheel lockup can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the primary drive gear bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 30, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is KQ9.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:engine control module (ecu/ecm):software
Model years: 2020, 2021, 2022
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2022 GL1800 Gold Wing motorcycles equipped with manual transmissions. An ignition timing software error for the engine control unit (ECU) may reduce engine performance, which can result in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 28, 2022. Owners may contact American Honda Motor Co customer service at 1-866-784-1870.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Model years: 2001
Problem: Vehicle description: motorcycles equipped with a newly designed engine stop switch. The engine stop switch is sensitive to accidental contact or strong jolting, such as hitting a pothole or riding over railroad tracks,which could cause the engine to cut out momentarily or even shut off.
Risk: Sudden loss of engine power could lead to a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a contact plate, e-clip, and 2 contact plate springs. Owner notification began april 19, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact honda at 1-310-532-9811.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Model years: 2001
Problem: Vehicle description: motorcycles equipped with a newly designed pulse rotor. The crankshaft pulse rotor, a device used for ignition timing, could fail and cause the engine to stall.
Risk: This sudden loss of engine power could lead to a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a redesigned pulse rotor. Owner notification began april 19, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda GL1800. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V820000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that upon contacting the dealer for the recall repair, the dealer informed the contact that the recall repair had already been performed. The…
The engine stutters and stalls at low speeds resulting in an inability to maintain forward momentum, causing a failure to maintain an upright position without emergency action to disable drive train, such as quickly disengaging clutch in order to allow a smooth coast until control of the vehicle…
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 honda gl1800 goldwing motorcycle. While traveling approximately 15 mph, the engine stalled and the oil light illuminated. The engine restarted and resumed. In addition, the engine exhibited a fluttering and knocking noise. The failure occurrences were intermittent. The…
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…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Honda GL1800s have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 179 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Honda GL1800. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Honda GL1800 engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Honda GL1800?
The most frequent phrase is “rear tire”, in 29 of 179 complaints, followed by “temperature gauge” (21).
Other Honda GL1800 problems
- Structure problems (100)
See all Honda GL1800 problems.