2003 Honda GL1800A Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other GL1800A years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Honda GL1800A. That is the most of any GL1800A model year in the database (8 years). The most reported problem area is structure (10 complaints, 63%), typically at around 54,725 miles. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 16owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Honda GL1800A 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 10 | 63% | 54,725 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 13% | 1,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 6% | 55,749 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 6% | 131,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 6% | 700 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Honda GL1800A recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
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.
Structure:frame and members
Problem: 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.
Risk: The welded area could break, resulting in rear suspension collapse or lower cross member separation, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 1-866-784-1870.
Service brakes, hydraulic
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Structure:frame and members:underbody shields
Problem: 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.
Risk: The welded area could break, resulting in rear suspension collapse or lower cross member separation, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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…
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…
Cracked subframe. *tr
Other Honda GL1800A years
← 2002 GL1800A · 2004 GL1800A →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 GL1800A | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 GL1800A | 11 | 0 |
| 2008 GL1800A | 2 | 0 |
| 2005 GL1800A | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 GL1800A | 3 | 3 |
| 2003 | 16 | 4 |
| 2002 GL1800A | 8 | 4 |
| 2001 GL1800A | 14 | 2 |
See all Honda GL1800A problems by year, every Honda model, or the Honda VIN decoder.
Similar Honda models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Honda GL1800A?
Owners most often report structure, engine and engine cooling, power train problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 10 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Honda GL1800A?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Honda GL1800A a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other GL1800A model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.