2001-2024 Honda Gold Wing Problems: 8 Known Issues

Honda recall 15V700/JV6 covers specified 2001–2010 and 2012–2015 GL1800-family motorcycles and expands the earlier 14V472 population. Aged brake-fluid deposits can obstruct the secondary master cylinder's check-valve opening, preventing rear pressure release. Continued riding with the brake dragging can cause a fire. Eligibility and completion must be verified by VIN.

Honda recall P65 / 05V010 covers certain 2002–2004 GL1800 and GL1800A motorcycles. Leakage at the linked-brake proportioning control valve can progressively deplete rear-brake fluid and leave the rear brake inoperative. Brake feel alone does not distinguish this valve problem from every other linked-brake fault.

Seven NHTSA owner complaints concern 2012 and 2013 GL1800 motorcycles that stumbled or stalled when pulling away or operating at low speed. Some describe loss of power followed by a surge, near tip-overs or difficulty entering traffic. Several associate it with a cold start, but ODI 10807146 explicitly says warming the engine did not prevent it, and ODI 10781852 also describes recurrence after a short stop with a warm engine. Two complaints repeat a claim about an external petition with over 150 cases; that is not a verified NHTSA case count.

Honda recall 24V113 includes certain 2018–2024 GL1800/Gold Wing motorcycles. Improperly molded, low-density fuel-pump impellers can deform and interfere with the pump body, preventing fuel delivery. Starting difficulty, intermittent power loss or stalling can occur; Honda's dealer bulletins also warn that a stall may occur without warning. These observations are not unique proof of an impeller defect. Verify the VIN and installed pump under the applicable GL1800 campaign instructions.

Certain airbag-equipped Honda Gold Wing motorcycles within the 2006–2016 range are included in the Takata inflator recalls. Honda's motorcycle notice describes inflators that may rupture during crash deployment after prolonged humid exposure, sending metal fragments through the airbag and potentially seriously injuring or killing the rider or passenger. Eligibility and completion must be checked by VIN; model year and current registration state alone are not a substitute.

Recall 24V820/KQ9 covers specified 2018–2021 GL1800 Gold Wings. Certain on-off throttle loads can fatigue the crankshaft's primary-drive gear bolt; failure can detach the pulse rotor, interrupt ignition and cause no-start, stalling or engine/rear-wheel lock. Honda's October 2024 filing listed 18,196 potentially involved motorcycles, 51 warranty claims and one injury report. A stronger bolt entered production in July 2021.

Honda's February 2019 GL1800 bulletin 1 addresses confirmed up-and-down handlebar looseness on 2018 GL1800/D/DA/B/BD models; front-to-rear movement is normal for this inspection. The bulletin identifies possible improper factory steering-stem-nut installation, not a universal defect on every later model. NHTSA complaints describe a 2018 bike with continuing looseness after bulletin work, another unrepaired 2018 bike, and a 2021 owner who reported recurrence after tightening a nut. These complaints do not independently establish a common cause. A separate 2024 complaint alleged loose control-arm bolts based on visible threads, but also says the dealer considered the appearance normal; it does not verify loose bolts. Another 2018 owner reported a broken steering spindle after trailer transport with handlebar tie-downs. That report does not establish the cause of every loose handlebar.

Owners of 2001 GL1800 motorcycles filed NHTSA complaints about high temperature in slow traffic. Some report coolant loss or a slippery rear-tire area; others describe the risk without actual coolant discharge. Honda subsequently issued GL1800/A bulletin 13 in June 2003, covering all 2001–2003 models with an ECM/cooling-system product-improvement campaign. It addressed high engine coolant temperature readings during prolonged low-speed, low-gear operation in high ambient temperatures.