2002 Honda GL1800

WHILE IN MOTION, THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED TO THE POINT OF RED LINING ON THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. THE ENGINE WAS VERY HOT. CONSUMER REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO FAIRWAY CYCLE AND WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. THE HEAD MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE GAUGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER CHECKED FOR OVER HEATING. IT WAS SAID SINCE THE VEHICLE DID NOT SPILL COOLANT IT WASN'T OVERHEATING. CONSUMER REQUESTS A FIX FOR THE VEHICLE BY HONDA. *JG

THIS IS A MOTORCYCLE RELATED PROBLEM. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OWNERS OF 2001-2002 GOLDWINGS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING OVERHEATING PROBLEMS. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PROBLEM. SPEWED COOLANT COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL. A SEIZED ENGINE ON THE EXPRESSWAY COULD SPELL DISASTER. THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THIS M/C. THE COOLING FANS BLOW FORWARD AT SPEEDS AROUND 10 OR 15 MILES PER HOUR. IF THESE SPEEDS ARE SUSTAINED (TRAFFIC PROBLEMS RELATED TO DOT OR ACCIDENT), THE BIKE OVERHEATS BECAUSE THE INCOMING AIR IS CANCELLED OUT BY THE FORWARD BLOWING FANS CAUSING STAGNANT AIR AROUND AROUND THE RADIATORS. HONDA BASICALLY REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A DESIGN FLAW AND BLAMES IT ON THE GAUGE. THE NHTSA NEEDS TO GO BEYOND HONDA'S STONEWALLING AND CHECK THIS SITUATION OUT BEFORE SOMEONE RIDING THIS M/C IS HURT AS A RESULT OF THE OVERHEATING ENGINE AND COOLING SYSTEM. THANKS. *AK

MOTORCYCLE OVERHEATS WHEN DRIVEN AT SPEEDS BELOW 15-25MPH. CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO MANUFACTURER, WHO ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF ISSUE. CONSUMER CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING IN SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC. *AK CONSUMER SPECULATES DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE TWO SIDED-MOUNTED RADIATORS, THERE IS LITTLE OR NO AIRFLOW OR AIR CONDUCTION ACROSS THE RADIATOR CAUSING IT TO OVERHEAT. DEALERSHIP ADVISED TO CHECK THE LEVEL OF RADIATOR ANTIFREEZE BUT COULD NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THERE ARE NO SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED REGARDING THIS CONDITION. *TT

WHILE RIDING BRAND NEW MOTORCYCLE IN TRAFFIC MY TEMPERATURE GUAGE "REDLINED". I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD FAIRLY QUICKLY WHERE I WAITED 30 MINUTES FOR TEMP TO COME DOWN. I THEN PROCEEDED WHEN MOTORCYCLER COOLED ENOUGH. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CONTACT DEALER AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THEY ARE CLOSED SUNDAYS AND MONDAYS. I AM A MEMBER OF A LARGE "GOLDWING CLUB" AND HAVE READ ABOUT OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. HONDA'S REPLY IS THAT THE BIKE IS NOT OVERHEATING IT IS JUST A "PERCEPTION" THAT IT IS. THS WAS NO PERCEPTION ... THE GUAGE PEGGED OUT OVER THE REDLINE AND THERE WAS MUCH HEAT COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. THE GL1800 HAS AN AL BLOCK AND I AM CONCERNED THAT DAMAGE MAY BE DONE BY THE "PERCEIVED" OVERHEATING. HONDA WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE SITUATION AS I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEM AND THE ANSWERS THEY RECEIVE FROM HONDA. HOPEFULLY THE NHTSA WILL BE ABLE TO FORCE HONDA TO FIX THIS VERY REAL PROBLEM. THE VENT TUBE IS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF REAR TIRE! IF THE BIKE STARTS TO SPEW COOLANT IN FRONT OF TIRE THIS WILL BE A VERY SCARY, SLIPPERY RIDE! HELP. *AK

THIS MOTORCYCLE PEGS THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IN THE RED WHENEVER IT IS IN SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC. IT HAS OVERFLOWED COOLANT ON ONE OCCASION. THIS IS VERY SCARY AND UNSAFE DUE TO THE COOLANT OVERFLOW BEING IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE. HONDA OF AMERICA REFUSES TO ADMIT THIS IS A PROBLEM AND WILL NOT REPAIR IT. I HAVE READ MANY MANY REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE. IT SEEMS TO BE AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL SUPOSE IT WILL TAKE SOMEONE HAVING AN ACCIDENT BEFORE HONDA WILL TAKE NOTICE. I HOPE NOT.*AK

THIS NEW GENERATION HONDA GOLDWING MOTORCYLE RELEASED FOR MODEL YEAR 2001 HAS A COOLING DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO DANGEROUSLY OVERHEAT WHEN CAUGHT IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. YESTERDAY, (JUNE 30, 2002) MYSELF AND TWO OTHERS ALSO HAVING 2002 GOLDWINGS WERE RETURNING FROM A TRIP AND FOUND OURSELVES IN A MAJOR TRAFFIC BACKUP IN A ROAD CONSTRUCTION AREA ON US INTERSTATE 35 SOUTH OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. ALL 3 GOLDWINGS OVERHEATED IN THE STOP AND GO, SINGLE LANE CONDITIONS. THERE WAS NOWHERE FOR ANY OF US TO SAFELY PULL OVER TO SHUT THE MOTORCYCLES OFF TO COOL. WE WERE ULTIMATELY FORCED TO DRIVE ON THE NARROE TEMPORARY RIGHT SHOULDER AT HIGH ENOUGH SPEEDS TO ALLOW THE RUSHING AIR TO COOL THE ENGINE ENOUGH TO KEEP IT FROM BLOWING UP. THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THOSE CAUGHT IN THE TRAFFIC BACKUP THOUGHT WE WERE TRYING TO DRIVE ON THE SHOULDER TO ELLUDE THE CONGESTION AND PEOPLE STARTED PULLING THEIR VEHICLES OUT IN FRONT OF US AS WE PROCEEDED ALONG THE SHOULDER STRIP. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD CONDITION WITH THIS SPECIFIC MODEL BIKE THAT HONDA IS FULLY AWARE OF YET REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT. THEY WON'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. HONDA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO TELL EVERYONE CALLING IN ABOUT THIS ISSUE TO NOT WORRY ABOUT RIDING IT WITH THE TEMPERATURE NEEDLE IN THE RED ZONE UNLESS IT SPEWS COOLANT...EVEN THOUGH THE COOLANT OVERFLOW TUBE DISCHARGES THE COOLANT ON THE GROUND DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE REAR WHEEL, WHICH IS ALSO A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AS THE ANTIFREEZE CAN CAUSE THE REAR TIRE TO LOSE GRIP ON THE ROADWAY. BY OFFICIALLTY ADVISING US ALL TO JUST KEEP RIDING WITH THE TEMPERATURE NEEDLE IN THE RED ZONE, HONDA IS DIRECTLY CONTRADICTING THE DIRECTIVE IN THE OWNERS MANUAL THAT STATES IF THE TEMPERATURE NEEDLE ENTERS THE RED TO ZONE TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. CONTINUING TO DRIVE WILL VOID THE WARRANTY. I HOPE YOU WILL HELP US ALL. IT'S HARD TO FIGHT A BIG CO WITHOUT HELP!*

I HAVE AN OVER HEATING PROBLEM WITH MY GOLD WING MOTORCYCLE. DEALER HAS DONE ALL HE CAN DO TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. HE HAS BEEN GREAT. BIKE WILL GIVE A INDICATION OF OVERHEATING BY THE TEMPERATURE DIAL GOING INTO THE RED OR HOT ZONE. HAS BEEN REPORTED TO HONDA AS THE DEALER SAYS HE CAN DO NOTHING MORE FOR ME. I HAVE LOST COOLANT FLUID ON 2 OCCASIONS. RESPONSE TO ME FROM HONDA IS THAT THE BIKE WILL DO THAT AND TO DRIVE IT AND NOT WORRY ABOUT IT UNLESS THERE HAS BEEN FLUID LOSS. IT OCCURS WHEN DRIVING AT 10-15 MPH IN SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC. ONCE SPEED GOES UP TO 30 MPH OR SO, GAUGE WILL SLOWLY COME DOWN. HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD BY HONDA THAT WHEN IT OCCURS THAT I SHOULD "PULL OVER AND LET BIKE COOL DOWN". MANY OTHER 01-02 GOLD WINGS HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND THE OTHER ONERS ARE GIVEN THE SAME ANSWERS THAT I GOT. IF THERE IS COOLANT LOST IT GOES DOWN OVERFLOW TUBE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF REAR WHEEL AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD. ALSO IN MANY PLACES YOU CANNOT JUST "PULL OVER AND STOP" DUE TO LACK OF SHOULDERS AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AMONG GOLD WING OWNERS. HONDA REFUSES TO ADMIT THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. FANS BLOW AIR OUT FRONT OF BIKE UNTIL SPEEDS REACH 15 MPH THAN FANS TURN OFF. IF YOU ARE DRIVING AT 15 MPH IN SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC AND THERE IS A 15 MPH TAILWIND THERE IS NO AIR FLOW AND BIKE OVERHEATS. IF YOU ARE ON A HILL AND DUE TO TRAFFIC ARE FORCED TO REMAIN IN 1ST GEAR, BIKE WILL OVERHEAT IN ABOUT 5 MINUTES CAN BE DUPLICATED ON ANY 01-02 HONDA GOLDWING.*AK

AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 15-25MPH OVER A CONSTANT 5 TO 10 MINUTES PERIOD (TRAFFIC SITUATIONS) RESULTS IN THE OVERHEATING CONDITION (THE GUAGE READS IN THE RED ZONE). I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE IF THE AN OVERHEAT CONDITION RESULTS IN THE BIKE DISCHARGING ANTI-FREEZE, IT IS DISCHARGED IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE WHICH COULD CAUSE REDUCED ROAD TRACTION. THIS CONDITION IS CAUSING RIDERS TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN SOMETIMES DANGEROUS SITUTATIONS. HONDA RESPONSE IS TO IGNORE THE GAUGE AND RIDE ON EVEN THOUGH THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS OTHERWISE.*AK