Summary
The Honda GL1800 Gold Wing has 16 recalls spanning 2001 through 2024, with the most serious recent issue being a fuel pump defect on 2018-2024 models where the impeller can deform and cause the engine to stall without warning while riding. The 2018-2021 model years share a separate but equally critical issue: a primary drive gear bolt on the crankshaft can break, causing an immediate engine stall and locking the rear wheel, which can throw the rider into a loss of control. On 2020-2022 models with manual transmissions, an engine control unit software error can also cause the engine to stall, particularly when rolling off the throttle in second gear or higher with the clutch pulled in. Earlier repair attempts on the 2020 manual transmission models did not fully address the stall condition, leading to the broader 2020-2022 remedy.
The 2006-2016 models equipped with airbags have a Takata inflator issue covering those years: the propellant inside the inflator can degrade from prolonged heat and humidity, causing the inflator to explode and send metal fragments toward the rider. The scope of which model years and which geographic registrations are covered has been refined over multiple filings, but 2006-2016 airbag-equipped Gold Wings generally fall within this concern.
Going back to the 2001-2012 era, the combined braking system's secondary master cylinder can cause the rear brake to drag unexpectedly, destabilizing the motorcycle and generating enough heat at the rear wheel to ignite a fire. The 2001 model year alone carries several additional issues: a frame weld near the rear suspension can crack under hard use and eventually break, causing suspension collapse; a faulty engine stop switch can shut the engine off without input from the rider; and a crankshaft pulse rotor can fail and stall the engine. All of these 2001-specific issues share the same consequence of unexpected power loss or structural failure while riding.
