Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

7 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
2

Most reports here involve unintended acceleration. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

unintended acceleration 2
A recent report: I was pulling into a parking spot to turn the bike around and back into the spot. While sitting sideways in a parking spot, I increased the throttle slightly to pull forward. The throttle acted as if…
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I was pulling into a parking spot to turn the bike around and back into the spot. While sitting sideways in a parking spot, I increased the throttle slightly to pull forward. The throttle acted as if it was stuck and the bike lurched forward after I released the throttle. I applied the front brake but the bike continued moving forward pushing the front tire which left a skid mark on the pavement. I continued forward until the bike ran into the driver's door of a parked car. This was the second time the throttle stuck in this manner. The first time I was leaving my driveway when the bike acted in the same manner and caused me to run over some Christmas lights on the edge of my driveway. The first time I did not realize what happened therefore I did not file a complaint. I researched this on a motorcycle forum and found many instances of other GL 1800 owners experiencing the same problem.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11449495 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Minor
2

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 1
A recent report: Found that the front brake rotors were on the wrong side. Honda specifies different part numbers for each rotor. Went to dealer to resolve this issue and express my concern about it being a safety…
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Found that the front brake rotors were on the wrong side. Honda specifies different part numbers for each rotor. Went to dealer to resolve this issue and express my concern about it being a safety issue. The dealer contacted Honda, and they agreed to pay to have the rotors installed the right way and replace the brake pads. But not replace the rotors. My concern is after 14000 miles they are now the rotors are rotating in the opposite. And that this may have compromised structural integrate of the rotors themselves

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11492330 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
2

Most reports here involve loss of steering.

loss of steering 2
A recent report: The contact owns a 2021 Honda GL1800 Motorcycle. The contact stated that while operating the motorcycle, the handlebars had become loose and were wobbly. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that…
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The contact owns a 2021 Honda GL1800 Motorcycle. The contact stated that while operating the motorcycle, the handlebars had become loose and were wobbly. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the nut used to secure the handlebars was loose. The contact tightened the steering nut, but eventually the failure reoccurred. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer was not yet been contacted. The failure mileage was 22,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11667669 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: At approximately 800 miles, the throttle became sticky. The return spring will close the throttle; however, there is excessive friction that developed while riding. Temperatures were approximately…
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At approximately 800 miles, the throttle became sticky. The return spring will close the throttle; however, there is excessive friction that developed while riding. Temperatures were approximately 85-95 degrees. The problem is that fine feathering of the throttle is not possible. By the time enough hand control pressure is released to ease off the throttle, the throttle closes aggressively and by the time I can stop the throttle closure, the engine and dual clutch transmission are downshifting--in Sport mode the downshifts are aggressive and vehicle speed decelerates more than desired. Worse, this condition occurred while riding US129 in Tennessee and North Carolina at inopportune time such as at the apex of a curve. This resulted in the motorcycle changing lean angle and straying from the intended arc through the curve. Other instances happened when encountering slow traffic and the throttle needs to be feathered to slow. The motorcycle engine and dual clutch transmission interpret this larger throttle closure as an intent to slow resulting in unintentional downshifts and excessive speed reduction. Not an ideal situation with traffic following closely because the brake lights are not activated leaving the drivers behind the motorcycle wondering what is happening. To continue riding with the throttle in this condition, the rider has to increase throttle twist force and counter twist force in an attempt to control. This technique doesn't really help and should not be required to ride a motorcycle. This condition has been brought to the attention of the selling dealership service department for which they contacted a Honda technical representative whom never heard of this condition. Therefore, no action was taken to date. This sticky throttle condition can be seen on new Goldwings sitting on the showroom floor; however, the friction/stickiness is not to the degree being experienced at 800.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11432523 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 7 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2021 and 2025, roughly 2 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.