2012 Honda GL1800 Problems
Compared with other Honda GL1800 years
Typical for this model
50/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical
- Complaint rate is 1.0× that of a typical Honda GL1800 year, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, recalls and mileage, and allowing for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints.
- 25 of its 31 complaints were filed by the end of 2014.
- Most reported part: Engine (17 complaints, median 300 mi).
- 4 recall campaigns on record. A VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls shows open recalls for a specific vehicle.
Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated
- Complaints
- 31filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 1,000miles, 31 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 4campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 Honda GL1800 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
NHTSA recorded 31 consumer complaints for the 2012 Honda GL1800. The part named most often is engine, with 17 complaints (55% of the total), followed by fuel system (17) and transmission and drivetrain (5). 31 of the complaints include a mileage, and 100% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 1,000 miles. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 21 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 2 Honda GL1800 model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 50 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Engine17 55%
- Fuel system17 55%
- Vehicle speed control3 9.7%
- Brakes2 6.5%
- Electrical system2 6.5%
- Suspension2 6.5%
- Wheels1 3.2%
Example complaints
Engine: “Cold stumble happens when the motorcycle is warmed above the cold ride mark specified by the GL1800 owners manual but before the engine gets to the fully warm temperature mark, when I stop at the end of my driveway and give throttle to the motorcycle it will stumble in the middle of the turn and almost cause the rider to drop the motorcycle. …”
NHTSA complaint #10621114, filed 2014-08, 1,300 milesFuel system: “I am having slow speed hesitation with the throttle while riding on the road. When I roll the throttle on the bike sometimes hesitates, does nothing so when I try more fuel the throttle control finally decides to start working and has made for some wild rides especially in turns. It is dangerous to have too much fuel added when not expecting it. This has been an ongoing problem for about a year now.”
NHTSA complaint #10903036, filed 2016-09, 14,000 milesTransmission and drivetrain: “While riding the motorcycle on the highway, at approximately 60 MPH, the front tire picked up a small, unseen piece of road debris and flung it into the oil filter located on the lower front end of the motor cycle body. This action caused the filter to be punctured, resulting in a large quantity of oil to be ejected from the bike and slung along the entire bottom of the motorcycle including the exhaust, the rear brake assembly, and the rear tire. I became aware of the situation when I noticed in the rear view mirrors a large amount of smoke coming from the bike. …”
NHTSA complaint #10546878, filed 2013-10, 4,700 milesVehicle speed control: “Motorcycle has a hesitation when applying throttle. This happens from a cold start as well as during engine warm-up and occasionally when the engine is at normal operating temperature. I have noticed the hesitation at from temperatures starting at 40 f and up. At first I was thinking it may be related to summer blend gasoline's or lower octane fuels, testing different grades of fuel did not solve the problem. This engine hesitation can result in an engine stall which can result in a crash if the motorcycle is in a low speed turn. I have been told the manufacturer is aware of this issue. …”
NHTSA complaint #10531538, filed 2013-07, 4,400 milesMileage when problems were reported
100% of the 31 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 200 and 5,500 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Recalls and investigations
- 18V045000Jan 9, 2018Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator moduleCovers: Honda GL1800 2009–2010, 2012–2016
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2010 and 2012-2016 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing motorcycles. These motorcycles have air bag inflators assembled as part of the air bag module that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after…
- 17V031000Jan 10, 2017Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator moduleCovers: Honda GL1800 2006–2009, 2012
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2006-2009 and 2012 Honda GL1800 (Goldwing) motorcycles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico…
- 15V700000Oct 23, 2015Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinderCovers: Honda GL1800 2001–2010, 2012–2015, GL1800A 2001–2005, GL1800B 2013–2015
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.
- 11V567000Dec 1, 2011Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinderCovers: Honda GL1800 2001–2010, 2012
Honda is recalling certain model year 2001-2010, and model year 2012 gl1800 goldwing motorcycles. Under certain conditions, there is a possibility that the combined braking system's secondary master cylinder may cause the rear brake to drag.
Recall details for the 2012 Honda GL1800 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
NHTSA investigations
- PE15014Inconsistent Throttle ControlClosed · Apr 20, 2015
- AQ12001Southern Honda PowersportsClosed · May 14, 2012
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 21 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11006820Aug 19, 2024Wheels. Dealer Message - Honda has sourced a new supplier for the 2009 ~ 2017 GL1800 Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The new TPMS supplier parts are not compatible (will not communicate) with the…
- 11006819Aug 19, 2024Wheels. Service Bulletin - Honda has sourced a new supplier for the 2009 ~ 2017 GL1800 Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The new TPMS supplier parts are not compatible (will not communicate) with the…
- 11005194Jul 17, 2024Electrical system. Service Bulletin - Honda has sourced a new supplier for the 2009 ~ 2017 GL1800 Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The new TPMS supplier parts are not compatible (will not communicate) with the…
- 11002696Jun 11, 2024Wheels. Service Bulletin - Honda has sourced a new supplier for the 2009 ~ 2017 GL1800 Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The new TPMS supplier parts are not compatible (will not communicate) with the…
- 11002695Jun 11, 2024Wheels. Dealer Mesage - Honda has sourced a new supplier for the 2009 ~ 2017 GL1800 Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The new TPMS supplier parts are not compatible (will not communicate) with the…
- 10245564Nov 16, 2023Electrical system. Service Bulletin - Honda has sourced a new supplier for the 2009 ~ 2017 GL1800 Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The new TPMS supplier parts are not compatible (will not communicate) with the…
- 10099488Dec 11, 2015Equipment. "dealer message - on december 11, several sections of s/b gl1800 #23 were revised to include information for the repair of trike coversions."
- 10099350Dec 11, 2015Brakes. "service bulletin - honda is launching a safety recall of 2012-2015 gl1800/a and 2013-2015 gl1800b/bd motorcycles, and is implementing a recall remedy for 2001-2010 and 2012 gl1800/a motorcycles…
- 10099957Dec 10, 2015Brakes, Equipment. Newsletter - the repair procedure for the secondary master cylinder (smc) recall is very involved, so make sure to read through the entire bulletin before hand so you can visualize the procedures…
- 10099874Nov 24, 2015Brakes. "dealer message - effective immediately the secondary master cylinder (smc) kits for this recall are available on open order. As indicated in s/b gl1800 #23 and other communications about this…
Other model years of the Honda GL1800
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7 | 22,000 | 3 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2019 | 8 | 8,000 | 2 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2018 | 34 | 7,266 | 2 | — | — | 33 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2016 | 5 | 10,751 | 1 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2015 | 8 | 14,000 | 2 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2014 | 7 | 5,500 | 2 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2013 | 9 | 1,250 | 2 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2012 | 31 | 1,000 | 4 | — | — | 50 · Typical | Stable |
| 2010 | 24 | 6,516 | 4 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2008 | 47 | 8,000 | 4 | — | — | 51 · Typical | Falling |
| 2007 | 20 | 12,614 | 4 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2006 | 22 | 11,000 | 5 | — | — | — | Rising |
| 2005 | 18 | 12,500 | 2 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2004 | 10 | 30,000 | 4 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2003 | 101 | 11,750 | 6 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 182 | 15,000 | 6 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2001 | 84 | 38,000 | 5 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
All Honda GL1800 model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 Honda GL1800 have?
NHTSA recorded 31 consumer complaints for the 2012 Honda GL1800 as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2012 Honda GL1800 is reported most often?
Engine is named most often, in 17 complaints (55% of the total), followed by fuel system with 17.
Has the 2012 Honda GL1800 been recalled?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 2012 Honda GL1800 reported?
Among the 31 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 1,000 miles and the middle half falls between 200 and 5,500 miles; 100% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.