2018 Honda GL1800 problems & reliability
34 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Honda GL1800, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
5 complaints report injuries (7 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2018 Honda GL1800 vehicles were involved in 21 fatal crashes with 21 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 21% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 18% |
| Engine | 5 | 15% |
| Power Train | 5 | 15% |
| Steering | 5 | 15% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 9% |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 6% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 6% |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 6% |
| Suspension | 2 | 6% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“There is a Service Bulletin on the steering handle bars. The dealership I take it to is Go Az Flagstaff, AZ (928)526-7959. On a recall service appointment I was advised by the service manager of the loose handle bar service bulletin. It was addressed at that time. I had my motorcycle in for another recall and told…”
Steering · filed Jun 20, 2025
“The contact owns a 2018 Honda GL1800 Motorcycle. The contact stated that while releasing the accelerator pedal at speeds of 40 MPH or higher, whether on cruise control or not, the motorcycle experienced the death wobble. The motorcycle was taken to the dealer and was not diagnosed. The contact stated that the bearings…”
Steering · filed May 16, 2025
“The contact owns a 2018 Honda Gold Wing GL 1800 Motorcycle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V113000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Sep 23, 2024
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
12 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Honda GL1800. The 10 most recent:
"Newsletter - If the LCD screen is blank/inoperative and asterisks appear in place of the riding modes, perform the following test. â ¢ Inspect the number five (15 amp) audio fuse next to the battery in the main fuse…
The Wrench - May · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 19, 2022
The Wrench - When performing the Service Bulletin GL1800 #1- Loose Handlebar Repair on 2018 GL 1800, or removing the Steering Bridge to adjust the upper steering stem nut on any 2018 and newer GL1800, the left rear tie…
TheWrench1Feb.21 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 19, 2021
The Wrench - If DTCs appear on a new 2018 and newer GL1800, these are likely ABS related and are generated when the factory runs the freshly built unit on a dyno to verify proper engine and transmission operation. These…
TheWrenchDec2020 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 4, 2020
"Dealer Message - The December 2020 edition of The Wrench publication is now available on iN. If DTCs appear on a new 2018 and newer GL1800, these are likely ABS related and are generated when the factory runs the…
MCPST12042020 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 4, 2020
The Wrench - If a customer complains of loose handlebars on a 2018 GL1800, the problem may be due to improper torquing of the steering stem nut at the factory. First, verify the complaint with the proper inspection…
TheWrenchJan-Mar · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 18, 2019
The Wrench - If a customer complains of loose handlebars on a 2018 GL1800, the problem may be due to improper torquing of the steering stem nut at the factory. First, verify the complaint with the proper inspection…
TheWrenchJan-Mar · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 4, 2019
"The Wrench - If a customer complains of loose handlebars on a 2018 GL1800, the problem may be due to improper torquing of the steering stem nut at the factory. First, verify the complaint with the proper inspection…
TheWrenchJan-Mar · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 10, 2019
Service Bulletin - If a customer complains of loose handlebars (up and down movement) on a 2018 GL1800, the problem may be due to improper installation of the steering stem nut at the factory. If the steering stem nut…
GL1800#1Feb.2019 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 21, 2019
Dealer Message - A Service Bulletin to address a customer complaint of loose handlebars on a 2018 GL1800 has been posted on iN.
MCMNF02212019 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 21, 2019
2018 Gold Wing Navigation/Software Update - Keeping your Gold Wing?s navigation system updated with the latest maps and directions helps you get the most out of one of your bike?s most useful features. We?ll walk you…
2018 Gold Wing N · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 12, 2018
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2018 Honda GL1800 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2018 Honda GL1800?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.