Despite Honda issuing voluntary recalls and several pleas for owners of Goldwings to have their airbags checked, the ACCC has decided to enforce a mandatory recall.
The recall is part of a worldwide issue affecting faulty Takata driver’s side airbag inflators which have been linked to 18 deaths.
It involves more than 60 million vehicles worldwide, including some 2.3 million vehicles in Australia. The recall process has been underway internationally since 2009.
The recalled airbag inflator used in the 2008-2012 Honda Goldwing GL1800 is basically a passenger side airbag, which is different to the driver’s side airbag involved in the worldwide fatalities.
Our understanding is that no Goldwings have been involved in a similar fatality.
However, the recall has now been extended to 2013-2015 models.
Affected Goldwings
Check the new Vehicle Identification Number list at the end of this article to see if your bike is affected.
The new ACCC recall notice says the the airbag inflator may degrade over time.
“If the airbag is deployed, this degradation may cause the inflator body to rupture, causing metal fragments to pass through the airbag,” the notice says.
“The metal fragments may cause serious injury or death to the motorcycle rider.
“Consumers should contact their nearest authorised Honda dealer and arrange for an inspection and repair of the motorcycle.”
But Honda Australia Motorcycle has been more proactive, so far issuing an unprecedented three separate pleas to owners to bring in their bikes for inspection.
The new 2018 Goldwing airbag is safeThe third came after a 58-year-old Sydney man died on July 13, 2017, when his Honda CRV crashed and he was “struck in the neck by a small fragment” believed to be from a faulty Takata airbag.
While the ACCC says all motor vehicle recalls have been voluntary, in September 2017, a Proposed Recall Notice was issued for mandatory recalls of all vehicles with specified Takata airbag inflators and specified salvaged Takata airbag inflators.
At the conclusion of the consultation period, the ACCC has decided to recommend a mandatory and extended recall for models from 2013 to 2015.
Honda Australia Motorcycle issued the recall again in February 2017, but said at the time only 163 of the 522 bikes affected in Australia had been returned to dealers for repair and to fit new inflators.
They say the replacement inflators are a different desiccated type, compared with the original.
The company also made the unprecedented plea to all motorists who see a 2008-2012 Goldwing on the road to “ask the owner if they have had their airbag changed”.
Owners can call he Honda Customer Service on 1300 559 846 for more details.
YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS ON RECALLS
Recall notices are issued by the manufacturer through a voluntary industry code under the ACCC.
Despite hundreds of recalls by various automotive manufacturers, none has ever been mandatory. All have been issued by the manufacturer.
While any recall is not good news for the manufacturer, it shows that they are largely diligent in fixing problems.
If you believe there is an endemic problem with your bike that should be recalled, contact the ACCC on 1300 302 502.
To check whether your motorcycle has been recalled, click on these sites:
• USA
• UK
VIN for affected Goldwings
| MY | VIN No. | Production Date |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U6DK100003 | 20/12/12 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U8DK100004 | 20/12/12 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68UXDK100005 | 20/12/12 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U3DK100007 | 20/12/12 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U3DK100010 | 20/12/12 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U7DK100012 | 20/12/12 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U9DK100013 | 20/12/12 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U0DK100014 | 20/12/12 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U2DK100015 | 20/12/12 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U8DK100018 | 20/12/12 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68UXDK100084 | 24/4/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U1DK100085 | 8/5/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U3DK100086 | 8/5/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U5DK100087 | 24/4/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U7DK100088 | 24/4/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U3DK100105 | 11/7/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U5DK100106 | 15/7/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U7DK100107 | 24/7/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U9DK100108 | 24/7/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U6DK100129 | 20/8/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U2DK100130 | 20/8/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U4DK100131 | 20/8/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U6DK100132 | 20/8/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U8DK100133 | 20/8/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68UXDK100134 | 20/8/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U1DK100135 | 11/9/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U3DK100136 | 11/9/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U5DK100137 | 17/9/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U7DK100138 | 18/9/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U9DK100139 | 12/9/13 |
| 2013 | JH2SC68U5DK100140 | 11/9/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U2EK200021 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U4EK200022 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U6EK200023 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68UXEK200025 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U1EK200026 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U3EK200027 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U5EK200028 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U7EK200029 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U5EK200031 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U7EK200032 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U9EK200033 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U2EK200035 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U4EK200036 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U6EK200037 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68UXEK200039 | 17/12/13 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U5EK200045 | 28/1/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U7EK200046 | 28/1/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U9EK200047 | 17/2/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U0EK200048 | 29/1/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U2EK200049 | 28/1/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U9EK200050 | 28/1/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U0EK200051 | 28/1/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U2EK200052 | 28/1/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U4EK200053 | 28/1/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U6EK200054 | 28/1/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U1EK200057 | 12/3/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U3EK200058 | 12/3/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U5EK200059 | 10/3/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U1EK200060 | 11/3/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U3EK200061 | 10/3/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U9EK200064 | 14/4/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U0EK200065 | 14/4/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U2EK200066 | 14/4/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U4EK200067 | 14/4/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U6EK200068 | 14/4/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U8EK200069 | 14/4/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U4EK200070 | 14/4/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68UXEK200090 | 27/5/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U1EK200091 | 27/5/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U3EK200092 | 27/5/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U5EK200093 | 27/5/14 |
| 2014 | JH2SC68U7EK200094 | 27/5/14 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U2FK300024 | 29/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U4FK300025 | 23/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U6FK300026 | 23/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68UXFK300028 | 23/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U1FK300029 | 23/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U8FK300030 | 23/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68UXFK300031 | 23/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U1FK300032 | 23/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U3FK300033 | 23/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U5FK300034 | 23/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U7FK300035 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U9FK300036 | 23/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U0FK300037 | 23/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U2FK300038 | 23/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U4FK300039 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U0FK300040 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U2FK300041 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U4FK300042 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U6FK300043 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U8FK300044 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68UXFK300045 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U1FK300046 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U3FK300047 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U5FK300048 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U7FK300049 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U3FK300050 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U5FK300051 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U7FK300052 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U9FK300053 | 27/1/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U6FK300060 | 13/2/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U8FK300061 | 13/2/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68UXFK300062 | 25/2/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U1FK300063 | 13/2/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U3FK300064 | 13/2/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U5FK300065 | 13/2/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U7FK300066 | 25/2/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U9FK300067 | 13/2/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U0FK300068 | 13/2/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U2FK300069 | 13/2/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U9FK300070 | 11/3/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U0FK300071 | 11/3/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U2FK300072 | 11/3/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U4FK300073 | 11/3/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U6FK300074 | 11/3/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U6FK300091 | 24/4/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U8FK300092 | 22/4/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68UXFK300093 | 8/5/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U1FK300094 | 11/5/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U0FK300118 | 29/6/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U2FK300119 | 25/6/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U9FK300120 | 25/6/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U0FK300121 | 25/6/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68UXFK300126 | 28/7/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U1FK300127 | 28/7/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U4FK300140 | 21/8/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U6FK300141 | 21/8/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U8FK300142 | 4/9/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68UXFK300143 | 4/9/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U1FK300144 | 21/8/15 |
| 2015 | JH2SC68U3FK300145 | 24/8/15 |