Honda preliminary evaluation PE15014
Inconsistent Throttle Control. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the vehicle speed control on 3 model years (2012–2014). Opened Apr 20, 2015, closed Nov 13, 2015 after 7 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedThis PE was opened after NHTSA received 10 owner complaints alleging vehicle control was compromised due to inconsistent throttle control in MY 2012-14 Honda GL1800 motorcycles. Typically during the first five minutes of operation (cold engine), riders would experience a pronounced engine stumble when operating the bike at low speeds and minimal throttle applications. Riders were concerned that this scenario would result in a crash if the stumble were to occur while making a sharp turn at low speed. Since opening this investigation we discussed the issue with Honda motorcycle dealers and service personnel and subject vehicle owners / complainants. We test rode one complaint GL1800 and monitored web forum activity. Based on the information gathered, the issue of low speed engine stumble in these motorcycles does not appear to jeopardize safety. The absence of crashes in a population of vehicles with up to 4 years in service indicates riders are able to instinctively correct for any control issue that may accrue from a low speed cold engine stumble. In the absence of a actionable defect trend, we are closing this PE. We continue to monitor complaints and other information sources for any data that may alter this finding. If such information is found, we will respond accordingly. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID using the following complaint identification numbers: 10785837,10783109,10781852,10760402,10670092,10662128,10653041,10643482,10641998,10639635,10639538,10639483,10633401,10633110,10632624,10632569,10631910,10621114,10577493,10572733,10550566,10549745,10548741,10548568,10546436,10532817,10532620,10532347,10532553,10532249,10531538,10523914,10523890,10523515,10523017,10512486
A Preliminary Evaluation is the first formal stage: NHTSA has decided the complaints and other information it screened are worth a closer look, and asks the manufacturer for its own data on the condition. The summary is the agency’s own text from its investigation file, unedited; the opening and closing resumes with the full reasoning are on NHTSA’s site under this number.
What this means for an owner
Source: and what happens nextAn investigation is not a finding that a defect exists, and it puts no duty on anyone. NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation when complaints and other reports suggest a condition worth asking the manufacturer about; it upgrades to an Engineering Analysis when the answers warrant testing; it closes either when it recommends a recall, when the manufacturer recalls on its own, or when no defect trend is found. The agency’s own goals are about four months for a petition, eight for a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query and eighteen for an Engineering Analysis; many run longer.
This one closed without a recall. That means NHTSA found no defect trend it chose to act on at the time, or the manufacturer addressed the condition another way (a service campaign or a bulletin, which have their own pages). A closed file can be reopened if new reports arrive.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2012 Honda GL1800; 2013 Honda GL1800; 2014 Honda GL1800.
A vehicle page’s investigation list carries the same action; a name here is the scope NHTSA opened, not a list of affected VINs.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs PE15014 a recall?
No. A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA asking questions, not a recall. A safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number and a duty to repair for free; this one closed without one. Whether one particular vehicle has an open recall is a VIN question at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is PE15014 still open?
No. It closed on Nov 13, 2015 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE15014 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 3 model years: 2012 Honda GL1800, 2013 Honda GL1800, 2014 Honda GL1800. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.