Bearing failure in the final driven flange assembly,
The worst 2002 Honda VTX1800 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Suspension14
- Transmission13
- Engine10
- Body8
- Wheels6
- Tires3
- Brakes2
- Steering2
- Electrical1
- Fuel system1
- Locks1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2002 Honda VTX1800
Recalls 3
Structure: frame and members
- What is wrong
- Honda is recalling certain model year 2002 vtx1800 motorcycles manufactured between august 14 and october 4, 2001. The swingarm may not have been properly welded.
- Risk
- The swingarm could break while ridingcausing the rider to lose control, possibly resulting in crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners and dealers will inspect the weld and, if necessary, replace the swingarm free of charge. The safety recall began on september 25, 2009. Owners may contact honda motorcycle customer service at 1‑866‑784‑1870.
Recall number 09V362000 · Recall details
Structure: motorcycle: kickstand/center stand
- What is wrong
- On certain motorcycles, the washer for the side stand spring bolt does not have sufficient harness and could deform, which could cause the bolt to flex and eventually break during side stand operation.
- Risk
- A retracted side stand could drop while riding, possibly activating the side stand ignition cut-off system. If the ignition is cut, the engine will stall without warning, which could cause a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install an improved washer and a new spring bolt and nut. The recall began on november 30, 2004. Owners should contact honda at 1‑866‑784‑1870.
Recall number 04V564000 · Recall details
Power train: manual transmission
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: motorcycles. A transmission circlip was not seated correctly and could allow gears to lock.
- Risk
- This condition could result in a rear-wheel lockup, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will repair the transmission on these motorcycles. All owners were contacted by telephone and all vehicles have been repaired. This campaign is 100% completed.
Recall number 01V134000 · Recall details
See all 3 recalls for the 2002 Honda VTX1800
Defect investigations
Southern Honda Powersports
the federal safety agency opened Audit Query (AQ) 12-001 to determine whether Southern Honda Powersports (Southern Honda) of Chattanooga, Tennessee, had complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, as amended, 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 (Safety Act) and its implementing regulations. The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a motor vehicle or equipment manufacturer notify its dealers of defects related to motor vehicle safety and non-compliances with federal motor vehicle safety standards.In turn, a dealer may not sell and deliver a new vehicle subject to a recall unless the recall remedy has been performed.(see 49 U.S.C. 30120(i); 49 C.F.R. 573.11)the federal safety agency issued an information request to Southern Honda on May 14, 2012 to which they responded on July 6, 2012.the federal safety agency?s inquiry led it to believe that Southern Honda had failed to complete the requirements of five recalls that required inspections and/or repairs of motorcycles prior to their sale or delivery.the federal safety agency believes that 329 motorcycles affected by recalls had not been inspected and/or repaired prior to their sale and delivery between 2007 and 2012.The agency is unaware of any deaths or injuries involving these vehicles.the federal safety agency concluded that it had a potential civil penalty claim against Southern Honda for violations of the Safety Act.Southern Honda denied any violations of the Safety Act.In order to settle this matter, Southern Honda agreed to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $125,000, to be paid in five annual installments.This AQ is closed.
AQ12001
Unintended side-stand deployment
This pe was opened to examine reports of unintended motorcycle side-stand deployment while underway.if the stand deploys while the motorcycle is being ridden, the side-stand interlock (designed to prevent riding with the stand deployed) will cause the engine to stall.additionally, sudden, unintended side-stand deployment while riding can cause loss of control in left turns.shortly after opening this pe, honda advised that it was conducting a recall to address this condition.with that recall (04v‑564) this pe is closed.
PE04063
Technical service bulletins for the 2002 Honda VTX1800 18
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Dealer message
- Dealer message
- Load carrying capacity reduced label for all honda vehicles.
- Honda: warranty extension-vehicle warranty mileage
- Stuck fuel pump
- No start condition
- Trippy trip switch
- Primary drive gear assembly
- Information on servicing a stumble condition and fi light flash with no codes stored VTX1800C, r and s models
- Information regarding primary ground cable rerouting product update campaign
What 2002 Honda VTX1800 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 honda vtx1800. While driving between 30-40 MPH, the motorcycle began to wobble when one of the handles was released. The vehicle had new tires and brakes due to other necessary repairs; however, the wobbling continued. The contact took the vehicle to interstate cycles (580 sw florida gateway dr, lake city, fl 32024; 386‑758‑2423) who stated that the wobbling only occurred while driving between 35-40 MPH. The failure did not occur at higher speeds. The dealer stated they did not believe there was a safety issue and the contact could continue operating the motorcycle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 27,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2002 honda vtx1800. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the brakes seized without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into a wall and was thrown off the vehicle. The passenger sustained a fractured arm, a head injury, and a knee injury. The driver sustained a road rash over the left side of the body. Both the driver and passenger required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 39,000. The VIN was not available.
I have replaced the final drive flange bearings 3 times now. I heard that there were some issues with this flange. First time I replaced it, I replaced the whole flange. The second and third time I replaced the bearings only. On the third time I replaced the wheel dampener inside the rear wheel. I now have 96,000 miles on my bike and check these bearings every time I change the rear tire. All three times the plastic seal was gone and a few balls out of the bearing. The cage that holds the balls in the bearing was destroyed all three times.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 honda vtx 1800. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the crank shaft had fractured. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. The mechanic stated that the crank shaft would have to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 9,000.
Rear wheel final drive bearing failure. Was found when replacing the rear tire. Looking at options for the repair now.
Found while replacing rear tire,inside bearing coming apart.
Removed rear wheel to perform maintenance and check rear wheel flange bearings as advised by many other owners discussions on vtxoa.com, who've experienced this identical problem. The bearings were in very rough shape and needed to be replaced. This appears to be attributed to incorrectly dimensioned honda parts, for which they've never provided an acceptable, engineered solution, or acknowledged it for that matter. Failed component: qty of 2 bearings in item described as flange set, pn 42630-mch-000.
Two faulty flange bearings in less than 18,000 miles. Failure noted during tire changes in both instances. Both replaced at owner's cost @ over 190 dollars each instance.
Honda 2002 vtx 1800rs during rear tire replacement at 36k miles discovered wheel bearing on the right side (brake side) was very bad...had no warning, no wheel wobble, wheel turned free, but wouldn't have been very long. Axle shaft discolored, no reason for this failure! All rear bearings replaced! Front bearings replaced for safety!
Compare the 2002 Honda VTX1800
Other model years
Questions about the 2002 Honda VTX1800
Is the 2002 Honda VTX1800 reliable?
Owners have filed 63 complaints about the 2002 Honda VTX1800, 10.5 times a typical VTX1800 model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Honda VTX1800?
Suspension, with 14 complaints, typically around 23,400 miles. Next is transmission (13).
How many recalls does the 2002 Honda VTX1800 have?
3 recalls, covering structure and power train.
What year does the Honda VTX1800 have bad suspension?
The Honda VTX1800 model years with the most suspension complaints are 2003 (17 complaints) and 2002 (14 complaints).
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2002 Honda VTX1800?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history