2002 Honda VFR800 recalls and problems

NHTSA 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)NHTSA issued an information request to Southern Honda on May 14, 2012 to which they responded on July 6, 2012.NHTSA?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.NHTSA 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.NHTSA 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 …

ODI OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION AFTER RECEIVING THREE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING ALLEGED ENGINE STALLING AND/OR SUDDEN HEADLIGHT OUTAGES WHILE UNDERWAY.ODI ALSO FOUND NUMEROUS POSTINGS ON A WEB-BASED CHAT BOARD RELATED TO THE SUBJECT VEHICLE AND THESE ALLEGATIONS.FREQUENTLY, THE POSTING REFERENCED THE BLUE CONNECTOR JOINING THE MAIN HARNESS AND THE HEADLIGHT SUB-HARNESS.ODI HAS INSPECTED SUBJECT MOTORCYCLES AND ITS PEERS AND MET WITH THEIR OWNERS, DISCUSSED THIS MATTER WITH SUBJECT MOTORCYCLE DEALERS AND INDEPENDENT SERVICE PERSONNEL, AND REVIEWED HONDA'S RESPONSE TO OUR INFORMATION REQUEST.BASED ON THE INFORMATION GATHERED TO DATE, THE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT MOST FAILURES HAVE DEVELOPED SLOWLY OVER TIME WITH THE OPERATOR NOTINGDIFFICULTY STARTING THE MOTORCYCLE,AND A SMELL OF MELTING INSULATION, (NO FIRES ARE REPORTED).IN THE MAJORITY OF REPORTS, THE PROBLEM IS NOTED WHILE STARTING THE MOTORCYCLE.MANY REPORTS STATE THE ENGINE STALLED WHEN THE STARTER BUTTON WAS INITIALLY RELEASED. FOR THE HEADLIGHT PROBLEM, MANY OF THE CIRCUIT OVERLOAD REPORTS WERE DUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF AFTERMARKET ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.CURRENTLY, NO DEFECT TREND HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED WARRANTING FURTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES AT THIS TIME.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY THE AGENCY THAT NO SAFETY RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS ISSUE CLOSELY AND SHOULD CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE, ODI WILL TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.