2005 Honda VFR800

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE FRONT FAIRING SUB-HARNESS (SECTION OF THE WIRING HARNESS) TRANSFERS THE ELECTRICAL GROUNDING LOAD OF THE HEADLIGHTS, FRONT TURN SIGNALS, INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND VARIOUS RELAYS TO THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS VIA AN 18-PIN CONNECTOR. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE GROUND WIRE TERMINALS INSIDE THE CONNECTOR CAN OVERHEAT, RESULTING IN MELTING OF THE CONNECTOR AND A LOSS OF POWER TO VARIOUS CIRCUITS.

Risk. AS A RESULT, A LOSS OF CRITICAL LIGHTING OR ENGINE POWER COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RE-DESIGNED SUB-HARNESS. IF DAMAGE IS FOUND, THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS WILL ALSO BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. AN INTERIM LETTER WAS MAILED TO OWNERS ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2007. OWNERS WERE RE-NOTIFIED ON NOVEMBER 10, 2007, TO TAKE THEIR MOTORCYCLES TO DEALERS TO HAVE THE PARTS INSTALLED. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-866-784-1870.

ENGINE AND HEADLIGHTS FAILED AT NIGHT WHEN HEADLIGHTS WERE SWITCHED TO HIGH BEAM. RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN PERFORMED, ACCORDING TO HONDA DEALER. RECALL REPAIR APPEARS INSUFFICIENT TO SOLVE OVERHEATING OF STANDARD ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *JS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA VFR800. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN NOVEMBER OF 2007 FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: WIRING. HE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE DEALER HAD NOT RECEIVED THE RECALL PARTS AND DID NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WOULD ARRIVE. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA VFR800. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V359000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING) IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007. IN NOVEMBER, HE RECEIVED ANOTHER NOTICE STATING THAT THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD ORDER THE PARTS AND CALL HIM WHEN THEY ARRIVED. HE CALLED THE DEALER BACK AND THEY STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER UNTIL MAY OF 2008. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE ENGINE SIZE, NUMBER OF CYLINDERS, AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 25,000. UPDATED 04/03/08. *LJ