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5 Most Common Problems with Honda Talon

5 Most Common Problems with Honda Talon

Honda Talon has been one of the hot sellers since Honda first launched this special sports UTV series a couple of years back.

And in 2021, Honda is currently offering its revolutionary Talon lineup with more improvised, upgraded, and powerful six models and two special editions.

Besides the impressive appearance, exceptional features, and the sturdy built-up quality of the Hona Talon series, consumers may still experience some common troubleshooting issues with this UTV lineup.

So, let’s learn more about the most 5 common problems that one might encounter with the Honda Talon UTV models-

Common Problems of the Honda Talon:

1. Sudden Engine Failure

One of the most common issues that several users often mention is the engine failure issue with some Talon UTV models.

One particular Honda Talon owner has mentioned that he initially planned a trip to Moab with his new Talon.

But unfortunately, on his first-ever local trail ride on this new Talon, after going only 100ft, the vehicle’s engine locked up unexpectedly.

So, he ended up loading the UTV and returning it to the dealer to fix the engine trouble.

It can be a typical case of catastrophic engine failure.

But in most cases, this happens when accidentally a stray bolt was left in the intake at the factory during the factory assembling of the vehicle.

The bolts may sheer off the cam gear and go in the engine, which ultimately causes the motor to suffer.

Even in this customer’s situation, the dealer confirmed later that a bolt break-in and caused the engine to fail.

2. Four-wheel Drive Does not Engage Properly

With some Talon 1000X-4 Fox Live models, users may encounter this rare unsolved issue. Honda authority and the dedicated team are still doing the investigation to figure out the actual problem area.

However, since it already occurred with some owners, people should be aware of this before they practically encounter it.

According to one of the Talon 1000X-4 Fox Live, he noticed that his newly purchased UTV’s drive mode indicator light started to flash between 2WD LOCK and I4WD when he selected I4WD.

When he further inspected, he also figured out that the drive indicator light only blinks on 2WD LOCK while switching back to 2WD after trying I4WD.

Also, it only turns solid when the engine is stopped and restarted.

He also noticed that when this occurrence started, the Front wheels have no power and he even tested them to confirm it.

After further investigation, he also mentioned that the front driveshaft does spin, even the I4WD error light does not come on except when starting the unit and the hill start assist does not respond or work accurately.

However, the launch mode, as well as the Automatic and manual transmission operations, work perfectly normally.

Although he initially went to his dealer as expected and the dealer replaced the front sensors, the I4WD switch, disconnected the after-market turn signal kit, and tested all of the internal wirings to solve the problem.

But unfortunately failed and even tested with another Talon dash unit but the problem remained the same as before.

Even the new dash unit that the dealer used to test his vehicle, when got re-installed to its own vehicle, that UTV got a similar issue.

Therefore, Honda requested the user to stop the process because they are afraid in this process dealer may unknowingly damage some other units of the Talon.

Currently, Honda is working on that Talon to figure out the problem and fix it before others also experience the same.

So, anyone encountering similar symptoms as I explained, is sincerely requested to directly contact Honda customer support.

3. Rear Suspension Being Too Stiff

Several users have already mentioned about Suspension issue on Talon in various Honda user forums.

One particular 2019 Talon 1000X owner has shared his encounter where he rode 100 miles on his new Talon and realized it’s working perfectly. Later on, he noticed a ridiculously harsh ride, and when he checked further, he also noticed that all the clickers were set on the softest (1) setting.

He even mentioned that it became downright dangerous on rough terrain and hopping all over the place.

Most likely, it’s a factory assembling or technical error from Honda, though the company has not commented on it yet.

Another Talon user also claimed that he had a similar suspension issue where he noticed that the rear suspension of his Talon 1000X turned dangerously stiff.

Also, this problem is easily fixable with a little trick. All you have to do is purchase a set of rear tender springs and insert it following the service manual instruction.

But better to contact your dealer first if you are not good at this type of technical adjustment task.

4. Front Prop shaft U joint May Fall Apart

According to several Talon UTV users, it is quite a commonly mentioned problem among the community.

One of the 2019 Talon R owners mentioned that his vehicle’s U joints on the front driveline suddenly fall apart on the rear Spicer joint. He further explained that after only 630 miles of the ride on his new Talon, it seemed like the C clip fell off, and even the bearing cup vanished.

Another Talon 2020 X owner also claimed that he had a similar U joint falling issue even after only 30 miles of operation.

It looks like it’s a factory assembling error or mechanical malfunctioning done by the manufacturer’s end.

However, the good news is for all those under warranty Talon UTVs, Honda has been offering entirely new driveshafts and giving the replacement free of cost. 

5. Unusual Spot Issue On The Vehicle’s Body

Another common issue that several Talon UTV owners already complained about is the left-out spots on the vehicle body even after cleaning up the vehicle from the dealer.

One owner claimed that he did the cleaning because his vehicle became muddy after the ride, but the spots which showed up after the wash are hard to remove and those did not remove with polishes or Maguire’s swirl remover. He figured those do not look like hard water or soapy spots either.

Another red Talon owner claimed that he had an exactly similar experience even after getting the wash done by his dealer. However, unexpectedly after a few days, those spots got vanished on their own, and he had no clue how.

But not all users will be that lucky, and in that case, the ceramic coating on the unit will solve the issue.

What Majority of the Users Feel About Honda Talon?

According to most Talon series owners, Honda has incorporated a massive amount of high-end technology into its fun-to-drive Talon UTV collection.

Several experts and even users have claimed that the Honda Talon still comes with the most high-tech transmission on the market.

Several reviews claim that each Talon UTVs perform amazingly well in all situations including the rough terrain racing surfaces in harsh weather conditions.

These are even excellent for racing in tropical mud conditions and if you compare this with other brands, you can clearly see the difference in control, and performance.

Final Thoughts

The Honda Talon sports UTV series consists of six amazing models with two special editions for smooth, comfortable, and adventurous riding journey.

Honda Talon UTV models are available with some cool color options and even offer the chance to choose between two-seater and four-seater models.

Not only that, but customers can also choose between manually adjustable FOX Q3S suspension and Talon’s revolutionary self-adjusting FOX Live Valve suspension.

However, everyone should also consider earlier mentioned common problems and be prepared.

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