2009 CAN-AM SPYDER Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING AT LESS THAN 15MPH, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE OUT OF CONTROL. BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT FINALLY GAVE OUT VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO GET STOPPED. VEHICLE WITH DRIVER JUMPED A CURB WENT OUT OF CONTROL HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THROTTLE WAS CHECK AND APPEARED TO BE OPERATION OK. SUSPECT THE VEHICLE SOFTWARE AS CAUSE. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PRIOR TO INCIDENT AND REPORTEDLY CHECKED OUT OK. COMPUTER WAS DOWN LOADED AND SHOWED HIGH RPM AND ACCELERATION UP TO THE MOMENT OF IMPACT. *TR

STEERING LOCK ON CAN AM SPYDER WHILE DRIVING. STEERING LOCKED UP SEVERAL TIMES AND HAD TO BE PUSHED QUITE HARD TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THUS CAUSING THE IMMEDIATE JERKING OF THE WHEELS, WHILE MOVING. THIS WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND HAS LED TO A LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE. *TR

WHEN TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, SPYDER DRIFTED TOWARD TO THE RIGHT. TRIED TO CORRECT DRIFT, BUT STEERING WAS LOCKED. HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO CORRECT DRIFT, THEN STEERING BROKE LOOSE AND SHARPLY JERKED TO THE LEFT. NO ON-COMING TRAFFIC BUT IT WAS ENOUGH TO ENTER THE ONCOMING LANE. THIS CONTINUED TO OCCUR AND SCHEDULED A STEERING UPDATE WITH DEALER. AFTER THE DEALER INSTALLED THE UPDATE, ON THE WAY HOME (APPROX. 50 MILE TRIP) THE SAME THING BEGAN TO OCCUR, ONLY WORST. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME, IT WAS BEGINNING TO BE SO SEVERE THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO JUST STAY IN MY LANE OF TRAFFIC. CALLED THE DEALER WHEN I GOT HOME AND WAS INFORMED TO JUST BRING IT BACK AGAIN. THIS STEERING ISSUE IS BEGINNING TO BE A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD AND SOMEONE WILL EVENTUALLY BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR CAUSE A FATALITY. *TR

WHILE OPERATING MY 2009 CAN AM SPYDER, THE POWER STEERING UNIT LOCKED UP CAUSING ME TO VEER ACROSS 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC. THIS HAPPENED 6 TIMES IN A 1 HOUR PERIOD AND THEN 2 TIMES WHILE RIDING BACK HOME. THIS ISSUE HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE ON AUGUST 10TH BUT THE EFFECTS WERE NOT AS STRONG AND I ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE ROAD CONDITIONS. *TR

WE PURCHASED A 2009 CAN-AM SPYDER LAST MONTH. THE VEHICLE IS A SEMI AUTOMATIC MODEL ( SE-5) AS YOU COME TO A STOP THE VEHICLE IS SUPPOSED TO DOWN SHIFT. BUT DOESN'T ALWAYS DO THIS REMAINING IN A HIGHER GEAR SUCH AS 4TH OR 5TH. THE RESULT IS WHEN YOU GO TO TAKE OFF FROM A STOP THE VEHICLE DOESN'T WANT TO MOVE AND SOMETIMES JUST DIES. YOU THEN MUST TURN IT OFF WAIT 60 SECONDS THEN RE-START IT. IF YOU GO TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC THIS CAN CAUSE A ACCIDENT. *TR

I HAVE A CAN-AM SPYDER SE5 WITH 3000 MILES ON IT. I TOOK IT IN FOR A CHECKUP, A REQUIRED. I HAD NO PREVIOUS STEERING PROBLEM. THEY, THE DEALER WAS TO COMPLY WITH YOUR UPDATES ON THIS VEHICLE. THE DEALER COMPLETED THE UPDATES. WHEN I STARTED THE BIKE UP THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH A READING ACROSS THE SCREEN STATING TO CHECK "DP5". I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER OUT TO SEE THE PROBLEM. HE HAD HIS TECHNICIAN REDUE THE UNDATE PROCEDURE. THIS DIDN'T HELP THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME HE WOULD CALL THE FACTORY ON THE 21ST AS HE THOUGHT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING UNIT. HE TOLD ME IT WOULD BE OK TO DRIVE THE BIKE HOME (52 MILES). I DID SO BUT THE STEERING WAS VERY STIFF AS IT HAS NO HYDRAULIC ASSIST. I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THIS IS DANGEROUS AS A PERSON WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME TRYING TO STEER AWAY FROM SOMETHING THAT SUDDENLY CAME OUT AT HIM OR DODGE A POT HOLE, ETC. *TR

ON AUG. 4, 2009 I TOOK MY CAM-AM SPYDER TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A SAFETY RECALL ADDRESSED. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INSTALLED THE REQUIRED SOFTWARE UPDATE AND RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO ME. AS I WAS LEAVING ABOUT A HALF BLOCK FROM THE DEALER THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE. I TURN THE TRIKE AROUND AND RETURNED TO THE DEALER. WHEN I GOT OFF THE TRIKE I LOOKED TO SEE WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM AND NOTICED THE TRIKE WAS IN FLAMES. I RAN INSIDE THE SHOP TO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. I THEN CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER(BRP) TO TELL THEM OF THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO FILL OUT A ACCIDENT REPORT. I FILLED OUT THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK AND RETURNED IT TO THE MANUFACTURER (BRP). THEY TOOK A COUPLE OF DAYS TO INVESTIGATE AND RETURNED A VERDICT. "THE FIRE WASN'T MY FAULT AND NEITHER THEIRS(BRP) BUT THEY ARE WILLING TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE" SAID BRP REPRESENTATIVE. *TR

I HAD SMELLED BURNING RUBBER COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF MY 2009 CAN AM SPYDER FOR 2-3 DAYS PRIOR TO INCIDENT. ON 8/4/09 I HAD JUST PARKED THE SPYDER IN MY GARAGE AFTER DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT AROUND 5:15 PM. THIS IS APPROXIMATELY A 2 MILE DRIVE. AFTER TURNING OFF THE SPYDER I NOTICED THE SMELL AGAIN AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE VEHICLE IF YOU ARE FACING THE FRONT OF IT. THE SMOKE LASTED ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS AND THEN DISSIPATED. POSSIBLE SMALL FIRE ACCOMPANYING THE SMOKE. *TR