2008 CAN-AM SPYDER GS Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER GS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE, THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

WHILE RIDING HOME FROM WORK MY REAR LIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT. UPON INSPECTION THE NEXT DAY I FOUND THAT THE RIGHT FENDER SUPPORT HAD CUT INTO THE TAILLIGHT HARNESS CAUSING IT TO GROUND OUT. BOTH FENDER SUPPORTS HAD BEGUN TO SEPARATE TO THE POINT THAT THE REAR FENDER ITSELF WOULD EVENTUALLY COME OFF AND COMPLETELY SEVERING THE TAILLIGHT HARNESS. I TOOK PICTURES AND OPENED A CASE WITH THE DEALER. I WAS REJECTED FOR BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY SAID I SHOULD PURCHASE PART # 219800246 WITH TWO NEW SUPPORTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM, WHICH I DID ALL AT MY COST AND LABOR. A WEBSITE SPYDERLOVERS.COM HAS CASES WHERE BRP HAD FIXED SOME BIKES WITH THIS PROBLEM OUT OF WARRANTY. OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE MECHANICALLY INCLINED WENT AHEAD AND MADE THE REPAIRS THEMSELVES LETTING BRP OFF THE HOOK. I WAS TOLD BY BRP THAT MY BIKE WAS TOO FAR OUT OF WARRANTY. IF BRP FIXED ONE BIKE THEY SHOULD FIX THEM ALL AND/OR OFFER A RECALL. I SPENT $254 ON PARTS AND 1 1/2HRS. LABOR. I HAVE THE DEFECTIVE FENDER SUPPORTS IN MY POSSESSION FOR INSPECTION AND PICTURES BEFORE THE REPAIR WAS MADE. THE REAR FENDER SUPPORTS ON THESE BIKES ARE A HAZARD WAITING TO HAPPEN. THAT IS WHY BRP CAME OUT WITH PART # 219800246 TO REMEDY THIS DESIGN FLAW ON THEIR BIKES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER ROADSTER GS MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AROUND A CURVE, THE ENGINE AND POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED WITH THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE POWER STEERING WAS RESET UPON RESTARTING THE IGNITION. IN 2010, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V162000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,500.

BIKE WOULD VEER INTO OTHER LANES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALERSHIP REPEATEDLY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. IN OCTOBER 2010 I GOT A RECALL NOTICE. AFTER REPROGRAMMING MY COMPUTER, STEERING WORKED BUT DPS/ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON CONSTANTLY. DEALER AGAIN REPEATEDLY CAN'T FIND PROBLEM. THEY RESET CODES AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. IN MARCH 2013 AGAIN I TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP. THIS TIME IT NEEDS A NEW DPS COMPUTER FOR $1200 PLUS LABOR. THEY TOLD ME TO CALL BRP TO SEE IF THEY WILL PAY FOR NEW COMPUTER. BRP CASE #4090722. I JUST GET THE RUN AROUND. TOO BUSY TO GET TO IT NOW. THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE FIXED IT THE FIRST TIME. EXCUSES! IT IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP 3 WEEKS LATER, WITH NO END IN SIGHT. MY BIKE HAS A TOTAL OF 4000 MILES ON IT BECAUSE I MIGHT GET KILLED WITH THIS PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. *TR

SINCE PURCHASING BRAND NEW IN 2008, THIS UNIT HAS HAD TERRIBLE GAS FUMES WHEN RIDING, AND A TERRIFIC BUILDUP OF RAW GAS FUMES IN THE GARAGE UPON PARKING. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE (NOW DEFUNCT) DEALER, VISITS TO DIFFERENT DEALERS, SEVERAL E-MAILS TO BRP IN CANADA, AND NO SOLUTIONS. NOBODY WANTS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, AND MOST OWNERS OF THESE MOTORCYCLES HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT: GAS SMELL, CARBON MONOXIDE, LACK OF DEALER SUPPORT, AND NO SOLUTIONS. IT IS NOT RIGHT THAT EVERY TIME WE RIDE OUR MOTORCYCLE, WE GET HEADACHES AND OUR CLOTHING STINKS LIKE GAS FUMES AND EXHAUST. THIS IS AN UNHEALTHY, DANGEROUS SITUATION, WHICH NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION. THIS MOTORCYCLES HAVE A DESIGN PROBLEM THAT IS BEING IGNORED BY CAN-AM (BRP). THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP! *TR

MY 2008 CAN AM SPYDER WAS PARKED WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN MY DRIVEWAY NARROWLY MISSING MY CHILDREN AND IT FINALLY CAME TO REST IN MY NEIGHBORS FENCE. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER 4 TIMES NOW FOR THE EMERGENCY BRAKE NOT HOLDING AND THE VEHICLE ROLLING BACKWARDS OR FORWARDS. THE VEHICLE HAS NO WARNING SYSTEM TO TELL YOU THE BRAKE IS NOT HOLDING. THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT HOLDS THIS 1000 POUND VEHICLE. *TR

ON MULTIPLE OCCASION DUE TO THE PROBLEMS WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND I WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED. AS OF 5/1/12 BRP HAS FAILED TO RETURN MY EMAILS ALL REPAIRS INCLUDING TOWING HAS BEEN PAID OUT OF POCKET AND THE BIKE IS UNDER WARRANTY UNTIL 2013. *TR

CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING RECALL ON CAN-AM BOMBARDIER SPYDER CONCERNING THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL REGARDING THE POWER STEERING UNIT. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL AT GETTING THE RECALLS TAKEN CARE OF. THE POWER STEERING UNIT MALFUNCTIONED WHICH CAUSED THE MOTORCYCLE TO VEER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *JB

I RIDE A CAN AM SPYDER WHICH IS A 3 WHEELED MOTORCYCLE AND ON 8-8-10 IT SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE, THANK GOODNESS SOMEONE WAS ABLE TO GET A FIRE EX. AND PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT NONE THE LESS IT MELTED A LOT OF PARTS. IT IS NOW AT A DEALER WAITING FOR PARTS TO COME IN THE BE REPLACED. I HAVE READ ON SEVERAL WEB SITES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, MAYBE A RECALL IS IN ORDER. NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR

THREE WHEELED CYCLE STEERING LOCKED/BINDED AT ABOUT 45 MPH. OPERATOR LOST CONTROL AND RAN OFF THE ROAD CAUSING PROPERTY DAMAGE. THIS WAS THE FOURTH TIME THE STEERING "BINDED" WHILE TRAVELING STRAIGHT AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. *TR