2008 CAN-AM SPYDER RS Complaints

WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35 MPH AND ENTERED A RIGHT HAND CURVE. THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING WHICH CAUSED ME TO CROSS THE CENTER LINE. LUCKY NOBODY COMING OTHER DIRECTION. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS HAD A DEALER RECALL UPGRADE OF SOFTWARE AND THE POWER STEERING UNIT REPLACED UNDER RECALL. *TR

I WAS RIDING MY 2005 CANAM SPYDER MOTORCYCLE TO WORK AND ABOUT 2 BLOCKS AWAY WHILE I WAS STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT I HEARD A POP AND SAW A SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE COME UP FROM UNDER THE COWLING. I IMMEDIATELY RUSHED TO MY WORK PARKING LOT (BECAUSE THERE WERE NO TREES OR ANYTHING FLAMMABLE AROUND) AND WENT INTO WORK TO GET SOME WATER TO EXTINGUISH THE SMALL FLAMES I SAW. BY THE TIME I GOT BACK OUTSIDE THE BIKE WAS ENGULFED AND MELTING. (THE OUTER SKIN IS MAINLY FIBERGLASS) I HAVE BEEN ON THE WEB AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS POSTINGS OF FIRES ON THE MOTORCYCLES AND ALSO THE WATERCRAFT AND ATV'S THIS COMPANY MANUFACTURES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER RS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED MOMENTARILY WHEN IT ENGULFED INTO FLAMES. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES, BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ALSO APPEARED ON THE SCENE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED NEAR THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 9,000.

BRP ISSUED SERVICE BULLETINS SB-2009-01 IDENTIFYING FAILURE OF THE GEAR POSITION SENSORS ON SOME OF THEIR CAN AM SPYDER ROADSTERS. SYMPTOMS OF FAILURE INCLUDE "E" OR INCORRECT GEAR NUMBER INDICATED IN CLUSTER INDICATOR; INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING OPERATION; DIFFICULTY SHIFTING; "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING SCROLL IN CLUSTER INDICATOR. PRESENTED TO AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR SERVICE 3 TIMES WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, UNSUCCESSFUL REMEDY WAS RESET OF GEAR POSITION SENSOR. PRESENTED TO SAME DEALER AFTER EXPIRATION OF WARRANTY, REMEDY WAS REPLACEMENT AT CUSTOMER EXPENSE IN EXCESS OF $200. BRP FACTORY TECH AT BRP EVENT INDICATED THAT REPLACEMENT WAS PROPER REMEDY. FAULTY ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER INSTALLED GEAR POSITION SENSORS ARE REPLACED WITH NEW DESIGNED PART FROM BRP ONLY AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *TR

BRP, DESPITE ISSUING SERVICE BULLETINS ABOUT HIGH DRIVE BELT TENSION, WILL NOT REPAIR DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE HIGH TENSION SPECIFIED IN MANUFACTURE AND SERVICE FOR THEIR CAN AM SPYDER ROADSTER. TSB 2010-06 ADVISES REDUCED TENSION FROM 1400 NEWTONS TO 450 NEWTONS TO PROTECT AGAINST DAMAGE TO FRONT OUTPUT SHAFT AND REAR BEARING FAILURES. CONSEQUENTLY, COSTS TO REPAIR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THEIR ORIGINAL TENSION SPECIFICATION ARE ASSESSED TO THE OWNER. REPAIR COSTS ARE IN EXCESS OF $2,000. *TR

BRP HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR DYNAMIC POWER STEERING UNIT REPLACEMENT. DATE OF MY NOTICE WAS 9-7-2010. MY CAN AM ROADSTER IS STILL NOT REPAIRED AS BRP WILL NOT SEND OUT A REPLACEMENT PART UNTIL THEY REC'D THE OLD UNIT. THIS MAKES DEALER REPAIR DEFECTIVE ROADSTERS 1 AT A TIME. 6 MONTHS WITH A RECALL NOTICE AND I AM 8TH OF MY DEALERS LIST. HOW COME BRP DOESN'T RAMP UP PRODUCTION OF REPLACEMENT UNITS TO GET THEM OUT TO THE DEALERS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER RS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL 09V162000 (STEERING); THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. HOWEVER, AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE STILL EXPERIENCED FAILURE. THE VEHICLE DARTED ACROSS THE ROAD. THE CONTACT HAD A FRONT ALIGNMENT PERFORMED AND ADDED NEW TIRES; THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE A NEW POWER STEERING BOX WAS INSTALLED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD OFFER NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,000.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 CANAM SPYDER ROADSTER AND IT STARTED ON FIRE - I GOT OFF JUST IN TIME AND BLUE FLAMES WERE COMING UP FROM THE TANK/ SEAT AREA. THE BIKE WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND IF I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY VS. A BACK ROAD THIS COULD HAVE ENDED WITH INJURIES. THE SPYDER HAD BEEN MAINTAINED PERFECTLY. *TR

I HAD RIDDEN THE CAN AM SPYDER ROADSTER FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES BEFORE STOPPING AT COSTCO AND FILLING IT UP. NO OVERFILL OR GAS SPILLED. I ROAD APPROX. 2 MILES HOME, PARKED, AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE FOR APPROX. 3 OR 4 MINUTES. I RETURNED TO SPYDER STARTED IT & BACKED UP APPROX. 10 FEET, PULLED FORWARD, BACKED UP AGAIN, STARTED FORWARD OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. WHEN I TURNED & STARTED FORWARD THERE WAS A SMELL ELECTRICAL WIRE BURNING. I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF MY SEAT & CENTRAL PLASTIC PANEL. BEFORE I COULD REACT TO THAT I HAD MOVED FORWARD MAYBE 10 OR 15 FEET. THERE WAS A WHOOSHING SOUND & A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE FROM THE SAME AREA. IT SCARED ME ENOUGH THAT I PANICKED & TRIED STEPPING OFF THE SPYDER AS IT WAS MOVING. I TRIPPED AND STRUCK THE DRIVEWAY ON MY LEFT ARM, SHOULDER AND HEAD. I ROLLED OVER & LOOKED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. THE SPYDER HAD CONTINUED FORWARD INTO THE FENCE & TREE AT THE SIDE OF MY DRIVEWAY. THERE WAS A LOT OF SMOKE AND A SMALL FLAME APPROX. A FOOT HIGH AT THE FRONT OF THE SEAT & CENTER PANEL. WHEN THE SPYDER HIT THE TREE THE FLAME JUMPED TO AROUND 3 TO 4 FEET. THE SPYDER HAD RUN OVER MY GARDEN HOSE AND HIT THE WATER LINE SO THAT I COULD NOT GET TO A HOSE OR TURN THE WATER ON. I WAS AFRAID THE GAS TANK WOULD EXPLODE ANY WAY SO I CALLED 911. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THE SPYDER WAS APPROXIMATELY 75 % BURNT. THE FIREMAN IN CHARGED STATED HE FELT THE FIRE STARTED ON THE RIGHT SIDE. MY CAN AM SPYDER IS THE 8TH ONE TO BURN UP THIS WAY. ON 09/28/2010 ANOTHER 2008 CAN AM SPYDER SELF-IGNITED WHILE THE RIDE WAS MOVING. HE REPORTED THAT HIS MACHINE WAS ALSO A TOTAL LOSS. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATION #21 INCIDENT #10-0107129 UPDATED IVOQ 10/26/10*JB *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER RS MOTORCYCLE. THERE WERE NUMEROUS DEFECTS AND FAILURES ON HIS MOTORCYCLE. THE POWER STEERING PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE GPS UNIT UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT READING AS IF THERE WAS A FULL TANK OR IF IT WAS EMPTY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SENDING UNIT WITHIN THE TANK AND THE INSTRUMENTATION PANEL UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED IN REGARDS TO ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THE MOTORCYCLE HAD AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT HIM. THEY HAD NOT CONTACTED HIM WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,781.