2011 CAN-AM SPYDER RT Complaints

FUEL IN TANK BOILS. SPYDER CONSTANTLY SMELLS OF LEAKING FUEL WHILE RIDDING. FUEL DRIPS, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WHEN PARKED. BOTH DURING AND AFTER A RIDE. THE COMPLETE EMISSIONS SYSTEM WAS REPLACED(UNDER WARRANTY) AND ALL OF THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED PROBLEMS RETURNED WITHIN A HUNDRED MILES OR SO. ENGINE COMPARTMENT HEAT IS SO HIGH IT CAUSED PREMATURE DEGRADING OF FUEL LINES. WHICH RESULTED IN MULTIPLE FUEL LEAKS WHERE FUEL LINE CLAMPS ARE USED. NOTE: THESE LEAKS WERE ALL IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF EXHAUST HEADERS. WHEN RIDDEN IN HIGHER AMBIENT TEMPS THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HEAT IS SO HIGH IT CAUSES BURNS TO YOUR THIGHS, WHEN WEARING PROPER RIDING APPAREL. *TR

THE WINDSHIELD IS MOUNTED ON THREE STRUTS -- THE MIDDLE ONE CONTROLS THE UP AND DOWN POSITION OF THE SHIELD AND HOLDS IT IN POSITION; THE OUTER TWO MOVE FREELY UP AND DOWN WITH NO RESTRAINT. THE CENTER STRUT BROKE CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO SUDDENLY FLY UP AND BACK AND THEN SETTLE IN AGAINST THE FRONT OF THE MOTORCYCLE. IN THAT POSITION, FULL WIND FORCE IS DIRECTED AGAINST THE RIDER AND PASSENGER. FURTHER, THE OUTER TWO STRUTS ARE FREE TO MOVE UP AND DOWN SO ANY PASSING TURBULENCE SUCH AS ANOTHER CAR OR TRUCK CAUSES THE WINDSHIELD TO LITERALLY FLAP IN THE BREEZE. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT ONLY NOW BECAUSE ON 09/20/2014 I OBSERVED THAT THE NEW REPLACEMENT STRUT WAS CRACKED OVER HALF-WAY THROUGH. THERE ARE APPROX 8475 MILES ON THE NEW REPLACEMENT STRUT (TOTAL MILEAGE ON VEHICLE 37575). I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE UNEXPECTED TOTAL FAILURE OF THE STRUT AND THE WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY FLYING UP AND BACK COULD EASILY CAUSE THE RIDER TO SWERVE OR REACT IN SOME WAY AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. IT IS APPARENT FROM MY HAVING TWO FAILURES THAT BRP (THE MANUFACTURER OF CAN AM MOTORCYCLES) HAS NOT IMPROVED THE DESIGN, MATERIAL OR MANUFACTURE OF THESE SIMPLE STRUTS. THIS CONCLUSION IS SUPPORTED BY THEIR NOT HAVING CHANGED THE PART NUMBER FOR THE 2011 AND 2012 MODEL YEARS NOR THE PART NUMBER OF THE REPLACEMENT PART FOR THOSE YEARS. THIS CONCLUSION IS FURTHER SUPPORTED BY THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER RIDERS OF THIS MOTORCYCLE WHO HAVE REPORTED FAILURES ON THE INTERNET FORUMS, IN SOME CASES HAVING FAILURE OF THE REPLACEMENT STRUT AS WELL AS THE ORIGINAL, JUST AS I HAVE. FURTHER SUPPORT IS EVIDENCED BY MY DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN WHO IS REPLACING THE CURRENT PARTIALLY CRACKED STRUT INFORMING ME THAT HE HAS REPLACED BROKEN STRUTS ON THIS MODEL MOTORCYCLE FOR OTHER CUSTOMERS. I DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER AND I DO NOT KNOW IF HE HAS HAD OTHER REPLACEMENT STRUTS FAIL. *TR

WHEN PARKED AFTER USE GASOLINE FUMES ARE EMITTED STRONGLY. THE ODOR IS SUCH THAT I DO NOT PARK IT IN THE GARAGE UNTIL IT HAS STOOD OUTSIDE FOR 2 HOURS TO ALLOW THE ODOR TO DISSIPATE. I AM AFRAID OF IT CAUSING A FIRE AND THAT IT WOULD SPREAD TO THE HOUSE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE MACHINE IN EARLY 2013. *TR

AFTER PURCHASING OUR 2011 CAN-AM SPYDER RTS WE NOTICED THAT AFTER RIDING THAT THERE WAS A FUEL SMELL INSIDE THE GARAGE COMING FROM THE SPYDER. CAN-AM ISSUED A RECALL FOR FAULTY GAS CAPS VENTING GAS FUMES. WE RECEIVED THE NEW UPDATED GAS CAP BUT STILL HAVE FUEL SMELL AFTER RIDING WHILE THE SPYDER IS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. WHILE RIDING, THE HEAT COMING UP FROM THE BODY PANELS IS SO HOT THAT IT CAUSES 1ST DEGREE BURNS ON MY WIFE'S THIGHS AND CALVES. HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY BOTH THAT, ITS NORMAL FOR THE SPYDER. *TR

OFFICER WAS OPERATING VEHICLE ON A CITY STREET APPROACHING AND INTERSECTION. POSTED SPEED WAS 25 MPH AND OFFICER WAS DECELERATING AND FELT HEAT RISING FROM BENEATH THE VEHICLE. OFFICER OBSERVED FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA AND MOVED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND GOT OFF BEFORE BEING INJURED. WITHIN SECONDS THE VEHICLE WAS FULLY ENGULFED AND FLAMES CAUGHT A YARD AND TWO NEARBY TREES ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED CAUSE OF FIRE WAS FUEL RELATED. CITY MECHANIC EXAMINED THE REMAINS AND DETERMINED THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE AND ALSO FOUND A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE AFTER CHECKING ONLINE. RECALL NOTICE WAS NOT RECEIVED BY CITY MAINTENANCE. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS, INCLUDING ALL POLICE EQUIPMENT ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

VEHICLE OVER HEATS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC/ DASH CLUSTER SAYS LIMP HOME MODE BEEN IN DEALER SHIP SINCE 5/1/2014. *JS

THERE IS A STRONG SMELL COMING FROM UNDER SEAT. SMELLS LIKE BAD EGGS, TRYING TO PIN POINT SMELL, NO LUCK, NOT SURE IF ITS BURNING FUEL, DUE TO THE HEAT OF THE CAN AM ENGINE. *TR

2011 BRP SPYDER MOTORCYCLES. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO GAS FUMES, LEAKS AND FIRES ON MOTORCYCLES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HIS WIFE CAN'T PARK HER MOTORCYCLE IN THE GARAGE AFTER A TRIP OF ANY LENGTH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CAN-AM SPYDER MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, HE NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL CANISTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE CANISTER WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800.

THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH, WHEN CANCELED, WILL JUMP TO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, FOR EXAMPLE, AFTER CHANGING LANES ON THE FREEWAY, I TURN ON TO ENTER THE LEFT LANE AND AFTER MOVING INTO THE LANE I PUSH THE CANCEL ON THE SWITCH BUT IT WILL CHANGE TO A RIGHT HAND TURN SIGNAL. THE TURN SIGN INDICATOR LIGHTS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE IN CERTAIN LIGHT CONDITIONS SO THE SIGNAL REMAINS ON. THE SOFTWARE IS SUPPOSED TO TURN THE SIGNALS OFF AFTER SO LONG BUT THIS FUNCTION TAKES FAR TO LONG AND MAY NOT WORK AT ALL AT TIMES. AFTER EXITING THE FREEWAY I HAD SIGNALED RIGHT TO EXIT THE RAMP. AT THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF THE RAMP I WAS PROCEEDING TO GO STRAIGHT AND FAILED TO NOTICE THAT MY LEFT HAND SIGNAL WAS NOT ON. A CAR THAT WAS TURNING INTO MY LANE THOUGHT I WAS TURNING LEFT AND PROCEEDED TO MAKE HIS RIGHT HAND TURN, I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION AND BOTH THE OTHER CAR AND I WOUND UP OFF THE ROAD. HE WAS FURIOUS AND THREATENED ME, I DENIED THAT I HAD PLANNED TO TURN WHEN I SEEN THAT MY LEFT SIGNAL WAS STILL FLASHING AS THE BIKE IDLED ON. THIS HAS BECOME A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR ME ON MANY OCCASIONS, SUCH THAT I TRY TO CHECK MY SIGNAL AFTER EVERY USE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ARE AWARE BUT HAVE NO SOLUTION OTHER THAN TO REPLACE WITH A NEW BUT EXACTLY THE SAME SWITCH. SO MANY OTHER SPYDER OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS SWITCH REPLACED THAT IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR