CAN-AM Complaints

I AM WRITING THIS LETTER IN REGARDS TO ISSUES OCCURRING WITH MY 2013 CAN AM SPYDER ST-S. I PURCHASED THE MOTORCYCLE BRAND NEW IN 2013 FROM HOUMA, LA PERFORMANCE POWER SPORTS. FOR THE LAST YEAR OR BETTER, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT REMAINING ON ONCE THE CYCLE ENGINE IS OFF. SECONDLY, THE MOTORCYCLE IS CONSTANTLY GOING INTO 'LIMP MODE' WHILE RIDING. (VSS FAULT). THE MOTORCYCLE DECREASES IN SPEED APPROXIMATELY TO A MAXIMUM 70 MPH. LASTLY, THE 'CRUISE CONTROL' WILL NOT SET. THESE PROBLEMS ARE VERY EMBARRASSING TO SAY THE LEAST AND IT POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. IN PROCEEDING TO DO MY OWN RESEARCH, IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ROUGHLY NINETY-SEVEN (97) FORMAL COMPLAINTS MADE IN REGARDS TO 2013 CAN AM SPYDER, MOST INCLUDED THE SAME ISSUES LISTED HERE. THAT WAS QUITE ASTONISHING TO ME. IN ALL OF MY FRUSTRATION, I HAVE MADE NUMEROUS CALLS AND VISITS TO NEW ORLEANS POWER SPORTS LOCATION. THE RESULTS HAVE ALL BEEN MET WITH UNCONVINCING DETAILS. TELEPHONE CALLS HAVE GONE UNANSWERED, SPECULATIONS WERE MADE, ACCUSATIONS MADE WITHOUT PROPER DIAGNOSES. I AM UNAWARE IF THE MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN THROUGH A DIAGNOSTICS TEST AT NEW ORLEANS POWER SPORT. IN ADDITION, IT WAS LEARNED THERE WERE TWO RECALLS MADE: (1) 15V095000 FOR ENGINE; (2) 13V38600 FOR BRAKES AND HYDRAULICS. RECALL (1) WAS DONE SUCCESSFULLY THE HEATING SHIELDS WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, RECALL (2) WAS NOT MADE KNOWN UNTIL RECENTLY. AFTER HAVING GONE THROUGH ALL OF THIS, IT APPEARS THAT THE DEALERSHIP IS UNAWARE OF CURRENT UPDATES ABOUT THE PRODUCTS THEY SERVICE. NEVERTHELESS, I AM AT THE END OF THE ROAD! AT THIS POINT, I AM NOT A HAPPY CUSTOMER! THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 08/04/16. *JB

I PURCHASED THE BIKE IN APRIL 2015 AND I RIDE ON COUNTRY ROADS. IN OCTOBER WE TOOK THE BIKE UP TO GET A PUMPKIN AND HAD TO SIT IN TRAFFIC. THE BIKE OVERHEATED SO WE PULLED OFF AND LET IT COOL DOWN. ON THE WAY BACK HOME THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WE FLASHING DIFFERENT THING SO I PULLED OVER AND CALLED CAN-AM FOR A TOW TRUCK SO IT COULD BE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP HAD THE BIKE FOR AROUND 2 WEEKS AND FINALLY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME IT WAS FIXED. I PICKED UP THE BIKE AND IT OVERHEATED NOT EVEN A 1/4 MILE FROM THE SHOP SO I TOOK IT BACK. THEY FOUND OUT THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT INSTALL THE FUSES FOR THE COOLING FANS.WHEN I GOT THE BIKE BACK FROM THE DEALER THE SECOND TIME I PARKED IT AND WHEN I HAD A CHANCE TO RIDE IT ON NOVEMBER 28TH 2015, II WAS ON COUNTY ROADS IN NORTH GEORGIA AND IT OVER HEATED AGAIN. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO LET THEM KNOW I WAS ON MY WAY BACK TO THE DEALER WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STARTED FLASHING A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. I PULLED OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IT LOOKED LIKE SMOKE BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THAT IS WHEN I SAW FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT IT OUT AND I HAD IT TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE BIKE IS A TOTAL LOSS. CAN-AM SENT AN ENGINEER TO LOOK AT THE BIKE ON JANUARY 19TH 2016. WHAT I WAS TOLD BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY THE ENGINEER SAID "IT LOOKS LIKE THE FIRE STARTED AT THE RADIATOR BUT THERE WAS TOO MUCH DEBRIS TO CONFIRM. MY INSURANCE COMPANY STATE FARM CALLED ME LAST NIGHT AND TOLD ME CAN AM WAS NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER ROADSTER. ONCE THE CONTACT BEGAN RIDING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING FAILED AND A CHECK DPS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THIS WAS A RECURRING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE DPS UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,500.

BIKE WENT IN (LIMP MODE) BECAUSE DYNAMICPOWER STEERING(DPS) UNIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, CAN AM/BRP HAD A RECALL OF THE (DPS) UNITS ON SEPTEMBER 7,2010, HOWEVER IS NOW REFUSING TO REPAIR MY CAN-AM PURSUANT TO SAID RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER GS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT REQUIRED FORCE TO STEER THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V162000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,500.

AFTER RIDING THE SPYDER ST, I STARTED TO NOTICE EXCESSIVE HEAT COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE PANEL AND HEAT ON MY RIGHT ANKLE. THE PANEL IS VERY HOT TO THE TOUCH AND IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME TO PULL OVER AND ALLOW MY SPYDER TO COOL OFF BEFORE I COULD RIDE IT HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME, I FOUND THAT I HAD A BURN ON MY LEFT LEG WHERE IT HAD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE SIDE PANELS. I WAS WEARING LONG PANTS AND THIS BURN OCCURRED THROUGH THE FABRIC OF MY JEANS. I HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF RIDING MOTORCYCLES, TRIKES AND NOW CAN AM AND THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW IN 2013 CAN AM SPYDER. IT IS VERY UNSAFE, IT CAN NOT ONLY CAUSE BURNS TO THE RIDER, BUT ALSO IT COULD CAUSE A DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

I HAD AN ANTIFREEZE LEAK FROM THE COOLANT RESERVOIR WHICH LEAKED ANTIFREEZE ALL OVER THE GROUND AND ONTO THE TIRES. UPON GOOGLING THE ISSUE I FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK LEAKING FROM THE BACKSIDE OF THE TANK, SO COMMON THAT BRP (CAN-AM) MADE A NEW VERSION OF THE COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK THAT IS REINFORCED IN THAT AREA TO SOLVE THE ISSUE. UPON CONTACTING BRP (CAN-AM) THEY STATED THEY WERE NOT ISSUING A RECALL ON THIS ITEM AND I WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE IT FROM A DEALER. I BELIEVE DO TO THEM KNOWING ABOUT THE ISSUE, MAKING A REPLACEMENT TANK TO SOLVE THE ISSUE, THAT THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER SOME TYPE OF RECALL DO TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF IT AND THAT IT LEAKS ANTIFREEZE ONTO THE GROUND WHICH THEN CAN CAUSE THE TIRES TO LOSE TRACTION CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS ISSUE IS ON SEVERAL WEBSITES AND FORUMS WHEN YOU DO A SEARCH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CAN-AM SPYDER RT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE SEAT BECAME EXTREMELY HOT TO THE TOUCH. THE CONTACT INDICATED THE HEAT FROM THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST SYSTEM WOULD MAKE THE SEAT VERY HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING OUR SPYDER ON HWY. #2 FROM SEDRO WOOLLY TO WINTHROP, WA. WE WERE TRAVELLING WITH TWO OTHER VEHICLES WHICH WERE AHEAD OF US. THE ROAD IS VERY CURVY THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS AND WE KEPT TO THE SPEED LIMITS POSTED. THE WEATHER WAS SUNNY AND THE ROADS DRY. WE WERE TRAVELLING EAST AND HAVING AN ENJOYABLE TIME. HOWEVER AT MILE 144 WE CAME ACROSS ANOTHER CURVE IN THE ROAD AND THE SPYDER STEERING FROZE AND WOULD NOT TURN. IT WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE OTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC AND STRAIGHT INTO THE GUARD RAILING. WE WERE TRAVELLING AT THE POSTED SPEED OF 35 MPH. AT THE TIME WHEN THE STEERING FROZE. MY WIFE WAS THROWN FROM THE SPYDER AND RECEIVED NUMEROUS BRUISES AND ROAD RASH. A SIMILAR INCIDENT HAPPENED IN MAY THIS YEAR WHEN TAKING A CORNER BUT WE WERE ABLE TO STOP SAFELY. AT THAT TIME WE DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF THAT INCIDENT. HOWEVER THIS TIME IT WAS MORE SERIOUS AND WE KNOW SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG. IT APPEARS THAT WHEN DRIVING MOUNTAIN/CURVY ROADS, THE STEERING HEATS UP AND THE POWER STEERING ON THE SPYDER FAILS TO WORK. I SEE THAT CAN AM SPYDER HAS HAD THIS ISSUE PREVIOUSLY. THE SPYDER HAS ONLY 4,800 MILES ON IT AND IS THREE YEARS OLD.

CPSC: X1460470A. 2009 CAN AM SPYDER RS. CONSUMER STATED AFTER HAVING THE BIKE SERVICED 4 TIMES AND RECALLED 3 IT CAUGHT FIRE. *LN