CAN-AM Complaints

ON FRIDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2014I RODE THE SPYDER TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN, [XXX], CONNECTED IT TO THE B.U.D.S. COMPUTER. I AM ALSO SENDING [XXX]. A COURTESY COPY OF THIS EMAIL. THE COMPUTER OBTAINED INFORMATION THAT POINTED TO A PROBLEM WITH THE PURGE VALVE AND VAPOR RECOVERY CANISTER, AS WELL AS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM). THIS IS IN ADDITION TO HEAT AND GAS VAPOR ISSUES WHEN THE AMBIENT OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS 75 DEGREES AND ABOVE. YESTERDAY AFTERNOON 27 OCTOBER 2014, I TOOK THE SPYDER ON A RIDE YESTERDAY OF ABOUT 30 MILES ON LOCAL ROADS. AFTER I RETURNED HOME AND SHUT OFF THE SPYDER BRIEFLY TO OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR, IT DIDN'T WANT TO START. THE STARTER TURNED THE MOTOR OVER, BUT THE MOTOR WOULD NOT START. AFTER 4 ATTEMPTS, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET IT STARTED. I AM FORTUNATE THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN OUT ON THE ROAD. THE SPYDER HAD A STRONG GAS VAPOR SMELL, WHICH WAS STILL EVIDENT THE MORNING IN MY GARAGE. I CHECKED THE SPYDER THIS MORNING AND IT STARTED WITH NO PROBLEM. I SUSPECT THE ECM AND PURGE VALVE CODES THAT THE B.U.D.S. COMPUTER DETECTED ARE TO BLAME, BUT THE HEAT ISSUE IS SOMETHING THAT BRP NEEDS TO ADDRESS. I, ALONG WITH MANY OWNERS OF THE CAN-AM SPYDER, HAVE CONCERNS WITH SAFETY AND HEAT ISSUES. I WILL SAY THAT I ENJOY THE SPYDER, BUT I WOULD ENJOY IT FAR MORE IF MY CONCERNS WITH SAFETY AND RELIABILITY ARE ADDRESSED. MY SPYDER IS STILL UNDER BRP ORIGINAL WARRANTY, AND I'D LIKE THESE PROBLEMS TO BE ADDRESSED BY BRP UNDER THOSE TERMS AND NOT AT ADDITIONAL COST TO ME, BECAUSE THE SPYDER IS NOT INEXPENSIVE TO BUY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

A VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE UPON SHUT DOWN AFTER EXTENDED RIDES OF MORE THAN 10-15 MILES AT VARYING SPEEDS. APPEARS TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN WHEN MULTIPLE STOPS (ENGINE SHUT DOWN OF SHORT DURATION) OCCUR DURING THE SAME RIDE. RIDING MORE THAN 10 - 15 MILES RESULTS IN VERY HIGH HEAT EMANATING FROM UNDER SEAT ON RIGHT SIDE AND EXTREME HEAT NEAR RIGHT ANKLE AND FOOT. PASSENGER ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT HEAT TO RIGHT ANKLE AND FOOT. WHEN PARKING SPYDER IN MY ENCLOSED ATTACHED GARAGE, GARAGE DOOR MUST BE LEFT OPEN TO DISSIPATE GASOLINE FUMES, OTHERWISE FUMES ENTER HOUSE LIVING AREAS. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT MY NATURAL GAS FIRED WATER HEATER (WITH PILOT LIGHT) IS IN THE SAME GARAGE AS MY PARKED SPYDER. SO FAR (KNOCK ON WOOD) THERE HAVE BEEN NO FIRES BUT I ATTRIBUTE THAT TO VENTILATING GARAGE COMPLETELY BEFORE CLOSING GARAGE DOOR. THE GASOLINE FUMES ARE A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND THE HIGH HEAT, WHILE A COMFORT PROBLEM, COULD ALSO BE A DISTRACTION SAFETY PROBLEM. IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT THESE CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. *TR

I TOOK A TRIP TO GEORGIA ON OCTOBER 24, , AND ON SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 26, WHEN I STARTED THE SPYDER TO LEAVE, IT BEGAN TO STALL AT IDLE, IT CUT OFF REPEATEDLY, AND IDLED ROUGH. IT WOULDN'T MAINTAIN THE NORMAL IDLE RANGE OF 1200-1300 RPM. I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT OFF, AND AS I RODE, THE IDLE WAS ROUGH FOR A FEW MILES, BUT AFTER I GOT IT ON THE FREEWAY, IT SEEMED OKAY. ONCE AGAIN, THE HEAT ISSUE AND FUEL SMELLS BECAME EVIDENT AS I RODE BACK TO ALABAMA, AND THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE ROSE. IT SEEMS THAT ANY OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ABOVE 70 DEGREES AND THE HEAT FROM THE VEHICLE BECOMES WORSE WITH THE RESULTING FUEL SMELL AND A LOT OF HEAT COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND FUEL TANK WHEN GOING TO FILL UP. I WAS A BIT WORRIED BEING SO FAR FROM HOME, BUT I GOT BACK OKAY. *TR

1. AFTER RIDING THE 2011 CAN AM SPYDER RTS/SE5 AND PARKING IT IN THE GARAGE, A STRONG FUEL SMELL ODOR LINGERS FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS BEFORE IT DISSIPATES. 2. WHILE RIDING THE 2011 CAN AM SPYDER RTS/SE5 IN CITY OR HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, AN EXTREME HEAT CAN BE FELT FROM UNDER THE SEAT AREA. THE HEAT IS SO BAD THAT IT HAS LEFT FIRST DEGREE BURNS ON THE INNER THIGH AND KNEE AREAS. *TR

I WAS RIDING ON HIGHWAY 291 IN LEES SUMMIT MO TRAVELING AT 65 MPH. THE DAILY TEMP WAS BETWEEN 92 - 95 DEGREES. THE FAN WAS BLOWING THE HOT AIR OUT FROM THE BIKES RADIATOR AREA AND WITH THE BIKE BEING IN MOTION THE HOT AIR WAS BEING ROUTED ONTO MY RIGHT LEG AND I COULD FEEL MY LEG GETTING HOT TO THE POINT THAT I WAS UNABLE TO KEEP MY FOOT ON THE FOOT PEG FOR LONGER THAN 10-15 SECONDS AFTER WHICH, I NEEDED TO KEEP SHIFTING THE LOCATION OF MY FOOT ON THE FOOT PEG. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT SIDE PANELS AND THE AIR COMING FROM UNDER THE SEAT WAS UNCOMFORTABLY HOT. ALSO WHEN REFUELING THE GAS TANK FILLER NECK WAS TOO HOT TO TOUCH. DURING THE FIRST LONG TRIP ON THIS BIKE (WEEKEND OF OCT 25-26) FROM GRAIN VALLEY MO TO EUREKA SPRINGS AR (540 MILES ROUND TRIP). TEMPS WERE IN THE 70'S DURING THE TRIP TO AR AND WHEN REFUELING I NOTICED THAT THE GAS TANK FILLER NECK WAS OVERLY WARM. THE RETURN TRIP, WITH TEMPS IN THE MID 80S, THE HEAT ON MY RIGHT LEG WAS BECOMING UNCOMFORTABLE, THE RIGHT SIDE PANELS WERE HOT AND THE HEAT UNDER THE SEAT WAS OVERLY WARM. REFUELING, THE GAS TANK FILLER NECK WAS ALMOST TOO HOT TO TOUCH. *TR

AFTER RIDING THE 2011 CAN AM SPYDER RTS/SE5 AND PARKING IT IN THE GARAGE, A STRONG FUEL SMELL ODOR LINGERS FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS BEFORE IT DISSIPATES. WHILE RIDING THE 2011 CAN AM SPYDER RTS/SE5 IN CITY OR HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, AN EXTREME HEAT CAN BE FELT FROM UNDER THE SEAT AREA. THE HEAT IS SO BAD THAT IT HAS LEFT FIRST DEGREE BURNS ON THE INNER THIGH AND KNEE AREAS. *TR

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

NOTICED BAD FUEL SMELL FROM DAY ONE OF OWNING THE SPYDER. WOULD LEAVE OUTSIDE WHILE IT COOLED OFF OR PUT A BOX FAN ON IT TO BLOW THE VAPORS OUT OF THE GARAGE. IN AUGUST OF 2013 I NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAYING ON, REMOVED SIDE PANEL TO FINED THE WIRES MELTED AND SHORTED TOGETHER. I ALSO NOTICED THE PLASTIC ON THE MASTER CYLINDER SHOWED SIGNS OF MELTING AND OF GETTING HOT. I REPAIRED THE WIRES WITH HIGH TEMPERATURE ELECTRICAL TAPE. I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM BRP IN SEPTEMBER FOR HEAT RELATED PROBLEMS. THE DEALER FOUND THE FUEL EVAPORATOR CANISTER ALMOST BURNED THROUGH, IT WAS REPLACED AND COVERED IT WITH TIN FOIL HEAT SHIELD. THE DEALER DID NOT THINK THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS MELTED BAD ENOUGH TO WARRANT CHANGING AND COVERED IT WITH TIN FOIL HEAT SHIELD. I HAD THEM TO LEAVE THE WIRING AS I HAD ALREADY REPAIRED IT. THE BAD FUEL SMELL CONTINUED WITH THE NEW FUEL EVAPORATOR CANISTER AND THE FUEL BOILS WHERE YOU CAN HEAR IT AFTER A RIDE. IF YOU LOOK UNDER THE SPYDER AFTER A RIDE YOU CAN SEE FUEL VAPORS SPEWING AND DRIPPING FROM THE VENT LINE, AND IT WILL CONTINUE FOR MAYBE AN HOUR OR LONGER. IT IS SOMETIMES HARD TO PUT FUEL IN BECAUSE IT MAKES THE GAS PUMP NOZZLE KEEP CUTTING OFF. *TR

DURING A TRIP IN SEPTEMBER OF 2013 TO UPSTATE NY, THE BIKE STARTED TO GIVE OFF A STRONG SMELL OF GAS & MELTING PLASTIC. THE BIKE WENT INTO LIMP MODE SO I PULLED INTO A NEAR BY GAS STATION IN ORDER TO GET OFF THE ROAD. I LET THE BIKE SIT FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES SO IT WOULD RESET. WHEN I STARTED THE BIKE UP AGAIN IN REMAINED IN LIMP MODE. I CONTACTED THE NEAREST LOCAL DEALER AND RODE THE BIKE TO THEM FOR SERVICE. UPON INSPECTION THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THAT THE LOWER RIGHT HAND BODY PANEL WAS DAMAGED DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT IN ADDITION THE FUEL EVAPORATOR CANISTER HAD MELTED AND HAD DEVELOPED NOTICEABLE HOLE. *TR

TOOK BIKE TO INTO BERT'S MEGAMALL IN AZUSA, CA. TO HAVE COOLANT TANK REPLACED AS FOUND COOLANT DRIP ON DRIVEWAY FIRST WEEK OF OCT 2013. HAD TO LEAVE BIKE SO THEY COULD ORDER PARTS. WAS CALLED BY SERVICE MGR. SEVERAL DAYS LATER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY RAN VIN AND DPS SAFETY RECALL HAD NOT BEEN DONE AND COULD NOT RELEASE BIKE UNTIL DONE. I SAID IT WAS OK! TO DO RECALL. PICKED UP BIKE SEVERAL DAYS LATER AND TURN SIGNAL WOULDN'T CANCEL AFTER TURN. RETURNED TO DEALER. THEY HAD NOT ZEROED STEERING. FIXED! LEFT DEALER GOT ON FREEWAY AND WENT ABOUT 3MILES CLUSTER LIT UP AND BIKE WENT INTO LIMP MODE. RETURNED BIKE. MORE PARTS TO ORDER. SPARK PLUG WIRE GROUNDED TO HEAD. ANOTHER WEEK PICKED UP BIKE AFTER REPAIR. SERVICE MGR. SAID THEY HAD DONE A CLUSTER UPDATE (FILE 215800215) TEMP. BAR GRAPH - ENGINE TEMP. HIGHER AFTER UPDATE. MAY 14, 2014 TRAILERED BIKE TO LOCAL DEALER IN LAFAYETTE, LA . CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND RUNNING ON ONE CYLINDER. DIAGNOSED AS ECM CORRUPTED. REPLACED ECM. BIKE RUNS BUT TO HOT TO RIDE MORE THAN 3 MILES. AS SOON AS TEMP BAR GRAPH REACHES 5 BARS. CAN FEEL BIKE RADIATING HEAT FROM STANDING SEVERAL FEET FROM BIKE BIKE NOT SAFE TO RIDE. UPDATED 11/18/14*CN *TR *JS