CAN-AM Complaints

SINCE DAY ONE MY 2010 RT'S TURN SIGNAL SWITCH HAS NOT CANCELLED CORRECTLY. WHEN PUSHED IT USUALLY TURNS ON THE OPPOSITE SIGNAL THIS MISLEADS OTHER DRIVERS WHO BELIEVE I MAY BE ABOUT TO MAKE A TURN OR FILTER IN E.G I USE THE RH TURN SIGNAL TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT AND WHEN I CANCEL IT THE LH TURN SIGNAL COMES ON - I HAVE TO MOVE THE SWITCH INTO A CENTRAL POSITION AND PUSH IT IN SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE LH TURN SIGNAL TO CANCEL VEHICLES HAVE MOVED UP BEHIND ME AND ASSUMING I WILL BE MOVING OVER HAVE NEARLY RUN INTO THE BACK OF ME BRP HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR SOMETIME BUT DON'T SEEM TO BE TAKING ACTION PUTTING CAN-AM SPYDER RIDERS AT RISK OF A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR A FATALITY.

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

MOTORCYCLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AT FUEL TANK WHILE TRAVELING WITH RIDER. MY FRIEND (ALSO ON A SPYDER) AND I TRAVELED FROM AUSTIN TO GALVESTON,TEXAS. WE ARRIVED AT OUR HOTEL, PARKED UNDER THE AWNING, TURNED OFF OUR BIKES AND WENT INSIDE TO CHECK IN. AFTER 10 MINUTES OR SO, WE RESTARTED OUR BIKES TO RIDE TO THE DESIGNATED PARKING SPACES. FLAMES SHOT OUT FROM UNDER THE LEFT SIDE OF MY SEAT AT THE FUEL TANK. I IMMEDIATELY JUMPED OFF, OBTAINED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM THE HOTEL LOBBY AND PUT OUT THE FIRE PRIOR TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ARRIVAL. FIRE MARSHALL REPORT AND PICTURES AVAILABLE. THE BIKE WAS TOWED TO HOUSTON AND A REPAIR ORDER OF $7057 SUBMITTED TO FOREMOST INSURANCE COMPANY. THE LAST FILL UP OF GASOLINE WAS 50 MILES PRIOR TO THE FIRE. ALL GAS RECEIPTS ARE AVAILABLE. I HAVE BEEN AN EMERGENCY ROOM NURSE FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND REALIZE ACCIDENTS HAPPEN. I AM VERY SAFETY CONSCIOUS. WHY WOULD I WANT TO GET BACK ON A BIKE THAT CAUGHT FIRE FOR NO APPARENT REASON? AFTER REVIEWING COMPLAINTS ON LINE AT WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV AND INTERNET IT IS CLEAR THERE IS SOME SORT OF SAFETY DEFECT. MULTIPLE FIRES HAVE OCCURRED AND SOME BIKES HAVE BURNED TO THE GROUND. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT IDENTIFIED, THEREFORE, UNABLE TO BE SOLVED. FRANKLY, I AM AFRAID TO GET BACK ON THIS BIKE ONCE IT'S REPAIRED. ALL SERVICE RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE. ALL MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED AT THE DEALERSHIP AS SCHEDULED. I HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS BIKE IN THE PAST. IT HAS BEEN TOWED TWICE BEFORE THIS INCIDENT AND HAS RUINED VACATIONS. IT EVEN HAD A CRACKED HEADER PIPE AT 4,000 MILES. I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR A RECALL? THANK GOODNESS I WAS NOT AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND ABLE TO JUMP OFF AND NOT SUFFER ANY INJURIES. UNFORTUNATELY, I SEE FATALITIES AND BURN VICTIMS EVERYDAY IN MY LINE OF WORK. I DO NOT WANT TO BECOME ONE OF THEM!

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER RS MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AFTER DRIVING 5 MPH. WHILE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP; HOWEVER AN INSPECTION WAS NOT CONDUCTED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 12,000.

IT APPEARS THE FOIL-FOAM HEAT SHIELD IGNITED FROM THE HEAT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CAN-AM ROADSTER SPYDER RT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, FLAMES WERE EMITTED FROM UNDER THE SEAT. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES BY USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER HOWEVER, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BURNS TO HIS LEGS AND ELBOWS, WHICH LATER BECAME INFECTED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CAN-AM SPYDER RT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V159000 (SERVICE BRAKES, AIR CONTROL: FOOT CONTROLS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,626.

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

CLUTCH FAILED CAUSING MOTORCYCLE TO STALL IN GEAR. BACK WHEEL LOCKED UP AND BIKE COULD NOT BE PUSHED OUT OF THE ROAD. WHEN THE CLUTCH FAILED IT RUINED THE MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION BEYOND REPAIR. *TR