CAN-AM Spyder Complaints (2008)

72 consumer complaints on file.

#10358300September 29, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10356787September 21, 2010
STEERING, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10354391September 8, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I RIDE A CAN AM SPYDER WHICH IS A 3 WHEELED MOTORCYCLE AND ON 8-8-10 IT SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE, THANK GOODNESS SOMEONE WAS ABLE TO GET A FIRE EX. AND PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT NONE THE LESS IT MELTED A LOT OF PARTS. IT IS NOW AT A DEALER WAITING FOR PARTS TO COME IN THE BE REPLACED. I HAVE READ ON SEVERAL WEB SITES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, MAYBE A RECALL IS IN ORDER. NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353068August 31, 2010
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CAM AM SPIDER. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HANDLE BARS HAD BEGAN TO LOCK WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A PART ON THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 600.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10334527June 4, 2010
STEERING
THREE WHEELED CYCLE STEERING LOCKED/BINDED AT ABOUT 45 MPH. OPERATOR LOST CONTROL AND RAN OFF THE ROAD CAUSING PROPERTY DAMAGE. THIS WAS THE FOURTH TIME THE STEERING "BINDED" WHILE TRAVELING STRAIGHT AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10328708May 3, 2010
STEERING
VEHICLE - 2008 BRP CAN AM SPYDER. WHILE RIDING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN AFTER DARK THE DYNAMIC POWER STEERING (DPS) SEIZED UP AND I WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE UNIT WITH THE NORMAL AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON THE HANDGRIPS. WHEN ENOUGH PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE HANDLE BAR TO OVERCOME THE RESISTANCE EXCESSIVE OVER STEERING RESULTED. THE OVER STEERING CAUSED ME TO DRIVE INTO THE OPPOSING LANE AND ALTERNATELY ON TO THE SHOULDER. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO PREVENT THE STEERING FROM LOCKING UP IN ANY ONE POSITION WAS TO CONTINUOUSLY MOVE THE HANDLEBAR FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ' RIGHT TO LEFT. I WAS LUCKY NOT TO HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. I KNOW THAT BRP IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY REMEDY THAT PROTECTS THE OWNERS FROM SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. BRP'S APPROACH IS TO PROVIDE SOFTWARE UPDATES TO THE DPS UNITS WHICH MY SPYDER HAD INSTALLED SEPT. 2009. ACCORDING TO A NUMBER OF FORUMS; MANY SPYDER OWNERS HAVE HAD DPS FAILURES. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SITUATION BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10324105April 6, 2010
STEERING
CAN AM SPYDER EVERY NOW AND THEN WHILE GOING AROUND A SHARP CURVE THE POWER STEERING WILL TURN OFF AND COME BACK ON CAUSING AN OVER CORRECTION AND POSSIBLE UNINTENDED LANE CHANGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10322756March 30, 2010
STEERING
2008 CAN-AM SPYDER DISPLAYED DPS AND VSS ERRORS. RESET ERROR BY TURNING OFF AND LETTING SET FOR A FEW MINUTES. THEN DROVE FOR 40 MILES ON HIGHWAY. UPON EXITING THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 40 MPH THE BIKE'S STEERING STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WANTED TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT ONLY. IT COULD NOT BE STEERED EVEN WITH GREAT FORCE APPLIED TO THE HANDLE BAR. AFTER ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS THE ABILITY TO STEER KICKED BACK IN. THE SAME SYMPTOMS OCCURRED AGAIN 6-7 TIMES IN THE NEXT 1.5 MILES. BIKE WAS LATER TOWED TO THE CAN-AM DEALER IT WAS PURCHASED FROM. THEY REPLACED THE DPS MODULE WHICH AFTER ONLY 60 MILES IS STILL WORKING FINE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10322914March 30, 2010
STEERING
WHILE RIDING ALONG ON A LONG SWEEPING LEFT TURN THE STEERING LOCKED AND I NEEDED TO PHYSICALLY FORCE IT TO UNLOCK. I SINCE RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER AND I'M AWAITING FOR A STEERING PART NEEDED FOR REPAIR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10313660February 24, 2010
STEERING
DYNAMIC POWER STEERING (DPS) UNIT FAILURE ON MY 2008 CAN AM SPYDER. DID NOT APPEAR UNTIL THE SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS INSTALLED AS PART OF THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR THE 12000 MILE SERVICE JUST BEFORE THE 2 YEAR WARRANTY EXPIRED. UP UNTIL THEN I HAD NO SYMPTOMS. THE DEALER HAS ORDERED A REPLACEMENT DPS UNIT FROM BRP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10312985February 23, 2010
STEERING
STEERING FAILURE IN MY 2008 CAN AM SPYDER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10313310February 23, 2010
STEERING
FOLLOWING RECALL SERVICE WORK RELATING TO THE DYNAMIC POWER STEERING I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED SMOOTHER POWER STEERING ACCOMPANIED BY A SMALL "BUMP" OR "HICCUP" WHEN STEERING WHICH APPEARS TO BE A PRELUDE TO POWER STEERING FAILURE. FOLLOWING AN 18 MILE TRIP AFTER THE RECALL WAS DONE THE UNIT BEGAN TO DISPLAY CODES INDICATING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEM AND THE DYNAMIC POWER STEERING (DPS) INCLUDING "VSS FAULT", "CHECK ENGINE", AND "DPS FAULT". I WAS FORCED TO "LIMP" MY UNIT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER TESTING AND REPAIR. PRIOR TO THE RECALL I HAD NO CODES OR ENGINE ISSUES. THE UNIT HAS APPROXIMATELY 22,700 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10311061February 16, 2010
STEERING
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WENT TO ADJUST MY POSITION WITHIN MY LANE BUT THE HANDLEBARS HAD TO BE FORCED TO THE LEFT (STEERING SEEMS TO BE LOCKING UP). THIS OCCURS CONSTANTLY AND REQUIRES ABNORMAL FORCE TO CORRECT OR HAVING TO BRAKE TO A STOP SO AS NOT TO VEER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO A CAN-AM DEALERSHIP FOR A POWER STEERING RECALL ALONG WITH AN ECM UPDATE RECALL AND A DPS UPDATE PER MANUFACTURER. THE RECALLS AND UPDATES WERE DONE BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308893February 12, 2010
STEERING
STEERING LOCKS UP WHILE DRIVING. OVERCOMING THIS LOCKED UP CONDITION REQUIRES ABOVE NORMAL FORCE. WHEN THE APPLIED FORCE OVERCOMES THE LOCKED UP STEERING THE MOTORBIKE THEN VEERS IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10296176December 16, 2009
STEERING
'08 CAN AM SPYDER. WHEN RIDING IN HIGH CROSSWINDS, STEERING WOULD INTERMITTENTLY "STICK" WHEN CORRECTING BACK INTO CROSSWIND. HAD BRP'S 2ND SOFTWARE UPDATE DONE AND NOW STEERING "STICKS" ALL THE TIME JUST OFF CENTER TO THE LEFT. THE STEERING DOES NOT COMPLETELY SEIZE, BUT DEFINITELY TAKES EXTRA EFFORT TO TURN. HAVE ALMOST GONE INTO THE DITCH A FEW TIMES AS IT CAUGHT ME UNAWARES. NO PARTS REMOVED AND REPLACED AT THIS TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10292524November 17, 2009
STEERING, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
RIDING MY 2008 CAN-AM SE5 SPYDER I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON I95 AT 75MPH ATTEMPTING TO PASS A SEMI WHEN THE SPYDER STARTS TO BUCK, & LOSE POWER AND THE DASH LIGHTS UP. ENGINE LIGHT, VSS LIGHT AND DPS PROBLEM SCROLLING. TERRIFYING TO ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVE NO POWER WHILE ALL AROUND U ARE DOING 70 AND YOUR 3 LANES AWAY FROM A TURN OFF W/ LITTLE POWER AND ERRATIC STEERING.. I GOT OFF TO THE SIDE AND TURNED EVERYTHING OFF AND BACK ON & FAULT WAS STILL THERE. DID IT AGAIN & IT WAS GONE, SO I CAUTIOUSLY GOT BACK ON THE FREEWAY, ONLY TO HAVE IT HAPPEN AGAIN 20 MILES LATER. AGAIN SURROUNDED BY SEMIS. PULLED OVER. TURNED IT OFF & BACK ON. EVERYTHING OK. THIS TIME IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT JUST IN CASE I STAYED IN THE RIGHT LANE SO I COULD GET OFF IN A HURRY IF I HAD TO. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10291824November 11, 2009
STEERING
2008 CAN-AN SPYDER MODEL SE5 POWER STEERING PROBLEMS :POWER STEERING LOCKS UP OR CATCHES AND EXTRA EFFORT IS REQUIRED TO TURN THE HANDLE BARS. WHEN THE BARS DO RELEASE THE EXTRA EFFORT CAUSES VEHICLE TO SWERVE MAKING OF A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. ALSO MOTOR SURGES WHEN SHIFTING, BACK FIRES WHEN SLOWING AND QUITS AT RED LIGHTS ....EVEN THOUGH THE INCIDENT DATE IS STATED AS 10-17 THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FROM DATE OF PURCHASE,AND THERE HAVE BEEN 2 UPDATES DONE BY CAN-AM BUT THE PROBLEMS REMAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10291394November 8, 2009
SUSPENSION, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
WHILE DRIVING MY CAN AM SPYDER SM5 ON THE FREEWAY ON 11/7/O9 IT PULL TO THE RIGHT INTO THE OTHER LANE IT FELT LIKE IT LOCK UP AND VERY HARD TO STRAIGHTENED WHEELS, IT HAPPEN ABOUT SIX TIMES IN FIVE MILE RADIUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10290264October 29, 2009
STEERING
WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON MY CAN-AM SPYDER, I NOTICED THAT THE BIKE HAD DRIFTED TOWARDS THE RIGHT OF THE ROAD. NORMAL DRIFT, NO PULLING. TRIED TO CORRECT IT BUT THE HANDLEBARS WOULD NOT MOVE, THEY FELT AS IF THEY WERE LOCKED IN POSITION. AFTER 3 TRIES TO CORRECT BEFORE LEAVING THE ROAD, IT FELT AS IF IT BROKE LOOSE MAKING ME ABRUPTLY LOSE LANE POSITION ENDING UP IN THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE. NO INJURIES OR ACCIDENT OCCURRED. ALSO AFTER RETURNING HOME, AT A STOPPED POSITION AND THE BIKE RUNNING, THE STEERING WOULD NOT TURN LEFT OR RIGHT ON GRASSY SURFACE. THIS SEEMED TO FREE UP AFTER THE BIKE WAS IN A ROLLING MOTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10290285October 29, 2009
STEERING
STEERING PULLED TO RIGHT TWICE AFTER RIDING BACK FROM DEALER AFTER THEY PERFORMED 3 RECALLS. ONE WAS FOR STEERING ISSUES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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