2008 Can-Am SPYDER GS: complaints, problems and recalls

I OWN A 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER GS. I WOULD LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE POWER STEERING (VSS) I AM NOT SO GOOD AT THESE THINGS, SO I WILL JUST SAY IT LIKE IT IS. IT LOCKS TO THE LEFT. AND PULLS THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT. THIS HAPPENS BETWEEN 40-55 MPH I ALMOST CRASHED ON THE ON RAMP OF THE 405 FREEWAY BECAUSE THE BIKE WOULD SIMPLY NOT TURN TO THE RIGHT AND I HAD TO FIGHT WITH IT TO GET IT TO TURN. I STOPPED 2.5 FEET BEFORE CRASHING IN TO THE WALL. I KNOW OF 3 PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY CRASHED AND BRP (THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT REPLY TO US) THERE WAS …

Owner-reported narrative. 7,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10259914 at NHTSA ↗

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 A…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,422 miles reported. Look up ODI 10292524 at NHTSA ↗

'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

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10296176 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10308893 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10311061 at NHTSA ↗

STEERING FAILURE IN MY 2008 CAN AM SPYDER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10312985 at NHTSA ↗

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 …

Owner-reported narrative. 22,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10313310 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 12,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10313660 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2007-12-12 (December 12, 2007)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THERE IS A PRESENCE OF AN ABNORMAL QUANTITY OF AIR IN THE HYDRAULIC CIRCUIT OF THE FRONT BRAKE. ALSO SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE ONE OR TWO BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR CAPS THAT ARE SEALED AND THIS COULD CREATE A VACUUM WHICH COULD LEAD TO ADSORPTION OF AIR INTO THE BRAKE CIRCUITS. THE BRAKE PEDAL MAY GO ALMOST TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSING.

Consequence: A DRIVER MAY BE UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AS EXPECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: BRP HAS NOTIFIED EACH OWNER INFORMING THEM OF THIS PROBLEM AND SCHEDULING A PICK-UP TIME TO RETRIEVE THE VEHICLE. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND PERFORM A BLEEDING OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS NEEDED. THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR CAPS WILL BE REPLACED AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM PRESSURE WILL BE VALIDATED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 21, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BRP AT 1-888-864-2002.

Reported: 2012-12-12 (December 12, 2012)

Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Can-Am Spyder GS and model year 2010 Can-AM Spyder RS vehicles. Fuel vapors may exit the fuel vapor canister vent hose in the enclosed engine compartment.

Consequence: Fuel vapors in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire and personal injury.

Remedy: BRP will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel vapor canister vent hose and replace and re-route it, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on December 26, 2012. Owners may contact BRP AT 1-888-638-5397.

Reported: 2012-12-12 (December 12, 2012)

Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Can-Am Spyder GS, RS, and RT series vehicles. The fuel cap may not fit onto the fuel tank filler neck, preventing it from sealing properly.

Consequence: If the fuel cap does not seal properly, it may leak fuel vapors. Fuel vapors in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire and personal injury.

Remedy: BRP will notify owners and send them a replacement fuel cap, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin in mid-January 2013. Owners may contact BRP AT 1-888-638-5397.