2013 CAN-AM Spyder St

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.

THIS COMPLAINT IS LIKE MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE, OR ARE, COMPLAINING ABOUT THE HEAT ISSUE OF THE ENGINE AND BEING IGNORED. THE PROBLEM IS SO SEVERE THAT IT ACTUALLY BURNS THE INSIDE OF THE THIGH DURING OPERATION. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WITH OTHER THREE WHEELED VEHICLES WITH TRIKE CONVERSIONS SUCH AS SUZUKI, HONDA, ETC. THE PLASTIC HOUSING OF THE CANAM 998 ENGINE HOLDS THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WITHOUT AN ACCEPTABLE VENT OTHER THAN ALLOWING IT TO DIFFUSE RIGHT UP THROUGH YOUR LEGS. THIS MAKES FOR A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN THAT IT DIRECTS MUCH OF YOUR MIND AND DRIVING ATTENTION TOWARD ATTEMPTS TO RELIEVE THE PROBLEM FOR YOUR LEGS, PLUS THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES ON OTHER MODEL CANAM VEHICLES WHERE THE MACHINE EVENTUALLY CAUGHT FIRE. BRP, THE PARENT COMPANY OF THE CANAM IS PIECE-MEALING ATTENTION TO THE "RT" MODEL AND IGNORING LONG TERM CORRECTIVE MEASURES FOR ALL MODELS. *TR

BRP / CAN-AM REPLACED THE 2013 SPYDER ST-LIMITED HEAT SIDE-PANELS RECENTLY UNDER WARRANTY WITH NEW DESIGN 2014 HEAT SIDE-PANELS INSTALLED BY A CAN-AM DEALER ON 2 DECEMBER 2014 (A BRP CASE FILE WAS OPENED WITH A BRP CASE NUMBER PROVIDED ON 21 OCTOBER 2014 AND IS AVAILABLE FOR REFERENCE). HOWEVER, THE SPYDER'S GAS TANK AND GASOLINE FUEL CONTINUES TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY HOT DURING & AFTER RIDING THE SPYDER. IN ADDITION AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, SIGNIFICANT FUEL VAPOR FUMES CONTINUE TO BE PRESENT AFTER OPERATING THE SPYDER. I'M MOST CONCERNED THE HOT GAS TANK, HOT GASOLINE FUEL, AND HEATED FUEL VAPOR FUMES ARE UNSAFE OR DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE AN EXPLOSION, FIRE, AND INJURIES TO LIFE AND PROPERTY. I HAVE ALSO REPORTED THIS CONCERN COMPLAINT TO BRP / CAN-AM AND REQUESTED RESOLUTION BUT HAVE NOT YET HEARD BACK FROM THEM. --- "WHAT CAN BRP DO ABOUT OVER-HEATED GAS AND DANGEROUS FUEL FUMES ASSOCIATED WITH OUR 2013 SPYDER?" *TR

MILE 1067 COMPLAINED ABOUT EXCESSIVE HEAT COMING FROM RIGHT FLOORBOARD AREA AND GAS FUMES TO MY DEALER, TOLD IT'S NORMAL. MILE 4582 2ND SERVICE DEALER INSTALLED HEAT SHIELD AT MASTER CYLINDER PER BRP FOR HEAT ISSUES, STILL EXCESSIVE HEAT, FUMES AND NOW BOILING GAS IN TANK. DEALER CONSIDER ALL NORMAL OPERATION. MILE 6386 SPYDERLOVERS.COM CHATS FOUND OUT ABOUT ECM NEEDED UPDATE FOR HEAT ISSUE CALLED DEALER AND CONFIRMED BRING IN. NO NOTIFICATION FROM BRP. CARRIED TO DEALER UPDATE INSTALLED, STILL COMPLAIN ABOUT ABOVE ISSUES. MILE 7988 REPLACED TRAILER MODULE BURNED OUT REPLACED, I BELIEVE DUE TO HEAT, SAME COMPLAINT AS ABOVE. NO ACTION TAKEN. MILE 11277 REPLACED TRAILER MODULE BURNED OUT REPLACED ,SAME COMPLAINTS AS BEFORE NO ACTION. MILE 12000 BOTH FRONT TIRES SEVERELY CUPPED BRP SAID NO ON WARRANTY TO MANY MILES, I REPLACED BUT THATS UNSATISFACTORY MILEAGE ON FRONTS. 8/25/14 E-MAIL BRP ABOUT HEAT ISSUES. 8/26/14 SENT ME CASE NUMBER. 10/24/14 MILE 13641 BRP OK'D REPLACING UPPER RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE COVERS TO ALLOW MORE AIR TO ENGINE COMPARTMENT REPLACED THEM. IN MY OPINION AFTER SIDE PANEL REPLACEMENT RIDING A FEW HOURS TEMP 88 DEGREES THAT THIS HELPED SOME WITH HEAT AT FLOORBOARD BUT WON'T HOLD UP WHEN 90 + DEGREES AND FUMES AND BOILING GAS STILL AN ISSUE. *TR

REPORTED BY PHONE, CASE [XXX]. -WHEN TEMPERATURE UNDER THE PARKED VEHICLE REACHES A THRESHOLD , AND THE VEHICLE IS LATER DRIVEN OFF, THE DISPLAY SCREEN CHANGES TO ORANGE CHECK ENGINE. THIS DISTRACTS THE RIDER AND FORCES THE EYES OFF THE ROAD, A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. -BRP, THE MFG, KNOWS THIS DEFECT AND WILL NOY FIX IT. THE DEALER DID NOT DISCLOSE THIS DEFECT AND AFTER I REPORTED IT SAID IF AFFECTS ALL SPYDERS FOR AT LEAST THE LAST 2 YEARS. -THE OWNERS MANUAL ON PAGE 26, IT STATES "ENGINE MANAGEMENT COMPONENT MALFUNCTION-REMOVE AND REINSERT KEY." THIS "SOLUTION" OF REMOVING AND REINSERTING KEY IS IMPRACTICAL AND DOES NOT WORK UNTIL RIDER HAS DRIVEN SEVERAL (4-10) MILES. -THE DEALER STATES HE GETS SEVERAL CALLS EVERY WEEK BUT SAID BRP REFUSED TO FIX IT. HE SENT ME TO BRP DIRECTLY. THE AGENT TOOK DOWN THE INFORMATION (SHIRLEY), AGREED IT WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION, CLAIM #[XXX]. -THE DEALER CALLED BRP, REFERENCED CLAIM NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. -I CALLED BRP AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD DO NOTHING. -I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE HAD THIS BEEN DISCLOSED BV THE DEALER. -ONE OF THE TARGET MARKETS FOR THIS VEHICLE ARE OLDER CITIZENS (I AM 66) THAT MAY NOT BE EXPERIENCED RIDERS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO THEM, THEY MIGHT PANIC, SETTING UP A CHAIN OF EVENTS LEADING TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. -FINALLY, WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN A FEW MILES THE DISPLAY CHANGES BACK TO NORMAL BUT NOW THERE IS A RECTANGLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DISPLAY THAT FLASHES CHECK ENGINE. WHEN THE BIKE COMES TO A STOP THE FLASHING STOPS AND THE ENTIRE SCREEN IS ONCE AGAIN TAKEN OVER BY THE ORANGE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

AFTER RIDING VEHICLE & PARKING IT , I COULD SMELL STRONG FUEL FUMES FROM VEHICLE. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE BODY PANELS BECOMES VERY HOT . I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE FUEL IN THE TANK HAS BUBBLES / BOILING. DURING ENGINE OPERATION; THE VEHICLE SENDS EXTREMELY HOT AIR OUT OF THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FORWARD EDGES OF THE SEAT AND UPPER AND SIDE BODY PANELS, THE UPPER SIDE PANELS ARE VERY HOT TO TOUCH, AND THE UNDERSEAT AREA ACCUMULATES AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF HOT AIR ALLOWING THE FUEL CAP FOUND UNDER THE SEAT TO BECOME HOT TO THE TOUCH. I SEND PHOTOS OF MY BURNS TO BRP THEY SEND ME NEW PANELS BUT THE HEAT ISSUES HAVE NOT, I FEEL THE MOTORCYCLE IS UNSAFE AND MY WIFE ASK ME TOT TO RIDE WITH THE BOYS OR HER, I DO RIDE THE BIKE BUT ALWAYS AFRAID THAT IT COULD BLOW OR A FIRE CAN BREAK AT ANYTIME PLEASE HELP. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE EXTREME HEAT FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BIKE CAUSED 1ST AND 2ND DEGREE BURNS ON THIGH AND UPPER LEG. I BOUGHT THE BIKE IN MAY OF 2014, COMPLAINED TO BRP ABOUT THE EXTREME HEAT ON THE RIGHT FOOT. THEY AUTHORIZED MY DEALER TO REPLACE THE PANELS WITH A NEWER VERSIONS. THE PANELS WERE TO BE PLACED ON MY BIKE ON TUESDAY AUGUST 13,2014. I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE EXTREME HEAT ON THE LEFT SIDE UNTIL I RODE THE BIKE FOR A LONGER DISTANCE. HAVE CONTACTED BRP ABOUT MY INJURY. *TR