IllustrationI WAS DRIVING DOWN TRAIL, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOST MY POWER STEERING, CAUSING ME TO GO OFF TRAIL AN HIT A BIG ROCK THROWING ME OVER HANDLE BARS, GOOD THING I HAD HELMET ON, BUT I DID BREAK MY FINGER ON MY LEFT HAND,
2016 Polaris Sportsman
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Other model years Selected year
Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
2 reportsI BOUGHT A 2016 POLARIS 450 SPORTSMAN FROM A LOCAL NY DEALER IN JUNE AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. THE FIRST TIME I WENT OUT ON IT WITH 4 MILES, IT STOPPED WORKING SO I HAD TO BE TOWED BACK. THE DEALER PICKED IT UP AND TOLD ME THEY FIXED THE ISSUE WHICH WAS THAT THE CVT WAS NOT PROPERLY SEALED SO THE BELT GOT WET. I WAS CON…
Read full complaint
I BOUGHT A 2016 POLARIS 450 SPORTSMAN FROM A LOCAL NY DEALER IN JUNE AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. THE FIRST TIME I WENT OUT ON IT WITH 4 MILES, IT STOPPED WORKING SO I HAD TO BE TOWED BACK. THE DEALER PICKED IT UP AND TOLD ME THEY FIXED THE ISSUE WHICH WAS THAT THE CVT WAS NOT PROPERLY SEALED SO THE BELT GOT WET. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ANY LASTING ISSUES BUT THEY ASSURED ME I WOULD HAVE NONE. THE SECOND TIME WITH NOT EVEN 20 MILES ON IT, THE WHEELER DID NOT SHIFT RIGHT AND WAS POPPING OUT OF GEAR SO THEY PICKED IT UP AGAIN AND TOLD ME IT WAS FIXED. WENT AWAY THIS PAST WEEKEND AND WITH 40 MILES ON IT, IT STARTED OVER HEATING. I CALLED THEM WHILE I WAS ON THE TRAIL AND THEY SAID TO PRESSURE WASH THE RADIATOR WHICH I KNOW YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO, BUT I HAD ALREADY USED A HOSE TO TRY THAT SO OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. THEN ALSO WHILE ON THE RIDE, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND THE WHEELER WOULD GO INTO LIMP MODE SO I COULDN'T DO ABOVE 15 MPH. IT WOULD ALSO BACKFIRE AND NOT START UP WITHOUT HOLDING BOTH THE BREAK AND GIVING IT GAS AT THE SAME TIME. IN ADDITION THE WHEELER WOULD ALSO STALL GOING DOWN A HILL (I TRIED TO EVEN GIVE IT A LITTLE GAS WHILE MAINTAINING A SAFE SPEED BUT IT STILL WOULD STALL.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.