2012 Can-Am Spyder RS

Routine

Owners filed 6 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the steering. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Steering1
101
Power Train1
000
Fuel/Propulsion System1
010
Engine and Engine Cooling1
000
Engine1
000
Electrical System1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap12V582000
Filed Dec 12, 201233,700 vehiclesBombardier Recreational Products Inc.

Defect. 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.

Risk. 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.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Fuel/Propulsion SystemFire
Filed Jan 15, 201814,000 milesFL

MY 2012 SPYDER CAUGHT FIRE WHILE RIDING IT IN WEST PEMBROKE PINES FLORIDA ON A BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT I LOOKED DOWN TO FIND FLAMES COMING UP THROUGH THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT COVER AND THROUGH THE SIDE PANELS THANK GOD I WAS STOPPED AND SOME PEOPLE IN CARS HELPED ME PUT IT OUT NOW BRP SAYS IT'S NOT THERE PROBLEM BUT AFTER THE GAS CAP WAS CHANGED UNDER THE RECALL I COULD STILL SMELL GAS FUMES WHEN I CAME TO A STOP I WONDER HOW THEY CAN SAY IT'S NOT THERE PROBLEM AND DID / WON'T EVEN LOOK AT THE BIKE THAT'S A LOAD OF CRAP

Electrical System
Filed May 5, 20166,867 milesFL

HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY SPYDER RT MOTORCYCLE HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING. I BOUGHT THE MC 2/2012. HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHT RELAY REPLACED 4 TIMES SINCE 7/23/13. IN APRIL 2015, I WAS RIDING IN THE WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS AT NIGHT AND MY HEAD LIGHTS WENT OUT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE SPYDER DEALER CALLED THE HOME OFFICE AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX IT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY WHEN I FIRST HAD THE PROBLEM. I CALLED THE HOME OFFICE TODAY AND THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING. AFTER ARGUING WITH TECHNICIAN HE HUNG UP ON ME. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Aug 26, 20149,000 milesIL

I AM FILING A COMPLAINT REGARDING THE ONGOING HEAT PROBLEM WITH MY 2012 RS-SE5 AND THE LACK OF URGENCY WITH BRP IN ASSISTING AND FIXING MY MOTORCYCLE. I HAVE PROVIDED WRITTEN COMMUNICATION TO BRP SINCE JANUARY OF THIS YEAR REGARDING THE EXCESSIVE HEAT PROBLEM SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THIS SPYDER IN MAY OF 2013 AS A NEW VEHICLE FROM A DEALER IN SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO OBTAIN A CASE NUMBER FROM THE BRP REP AND I HAVE DELIVERED THE BIKE TO A DEALER IN CUBA, MISSOURI AND I STILL AM WAITING FOR ANY CONTACT FROM BRP REGARDING THE WRITTEN REQUEST SENT TO THEIR REPRESENTATIVE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED BUT IN TALKING WITH THEM THEY HAVE HAD NO CONTACT WITH ANYONE FROM BRP. I NOT ONLY HAVE EXCESSIVE HEAT PROBLEMS BUT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS SOLD TO ME WITH THE FUEL CAP THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE RECALL NOTICE. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED BY THE SELLING DEALER OR BRP THAT I SHOULD HAVE THIS CAP REPLACED. THANKFULLY I NOTICED THEIR DISREGARD WHEN READING ABOUT THE INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING THE FIRE HAZARD. I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THE BRP PRODUCTS BECAUSE I OWNED A 2008 GS-SE5 FOR THREE YEARS THAT NEVER HAD THE HEAT ISSUES THAT I AM EXPERIENCING WITH THE 2012. I KNOW ABOUT RIGHT LEG HEAT AND I WEAR FULL MOTORCYCLE GEAR AND WITH THE NEW 2012 AND EVEN THAT PROTECTION IS NOT ENOUGH IN 70 DEGREE TEMPERATURES. THE HEAT IS EXTREME ON THE LEFT UPPER, MIDDLE, AND CENTER PANELS. ON A DAY WITH TEMPERATURES AT 80 DEGREES EVEN THE SEAT BECOMES HOT AND I HAVE A PAD

Power Train
Filed Aug 4, 20147,800 milesAZ

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 TO 50 MPH WITH THE DISPLAY SHOWING THAT THE BIKE WAS IN 4TH GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION WENT INTO A NEUTRAL STATE WHERE I COULD NOT SHIFT UP OR DOWN, COULD ONLY DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENED ON A 2 LANE ROAD, DURING A SAND STORM AND MY LIFE AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD COULD HAVE BEEN AT STAKE. THIS IS THE 3RD TRANSMISSION PROBLEM I HAVE HAD. FIRST INCIDENT IN 2012 I COULDN'T GET IT INTO GEAR, SECOND INCIDENT IN SEPT 2013, COULDN'T GET IT OUT OF 1ST GEAR. *TR

Engine
Filed Apr 17, 2013374 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CAN-AM SPIDER RS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE LIMP HOME MODE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE THEN DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE MORE THAN 10 MPH. THE FAILURE HAD RECURRED TWO TIMES PREVIOUSLY. A DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 374. UPDATED 9/4/13 *CN

SteeringCrash1 injured
Filed Jan 28, 2013NC

5 MILES INTO A TEST RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE DEVELOPED A SHAKING IN THE FRONT END FROM SIDE TO SIDE THAT WAS FELT IN THE HANDLE BARS. BEFORE MOTORCYCLE COULD BE STOPPED FRONT WHEELS TURNED ON THEIR OWN CAUSING THE MOTORCYCLE TO GO LEFT OF CENTER INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. *TR

6 of 6 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2008
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20161000Routine
20141000Routine
20134000Routine
2012 — this page6110Routine
20115100Routine
20108300Routine
200913120Routine
200837080Routine

Compare every Spyder RS year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Dec 12, 2012. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.