Gearbox position sensor malfunction

[Big Mac]

Yesterday, with the weather unusually mild and dry, my wife kindly offered to fetch me something local which I had bought online (any excuse for a ride on her brand new Spyder RT Limited!). Sadly, on the way back, she suddenly experienced the dreaded "Gearbox position sensor (GPS) malfunction" - and it is now dead in the water. Even after switching off a few times and leaving it overnight, it starts up with an "E" for the gear indicator plus an alternating flashing "R" and "N".

Is this likely to require a new GPS, or could it be something else?


I know that the 998 model had problems with the GPS (even a recall, I believe), but I haven't seen many mentions of it with the 1330 engine.

[Bob Denman]

A new sensor will get her back up on three quickly!
Although I'm wondering if we're seeing an increased incidence of failures in these?

[Sam Mac]

A new sensor will get her back up on three quickly!
Although I'm wondering if we're seeing an increased incidence of failures in these?

Oh Goody!

[billybovine]

I seem to remember somebody mentioning there is a service bulletin on the 1330 engine for something like this.

[Bob Denman]

Can you remember anything else???

[billybovine]

Can you remember anything else???

This is all i can find from a search. http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...=1#post1016128

[Big Mac]

This is all i can find from a search. http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...=1#post1016128

That's interesting, thanks - especially where he says: "The dealer said there is a campaign(recall) for the gear shift sensor." I see no mention of that again, so maybe the dealer was thinking about the earlier model.

As all the dealers are a long way away, my dealer is suggesting mailing me a replacement GPS for me to install (it looks quite simple). I don't know why it should have failed after less than 1,000 miles though. I still wonder if it could be something else which caused the problem, like a glitch which maybe some sort of a reset can fix. On the earlier model you could manually reset the gear position with a spanner under the bike.... but apparently not on this one.

[Bob Denman]

The next time that you talk to your dealer; please see if they'll give you the number on that TSB...
Thanks!

[glmiller1947]

I had a gear position sensor failure on my home from dealer on the maiden voyage home. Dealer replaced sensor. It is a 2015 RT L. Tech said he has seen other GPS problems and had to replace them.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Lucky]

My 2015 RTS SE6 had the GPS go out shortly after I got it. My dealer had a list of the affected VINs, mine included but the failure beat it the delivery of the new part by a day. I don't believe they classified it as a recall but my dealer retrieved my Spyder from 60 miles a way and replaced the unit the next day. No problems since.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

As all the dealers are a long way away, my dealer is suggesting mailing me a replacement GPS for me to install (it looks quite simple). I don't know why it should have failed after less than 1,000 miles though. I still wonder if it could be something else which caused the problem, like a glitch which maybe some sort of a reset can fix. On the earlier model you could manually reset the gear position with a spanner under the bike.... but apparently not on this one.

An occasional bad batch of parts does happen, which does not constitute a basis for a recall but will prompt a TSB. Based on the few comments I see here it sounds like the failure mechanism is one that will happen very soon after the part actually starts being exercised in operation. Not all part failures are time and usage based.

If you replace it yourself, ask the dealer to split the labor reimbursement with you! You can be sure he'll claim it if he claims a warranty reimbursement for the GPS.

[metman]

I had a similar problem with my 2012 RT-S SE5 back in October on our way to Spyders in the Hill Country. It happened in the hills of western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma with no cell service.

After multiple restarts and praying, we made it down to Broken Bow, OK where I was able to call the guys at Louis Powersports in Greenville, TX. I gave a list of codes I had seen to Waco, and he diagnosed them as being related to the GPS.

I found an abandon car wash to stay out of the coming rain and walked a couple blocks to an auto parts store. Bought a small can of CRC QD Electronic Cleaner and sprayed the heck out of both connectors on the GPS. Then headed out for the closest Spyder dealer, Bradford Marine, 75 miles away in Texarkana, TX.

Got there just at closing time, but those guys stayed over about 30 minutes running a BUDS scan and doing a few updates. They couldn't find any remaining codes or problems, so we headed on toward Boerne, TX for the Hill Country Ride.

That was about 3K miles ago and no problems since.

Mike in KY

[Big Mac]

My dealer is shipping me a replacement GPS for me to fit myself. He indicated that Can-Am are aware of a bad batch of this component - contaminated with water, I think he said!

[Highwayman2013]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1450730887.794946.jpgHere you go.

[Big Mac]

Wow, so it's true. Can-Am have clearly known about it for months, so I'm surprised - annoyed, actually - that they are still selling bikes with the problem. You'd think they could find a way to identify which bikes have the bad batch and initiate a pro-active remedy, rather than waiting for customers to get stuck miles from home and then have the cost and inconvenience of getting the bike to a dealer - and back again.

[Biosafena]

Does anyone have the list of affected VIN's? I am wondering if it would do any good to pull the sensor of my my 2015 RT to see if there is any moisture inside???


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Bob Denman]

I might suggest that it's best to "let sleeping dogs lie."
If you open it up to look at it; you've also opened yourself up to the accusation that you let the water get there.

[Big Mac]

The replacement GBPS arrived so my mate (an expert mechanic) 'helped me fit it' (i.e. he did all the work!) this afternoon.

The instructions in the Shop Manual said to engage Neutral first - well we couldn't do that because of the fault!

Replacement wasn't too difficult, though the instructions say to then run an "ECM first initialization" - well we couldn't do that either as it requires BUDS.

Nevertheless, the bike started up in Neutral and a test ride showed that it was all back to normal - success!

The old sensor did have liquid contamination on the face (see photo attached), though there was no sign of any on the mating housing on the bike.



We didn't need to remove panels to swap the GBPS (except the Bottom front side panel, which interfered with my bike lift) - I just jacked the bike up and then supported each wheel with blocks I custom made (they'll be handy when I start adding all the farkles Joanna has bought).

[Bob Denman]

But are you sure that the "liquid contamination", wasn't just sweat and tears from the repair process?

[billybovine]

The replacement GBPS arrived so my mate (an expert mechanic) 'helped me fit it' (i.e. he did all the work!) this afternoon.

The instructions in the Shop Manual said to engage Neutral first - well we couldn't do that because of the fault!

Replacement wasn't too difficult, though the instructions say to then run an "ECM first initialization" - well we couldn't do that either as it requires BUDS.

Nevertheless, the bike started up in Neutral and a test ride showed that it was all back to normal - success!

The old sensor did have liquid contamination on the face (see photo attached), though there was no sign of any on the mating housing on the bike.



We didn't need to remove panels to swap the GBPS (except the Bottom front side panel, which interfered with my bike lift) - I just jacked the bike up and then supported each wheel with blocks I custom made (they'll be handy when I start adding all the farkles Joanna has bought).

Glad it's fix and thanks for the great picture. May be helpful to someone else.

[HayRog]

Guess we have a good Dealership :-)
They replaced the GBPS on our '15 RT-L when we were there last week, without me asking.

[tlb2525]

A new sensor will get her back up on three quickly!
Although I'm wondering if we're seeing an increased incidence of failures in these?

There was a post talking about Magic Mirror magnets...VERY powerful. Some were using 2 of 3 magnets on the mirrors, opting to use the existing guide pin. It was suggested using the unused magnets on the oil filter. So close to the gear sensor, destroyed it. This may have nothing to do with you, but it's always good to know.

[irvin48]

????

[hypurone]

Wow, so it's true. Can-Am have clearly known about it for months, so I'm surprised - annoyed, actually - that they are still selling bikes with the problem. You'd think they could find a way to identify which bikes have the bad batch and initiate a pro-active remedy, rather than waiting for customers to get stuck miles from home and then have the cost and inconvenience of getting the bike to a dealer - and back again.

My 2015 F3-S had it replaced (I had no probs with it but it came up as needing it when it was in for its first service). The campaign number was 2015-0005 & 2015-0006. Yet my buddy's 2015 F3-S made just a couple months EARLIER than mine, was not affected. I think they had a bunch of bad ones jumbled in with non-defective units so they got scattered around as to what model/year got one....

[Big Mac]

3 years later, and my wife's Spyder is having gear malfunctions again!!

The dealer thinks it sounds like the GPS has gone faulty again, though there are no error codes showing up and he hasn't been able to put it on BUDS yet.

Symptoms: she noticed it difficult to pull away from lights, and then spotted that the bike was in 5th gear! She struggled to convince the "-" button to drop down through the gears, but got there in the end. It has happened a few more times in the last 2 days, so it's time to get it back to the dealer I guess.