72 Hours with my Spyder RT-S SE5

[JonGalt]

I sent this email below to my dealer, but they are closed on Mondays. My Spyder was delivered Saturday morning. Here it is Monday and it won't start & is missing a piece. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Dear Dealer,

I noticed a mesh piece missing on the right side that goes in the radiator exhaust vent panel behind the can-am logo. I tried to call today, but forgot your dealership is also closed on Mondays. I know people in the forum mention the entire panels coming loose, but this is the grey colored insert that goes in the radiator exhaust vent. I noticed the opening on Saturday, but didn’t realize there was piece missing until I noticed there is a mesh piece inserted on the left vent opening.


More concerning is that the engine will not turn over this morning. The computer simply resets when I attempt to hit the starter button. I assume the battery is not holding a charge, is discharging, or there is drain somewhere? I mentioned a high pitch sound to the guy when he delivered it which seemed odd after the key is pulled and it is off and this continues for 30+ minutes after it is turned off whether you start the engine or not. Seems the guys in the forum claim this is normal for 2011 Spyders?


I do notice a slight smell of gasoline when I am sitting on the Spyder which is kept in my garage, but I don’t see any leaks. The cold and rainy weather kept it in the garage all weekend with exception of a 15 min drive around my subdivision on Saturday around 4:00PM. I cranked it up a few times Sunday just to make sure the battery was okay and to familiarize myself with the controls and display, but when I went out Monday afternoon it wouldn’t start at all and the computer system just reboots after the electronic starter attempts to turn the engine over. I see no diagnostic errors when this happens. I can play the radio, but as soon as I attempt to start the engine the starter quits immediately and the system reboots. I haven’t opened the storage compartments, but I checked them all and they were all tightly secured. Not sure what to do at this point, please advise.

[CyncySpyder]

&

Sorry your having issues with your new SPyder Thats Not a Good thing for sure.
1st- That open spot that looks like the mesh is missing- Believe it or not, that is the way they are built from the factory. Nothing is missing, tho many owners choose to put in after marker mesh inserts to MATCH the other side. I believe ESI &/or Kewlmetal both make versions for this.

2nd- Even tho the radio and other instruments will turn on, it sounds like you may have a LOW BATTERY You may want to check for loose connections. Adding a battery tender/charger may help to get you running.

Only other thing I can reccomend is to wait for your dealer to contact you on Tuesday. I wish you luck & hope they get you running soon enough

Dave & Teddy

[BikerDoc]

i agree about the "missing part"... My dealer even tried to order it for my Spyder only to confirm that it is indeed one of those "those page is intentionally blank" deals. I have left the hole completely open for max air flow and now I don't really notice it...
Also had battery problems at the beginning but after getting all cables tightened and one charge, I have not had another problem for the last nine months , and that is without a tender.. Of course if I lived in cold weather area like you do I would recommend the tender for any motorcycle product.

[JonGalt]

Okay so the missing piece is not missing! Okay, no worries there! I thought maybe I lost it on my maiden voyage or it was never installed. I thought it came that way, but when I noticed the piece on the left I just started to worry.

The dealer thought the low battery was cause from the light in the storage compartment was left on because it wasn't closed tightly the night prior to delivery. They said they charged it a couple of hours and warned me to make sure I close the storage compartment lid tightly. Well I have not even opened it, but I noticed the light seems to stay off when the key is pulled. At least it is now when I open the compartment with a low battery.

I don't think the low battery is caused by that light. I think the battery is defective, never was charged enough, or there maybe still a drain somewhere.

Okay I'm down to a one problem. Do you guys ever smell a little gasoline smell?

I notice it once in awhile.

Thanks for the info. I feel better already.

Any recommendations on chargers? The nearest Can-Am dealer is an hour away. Maybe one that will not ruin the Spyder, but is available locally at an Auto-Zone or Pep Boys?

[JonGalt]

i agree about the "missing part"... My dealer even tried to order it for my Spyder only to confirm that it is indeed one of those "those page is intentionally blank" deals. I have left the hole completely open for max air flow and now I don't really notice it...
Also had battery problems at the beginning but after getting all cables tightened and one charge, I have not had another problem for the last nine months , and that is without a tender.. Of course if I lived in cold weather area like you do I would recommend the tender for any motorcycle product.

Is there a tender that is compatible with the Spyder that will charge correctly, but is available locally at a pepboys or autozone. The dealership is a hour away and closed on mondays.

[Gordy]

I would check battery cables to make sure they are tight sounds to me like this is your problem.Critical on spyders

[dltang]

& on your new RT. I wish I could be more helpful but I do not have an RT. I will tell you that sometimes, I do have a little gas smell on my 2008 sm5 sometimes. It has never been an issue though.

[NancysToy]

Dealer is full of baloney! The front cargo light operates only when the engine is running...via the load shedding relay. The first thing to do is check the battery connections, the ones at the battery terminals, not the jump start terminals under the seat. The battery terminals are often left loose during the PDI. The second thing necessary is to completely and slowly charge the battery. The dealer should have done this overnight, initially, not for two hours. Get a good battery charger made for motorcycles, like a Battery Tender, Accumate, Optimate, or Xtreme. If the battery fails to properly take a full charge, it is faulty, and should be replaced. Most common causes of battery failure in a new Spyder are improper battery initialization by the dealer, or failure to keep the new battery charged while the vehicle sits on the floor. I hope you get things resolved soon. You may want to search for a better dealer.

[Slybird]

Okay I'm down to a one problem. Do you guys ever smell a little gasoline smell?

I notice it once in awhile.

The only time I smell a little gasoline smell is when I space out and don't put the gas-cap back on after fueling the .....like I did 3 of the first 5 times I filled it up. (I've learned, though!)

[JonGalt]

Dealer is full of baloney! The front cargo light operates only when the engine is running...via the load shedding relay. The first thing to do is check the battery connections, the ones at the battery terminals, not the jump start terminals under the seat. The battery terminals are often left loose during the PDI. The second thing necessary is to completely and slowly charge the battery. The dealer should have done this overnight, initially, not for two hours. Get a good battery charger made for motorcycles, like a Battery Tender, Accumate, Optimate, or Xtreme. If the battery fails to properly take a full charge, it is faulty, and should be replaced. Most common causes of battery failure in a new Spyder are improper battery initialization by the dealer, or failure to keep the new battery charged while the vehicle sits on the floor. I hope you get things resolved soon. You may want to search for a better dealer.

I know they assembled it Saturday, they knew the battery was low Sunday and initially said they would not be able to deliver it until that afternoon to charge it. When they assumed the cargo light caused it they charged it for 2 hours and then delivered it ahead of schedule assuming they figured out why the battery was low. Is my battery FUBAR because it was low to begin with and never properly charged overnight? Should I be concerned about the battery being replaced under warranty because of this? I'm not a mechanic, but even I noticed the light goes out when the key is out, how can they not of noticed this! I think CAN-AM should really shipped these assembled and tested. Too much variance dealer to dealer. There was no reason to rush the delivery, they already committed to a late Sunday delivery, there was no incentive on rushing it to me in the morning.

I'm off to get a battery tender. I'm convinced the low battery problem is loose wires or a bad battery. Now I think the battery is FUBARed for being drained this low.

I'll call CAN-AM customer service when I calm down and let them know how annoyed I am right now. The whole sales process was tenuous, and the delivery process...what process?

[MouthPiece]

I'm going to address the gas smell issue. I think the other two have been covered sufficiently.

There have been many who have complained of this gas smell. I recall someone saying that they really didn't think it was safe having their spyder in the garage based on this smell. I too experience this gas smell. Actually it's more like an exhaust smell with hints of gas in it.

I talked to my tech about this. He asked me if I was filling my gas tank all the way to the top (and then some). He said if you over fill your tank then, and I apologize for what I'm about to say because I'm no gearhead, there was some kind of spilleage into an area of the spyder which COULD (emphasis added) cause this smell. Perhaps someone out there can help me on this.

Bottom line is that this smell is common to the spyder.

Chris PE# 0004

[Marker]

On your new 2011 RTS SE5. I am sorry that your experience has not been good so far. What color did you get ?

[napper39]

i got my tender at wall mart and is on the spyder when im not riding so its chrged at all times.and i found my batt. cables lose as well. so make sure to keep an eye on those .i beleave the vibration of the engine makes them come lose after so many miles so i put lock tight on them the last time i tigtend them .good luck on yourhave fun.

[bikeguy]

I have a base RT so I don't have the trunk light to worry about. I use a Deltran Battery Tender Plus but I ride mine often enough that I don't always hook up the Battery Tender. The battery is a critical area of the Spyder, though, because of it's dependence on computers, which are very voltage sensitive, and because of it's somewhat anemic charging system. So, like others have advised, I'd say check the battery connections and fully charge the battery. I wouldn't write the battery off until I'd done that but if it turns out to be shot, the warranty covers it for 6 months.

Cotton

[NancysToy]

I know they assembled it Saturday, they knew the battery was low Sunday and initially said they would not be able to deliver it until that afternoon to charge it. When they assumed the cargo light caused it they charged it for 2 hours and then delivered it ahead of schedule assuming they figured out why the battery was low. Is my battery FUBAR because it was low to begin with and never properly charged overnight? Should I be concerned about the battery being replaced under warranty because of this? I'm not a mechanic, but even I noticed the light goes out when the key is out, how can they not of noticed this! I think CAN-AM should really shipped these assembled and tested. Too much variance dealer to dealer. There was no reason to rush the delivery, they already committed to a late Sunday delivery, there was no incentive on rushing it to me in the morning.

I'm off to get a battery tender. I'm convinced the low battery problem is loose wires or a bad battery. Now I think the battery is FUBARed for being drained this low.

I'll call CAN-AM customer service when I calm down and let them know how annoyed I am right now. The whole sales process was tenuous, and the delivery process...what process?

I doubt the battery is completely FUBAR, but it's capacity is almost certainly reduced. Only properly charging it, then testing after a few hours or overnight, will tell if it is taking and holding an adequate charge. Even then, it could pass the test and still be somewhat weakened. Failure to pass a load test would indicate the need for immediate replacement. A good dealer would have picked the Spyder up with their trailer, apologized profusely, repaired the problem, then returned the Spyder. A great dealer would have replaced the battery on the spot. It is a pity your dealer seems to be neither.

[JonGalt]

I doubt the battery is completely FUBAR, but it's capacity is almost certainly reduced. Only properly charging it, then testing after a few hours or overnight, will tell if it is taking and holding an adequate charge. Even then, it could pass the test and still be somewhat weakened. Failure to pass a load test would indicate the need for immediate replacement. A good dealer would have picked the Spyder up with their trailer, apologized profusely, repaired the problem, then returned the Spyder. A great dealer would have replaced the battery on the spot. It is a pity your dealer seems to be neither.

Well.. they are closed on Mondays and aren't even aware of the problem yet until tomorrow, but I agree that a great dealer should have not blame a LED cargo light for a battery drain issue when the light doesn't stay on when vehicle is off nor does it pull any notable amps to kill a battery in one evening especially while it was being charged. I put a battery tender on it and tested it at 11PM this evening and it cranked right up. I am doubtful the battery will hold a charge until they find out why the battery was low in the first place after a night of charging. They either have not tightened something or the battery is defective.

Either way having a dealer that is almost an hour away doesn't help matters at all.

[JonGalt]

On your new 2011 RTS SE5. I am sorry that your experience has not been good so far. What color did you get ?

It's Timeless Black

[clueless]

other thing to check is a loose ground bolt for the electronics. lift the seat and hit the start button look next to the fuse box UNDER the seat there is a bolt there with a ground wire attached to it. make sure it is tight.

that was the issue for me. I saw sparking and found that bolt only finger tight! so every so often I would hit the start button and the bike would go blank and reboot but the radio worked fine. the ground I am guessing is for the bike computer...

[Yfactor]

Don't know about the 2011's but my 2010 has been nearly flawless for the eight months I've had it. Only issue was a rear suspension air leak which was taken care of during DPS recall replacement. As for the gas smell, I notice this from time to time and usually right after fueling up. This might be from my habit of adding an extra quick squirt of fuel after auto cut off of the fuel pump.

on the new

[JonGalt]

other thing to check is a loose ground bolt for the electronics. lift the seat and hit the start button look next to the fuse box UNDER the seat there is a bolt there with a ground wire attached to it. make sure it is tight.

that was the issue for me. I saw sparking and found that bolt only finger tight! so every so often I would hit the start button and the bike would go blank and reboot but the radio worked fine. the ground I am guessing is for the bike computer...

Thanks for the tip! I will be checking things out today. I have been charging the battery all night. The tender charge light has yet to turn green after 15 hours! I am able to start it now, but I'm convinced the battery is not holding a charge. I will check all of the connections.

[JonGalt]

Don't know about the 2011's but my 2010 has been nearly flawless for the eight months I've had it. Only issue was a rear suspension air leak which was taken care of during DPS recall replacement. As for the gas smell, I notice this from time to time and usually right after fueling up. This might be from my habit of adding an extra quick squirt of fuel after auto cut off of the fuel pump.

on the new

Okay, I'm not worrying about the gas smell anymore. Thanks!

[JonGalt]

Scotty, of course, is correct about the light's power source is through the load shedding relay.
Even if it did stay on the current draw wouldn't be enough to kill a good battery.
In my experience battery failure, if it's going to happen, happens in the first little while. After that it's unlikely to happen unless there is some extraneous source that kills it prematurely.
But your dealer will take care of it.

And, I too thought the grill was missing.

, an LED light could draw for days and not kill that battery! I finally have a green flashing light on the tender so I'm at 80% charge now! Sure did take long enough! I will wait until I get a solid green indicator and the I will monitor how long it holds the charge before needing the tender again.

[2Gunns]

First let me say and fellow Carolina Spyder Ryder.

I believe we all have been victims of the "missing grill" syndrome, don't let that one bother you. I have installed right side after-market from Custom Dynamics (Winston-Salem).

As for your battery issues, My 2010 RT-S did the same thing you describe days after I picked her up.... and NancysToy nailed the problem, loose connections (specificlly the negitive "false" post)

I had to bend a open-end wrench to reach, but was able to tighten it myself. Never an issue since.


Hope to see you on the road....enjoy that RT

[JonGalt]

I doubt the battery is completely FUBAR, but it's capacity is almost certainly reduced. Only properly charging it, then testing after a few hours or overnight, will tell if it is taking and holding an adequate charge. Even then, it could pass the test and still be somewhat weakened. Failure to pass a load test would indicate the need for immediate replacement. A good dealer would have picked the Spyder up with their trailer, apologized profusely, repaired the problem, then returned the Spyder. A great dealer would have replaced the battery on the spot. It is a pity your dealer seems to be neither.

I finally got a hold of the dealer first thing this morning. He offered to pick the Spyder up. They will replace the battery if it won't hold a charge. I am going to let the tender finish charging the battery. I will tighten the connections myself. (Might as well get my hands dirty and learn how this thing goes together). If the battery still won't hold a charge I will let the dealer handle it. Thanks again for everyone's help and advice. I feel so much better knowing all of you trailblazers have already went through the hiccups of owning a new product like this. My confidence in this group makes me whole lot more fearless owning this contraption. You guys rock!

[Mr. White]

Thanks for the tip! I will be checking things out today. I have been charging the battery all night. The tender charge light has yet to turn green after 15 hours! I am able to start it now, but I'm convinced the battery is not holding a charge. I will check all of the connections.

Jon, I have seven Wal-Mart battery chargers (maintainers) of the old design. I just bought one to plug in Big Red 1 and put it on my four wheeler. It stayed red for over 12 hours, never flashed or turned green. I returned it, thinking it was defective and got another one. I have not plugged it in yet.

It is one that detects whether it is a 6v or 12v. I don't like it or the new design. Let me know IF your's ever turned green. Mine should have gone green immediately as my battery was fully charged.

FYI. I bought a pig tail that plugs in the trunk to charge my battery as I keep a charger on 24/7....on my scoots.