Latest Update(steering)from dealer

[OkiNutsEP3]

If you had your DPS unit replaced, there is a chance that they damaged your steering torque sensor. It's a small magnetic device that reads how much force is being delivered to the steering stem. If the sensor gets close to metal, and attaches itself to something, or is scratched. It could be the problem. It takes a special tool to remove and install those. It is located on the bottom of the DPS unit, where the tie-rods are secured to the steering stem.

 

[stgilmer]

If you had your DPS unit replaced, there is a chance that they damaged your steering torque sensor. It's a small magnetic device that reads how much force is being delivered to the steering stem. If the sensor gets close to metal, and attaches itself to something, or is scratched. It could be the problem. It takes a special tool to remove and install those. It is located on the bottom of the DPS unit, where the tie-rods are secured to the steering stem.

That is what I was told was damaged in the original dps. So your sayin that it might have been damaged while installing the new one?? So to the customer it really comes down to, hold your breathe on the dps install hoping that they don't mess/touch the torque sensor while doing so. There is such a thing of making a part too sensitive, don't ya think? I thought motorcycles were made to the rough standards since everything is mostly exposed to the elements. It doesn't need parts in them that can be damaged by a simple scratch. Thats Ridiculous.

 

[Smylinacha]

Even w/ the techs flying out or driving out to see people's spyders, I don't think there is anything they can do right now until BRP's engineering staff get to the root of the problem. I think there are a slew of different steering problems going on - lock ups, intermittant power steering problems, loss of power steering. Besides looking at DPS's, hopefully they might look at their software and how it communicates to all of the working parts. And with different problems, they got different things they need to look at.

 

[stgilmer]

Even w/ the techs flying out or driving out to see people's spyders, I don't think there is anything they can do right now until BRP's engineering staff get to the root of the problem. I think there are a slew of different steering problems going on - lock ups, intermittant power steering problems, loss of power steering. Besides looking at DPS's, hopefully they might look at their software and how it communicates to all of the working parts. And with different problems, they got different things they need to look at.

Your right, it just blows my mind that it can be so many different things. You would think we bought a custom bike where each one was similar but alot of different components.


Has yours still been doing ok? Or has it got too cold to ride up there?

 

[boborgera]

Your right, it just blows my mind that it can be so many different things. You would think we bought a custom bike where each one was similar but alot of different components.


By Japanese standers 14,000 +/- bikes in two years is custom.
The workers [17?] at the factory make ski doo's in the summer and
Spyders in the winter, That's why they like you to pre order.

 

[stgilmer]

Your right, it just blows my mind that it can be so many different things. You would think we bought a custom bike where each one was similar but alot of different components.

By Japanese standers 14,000 +/- bikes in two years is custom.
The workers [17?] at the factory make ski doo's in the summer and
Spyders in the winter, That's why they like you to pre order.

Not quite what I was trying to say but thank you for those facts.
When I say custom, my idea is a small shop hammering out maybe 1 or 2 bikes a month made to the customers liking but all on the same frame...get it?? Ours don't exactly fit under a category like that. There may not be tons made like a ford focus..example...but there are enough that you'd think we wouldn't be dealing with this problem, atleast not for this long. That was my only point I was trying to get across by saying custom.

 

[boborgera]

Not quite what I was trying to say but thank you for those facts.
When I say custom, my idea is a small shop hammering out maybe 1 or 2 bikes a month made to the customers liking but all on the same frame...get it?? Ours don't exactly fit under a category like that. There may not be tons made like a ford focus..example...but there are enough that you'd think we wouldn't be dealing with this problem, atleast not for this long. That was my only point I was trying to get across by saying custom.

The components are the same, but
[ In my opinion only.]
One worker puts together
2 or 3 bikes he's assembling a little different then the next worker's
2 or 3 he's assembling. This could be the reason some run great and some don't. I think they need more work on quality control.
P/S I do get your point about custom.

 

[Smylinacha]

Never got to ryde it much after I got it back from the dealer. It rode ok after but never got alot of miles on it since - it got cold and snow is on the ground now.

We'll see when Spring comes.

Your right, it just blows my mind that it can be so many different things. You would think we bought a custom bike where each one was similar but alot of different components.


Has yours still been doing ok? Or has it got too cold to ride up there?

 

[pitmon]

I haven't been able to ride much either since the "fix", a little though and what I have noticed is that the steering seems a lot more "touchy" so to speak like there is no play at all in the steering, and I have also noticed that there is no "assist" at all while sitting still. The other day I pulled up to the gas pump behind an SUV and when I went to leave he was still in front of me so I had to turn the wheels sharp to the right to go around him and while I was sitting still I could barely turn the handlebars, had to creep up a little to get the assist going. However, it does seem to work fine while going down the road. It is in the 20s here now so I guess I will find out more when I ride in the spring. :thumbup:

 

[truck 85]

I haven't been able to ride much either since the "fix", a little though and what I have noticed is that the steering seems a lot more "touchy" so to speak like there is no play at all in the steering, and I have also noticed that there is no "assist" at all while sitting still. The other day I pulled up to the gas pump behind an SUV and when I went to leave he was still in front of me so I had to turn the wheels sharp to the right to go around him and while I was sitting still I could barely turn the handlebars, had to creep up a little to get the assist going. However, it does seem to work fine while going down the road. It is in the 20s here now so I guess I will find out more when I ride in the spring. :thumbup:

that is what mine dose only it works fine when cold but after it warms up it wont turn when stoped they changed the dps allready sence they changed it it seams like at speed it is a lot easeary to turn (60+). going to stiffin up the shocks and see if that does not help a little where do you run your front shocks?

 

[pitmon]

My front shocks are set at whatever the factory set them at. I have never changed anything as far as shock settings (wouldn't know how). I just keep the air in the tires checked and the oil, etc. This is not something that has changed since the steering issue so I doubt it has anything to do with that. My steering was fine for 5000 miles and my problems all started with the first update. I seriously believe this is a software issue that started all of these other problems. However mine seems ok for the moment... I will ride it warily for a while though till I trust it again. :thumbup:

 

[NancysToy]

I don't know if the steering recall update started these problems, but it seems to have exposed them. One thing it did was remove the deadband around the zero steering angle, to provide assist immediately in a turn. I suspect that they also changed the programming to then require movement or a certain speed, to compensate for zero deadband and get rid of the "twitch" some of us have experienced. With instrumentation systems, if there is insufficient deadband, and some of the system sensors are off, or if the system is turned on with sensors off zero, the proportional control gets carried away and goes nuts. This could explain the problems, due to damaged, failed, or out of calibration sensors, that have been reported. A technician error could damage a sensor, especially the torque sensor, and the zeroing of the steering angle sensor is easily overlooked, which can explain subsequent failures after bad DPS units have been replaced. As was said, this is a complex system, and the steering update seems to have made it more sensitive. Just conjecture on my part, however. I firmly believe that there is no single answer to these similar difficulties.

 

[dave01]

Just conjecture on my part, however. I firmly believe that there is no single answer to these similar difficulties.

I have to agree. I really think its a few smaller things not working in harmony with each other and they fight each other for control. I've had issues with multiple systems with fuel management systems using a piggyback setup, but my final fix for that was a complete stand-alone system.

 

[jabba11]

DPS issues

WHile I can understand the problems people are having are serious its easy to forget that ANY part can fail at anytime on any machine. I mean realistically if we all had two wheelers a tire can blow out at speed at anytime and if you have experienced that before you know that that can be a very serious situation. So perhaps none of us should drive a motorcycle until someone can develop a tire that doesnt blow out etc etc etc. While we defintely want to see BRP work the issue lets not forget that it doesnt at this point seem to affect every SPyder. Again I say the chances of you being killed by some other idiot in a car are a lot higher than having your DPS cause you to have an accident.

 

[NancysToy]

WHile I can understand the problems people are having are serious its easy to forget that ANY part can fail at anytime on any machine. I mean realistically if we all had two wheelers a tire can blow out at speed at anytime and if you have experienced that before you know that that can be a very serious situation. So perhaps none of us should drive a motorcycle until someone can develop a tire that doesnt blow out etc etc etc. While we definitely want to see BRP work the issue lets not forget that it doesnt at this point seem to affect every SPyder. Again I say the chances of you being killed by some other idiot in a car are a lot higher than having your DPS cause you to have an accident.

Wise words! Probably of little comfort to those who have experienced problems, or some new riders, but very true. BMW has a sterling reputation, but my 2000 R1100RTP has had two serious recalls, one for several fuel system issues that could each cause a fire, and one for tire problems that could cause the exact kind of difficulty you described. None of these affected vehicles were removed from the road. These are a normal part of production and development for most vehicles these days it seems, and need to be taken in stride. I tend to agree with the idea that chances of an incident are higher from normal, everyday riding (especially on two wheels), but that will be of little comfort to those that worry or have serious problems. Let's hope all of the pieces of this puzzle fall into place soon.

 

[BLACK WIDOW]

Recall

Wise words! Probably of little comfort to those who have experienced problems, or some new riders, but very true. BMW has a sterling reputation, but my 2000 R1100RTP has had two serious recalls, one for several fuel system issues that could each cause a fire, and one for tire problems that could cause the exact kind of difficulty you described. None of these affected vehicles were removed from the road. These are a normal part of production and development for most vehicles these days it seems, and need to be taken in stride. I tend to agree with the idea that chances of an incident are higher from normal, everyday riding (especially on two wheels), but that will be of little comfort to those that worry or have serious problems. Let's hope all of the pieces of this puzzle fall into place soon.

Yes, but the operative word here is RECALL.

Michael:doorag:

 

[spyryder]

recall info:

Yes, but the operative word here is RECALL.

Michael:doorag:

http://spyder.brp.com/en-CA/Owner-Center/Recall-Information/17.07.2009.htm

 

[BLACK WIDOW]

RECALL

http://spyder.brp.com/en-CA/Owner-Center/Recall-Information/17.07.2009.htm

Maybe the operative words should be RECALL & FIX.

Michael:doorag:

 

[wyliec]

http://spyder.brp.com/en-CA/Owner-Center/Recall-Information/17.07.2009.htm

Since that recall the steering problem has gotten worse. Like I said before, the steering issue has been going on for a year. BRP knows there is a problem and all they seem to be doing (at least on the surface) is replacing the DPS.

Now, if someone wants to say that parts fail, that's fine; but, when they seem to have a part that seems to have a high failure rate based on the same spyders continually have the steering problem, there's something wrong here and needs to be corrected. I don't know about you, but to me 1 year is long enough to correct a problem.

Yeah, I know, a tire can blow at anytime, you can be hit by a cager, struck by lightning and on and on.

 

[spyryder]

Maybe the operative words should be RECALL & FIX.

Michael:doorag:

I'd think you would have to take it back as many times as it takes. I know some people have had to go back more than once. Mine has been fine since the initial recall.