Criuse control and shifting problems with a 2015 RT

[Bob S]

I have a 2015 RT with 5,000 miles on it.
I have been having the following problems.
1. After about 15 min. of riding, the Cruise Control stops working for a while and comes back to life for a while and then goes out again.
2. During this period, sometimes when I shift up to, say 5th gear, it slips back to 4th gear. If I stop for a while, the shifting, once again works OK.

I wanted to try and check the Clutch fluid, but could not find anything in the manual that identified where this was done. It shows in my manual that the clutch fluid is on and behind the left side of the handlebar behind the control head. Not there....

I cannot find anything anywhere that identifies where the Clutch fluid is on anything newer than a 2013 model.

I did check the brake fluid and the engine oil and it is clean and shows full.

Thanks for you help.
Bob S.

 

[Chupaca]

Curious...

Do you have the SE model (semi-automatic) or the SM model manual shift. If you have the automatic there is no clutch fluid to check but you should check your engine oil which opereates the clutch as well as the trans and engine. If the gears as not engaging properly this could be the reason for the cruise not working and could be related to the paddle shifter or the actuators. This would not happen if a manual and could be that you are not making a positve shift...:thumbup:

 

[Bob S]

Do you have the SE model (semi-automatic) or the SM model manual shift. If you have the automatic there is no clutch fluid to check but you should check your engine oil which opereates the clutch as well as the trans and engine. If the gears as not engaging properly this could be the reason for the cruise not working and could be related to the paddle shifter or the actuators. This would not happen if a manual and could be that you are not making a positve shift...:thumbup:

Thanks for the response and the information. I have the SE model.
I am not sure what you mean about "making a positive shift" I am confident that I am shifting properly.
I will recheck the engine oil.

Thank you again,

Bob S

 

[Bfromla]

FYI with the SE the CC automatically disengage when you shift, touch brake, &has rpm limits for each gear so you will have to shift & reengage. What I've learned

 

[Mazo EMS2]

As stated, the SE models don't have a manual hand clutch, so they don't have a clutch fluid reservoir on the handlebars. If your Spyder was a manual shift with a hand clutch, the reservoir would be on the left handlebar. If your engine oil is low it could cause the issues you describe. The Spyder gets real finicky if it gets low on oil, mainly to protect itself from damage. Check the oil properly. When shifting, be sure to make a full press of the paddle each time whether upshifting or downshifting if you downshift manually. You're not shifting while in cruise are you?

 

[DGoebel]

Also with an SE model if you're shifting at too low an RPM, then the bike may be down shifting on purpose.

 

[PMK]

Consider cleaning the brake switch and ensuring the brake pedal is not depressed in any way, either by debris or accidentally.

As for the auto shifts, as others mentioned, possibly the Spyder is following setup protocols if the throttle position, speed and rpm dictate the auto downshift. However, you might consider ensuring the gear posistion sensor is not acting up. I believe it was an issue on 2015 models and remedied by BRP.

 

[Docster]

Go through the owners manual with a highlighter marking the areas specific to the SE model. It will force you to read all the important information and serve as a useful, easy-to-find reference for specific items as needed

 

[Bob S]

Consider cleaning the brake switch and ensuring the brake pedal is not depressed in any way, either by debris or accidentally.

As for the auto shifts, as others mentioned, possibly the Spyder is following setup protocols if the throttle position, speed and rpm dictate the auto downshift. However, you might consider ensuring the gear posistion sensor is not acting up. I believe it was an issue on 2015 models and remedied by BRP.

Thanks to all of you who have replied.
I did check the oil and it is clean and full.
I am shifting at 3,300 rpms as always and never had problems before with the shifting or cruise control. It has just started to act up.

I will check the oil again.

Thanks,

Bob S

 

[PMK]

Thanks to all of you who have replied.
I did check the oil and it is clean and full.
I am shifting at 3,300 rpms as always and never had problems before with the shifting or cruise control. It has just started to act up.

I will check the oil again.

Thanks,

Bob S

Clean the brake switch and surrounding area.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

However, you might consider ensuring the gear posistion sensor is not acting up. I believe it was an issue on 2015 models and remedied by BRP.

:agree: That was my first thought!

 

[Spyder2012]

I am aware this is an old thread, but will give it a try anyhow. I have a 2012 RT SM5 which has had and now has again a problem with the cruise control. Each time, it is the same symptoms. While it was still under the extended warranty, the cruise control would quickly display off when the set was used (the switch was pressed down). The dealer ordered the complete control cluster and replaced it, which is obviously a major undertaking, 4 or 5 hours at the dealer. I left the dealer and got on the freeway, and it worked a couple of times, then did the same, briefly flashing OFF and, of course, not accomplishing the set. Long story, turned around, went back to dealer, tech guy said the new one was defective as well. They ordered another complete cluster which was installed and it has worked fine, until the past few months when it began to intermittently fail to set, and the OFF indicator would display as soon as the set was pressed. Now, it fails almost always, and sets the cruise to OFF if trying to reduce speed with the switch/button.
Is there any way to clean or repair these switches? The spyder is at an age and has 49,000 miles now and just had the compressor replaced (expensive). Not sure if it is worth the cost of replacing the controls again as my dealer now charges 100.00 per hour labor as well.
Any tips on what goes wrong with these switches, or are they just that flimsy and unreliable?
Thanks in advance!
Wayne

 

[k7xi]

A long time ago, my cruise control wouldn't set. The dealer replaced the bad cruise control switch. I seem to remember it took about an hour, but that was by someone who knew what they were doing.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

When you say the dealer replaced the cluster are you referring to the instrument cluster or the right hand switch module? I think what's happening is when you press down to set cruise it also somehow is causing the same thing to happen in the switch as when you move it to the left to turn cruise off. I'm pretty sure the switch is a small printed circuit board with bubble contacts that the switch lever pushes down onto. If you're brave take the switch apart and see if there are any broken traces on the PCB, or traces that get disturbed when you press the switch to set.

The right hand switch module is sold as a complete unit. The wires from it go over to the left hand switch module. There is a CANbus processor in the left switch that sends the appropriate digital signal down the network which the various modules read and react to. Cruise control is totally digital. All the right hand cruise buttons do is tell the left side processor what kind of signal to send over the CANbus.

If you don't want to mess with the switch, but are willing to do what it takes to replace it, either buy a new one from any one of several online vendors, or maybe even eBay. You also could look for a used one on eBay or motorcycle salvage yards.