DPS Problem and my dealer has NO IDEA what to do!?!?!

[bdover2323]

Hi Guys,

I just bought my second Spyder RT Touring bike, a 2012, on July 2nd, 2012. Before I even got home with my new baby, the DPS powering code light started blinking saying to check the DPS and bring it in to have an authorized dealer repair it! After this, with less than 10 miles driven, it quit running. I walked away from the bike with my keys and waited about 2 hours before it cranked and I was able to make it home. The next day, after putting a magnetic "hide-a-key" holder under the bike, it took about 45 minutes of riding before the DPS Code came back on and went into the Limp mode. I then went to the dealership and had them check it out. They said the problem was my fault because I had put a magnetic "hide-a-key" under the bike. They said this threw off the magnetic field, causing the codes to clear.

Now, I had not put the hide a key on the bike at the dealership, before the problems started, so that was impossible for it to be my hide-a-key's fault that a brand new bike is acting this way. On July 5, I brought the bike back to the dealership and they blamed it on the damn "hide a key" again. They took the key holder off and advised me it was my fault and said it was not a warranty problem. Then they charged me 1.5 hours labor @ $80.00 per hour to remove the key holder. I was also told that the owner, top mechanic, and service manager all three took test rides and there was nothing wrong. The service manager then told me to throw away the key holder and "NEVER" have any magnets on a motorcycle because it would wipe out the codes just like this key holder did.

If this is true why did the problems start the first day, then clear up, and then started 45 minutes into my next ride? It seems like the codes would have cleared faster than that, but I don't know. To top things off, every motorcycle, including mine, with the audio package has very large magnets on the speakers!! These are much larger than the little one that I was told should "NEVER" to be on a motorcycle.

Now every time I ride the bike, the DPS Codes warning comes on without having any magnets on it. Can someone help me explain to me what their BS is all about please? I was told to bring it back in Monday July 9 so they could figure out what I did to it!!!

I already read through many of these threads and went through the standard troubleshooting recommendations like "never ride or touch the brake while driving" and I haven't found anything of use. The way my foot rest is set up, along with the way I ride, there is quite a large clearance between my foot and the break. I don't know what to do, and I feel like I am being robbed by under qualified, and under motivated dealership techs. So I offer this problem up to you, my fellow riders!

Thank You,
David

 

[Jeriatric]

Hi Guys,

I just bought my second Spyder RT Touring bike, a 2012, on July 2nd, 2012. Before I even got home with my new baby, the DPS powering code light started blinking saying to check the DPS and bring it in to have an authorized dealer repair it! After this, with less than 10 miles driven, it quit running. I walked away from the bike with my keys and waited about 2 hours before it cranked and I was able to make it home. The next day, after putting a magnetic "hide-a-key" holder under the bike, it took about 45 minutes of riding before the DPS Code came back on and went into the Limp mode. I then went to the dealership and had them check it out. They said the problem was my fault because I had put a magnetic "hide-a-key" under the bike. They said this threw off the magnetic field, causing the codes to clear.

Now, I had not put the hide a key on the bike at the dealership, before the problems started, so that was impossible for it to be my hide-a-key's fault that a brand new bike is acting this way. On July 5, I brought the bike back to the dealership and they blamed it on the damn "hide a key" again. They took the key holder off and advised me it was my fault and said it was not a warranty problem. Then they charged me 1.5 hours labor @ $80.00 per hour to remove the key holder. I was also told that the owner, top mechanic, and service manager all three took test rides and there was nothing wrong. The service manager then told me to throw away the key holder and "NEVER" have any magnets on a motorcycle because it would wipe out the codes just like this key holder did.

If this is true why did the problems start the first day, then clear up, and then started 45 minutes into my next ride? It seems like the codes would have cleared faster than that, but I don't know. To top things off, every motorcycle, including mine, with the audio package has very large magnets on the speakers!! These are much larger than the little one that I was told should "NEVER" to be on a motorcycle.

Now every time I ride the bike, the DPS Codes warning comes on without having any magnets on it. Can someone help me explain to me what their BS is all about please? I was told to bring it back in Monday July 9 so they could figure out what I did to it!!!

I already read through many of these threads and went through the standard troubleshooting recommendations like "never ride or touch the brake while driving" and I haven't found anything of use. The way my foot rest is set up, along with the way I ride, there is quite a large clearance between my foot and the break. I don't know what to do, and I feel like I am being robbed by under qualified, and under motivated dealership techs. So I offer this problem up to you, my fellow riders!

Thank You,
David

Find a NEW shop.

 

[bruiser]

Yep, find another dealer.

 

[spyder3]

+3 :thumbup: and they had the :cus: to charge you....unreal....:banghead:

 

[Warlock]

Hi Guys,

I just bought my second Spyder RT Touring bike, a 2012, on July 2nd, 2012. Before I even got home with my new baby, the DPS powering code light started blinking saying to check the DPS and bring it in to have an authorized dealer repair it! After this, with less than 10 miles driven, it quit running. I walked away from the bike with my keys and waited about 2 hours before it cranked and I was able to make it home. The next day, after putting a magnetic "hide-a-key" holder under the bike, it took about 45 minutes of riding before the DPS Code came back on and went into the Limp mode. I then went to the dealership and had them check it out. They said the problem was my fault because I had put a magnetic "hide-a-key" under the bike. They said this threw off the magnetic field, causing the codes to clear.

Now, I had not put the hide a key on the bike at the dealership, before the problems started, so that was impossible for it to be my hide-a-key's fault that a brand new bike is acting this way. On July 5, I brought the bike back to the dealership and they blamed it on the damn "hide a key" again. They took the key holder off and advised me it was my fault and said it was not a warranty problem. Then they charged me 1.5 hours labor @ $80.00 per hour to remove the key holder. I was also told that the owner, top mechanic, and service manager all three took test rides and there was nothing wrong. The service manager then told me to throw away the key holder and "NEVER" have any magnets on a motorcycle because it would wipe out the codes just like this key holder did.

If this is true why did the problems start the first day, then clear up, and then started 45 minutes into my next ride? It seems like the codes would have cleared faster than that, but I don't know. To top things off, every motorcycle, including mine, with the audio package has very large magnets on the speakers!! These are much larger than the little one that I was told should "NEVER" to be on a motorcycle.

Now every time I ride the bike, the DPS Codes warning comes on without having any magnets on it. Can someone help me explain to me what their BS is all about please? I was told to bring it back in Monday July 9 so they could figure out what I did to it!!!

I already read through many of these threads and went through the standard troubleshooting recommendations like "never ride or touch the brake while driving" and I haven't found anything of use. The way my foot rest is set up, along with the way I ride, there is quite a large clearance between my foot and the break. I don't know what to do, and I feel like I am being robbed by under qualified, and under motivated dealership techs. So I offer this problem up to you, my fellow riders!

Thank You,
David

I see you are from Louisiana. Don't carry it to Hattiesburg, Ms. Buddy of mine said there is a good around Gulfport
area. Don't know the name of it. The service in Hattiesburg is crap. Carried my wife over there 4 weeks ago and went to work offshore. It has a little slack in the upper ball joint and still under warranty. They found the slack, but said not enough to worry about. Told my wife to get receipt stating that. Their response was it would cost $50.00 to give me one. Zero cost if I didn't want a receipt. Gonna give Can Am a call Monday or Tuesday and file a complaint. Tried of these stupid service departments.
David

 

[pellcitypete]

I had lots of troubles with my 2011 rt my advice is 1 take pics.of the dash and codes every time it happens.(I did to prove it was happening) 2 find another dealer( I didn't an I caught :cus: for it ) it took me alot of time an head acks to finally get it fixed.3 the dealer you are using either don't know what he is doing or if he knows he don't want you to know 4 get in touch with BRP they will give you a customer ser rep who will work with u an your dealer(a good one I hope) I would recommend that you not use big#1motorsports in Birmingham(they were the ones I had troubles with) good luck there are a lot of good people on here who will help you find a good dealer(maybe) or point you in rite direction. good luck :thumbup: Pete

 

[sealfloorboards]

Amen to what everyone has said. I always feel that a good service dept. is my most important accessory. Poor workmanship and customer service sucks!

Ride in comfort,

John
Seal FloorBoards

 

[exwinger]

You gotta be kidding me

It's amazing how they come up with asinine excuses when they have no idea what's going on . I would give the dealer another chance and then have him put in writing exactly what they say caused or is causing the problem for when you end up contacting BRP. I'd be willing to bet they won't put that "cause " in writing knowing how stupid it would make them look. There is no way they should be charging you to remove a magnetic key holder , that dealer is a scammer .

 

[Littlebadwolf]

Wow...blame it on a hide a key...what's next...outside temp isn't warm enough for it to run right?..What's going on with these dealers lately?..I had my dealer do 3 different installations..not that difficult but they botched every job and I had to find a outside mechanic to get them done right. I'm suspecting that the dealers are having mechanics that aren't certified working on the Spyders at premium rates...If BRP doesn't monitor these dealers a little closer they're gonna lose everyuthing that they've invested into these machines...Not only that...but if I'm gonna pay $80 an hour to have them do simple things like hook it up to BUDS or whatever...I expect them to do it right....They need to take some lessons from Cowtown or other reputable dealers.

 

[NancysToy]

The next time it happens, pull up the fault codes so you can get an idea what the specific failure is. That way nobody can pull the wool over your eyes. While the wrong location for a magnet could plausibly affect some systems, it is really unlikely unless the magnet was attached right next to a sensor. Continued failures without the magnet certainly indicate the problem lies elsewhere. I doubt you will get these idiots to understand that, though, so I sure would find an alternate dealer if you can.

The two most common causes of DPS warnings on a Spyder are low voltage and improper steering sensor calibration. Low voltage is something you can address...or at least test. A common problem at setup is failure by the dealer to properly tighten the battery terminals. These are inside the bodywork, not under the seat, and should be checked. My tech seems to leave mine loose every time! You can also check for a loose rear frame ground. This connection is the negative jumper terminal under the seat. Make sure it is tight. BTW, don't try to loosen it or attach anything there under any circumstances. A loose nut on the back is very hard to reach and tighten.

If the connections are tight, the battery should be tested with a multimeter. After fully charging (or riding) the battery voltage should read 12.7 volts or higher after resting for an hour to overnight. You can also do a crude load test by holding the throttle full open to prevent starting, and cranking the engine. The voltage should remain at 10.0 volts or higher. The DPS is the highest voltage draw on a Spyder other than the starter, so it is very sensitive to battery condition and charge.

As to the steering sensors, they must be zeroed using BUDS. This is up to the dealer. A mismatch will trigger a warning and limp mode after riding a short while. This is not something the dealer sets up or normally checks at setup, but some are off at the time of delivery. My 2011 was.

Beyond these simple possibilities, there are other possible causes. It will take a willing and knowledgable dealer to find your problem. The problem could even be the brake pedal thing, caused not by you but by a brake switch that is out of adjustment. Leave the hide-a-key off until you get the problem resolved, and there should be no question about that as a cause. I wish you the best of luck finding your answer ASAP.

 

[Arr MiHardies]

Definitely find a new dealer ASAP, and write BRP to tell them about the bs you are getting from this other shop.

 

[AMTJIM]

Sounds like they let their BUDS subscription expire if that's the best they could help you, it's happened here.

 

[ARtraveler]

Please keep us posted. All good advice above. Charging $50.00 for a receipt. Find another dealer--FAST.

 

[Bob Denman]

I think that Scotty's got you on the right track... low voltage, so dig around the battery a bit to see what's going on.
But the adbvice to find a dealer who actually knows how to fix things; :thumbup:
Good Luck and please let us know how this issue gets resolved!

 

[OldDog]

In light of the issues with seemingly incompetent service departments, what does it take for a service department at a dealership to be BRP certified and approved. It should not be a gamble to take your machine to a dealer. High school kids working part time should not be the ones signing off on a Spyder setup. I've read reports of Gold star service and at the same time turn around and read service horror stories depending on the dealer. What gives?

 

[WaltH]

I sent you a private message on this subject. See your "notifications".

 

[bdover2323]

CONTINUATION OF DPS PROBLEMS!!!

Hello again to everyone that gave great responses:

I had to bring my bike back again today because the DPS Problem continued all weekend. So while I had it parked at home I bought a set of finder LED Running lights that the dealership sells (accessories) for the "Can-Am's" and put them on myself instead of letting them charge me $80.00 per hour @ 1 to 2 hours labor to do it when both lights cost only $73.00. A very simple job taking about one (1) hour total. When I got to the dealer I requested very politely that the service manager put in writing what their diagnosis was concerning the magnetic key holder was. The problem for the DPS codes to go out and he said there was nothing wrong and it only happened with me. He said sure he would be very glad to sign the document on their letter head and to get some on to pick me up that it would take about 1 week to get all the repairs done.

Then he asked me why I wanted him to sign such a statement, was I going to send it to Can-Am. I knew he would ask so I replied that I was taking medication which caused short memory loss and would like to have it for my files. He took my key and brought my bike to the back to and removed my GPS which I had installed. I did not have to take the bike apart or cut any wires. I only weaved the wires from the 12 volt plug in the rear trunk to the front of the dash to hook up the GPS. Then the lights I purchased from their parts department I installed myself again taking less than 30 minutes for both.

When he came in the door from the shop I asked him to write my letter and he said no that he would do it when the bike was ready and not before. Not more than 2 or 3 minutes later he got his chief mechanic whom was working on my bike to come talk to me. He came out of the shop and pointed his finger at me and called me over then in an extremely, overpowering, threatening, gruff, tone said "I'm going to tell you this as nicely as possible and only once, do not put any after market products on this bike and "DO NOT TAKE IT APART AGAIN" you don't know a damn thing about these bikes like you think you do and if you do I "WILL" call Can-Am "NOW" and have them "VOID" all of your warranty for putting anything or doing anything to it!!! I said all the other bikers here put on light kits, GPS's, and other accessories from here, why is theirs's not voided. He had turned around and just kept walking away and I said yes sir and thank you waiting for them to get it repaired. I can catch more flies with Honey than Vinegar and will take things up later when the time is right with the necessary people. But he had the nerve to threaten me by voiding my warranty!!!

Thanks,

David

P.S.: Just another update!

 

[NancysToy]

You really, really, really need to find another dealer! nojoke

 

[Arr MiHardies]

Grr. Just reading the way these "people" are treating you is getting me all worked up. I sure hope BRP is reading this thread.

 

[exwinger]

patience

You are able to bite your tongue a whole lot better than I could. If a service tech or anyone ever spoke to me like that there would have been fur flying.There is absolutely no reason for that kind of response to a customer.Have you ever thought of taking a small recorder weith you the next time you go in , my phone has a recorder on it .He threatened to call BRP ??? Have at it kemo sabe because if he didn't right then I would. Total ignorance and incompetence on their part. Dealers like this need smoked out . I'd have a form already printed out the next time I went in and make the offer to sign it . Other customers in the store would also be made aware of exactly what is going on. Been there , done that and didn't even get arrested after the deputy heard my side of the story. But then that was back in my younger days and I may have mellowed just a tad but your treatment by the dealership I'm sure would put me right back. Absolutely disgusting customer service.