Left Hand Module Replacement on F3 - anyone DIY?

[VitoNam]

* 2018 Spyder F3L.

* Finally, after 4 years and 17K miles, the infamous L/H control module is acting up similarly to everyones.
* I've searched and have read the postings here concerning the module and it's problems.
* I've searched "How To" to no avail.
* I have no maintenance insurance.
* I can afford to purchase the module #710006576.
* I have the skills for DIY replacement.
* I have a maintenance manual both paper and digital.

* Questions:
A) Has anybody replaced the module themselves?
B) Problems encountered?
C) Does BUDS enter into the replacement picture?
D) Any more parts to get other than the module-wiring assembly itself?
E) Or, do I suffer dealing with a dealer?

THANKS in advance for any information!

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

VitoNam

I would start at a PARTS site ..... look at the Fiche' for that part .... it will show you every piece that is used to put it together .... print a pic .... and dis-assemble .... Mike :thumbup:

 

[DuckDodgers]

Well my experience at this was long and drawn out. I’ve got a 2018 RT, and it took lots of searching to find a new LH module to say the least. Once I did receive it I started removing at the handlebar to see what I was going to be looking at going forward. My shop manual did have a section for removal / replacement. However it was super generic and the drawings or photos provided were of an F3 which are different handlebars than my RT. This mattered when it came time to fish the connector harness up out of the handlebar area.

The harness has a single connection and on the surface was simply plug and play. The harness runs down towards the engine and then routes itself over towards the bikes right side between the front wheel assembly and your brake pedal. The not so simple part is how the harness is routed and where it has to pass through. There is a hole in the frame below the handlebars that the harness goes through and will not pass through with the wide connector intact. The only way I found is to de-pin that connector and pull the wiring back out of the connector shell to make it smaller. The connector has around a dozen wires if I remember.

The old harness will have to be de-pinned to remove it all (although you could just cut it off I suppose as well), and then de-pin that brand new module’s harness and connector as well to get it to pass through the same frame hole for the install. I stopped once I got here because even though de-pinning a connector isn’t rocket science, I knew that if I did screw it up there wouldn’t be a replacement easily found. My digging and searching already proved that.

I put it all back together and took it in to a dealer. The service guy did confirm that they de-pin that connector as well when they do this job.

I asked about BUDS and they said it is used to verify functions on the new module after install but that was it.

 

[VitoNam]

Duck: Thanks for that terrific reply! How long ago did you do this replacement that took so long to find the newest version of the module? And, did you ride it to the dealer for confirmation, or trailer it?

 

[DuckDodgers]

It was earlier this year during the height of all the supply chain disruptions. Can Am had given several of us on this forum an expected ship date on this part that was 4-6 months into the future. Then of course the date moved to the right even more. My parts lady at the dealer told me the dealer computer systems are connected in a way that they can see each other's inventory. She found a couple of dealers in the midwest that showed 1 in stock. You are still at the mercy of inventory and parts counts by strangers, but I got lucky and found one. Once I had the part in my hand, I cancelled the order that would have come from Can Am direct.

I rode it in to have the dealer finish the job after realizing the de-pinning had to happen. When my module broke though, the only part actually not functional was the manual down shift. The automatic part worked fine and the manual upshift worked as well.

 

[VitoNam]

My situation is a bit difficult, and it happened literally almost overnight:

* I have no reverse.
* it's difficult to get into first gear.
* I can only return to neutral after I turn off the ignition and turn it back on.
* It's later October in NW Minnesota.
* Dealer is 50 miles away.
* Dealer has snowmobiles to deal with now.

However, I do have until spring (6 months away) to find the No.710006576 module and complete the change out in my toasty wood heated shop. Reading, studying and searching, I found that the wiring connector (male) is a Delphi, A 14 pin version. For reference, see photo I found of a 12 pin Delphi. A YouTube video taught me how easy it is to deal with that particular plug. Taking photos of the wires and their position on the connector should alleviate some DIY anxiety. I still have to remove panels and see IF the de-pinning is an absolute for threading the harness on the F3. All in due time.

 

[DuckDodgers]

This is the connector of my removed module:







I thought I had pictures of where it actually connected up under the fairings but apparently, I don't.

 

[DuckDodgers]

Here are a couple of pictures with the back cover removed from the module. I investigated the shift mechanism since it seemed over the top to need to replace this entire module just for this problem.

The aluminum T-shaped object at the bottom is on the back end of the +/- shift paddle


The T-shape pivots left or right depending on which paddle button you pressed. The pivot or slight rotation allows it to make contact with some very small ball bearings about the size of a BB. You can sort of make them out under the edge of the aluminum T


The BB then depresses the little white electrical switches underneath. They look like buttons on a calculator. The issue with my module was some type of damage under the surface of the downshift white switch. I could press it with my fingers and make it intermittently function, which eliminated the shift paddle, aluminum T and ball bearings as problems.


All items are contained within the L/H module, so that is the one-and-done replacement. The problem with shifting into reverse makes sense if you can't get good positive contact on the downshift switch, you can't get into reverse either.

There was a service bulletin that covered this very problem here on the forum somewhere but I can't find it at the moment. My RT model was mentioned directly but my dealer pointed out that the bulletin was a few years old and wasn't a recall, just a bulletin. I am really curious why it is the downshift side switch that fails apparently and not the upshift one.

 

[DuckDodgers]

You may have the shop or maintenance manual already but if not, here are the pages (all 2 of them) out of my RT manual covering this:

 

[VitoNam]

Thanks for the photos and their explanations! People helping each other to solve problems.

Yes, that is a Delphi connector (I've have to get the tool, or two, to release the pins). When the problem was first recognized here a few years ago, I took the back cover off of the module as I was curious what the mechanism looked like. Your explanation of function will make more sense once I dig into it all.

As is the state of electronics, you replace the entire unit. No nit picking to replace tiny parts. No profit to be had there.

The BRP Warranty Bulletin (Technical Service Bulletin -TSB) BRP issued in 2018 was Bulletin 2018-5. It's just a TSB not a recall unfortunately. The TSB expiration date was July 31, 2020. I've contacted BRPCare to see if there is any extension to any sort of warranty for the ongoing problem.

I do have the service manual, both paper and digital version. I use the old school paper most often.