RT with "DPS" Problem

[frank3]

Came home from Cuba yeasterday morning and 5 miles short of the house, DPS fault warning came on the dash. Steering on highway didn't seem too bad but as soon as I exited highway steering was very difficult. No power steering AT ALL. May just be a blown fuse and haven't looked at it yet. Need to use it today through Wednesday because my pickup is out of service. Will be intown use only and then I will call dealer to have them come pick it up. Don't want to try a long highway trip with it like this and dealer is 50 miles away. I keep everyone posted on progress as I'm sure lots of folks will be interested in this.
Had a great time in Cuba and was very nice to get to talk to Scotty and Ticket Bait.

 

[frank3]

Up Date

0830, Started RT to go to office, no DPS warning and steering normal. Not a blow fuse. Stand by, more to come I'm sure.

 

[Chief-J]

DPS-II

My 2011 RT-S is back in the shop for DPS. I only have 578 miles on it. Wondering if there is a problem with this batch of DPS? I hope to here something from the shop today, its been three days down so far.

Hope I did not purchase a lemon.

 

[IWN2RYD]

My $.02 here is potentially partial info as we do not yet have our RT-S back from the shop...

We took a 300+ miles ryde around our area on Friday/Saturday and kept getting a weird flashing Spyder symbol on our dash. Then one minute I have power steering, and the next not. Became rather dangerous at the trick of turning off the bike seemed to work. Only to have it function in one corner, and not the next. So I got rather upset and turned our ryde into a trip to the dealer (About 340 miles in) That was over an hour from where we had been at the time.

Drove in, showed them the flashing light and solid symbol on the dash (Two separate lights).

Spoke with our Tech on this past Saturday (Our tech was on vacation so the bike sat there for a good part of the week waiting at our knowledge and preference)...

He stated the following. Even in the parking lot the RT-S clearly showed a bad DPS. When speaking with the BRP folks they found that yes, this is the new DPS but for some reason it has an old and known to be bad program in it. So as of right now they are deciding what to do as the DPS is not a re-programmable item I am told.

Additionally the error message had nothing to do with the DPS but rather a defective Passenger sensor. Evidently it is shorting out in the harness or itself.

Anyway... If this DPS programming ends up being the actual issue for us, it very well may be for you. :2thumbs::spyder2::doorag:

 

[frank3]

Don't have a clue about cause. DPS message came on while I was on highway at 75 MPH. I was 5 miles from home, pulled off highway at exit for home and found very hard steering. Got it home and in garage. Started it up this AM and message was gone and steering returned to normal. I have done a lot of work on this RT, gauges (volt & oil pressure), polk speakers, high tail light, 12v outlet, lots of carbon fiber work, back rest and lots of other mech. items. Don't think I did anything to cause a short, I'm very much a detail person and took lots of time to do a neat clean job but you never know. Did apply dieletric grease to EVERY connector I could get to while having it apart. Probably have it to the dealer by end of this week and let him put it on B.U.D.s to see what's going on.

 

[IWN2RYD]

I see no reason what so ever to think it is something you did. My short I am told has nothing to do with the DPS at all, as I was originally concerned with. And this is a Factory issue (The short) not from anything else.

Your DPS sounds a lot like mine. Works, then does not and so on and so on...

 

[IWN2RYD]

Just wanted to come back in here and correct my previous post, well that or add to it... lol

OK... After our Tech dug a lot deeper. He discovered very pleasing info! We have learned that we actually had three bad connectors throughout the Bike. One was crushed (They have no idea why or how it is possible) and two others that just needed to be replaced...

So at this point the DPS and GPS and power fluctuation (when driving after a few hours the bike felt like we are hitting a head wind when there was none) issues are gone.

Our Tech says basically because we trickle charge our Spyder twice a week that when we first start ryding there are no issues because the battery was strong enough to support the draw the bike needed to run properly. But as the battery drained, the system is designed to start reducing items in a particular order as a way to reserve battery power.

So these connections (One battery - something about the vibrations knocking it loose, the seat sensor one and some other that had something to do with the GPS) had such a poor contact the battery was running the bike instead of the magneto...

They are in the process of doing a few other odds and ends and we should be able to pick it up later today :2thumbs:

Anyway, I hope this helps you or someone. As it looks to be a very inexpensive fix compared to what it looked like it could be this past Saturday...

I do realized I simplified the post here, as I am not the one who did it. My hope here is a possible solution to look at first if this happens to someone else. :spyder2:

 

[frank3]

Guess I'm at a loss after reading your post. I had just completed a trip from Spyderfest in Cuba (about 250 miles) when it happen to me. I don't have a GPS and the hugh warning on the screen said "CHECK DPS". Anyway, it started right up the following morning with no warning showing. I had not had it on a trickle charger anytime in the past 2 months when I took it out of winter storage. I was using the grip heaters set on low and had the fog lights on. Guess it could of been low power and I've always thought the positive connection to my battery was a little suspect but because of my feeling about the connection, I've checked it several times and it appears tight. Guess I'll wait to see if it reoccures and have it checked by the dealer then. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[boborgera]

Guess I'm at a loss after reading your post. I had just completed a trip from Spyderfest in Cuba (about 250 miles) when it happen to me. I don't have a GPS and the hugh warning on the screen said "CHECK DPS". Anyway, it started right up the following morning with no warning showing. I had not had it on a trickle charger anytime in the past 2 months when I took it out of winter storage. I was using the grip heaters set on low and had the fog lights on. Guess it could of been low power and I've always thought the positive connection to my battery was a little suspect but because of my feeling about the connection, I've checked it several times and it appears tight. Guess I'll wait to see if it reoccures and have it checked by the dealer then. Thanks for the feedback.

:dontknow:
Any chance your battery is not holding a full charge? [bad cell]
The DPS use a lot of juce.

 

[frank3]

Well,,,,,,I have a volt meter and it was reading about 14 volts so I don't think that was the problem. Still has not returned and I've ridden it every day this week to and from the office and around town. A little shy about making a long trip until I can get it to the dealer and have them check it out on B.U.D.s. Will keep you posted.

 

[ThreeWheels]

I'm not sure if I have a bad DPS either.

I seem to have no power if I make sharper turns, around 20 to 25 MPH. These turns are either 90 degrees or greater. 15 MPH and there is no problem.
I'm not sure if this is a "feature" of the new DPS or a failure.
I just had the tires changed, so my dealer has checked everything, and I trust them implicitly.

 

[Mr. White]

Just my .02. Had 450 miles or so on my 2011 RT-S. Running 35 or so into a town. "limp mode" come on screen and BR1 slows down. I pull into a service station and say "Oh phooy".

Had no idea what to do but looked in my owners manual at the symbol on the screen and it said "check DPS"...1) remove and replace key. 2) Tow to dealer.

I took the key out, replaced it and have rode 500 miles since with no problems. During the 600, the tech said "you may have been riding the brake". Nothing showed up on the BUDS. I have been riding over 60 years and thought "huh".

Anyway, I am very aware of my right foot now...and have added Spyder foot rests....I think I learned something.

:spyder2:

I realize this is not related to your DPS problems, but it might help someone one of these days...ride the brake and it will put you in limp mode...

 

[MouthPiece]

I've noted that on several occasions, including my own experience, that some of us have gone into a limp mode only to have the dealer say that they could not find anything when running their BUDS check (forgive me if that is not the correct terminology).

I've posted on a different thread a short while ago about my experience with the DPS and limp mode. Approximately two weeks prior to spyderfest I experienced the notorious limp mode. I called my dealer and was told to turn it off and restart and that all should be fine. They said to bring it in. I did, and when I restarted the limp mode had disappeared. Mind you that I had the DPS recall replacement in September of last year.

That very same day I took my spyder to the dealer to have them run the BUDS or run their check. They found nothing. I would note that my tech when he had his laptop out and plugged into my spyder to make the check, inadvertantly stated that THEY (the dealership) was due a software update to perform this function. I thought that odd that he would be checking with an out dated software. They didn't find anything and sent me on my way.

On the Sunday before spyderfest I again had limp mode show. At this point I would say that my spyder had been running hesitantly. It wasn't smooth running in other words. I had planned on leaving the following day for spyderfest, but instead took it into the dealership.

Long story short (which it's been long already) they replaced my "recall DPS" with a DPS that was on one of their show room floor spyders. They also did some other replacements of which I'm not sure what was done YET.

My spyder ran very well for about 600 miles until a few days ago when again it started running rough. I continued riding and BINGO limp mode raised it's ugly head again. I have taken my spyder back to the dealership.

I guess where I'm headed on all of this is asking whether not having a software update to determine what is going on inside that DPS may be a reason for some of the common experiences that we are having? I don't know. I'm just throwing it out for discusssion.

I'm not faulting anyone on this, but instead seeking opinions. My dealership has been nothing but stellar in their work for me.

Chris PE# 0004

 

[MangoMike]

Wow Chris, this sounds "scary". Hope they get it fixed so you can ride to the BRP event!

Mike

 

[MouthPiece]

Wow Chris, this sounds "scary". Hope they get it fixed so you can ride to the BRP event!

Mike

By hook or crook!!! :yikes:

Chris

 

[retiredsquid]

Reading all of these problems in Shop Talk give me pause. I just hope we did not make a mistake by putting the money we did into this 2011 Limited and trailer combo. I know that I will not be a happy camper if I am sitting along side a highway or limping in because of some of these known problems. Hopefully they were honest with me and had all of the updates in mine when it left the dealership. Mine was built in late March of this year.

It's looking like we were very wise in investing in the extended warranty package at the dealership.

 

[NancysToy]

Reading all of these problems in Shop Talk give me pause. I just hope we did not make a mistake by putting the money we did into this 2011 Limited and trailer combo. I know that I will not be a happy camper if I am sitting along side a highway or limping in because of some of these known problems. Hopefully they were honest with me and had all of the updates in mine when it left the dealership. Mine was built in late March of this year.

It's looking like we were very wise in investing in the extended warranty package at the dealership.

Remember that the apparent frequency problems is magnified many times on any forum. Nobody talks about carefree miles, but an owner having a problem will seek a solution, or get things of his/her chest, online. This make it seem as though many are having problems, when it is really just a few. Remember, there are tens of thousands of Spyders out there, and you are reading about only a handful.

 

[MouthPiece]

Remember that the apparent frequency problems is magnified many times on any forum. Nobody talks about carefree miles, but an owner having a problem will seek a solution, or get things of his/her chest, online. This make it seem as though many are having problems, when it is really just a few. Remember, there are tens of thousands of Spyders out there, and you are reading about only a handful.

And Scotty is exactly right. I from day one have been what I would call a positive proponent of the spyder. Admittedly recently I have had a "glitch" or two, but over all this machine is absolutely faaaaanfreakintastic. I tell my friends that my spyder has offered me a "second run at life" and I sincerely mean it.

Chris PE# 0004

 

[IWN2RYD]

Just a small update now with about 700 miles after the visit...

All is well. My issue seems to have been the connects as described in my post above. Other than our GPS still not working correctly, our RT-S seems to be working flawlessly. I am going through about 3/4 of a tank a day (At least) and am driving in thunderstorms, all the way to 65f sunny weather. ZERO issues at this point. I am going through that much fuel because my office is now about 30 miles way as the crow flies, or 45 miles one way the "Route" I take to and from my home... MUHahahahahahaha

And of course the driving around through the day calling on clients/potential clients...:clap::2thumbs::spyder2::doorag:

 

[redlightron]

Today I also had the limp mode come on while driving at 70mph and power dropped off to 50 mph which I drove about 10 miles. After refueling, I removed the key and started over and it ran without a problem or code and I ran it up to 75 mph played with steering at hwy speeds and still did not have a problems and is now parked in the garage. Spoke to the dealer and we will see if it occurs again.:dontknow: