Spyder Fire

[Boss1man]

Hello Everyone.

My Spyder bust into flames on August 5, 2010 during my trip to the Grand Canyon. Luckily I was in a tourist area and the fire was put out quickly. After renting a U-Haul truck and driving back home to Toronto the real issues started. BRP is denying any responsibility and they have stated that there are no defects with the Spyder. After several letters back and forth, I have no choice but to go Legal. This is where I need Spyder Lovers Help. For those Spyder riders who have also had the misfortune of having to watch their Spyder burst into flames, I would like to send you a form for some details that will assist my lawyer in the legal case.

My facts are simple. I did all the maintenance as required. There were no external circumstances that caused the fire. There are other Spyders that burst into flames. Therefore, there is a defect with the Spyder and I expect BRP to fix it under warranty.

I requested BRP correct the problem under warranty, and they simply denied all responsibility without providing any valid explanation.

If you can send me your contact information to [email protected] I can send you a copy of the form.

Thanks

 

[NancysToy]

Please understand that I am very sympathetic to your plight, and I am not throwing stones here, but why do you feel that it has to be a defect, and was not a parts failure of some type? Seems to me it could certainly have been either. Could easily have been a loose hose clamp, worn or deteriorated fuel line, fuel filter failure, or a similar cause. Could also be the result of previous maintenance work, not the manufacturing process. One would be the direct result of the design and manufacture, but the other would merely be circumstance. On another note, why isn't your insurance company handling this? Their lawyers would have far more clout and connections. Just playing the devil's advocate here. Answering such qustions up front is easier than in court.

 

[Some Guy]

Please understand that I am very sympathetic to your plight, and I am not throwing stones here, but why do you feel that it has to be a defect, and was not a parts failure of some type? Seems to me it could certainly have been either. Could easily have been a loose hose clamp, worn or deteriorated fuel line, fuel filter failure, or a similar cause. Could also be the result of previous maintenance work, not the manufacturing process. One would be the direct result of the design and manufacture, but the other would merely be circumstance. On another note, why isn't your insurance company handling this? Their lawyers would have far more clout and connections. Just playing the devil's advocate here. Answering such qustions up front is easier than in court.

:agree:
But I still removed my evap canister and plugged the purge valve...maybe I'm paranoid. :dontknow:

"Just because I'm paranoid does not mean that people are not out to get me!".

 

[Rider Steve]

Maybe he doesn't have insurance....

 

[Boss1man]

I have insurance and the insurance will fix the damages caused by the fire but they will not fix what caused the fire. I count over 10 other Spyders that burst into flames. So...If I did all the warranty work, and there were not external circumstances, and other Spyders also burst into flames, then the issue is with BRP not the customer. This is not an isolated situation.

 

[Lamonster]

http://www.nhtsa.gov/

 

[NancysToy]

http://www.nhtsa.gov/

Sorry, Boss1man is from Canada.

 

[Lamonster]

Sorry, Boss1man is from Canada.

pps:
I'm sure they have something like that don't they? :dontknow:

 

[Firefly]

pps:
I'm sure they have something like that don't they? :dontknow:

https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/PCDB-BDPP/fc-cp.aspx?lang=eng

 

[Rider Steve]

I have insurance and the insurance will fix the damages caused by the fire but they will not fix what caused the fire. I count over 10 other Spyders that burst into flames. So...If I did all the warranty work, and there were not external circumstances, and other Spyders also burst into flames, then the issue is with BRP not the customer. This is not an isolated situation.

Your trying to make a corporation own up to their mistakes and make things right. Best of luck on that one. :ani29:

 

[Firefly]

I have insurance and the insurance will fix the damages caused by the fire but they will not fix what caused the fire. I count over 10 other Spyders that burst into flames. So...If I did all the warranty work, and there were not external circumstances, and other Spyders also burst into flames, then the issue is with BRP not the customer. This is not an isolated situation.

Did you have the 'second' update done prior to the fire?-- the one where they re-routed the evap canister vent hose?

We have yet to confirm that any of these fires have happened AFTER this update was done.

Sorry for your loss and problems -- glad your insurance took care of you --- but in order to 'fix what caused the fire' --- you will first have to figure out what caused it. BRP isn't going to admit to any cause -- what you need is to use your government safety reporting system to get action.

Please file a complaint here if you have not already:

https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/PCDB-BDPP/fc-cp.aspx?lang=eng

You should also do a search of the US version --- you might get some important data there --- but not everyone bothered to file reports on their fires.

You can search on the US NHTSA site here:

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

 

[wyliec]

Did you have the 'second' update done prior to the fire?-- the one where they re-routed the evap canister vent hose?

Neither Carlo nor my dealer could explain the reason for a s/n break for this update. I took my spyder to my dealer a few weeks back and the service mgr. looked at the warranty/quality bulletin and said that my spyder wasn't within the s/n's specified. However, they did do the update b/c I made a pain of myself when I had talked to Carlo previously about this. He (Carlo) had called my dealer and e-mailed them to do the update. The service mgr. was not up to speed on what had transpired; but, I quickly brought him there.

One last thing. I PM'd two members and I wasn't going to mention it here on the forum; but, Carlo said that BRP has checked into all reported fires b/c they take safety seriously. He also said that they have not found any link between not having the vent hose extension and any fires. I'm paraphrasing here. Take it for what it's worth. Don't shoot the messenger.

 

[boborgera]

Hello Everyone.

My Spyder bust into flames on August 5, 2010 during my trip to the Grand Canyon. Luckily I was in a tourist area and the fire was put out quickly. After renting a U-Haul truck and driving back home to Toronto the real issues started. BRP is denying any responsibility and they have stated that there are no defects with the Spyder. After several letters back and forth, I have no choice but to go Legal. This is where I need Spyder Lovers Help. For those Spyder riders who have also had the misfortune of having to watch their Spyder burst into flames, I would like to send you a form for some details that will assist my lawyer in the legal case.

My facts are simple. I did all the maintenance as required. There were no external circumstances that caused the fire. There are other Spyders that burst into flames. Therefore, there is a defect with the Spyder and I expect BRP to fix it under warranty.

I requested BRP correct the problem under warranty, and they simply denied all responsibility without providing any valid explanation.

If you can send me your contact information to [email protected] I can send you a copy of the form.

Thanks

I hope if you get some Considerations from BRP you won't Clam up like some others have.

 

[wyliec]

I hope if you get some Considerations from BRP you won't Clam up like some others have.

:agree: I've thought that myself.

 

[Raptor]

Sorry to hear of your troubles, I hope you get some resolution-

Be advised also, that BRP's first steering update also included non-disclosed (at the time) changes to the programming of the fuel canister purge valve, followed closely by the fuel canister vent line extension/rerouting update. All, coincidentally, about the same time many of the fires were occurring......

Carlo and BRP have said many times that they investigate ALL reports of fire, yet several members here who have had fires have reported that they never heard from BRP at all....wonder who's BS'ing us??:dontknow:

:agree: Something does not seem correct here. If someone gets seriously hurt there will surely be a full-scale investigation and BRP will be exposed. ANd it will hurt them badly, possibly beyond repair. It will depend on what their market share is if/when it happens. I fear at this rate it is only a matter of time and it concerns me. BRP should man up and just address the situation in a responsible manner. I know; I'm dreamin...

 

[Arthur---Mexico]

Spyder fires

So far everrything I have seen written on this serious subject of fires has been anonymous letters without the writer's name. I don't believe anonymous messages. If you can't indicate who you are that is writing such serious letters why should anyone believe you?
Arthur S. Cohen, Mexico City, Mexico

Someone wrote:
We have yet to confirm that any of these fires have happened AFTER this update was done.

Please file a complaint here if you have not already:

 

[SilverSurfer]

I agree with Aurthur and others who see these postings and allude to there being more disservice done by the fear mongering of the posts than anything BRP is or isn't doing. The Spyder is a fine machine ... It is a safe machine. It doesn't "burst into flames" with any more likelihood than any other machine (are you listening prospective Spyder owners? ... I hope so).

I've been reading these posts for months. I always empathize with a ryder who experiences a mishap. However, NEVER do I see information with the complaint that indicates "after analysis the cause of the fire was determined to be ________ (fill in the blank)." All we hear is "my Spyder burst into flames." ... Like they spontaneously combust. We also seldom know what mods were done on the afflicted machine (especially exhaust/fuel system mods), or SPECIFICALLY, if the earlier recalls on the fuel vents, etc. were performed. From the best I can tell, all the mis-haps are on early RS/GS models, never on a newer RS or an RT/RT-S. I also aver "bunk" to those who allege some type of collusion or shadiness on BRP's release of recall and safety information. In fact, they have shown me they are are more than open and forward-leaning in this regard. Examples: The clutch recall for SE5s .. and the current DPS recall (The current DPS recall is a voluntary recall on the part of BRP, not mandatory and not required ... It's just a nice improvement at no cost to Spyder owners. Not having it done will not void any warranties).

Before people start painting BRP as the Great Satan, I would encourage a bit more objectivity on the reporting ... with an emphatic "shame on you," for those conspiracy theorists NOT having a problem, but who just throw gasoline on the issue with all the fear mongering and non-information.

The way to handle this problem if you are among the 11 or so of 15,000 or so who've had a fire:

1. Mourn. The next day ...
2. Have someone who knows what they're doing inspect the machine to DOCUMENT what caused the fire. Share that information objectively and accurately with this group.
3. File insurance claim; report matter to BRP.
4. Collect insurance payment
5. Buy new Spyder
6. Enjoy.
hyea:

 

[boborgera]

The clutch recall for SE5s .. and the current DPS recall (The current DPS recall is a voluntary recall on the part of BRP, not mandatory and not required ... It's just a nice improvement at no cost to Spyder owners. Not having it done will not void any warranties).
hyea:

Voluntary Recalls = We [BRP] better do a recall before the NHATSA, Makes it a Mandatory recall.[bad press]
It is mandatory that before a dealer can sell a new or used, Spyder the new DPS has to be installed.
Believe me if you had the old DPS and it would take you for a white knuckle ride every now and then, You might change your mind and say
the recall was required.

 

[Firefly]

So far everrything I have seen written on this serious subject of fires has been anonymous letters without the writer's name. I don't believe anonymous messages. If you can't indicate who you are that is writing such serious letters why should anyone believe you?
Arthur S. Cohen, Mexico City, Mexico

Someone wrote:
We have yet to confirm that any of these fires have happened AFTER this update was done.

Please file a complaint here if you have not already:

To be clear---- When I said WE--- I meant SPYDERLOVERS members---- It's not that no one WITH the evap canister extension has NOT had a fire--- it's just that of the fires reported out here - no one has clearly been able to say that they did indeed have that update done.

----------------------

The BIG problem here is that people have not been reporting these fires to the NHTSA. There are only around 1/2 dozen or less that have actually been reported. It took around 10 of us reporting the steering problems before we started to see action in the way of a voluntary recall. That process didn't take that long once people started doing official reports with the NHTSA.

I'll check the site later today and see how many fires have been reported - but last month when I checked it was a low number. Far more have had fires and posted out here than have filed reports.

The NHTSA system only works if people take the time to file reports.

Going through the NHTSA or the Canadian equivalent should be a MUCH faster way of getting answers than 1 person hiring a attorney. The action taken on the steering is witness to this.

 

[Firefly]

The way to handle this problem if you are among the 11 or so of 15,000 or so who've had a fire:

1. Mourn. The next day ...
2. Have someone who knows what they're doing inspect the machine to DOCUMENT what caused the fire. Share that information objectively and accurately with this group.
3. File insurance claim; report matter to BRP.
4. Collect insurance payment
5. Buy new Spyder
6. Enjoy.
hyea:

You left out REPORT TO NHTSA!