Auto Recall Watch
U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Can-Am SPYDER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

2 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

1,550 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 2 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior150.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Steering
2
Electrical System
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Steering2
Electrical System1

Steering: 2; Electrical System: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
1
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0001
25,000 to 49,9990
50,000 to 74,9990
75,000 to 99,9990
100,000 to 149,9990
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2018
1
2026
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20181
20261

2018: 1; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11143560 · 2018-10-28 (October 28, 2018)

WANTED ONE OF THESE FOR A LONG TIME, FOUND THIS ONE WITH 1520 MILES ON IT. JUST RODE IT HOME, 160 MILES, AND I WAS ABOUT KILLED. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT TURN UNLESS I EXERTED A LOT OF PRESSURE AND THEN IT WOULD "BREAK LOOSE" AND DART ANOTHER DIRECTION. JUST SPENT ALL MY SAVINGS ON THIS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE BRAND NEW!

Owner-reported narrative. 1,550 miles reported. Look up ODI 11143560 at NHTSA ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

2 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

50.0%Usable mileage1 / 2 records
100.0%Valid incident date2 / 2 records
100.0%Valid filing date2 / 2 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates2 / 2 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

Component complaint heatmap
Component2008200920102013
Engine
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

1453.8%
ODI 10541929 · 800 mi

EXCESS HEAT FROM THE ENGINE COMES OUT AROUND THE SEAT CAUSING FIRST DEGREE BURNS ON THE THIGHS AND PASSENGERS RIGHT ANKLE. THERE IS ALSO CONCERN ABOUT THE WIRING INSULATION MELTING AND THE BREAK FLUID TANDEM MASTER CYLINDER MANIFOLD (RESERVOIR) TO MELT FROM EXCESS HEAT AND THIS CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK ON THE EXHAUST AND CAUSE A FIRE. THERE HAVE BEEN FIRES WITH THE UNIT BEING COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE TRANSPORT CANADA SAFETY HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS CONDITION. BRP HAS BEEN SILENT ON THIS ISSUE IN THE USA MARKET. LOCAL DEALERS ARE NOT BEIN…

Look up ODI 10541929 at NHTSA ↗

Fuel/Propulsion System
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

150.0%
ODI 11577412

After driving 30 miles with ambient temps near 70 degrees F, I was home stopped the vehicle, smelled gas and check under the bike. Raw fuel was running from the evap canister vent hose and dripping on the concrete. The temps under the poly housings are so high that fuel boils and over takes the canister causing and unsafe a possible catastrophic situation of fuel pooling u see the vehicle. The issue has been reported the BRP

Look up ODI 11577412 at NHTSA ↗

726.9%
ODI 10574592 · 3,745 mi

STRONG ODOR OF RAW GAS WHEN CRUISING OR STANDING STILL. OVERPOWERING. DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH FUEL IS IN TANK. AT TIMES ACTS LIKE IT IS ABOUT TO RUN OUT OF GAS. *TR

Look up ODI 10574592 at NHTSA ↗

Steering
2100.0%
ODI 11143560 · 1,550 mi

WANTED ONE OF THESE FOR A LONG TIME, FOUND THIS ONE WITH 1520 MILES ON IT. JUST RODE IT HOME, 160 MILES, AND I WAS ABOUT KILLED. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT TURN UNLESS I EXERTED A LOT OF PRESSURE AND THEN IT WOULD "BREAK LOOSE" AND DART ANOTHER DIRECTION. JUST SPENT ALL MY SAVINGS ON THIS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE BRAND NEW!

Look up ODI 11143560 at NHTSA ↗

2100.0%
ODI 11291321

I WAS RIDING FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES WHEN I FELT MY STEERING STICK PULLING THE BIKE TO THE RIGHT, THEN I HAD TO FORCEFULLY PUSH THE HANDLEBARS BACK LEFT TO GET IT TO BREAK FREE. I PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE HANDLEBARS FOR OBSTRUCTION BUT THERE WERE NONE. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED BACK TOWARD HOME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON BUT THE LONGER I WAS ON THE BIKE THE WORSE IT GOT UNTIL IT SCARED ME TO THE POINT I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO MY HOUSE. AFTER RETURNING I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT SEEMED LIKE THE ISSUE I HAD WAS THE SAME AS UNITS THAT HAD BEEN RE…

Look up ODI 11291321 at NHTSA ↗

150.0%
ODI 11589203

The motorcycle has lost power steering. There was a recall on some of these machines, but mine was not recalled. The power steering failure was intermittent for a while and now it has failed completed. The dealer wants almost $2000 for this repair. The machine can be driven but without power steering it is dangerous. The machine only has 5700 miles on it. A $5000 machine is not worth putting $2000 into it for power steering that should never fail.

Look up ODI 11589203 at NHTSA ↗

13.8%
ODI 10882610 · 400 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 (NA) CAN-AM SPYDER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400.

Look up ODI 10882610 at NHTSA ↗

Electrical System
150.0%
ODI 11747069

While riding, the bike abruptly started decelerating , then it cut off. Then the DPS/VSS errors and limp mode showed.

Look up ODI 11747069 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

311.5%
ODI 10622081 · 40 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CAN-AM SPYDER MOTORCYCLE. WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE IN VERY HOT WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED IN A BRIGHT ORANGE COLOR, WHICH DISTRACTED THE DRIVER. IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE DISPLAY FROM THE SCREEN, THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF AND THE KEY HAD TO BE REMOVED AND REPLACED. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40.

Look up ODI 10622081 at NHTSA ↗

Engine And Engine Cooling
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

27.7%
ODI 10534185 · 13,200 mi

MY CAN AM SPYDER RTS-SM5 2013 CAUGHT FIRE TODAY AS I WAS TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY IN CALIFORNIA. I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE NEAR MY KNEE AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. WITHIN 30-60 SECONDS THE ENTIRE ROADSTER WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *TR

Look up ODI 10534185 at NHTSA ↗

Equipment Adaptive/Mobility
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

13.8%
ODI 10622101 · 1,000 mi

MY ISSUE IS WITH 2013 CANAM SPYDER. AFTER ENGINE REACHES NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE, THE AREA AROUND THE DRIVERS LEGS ARE EXPOSED TO 208 DEGREES F. THIS DATA WAS COLLECTED AT THE DEALERSHIP INJACKSONVILLE. THE CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO THIS DEFECT HAS CAUSED FIRST DEGREE BURNS ON MY WIFE'S LEGS. EVEN WHEN WARING THICK BLUE JEANS, EXTENDED RUN TIMES BURNT HER LEG TOO. THE COMPANY HAS APPARENTLY CORRECTED THIS ISSUE IN 2014. THEY HAVE RE ROUTED HOT AIR WITH DIFFERENT PANELS, REVERSING THE FAN AT SLOW SPEED AND STOP AND BETTER INSULATION. OBVIOUS…

Look up ODI 10622101 at NHTSA ↗

Exterior Lighting
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

13.8%
ODI 10545028 · 7 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CAN-AM SPYDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT DEACTIVATE AND CONTINUED TO FLASH WHEN A TURN WAS COMPLETE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WOULD HAVE TO BE DEACTIVATED MANUALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7.

Look up ODI 10545028 at NHTSA ↗

Fuel System, Gasoline
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

13.8%
ODI 10607045 · 10,400 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CAN-AM SPYDER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE MOTORCYCLE OVERHEATED, WHICH BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE CONTACT'S PANTS. THE CONTACT WAS UNINJURED. THE DEALER STATED THAT A STUCK PURGE VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,400.

Look up ODI 10607045 at NHTSA ↗

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
ComponentMileage range (25th–75th percentile)MedianUsable recordsExamples
SteeringToo few reports for a range1,550 mi1 (sparse)
ODI 11143560 · 1,550 mi

WANTED ONE OF THESE FOR A LONG TIME, FOUND THIS ONE WITH 1520 MILES ON IT. JUST RODE IT HOME, 160 MILES, AND I WAS ABOUT KILLED. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT TURN UNLESS I EXERTED A LOT OF PRESSURE AND THEN IT WOULD "BREAK LOOSE" AND DART ANOTHER DIRECTION. JUST SPENT ALL MY SAVINGS ON THIS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE BRAND NEW!

Look up ODI 11143560 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

1 reports2024-112026-10

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
MonthComplaintsCampaigns announcedExamples
2024-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2024-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-100None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-061None
ODI 11747069

While riding, the bike abruptly started decelerating , then it cut off. Then the DPS/VSS errors and limp mode showed.

Look up ODI 11747069 at NHTSA ↗

2026-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-10 (partial)0None

No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Age 0Age 1Age 220 reports

2010: 0 complaints · 2013: 20 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model yearThrough age 0Through age 1Through age 2
2010000
2013101920
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
YearIncident dates usedFiling date fallbacksExcluded dates
2010200
20132600

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
ComponentSteeringElectrical System
Steering—
1
ODI 11747069

While riding, the bike abruptly started decelerating , then it cut off. Then the DPS/VSS errors and limp mode showed.

Look up ODI 11747069 at NHTSA ↗

Electrical System
1
ODI 11747069

While riding, the bike abruptly started decelerating , then it cut off. Then the DPS/VSS errors and limp mode showed.

Look up ODI 11747069 at NHTSA ↗

—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

1 patterns with matching reports.

Steering assistance concerns

1 mentions · 50.0% of complaints

Median mileage: 1,550 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 11143560 · 1,550 mi

WANTED ONE OF THESE FOR A LONG TIME, FOUND THIS ONE WITH 1520 MILES ON IT. JUST RODE IT HOME, 160 MILES, AND I WAS ABOUT KILLED. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT TURN UNLESS I EXERTED A LOT OF PRESSURE AND THEN IT WOULD "BREAK LOOSE" AND DART ANOTHER DIRECTION. JUST SPENT ALL MY SAVINGS ON THIS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE BRAND NEW!

Look up ODI 11143560 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule\b(power steer\w*|steering assist\w*|steering lock\w*|steering wheel lock\w*)\b