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CAN-AM · NHTSA safety record

2012 CAN-AM Spyder RT

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

41

Complaints

1

Crashes

2

Fires

1

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2012 CAN-AM Spyder RT have filed 41 safety complaints with NHTSA between February 2013 and June 2023. The most complained-about system is the fuel and propulsion system, named in 22 of them (54%). The typical failure was reported at 753 miles, the median across the 37 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 1 recall covering this vehicle.

Recalls (1)

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

12V582000 · December 12, 2012

The defect
Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Can-Am Spyder GS, RS, and RT series vehicles. The fuel cap may not fit onto the fuel tank filler neck, preventing it from sealing properly.
The risk
If the fuel cap does not seal properly, it may leak fuel vapors. Fuel vapors in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire and personal injury.
The remedy
BRP will notify owners and send them a replacement fuel cap, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin in mid-January 2013. Owners may contact BRP AT 1-888-638-5397.

Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. · up to 33,700 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 41.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 22 54%
ENGINE 8 20%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 7 17%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 4 10%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 10%
STRUCTURE 4 10%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 3 7%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 3 7%
STEERING 2 5%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 5%
POWER TRAIN 1 2%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 16.

2013 2014 2023
2013 to 2023

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

STEERING

1 injured · crash · 4,800 miles

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING OUR SPYDER ON HWY. #2 FROM SEDRO WOOLLY TO WINTHROP, WA. WE WERE TRAVELLING WITH TWO OTHER VEHICLES WHICH WERE AHEAD OF US. THE ROAD IS VERY CURVY THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS AND WE KEPT TO THE SPEED LIMITS POSTED. THE WEATHER WAS SUNNY AND THE ROADS DRY. WE WERE TRAVELLING EAST AND HAVING AN ENJOYABLE TIME. HOWEVER AT MILE 144 WE CAME ACROSS ANOTHER CURVE IN THE ROAD AND THE SPYDER STEERING FROZE AND WOULD NOT TURN. IT WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE OTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC AND STRAIGHT INTO THE GUARD RAILING. WE WERE TRAVELLING AT THE POSTED SPEED OF 35 MPH. AT THE TIME WHEN THE STEERING FROZE. MY WIFE WAS THROWN FROM THE SPYDER AND RECEIVED NUMEROUS BRUISES AND ROAD RASH. A

NHTSA complaint 10746275, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

fire · towed · 1,600 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 CAN-AM SPYDER RT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN INTERSECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE IN FRONT OF THE MOTORCYCLE NEAR THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT GOT OFF THE MOTORCYCLE AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE SECONDS LATER. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOTALED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,600.

NHTSA complaint 11157300. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

fire · 5,600 miles

MY WIFE AND I WERE RIDING TO HAWKS NEST STATE PARK IN WEST VIRGINIA, MY CAN-AM SPIDER CAUGHT ON FIRE AROUND THE FUEL CAP AREA WE WERE COMING TO A STOP GOING ABOUT 10 MILES AN HOUR TO 0. I FELT HEAT ON MY LEFT LEG LOOKED DOWN AND SAW FLAMES AND TOLD MY WIFE TO GET OFF THE BIKE AND WE GOT OFF AND THE BIKE, IT BURNED FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE SOMEONE PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH AN EXTINGUISHER. WE HAD FUELED UP ABOUT 35 MILES PRIOR TO THIS STOP. THERE ARE RECALLS ON THIS MOTORCYCLE BUT NOT MY SPECIFIC VIN #- WHY? I SEE THIS IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER 2008 TO 2012 CAN-AM SPYDERS WITH VAPOR LEAK OR FUEL LINE LEAK RECALLS. I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS CAN-AM FOR THREE MONTHS I AM GRATEFUL WE ARE NOT

NHTSA complaint 11231750, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
Upon cruising down the highway about 60 MPH,my powered windshield support arm broke and the windshield fell back toward me in between the handle bars. Upon inspection,arm broke in half leaving the windshield unsupported. Our safety was put at risk because windshield was laying flat instead of upright for protection from winds and bugs or debris as designed. We had to prop it up with a coat to finish our ride. Doing research on Spyder owners forum,we discovered it is an ongoing problems with this support arm and we are not the lone incident. BRP should recall this for safety reasons. BRP sells a replacement unit for $800, totally unexceptable as this is a part that should not fail.no warning

NHTSA complaint 11527282, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

27,880 miles

SMELL FUEL VAPORS.

NHTSA complaint 11396160. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

7,200 miles

I HAVE A 2012 CAN AM SPYDER RT LIMITED WITH EXTREME HEAT ON MY RIGHT FOOT AND AROUND THE SEAT. ALSO HAVE OVERWHELMING GASOLINE FUMES AFTER PARKING THE BIKE. MAKING IT UNUSABLE AND NO FUN AND DANGEROUS TO RIDE. PURCHASED JULY 14 2017. 7,200 MILES. HAD CONTACT SEVERAL TIMES WITH LOCAL DEALER ABSOLUTELY NO HELP!

NHTSA complaint 11325830. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

5,895 miles

DYNAMIC POWER STEERING FAILURE AT 5,900 MILES. NO POWER STEERING AT SLOW SPEEDS.

NHTSA complaint 11310775. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
ON 7/11/2019 MY 2012 CANAM RT SE5 STARTED THROWING OUT VSS FAULT CODE, I TOOK IT HOME AND CONTACTED MY LOCAL CANAM SERVICE COMPANY. THEY ASKED ME TO BRING IT IN WHICH I DID THE NEXT DAY. ENROUTE TO THE SHOP IT BEGAN SHOWING ABS LIMP HOME MODE BUT WAS NOT IN LIMP HOME MODE. ONCE CONNECTED TO THE SHOP COMPUTER I WAS ADVISED THE BIKE WAS THROWING OUT NUMEROUS CODES AND FALSE CODES. THEN I WASXADVISED THIS BIKE HAS HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE 2013 IP TO AND INCLUDING REPLACING THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AT 15000+ MILES. SINCE PURCHASING THW BIKE IT CONSTANTLY SHORTS THE HORN OUT AND I HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUSE. IN ADDITION TO THE VSS/ABS CODES THE SHOCK COMPRESSOR HAD STARTED

NHTSA complaint 11232054, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the CAN-AM Spyder RT

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2018 12 2 —
2016 9 1 1
2013 102 2 —
2011 29 2 —
2010 24 4 —

Every CAN-AM on this site — 13 vehicles, 25 recall campaigns and 0 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

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Independent developer and analyst