CAN-AM · NHTSA safety record

2013 CAN-AM Spyder ST

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

Owners have filed 21 safety complaints about the 2013 CAN-AM Spyder ST with the US government. Of those, 4 people were injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the hydraulic brakes.

The most complained-about system is the fuel and propulsion system, named in 7 complaints, 33% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 2,000 miles, the median across the 19 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers June 2013 to April 2016 · How this is counted

What is on file

21 complaints on file

Complaints

Describe a crash

Mention fire

People injured

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 7 · 33% 7 33%

ENGINE 6 · 29% 6 29%

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 3 · 14% 3 14%

SERVICE BRAKES 3 · 14% 3 14%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 · 10% 2 10%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 · 10% 2 10%

STRUCTURE 2 · 10% 2 10%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 · 5% 1 5%

SEATS 1 · 5% 1 5%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 1 · 5% 1 5%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 · 5% 1 5%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 · 5% 1 5%

0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 21.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 11.

12 9 6 3

13 2013 14 2014 15 2015 16 2016

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2013 to 2016.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2013 CAN-AM Spyder ST. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

13V386000 · August 28, 2013

The defect: Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) is recalling certain model year 2013 Can-Am Spyder RT series and ST series motorcycles. The tandem brake master cylinder manifold inlet may melt allowing the brake fluid to leak out.
The risk: Brake fluid may leak onto a heat source, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy: BRP will notify owners and dealers will install heat shields and a heat deflector, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in early September 2013. Owners may contact BRP at 1-888-638-5397.

Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. · up to 8,191 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

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

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE Filed September 4, 2013

1 injured · 740 miles

2013 CAN AM SPYDER ST-S. EXTREME HOT TEMPERATURES ON BODY PANELS CAUSING GREAT DISCOMFORT TO DRIVER. WHEN STOPPED TO FUEL RIGHT FINGER TIPS BURNED WHEN OPENING GAS CAP. HAD TO USE T- SHIRT I WAS WEARING TO OPEN GAS CAP. SEAT AREA EXTREMELY HOT AS IT APPEARS EXHAUST IS ROUTED UNDER SEAT. INFORMED DEALER OF INCIDENT AND WAS TOLD NOT TO BE CONCERNED AS THEY ALL RUN HOT "JUST RIDE IT. IT WILL BE FINE". HAD PUFF OF WHITE SMOKE COME FROM VEHICLE NOT SURE IF IT WAS EXHAUST OR VAPOR FROM UNDER BODY PANELS. CONCERNED ABOUT EXTREME HEAT FROM VEHICLE CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. *JB

NHTSA complaint 10541939. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING Filed August 10, 2014

1 injured

THE EXTREME HEAT FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BIKE CAUSED 1ST AND 2ND DEGREE BURNS ON THIGH AND UPPER LEG. I BOUGHT THE BIKE IN MAY OF 2014, COMPLAINED TO BRP ABOUT THE EXTREME HEAT ON THE RIGHT FOOT. THEY AUTHORIZED MY DEALER TO REPLACE THE PANELS WITH A NEWER VERSIONS. THE PANELS WERE TO BE PLACED ON MY BIKE ON TUESDAY AUGUST 13,2014. I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE EXTREME HEAT ON THE LEFT SIDE UNTIL I RODE THE BIKE FOR A LONGER DISTANCE. HAVE CONTACTED BRP ABOUT MY INJURY. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10621216. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed August 13, 2014

1 injured · 1,100 miles

AFTER RIDING VEHICLE & PARKING IT , I COULD SMELL STRONG FUEL FUMES FROM VEHICLE. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE BODY PANELS BECOMES VERY HOT . I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE FUEL IN THE TANK HAS BUBBLES / BOILING. DURING ENGINE OPERATION; THE VEHICLE SENDS EXTREMELY HOT AIR OUT OF THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FORWARD EDGES OF THE SEAT AND UPPER AND SIDE BODY PANELS, THE UPPER SIDE PANELS ARE VERY HOT TO TOUCH, AND THE UNDERSEAT AREA ACCUMULATES AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF HOT AIR ALLOWING THE FUEL CAP FOUND UNDER THE SEAT TO BECOME HOT TO THE TOUCH. I SEND PHOTOS OF MY BURNS TO BRP THEY SEND ME NEW PANELS BUT THE HEAT ISSUES HAVE NOT, I FEEL THE MOTORCYCLE IS UNSAFE AND MY WIFE ASK ME TOT TO RIDE WITH THE BOYS OR

NHTSA complaint 10622128, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER Filed August 13, 2015

1 injured · 300 miles

AFTER RIDING THE SPYDER ST, I STARTED TO NOTICE EXCESSIVE HEAT COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE PANEL AND HEAT ON MY RIGHT ANKLE. THE PANEL IS VERY HOT TO THE TOUCH AND IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME TO PULL OVER AND ALLOW MY SPYDER TO COOL OFF BEFORE I COULD RIDE IT HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME, I FOUND THAT I HAD A BURN ON MY LEFT LEG WHERE IT HAD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE SIDE PANELS. I WAS WEARING LONG PANTS AND THIS BURN OCCURRED THROUGH THE FABRIC OF MY JEANS. I HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF RIDING MOTORCYCLES, TRIKES AND NOW CAN AM AND THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW IN 2013 CAN AM SPYDER. IT IS VERY UNSAFE, IT CAN NOT ONLY CAUSE BURNS TO THE RIDER, BUT ALSO IT COULD CAUSE A DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER WHICH COULD RESULT IN

NHTSA complaint 10748530, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Filed April 12, 2016

2013 CAN AM SPYDER ST-S. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MOTORCYCLE BRAKE LIGHT REMAINS ON AFTER ENGINE IS OFF, CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT SET AND MOTORCYCLE GOES INTO "LIMP MODE"(VSS FAULT). *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD GO INTO LIMP MODE WHILE RIDING. *JB

NHTSA complaint 10854714. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed March 9, 2015

9,000 miles

THIS COMPLAINT IS LIKE MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE, OR ARE, COMPLAINING ABOUT THE HEAT ISSUE OF THE ENGINE AND BEING IGNORED. THE PROBLEM IS SO SEVERE THAT IT ACTUALLY BURNS THE INSIDE OF THE THIGH DURING OPERATION. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WITH OTHER THREE WHEELED VEHICLES WITH TRIKE CONVERSIONS SUCH AS SUZUKI, HONDA, ETC. THE PLASTIC HOUSING OF THE CANAM 998 ENGINE HOLDS THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WITHOUT AN ACCEPTABLE VENT OTHER THAN ALLOWING IT TO DIFFUSE RIGHT UP THROUGH YOUR LEGS. THIS MAKES FOR A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN THAT IT DIRECTS MUCH OF YOUR MIND AND DRIVING ATTENTION TOWARD ATTEMPTS TO RELIEVE THE PROBLEM FOR YOUR LEGS, PLUS THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES ON OTHER MODEL CANAM VEHICLES WHERE THE MACHINE

NHTSA complaint 10693107, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed January 5, 2015

8,823 miles

BRP / CAN-AM REPLACED THE 2013 SPYDER ST-LIMITED HEAT SIDE-PANELS RECENTLY UNDER WARRANTY WITH NEW DESIGN 2014 HEAT SIDE-PANELS INSTALLED BY A CAN-AM DEALER ON 2 DECEMBER 2014 (A BRP CASE FILE WAS OPENED WITH A BRP CASE NUMBER PROVIDED ON 21 OCTOBER 2014 AND IS AVAILABLE FOR REFERENCE). HOWEVER, THE SPYDER'S GAS TANK AND GASOLINE FUEL CONTINUES TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY HOT DURING & AFTER RIDING THE SPYDER. IN ADDITION AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, SIGNIFICANT FUEL VAPOR FUMES CONTINUE TO BE PRESENT AFTER OPERATING THE SPYDER. I'M MOST CONCERNED THE HOT GAS TANK, HOT GASOLINE FUEL, AND HEATED FUEL VAPOR FUMES ARE UNSAFE OR DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE AN EXPLOSION, FIRE, AND INJURIES TO LIFE AND PROPERTY. I

NHTSA complaint 10670014, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed October 30, 2014

1,067 miles

MILE 1067 COMPLAINED ABOUT EXCESSIVE HEAT COMING FROM RIGHT FLOORBOARD AREA AND GAS FUMES TO MY DEALER, TOLD IT'S NORMAL. MILE 4582 2ND SERVICE DEALER INSTALLED HEAT SHIELD AT MASTER CYLINDER PER BRP FOR HEAT ISSUES, STILL EXCESSIVE HEAT, FUMES AND NOW BOILING GAS IN TANK. DEALER CONSIDER ALL NORMAL OPERATION. MILE 6386 SPYDERLOVERS.COM CHATS FOUND OUT ABOUT ECM NEEDED UPDATE FOR HEAT ISSUE CALLED DEALER AND CONFIRMED BRING IN. NO NOTIFICATION FROM BRP. CARRIED TO DEALER UPDATE INSTALLED, STILL COMPLAIN ABOUT ABOVE ISSUES. MILE 7988 REPLACED TRAILER MODULE BURNED OUT REPLACED, I BELIEVE DUE TO HEAT, SAME COMPLAINT AS ABOVE. NO ACTION TAKEN. MILE 11277 REPLACED TRAILER MODULE BURNED OUT

NHTSA complaint 10651293, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed October 26, 2014

5,000 miles

VEHICLE HAS EXCESSIVE HEAT UNDER LEFT SIDE BODY PANELS AND VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE FUMES. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10650130. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other 2013 CAN-AM models

Spyder RT 102

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every CAN-AM on this site — 13 vehicles.

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. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed August 28, 2013.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file, published October 2, 2026.

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.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst