Model year record

2008 Can-Am Spyder Gs recalls & problems

The 2008 Can-Am Spyder Gs has 3 safety recalls and 31 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is steering (20 complaints).

Recalls3safety recalls

Complaints31filed by owners

Crashes · fires3 · 3reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths1 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Fuel system, gasolineDec 12, 2012

Storage › Tank assembly › Filler pipe and cap

Recall 12V58200033,700 vehicles

Problem: 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.
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.
Fix: 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.

Fuel system, gasolineDec 12, 2012

Fuel system, gasoline

Recall 12V5810009,600 vehicles

Problem: Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Can-Am Spyder GS and model year 2010 Can-AM Spyder RS vehicles. Fuel vapors may exit the fuel vapor canister vent hose in the enclosed engine compartment.
Risk: Fuel vapors in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire and personal injury.
Fix: BRP will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel vapor canister vent hose and replace and re-route it, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on December 26, 2012. Owners may contact BRP AT 1-888-638-5397.

Service brakes, hydraulicDec 12, 2007

Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 07V561000476 vehicles

Problem: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THERE IS A PRESENCE OF AN ABNORMAL QUANTITY OF AIR IN THE HYDRAULIC CIRCUIT OF THE FRONT BRAKE. ALSO SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE ONE OR TWO BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR CAPS THAT ARE SEALED AND THIS COULD CREATE A VACUUM WHICH COULD LEAD TO ADSORPTION OF AIR INTO THE BRAKE CIRCUITS. THE BRAKE PEDAL MAY GO ALMOST TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSING.
Risk: A DRIVER MAY BE UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AS EXPECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: BRP HAS NOTIFIED EACH OWNER INFORMING THEM OF THIS PROBLEM AND SCHEDULING A PICK-UP TIME TO RETRIEVE THE VEHICLE. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND PERFORM A BLEEDING OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS NEEDED. THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR CAPS WILL BE REPLACED AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM PRESSURE WILL BE VALIDATED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 21, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BRP AT 1-888-864-2002.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Steering	20	1	0	1	8,500 mi
Electrical system	5	1	1	0	5,500 mi
Fuel/propulsion system	3	0	1	0	—
StructureBody	3	0	1	0	8,000 mi
Engine	3	0	2	0	10,000 mi
Electronic stability control (esc)	2	0	0	0	—
Service brakes	2	1	0	0	—
Fuel system, gasoline	1	0	1	0	—
Exterior lighting	1	0	0	0	—
Seats	1	0	0	0	—
Power train	1	1	0	0	—
Vehicle speed control	1	1	0	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER GS. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING SEIZED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DPS AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DPS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000. *TR *AS *BF *AS 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB
May 1, 2019 · 14,000 miles
Electrical systemCrash
2008 CAN-AM SPYDER GS THIS BIKE IS WORTHLESS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BACK. MY BIKE WILL NOT GO OUT OF LIMP MODE EVER AGAIN. CAN'T BE FIXED. SPENT A LOT OF MONEY AND TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ISSUE AT DEALER. NO TECHNICIAN THAT EVEN KNOW THE YEAR AND ANY PROBLEM ISSUES. RECALL THIS BIKE OR AT LEAST MAKE IT RIGHT!
Oct 18, 2018 · 4,000 miles
Steering
I PURCHASED A 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER GS IN 2008. VIN [XXX] VEHICLE PURCHASE DATE 03/06/2008 BRP ISSUED A RECALL ON SEPT 7, 2010 FOR A DYNAMIC POWER STEERING (DPS) UNIT REPLACEMENT HTTPS://CAN-AM.BRP.COM/SPYDER/OWNERS/SAFETY/SAFETY-RECALLS/DYNAMIC-POWER-STEERING--DPS--UNIT-REPLACEMENT.HTML THE RECALL WAS DUE TO A FAULTY POWER STEERING CONTROL UNIT, WHICH SEVERELY HAMPERED THE ABILITY TO TURN THE BIKE, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS FOR SHARPER TURNS. I HAD THE DPS REPLACED IN 2011. THE UNIT HAS AGAIN FAILED, AND THE REPAIR SHOP (DEL AMO MOTORSPORTS IN REDONDO BEACH, CA...WHO DID THE ORIGINAL REPLACEMENT) HAS CONFIRMED THAT THE FAILURE IS THE EXACT SAME FAILURE AS THE RECALL. I FILED A CASE NUMBER…
Aug 20, 2017 · 9,500 miles
Service brakes
MY VSS,ABS, AND 4 OTHER CODES CONSTANTLY FLASH. THIS MACHINE LOSES POWER BEFORE I GET TO THIRD GEAR. I WAS TRAVELING ON A BUSY CITY STREET DURING LUNCH HOUR TRAFFIC WHEN OUT OF NO WHERE I LOSE POWER AND I GET A CHECK DPS ,VSS FAULT, HIGHTEMP, CHECK ENGINE AND ABS WARNINGS. ALMOST REAR ENDED BEFORE SWAYING OFF THE ONTO THE SHOULDER. ONE DAY ITS RUNNING FINE THE NEXT DAY EVERY WARNING LIGHT ON IT COMES ON THERE ARE SOME REAL ISSUES FOR A BIKE THAT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND WITH SUCH LOW MILES . THIS PURCHASE HAS CHANGED MY MIND ABOUT PURCHASING A NEW ONE . I LOVE THE WHOLE CONCEPT BUT THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO GET A LOT OF THINGS CORRECTED TO WIN ME OVER AGAIN. I WILL NOT ALLOW MY SON OR…
Aug 4, 2016 · 27,000 miles
Structure › BodyFire
WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 CAN AM SPYDER ON CT-2 WEST BOUND IN CONNECTICUT AT APPROXIMATELY 6:30PM IN SLOW MOVING, STOP & GO TRAFFIC MY WIFE (WHO WAS THE PASSENGER) NOTICED BY HER RIGHT FOOD THERE WERE FIRE FLAMES COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. SIMULTANEOUSLY I NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I STOPPED THE BIKE IMMEDIATELY AND BOTH ME AND MY PASSENGER DISMOUNTED THE BIKE. WE QUICKLY MOVED AWAY FROM THE BIKE AS WE FEARED OUR SAFETY WAS IN JEOPARDY. WE COULD NOT RETRIEVE ANY OF OUR BELONGINGS. THE BIKE THEN BECAME COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FIRE/FLAMES. WE CALLED 911 EMERGENT. THE BIKE COMPLETELY BURNED TO THE FRAME BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND STATE TROOPER ARRIVED AT THE…
Jun 6, 2016 · 8,000 miles
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER GS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT REQUIRED FORCE TO STEER THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V162000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,500.
Jul 1, 2015 · 9,500 miles
Steering
THE DYNAMIC POWER STEERING UNIT WAS RECALLED AND REPLACED ON 12-15-2010. WHEN A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I TOOK IT IN TO RIDE NOW POWER SPORTS PHOENIX 17202 N. CAVE CREEK RD. PHOENIX, AZ. 85032. IT ALSO FLASHED ON THE DASH THAT THE DPS UNIT NEEDED CHECKED. ON 6-3-2014 THE MILEAGE ON THE UNIT WAS 12,000. THE DEALER NOTIFIED BRP THAT THIS HAD OCCURRED, CLAIM # 313909. BRP MANAGEMENT SAID THE CAN AM SPIDER WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE DEALER TO FIX IT. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $ FOR PARTS PLUS LABOR TO INSTALL. AT $ PER HOUR FOR LABOR, THAT COULD AMOUNT TO A LARGE SUM. THE TECH TOLD ME THAT THE STEERING UNIT WAS WORKING FINE BUT THE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED…
Dec 15, 2010 · 1,400 miles
Fuel/propulsion system
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CAN-AM SPYDER ROADSTER GS 5S Y (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL FUMES EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 09V162000 (STEERING), 12V581000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), AND 12V582000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Aug 1, 2010

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.