Nearly 10,000 Can Am Spyders recalled over faulty steering
Can-Am Spyder - Click above for high-res image gallery
It shouldn't come as a surprise that a vehicle as innovative as the three-wheeled Can-Am Spyder would face a few teething problems during its first few years on the market. Unfortunately, one particular aspect of the machine's power steering system has reportedly caused at least three injuries, though none have so far been life threatening. To remedy the apparent defect, Can-Am has agreed to voluntarily recall some 12,500 Spyders (9,932 of them sold in the United States) that were manufactured between July 2007 and May 2009.
The recall notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which can be viewed here, seems a bit ambiguous on the actual cause or effect of the steering problem, saying only that "the operator of an involved vehicle may need to exert a force greater than expected to initiate the turning of the steering handlebar off centre in order to correct vehicle drift from a straight line path." Uh-huh. Company spokeswoman Johanne Denault shed a little more light on the problem when she told The Canadian Press, "The vehicle is not going to start zig zagging, it's only a small drift."
"Small drift" or not, owners of possibly affected units are urged to contact Bombardier Recreational Products at 1-866-767-0707 or see their local dealers for a free inspection and replacement of the affected bits. Kongsberg Inc., suppliers of the Spyder's power steering system, will reportedly pay for repairs. We've reached out to BRP to see if we could obtain a more thorough explanation of the problem or the intended solution, but we've not yet heard back.
Gallery: Can-Am Spyder
[Sources: NHTSA; The Canadian Press]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Woodenbee 5:29PM (6/11/2009)
WHY does this thing have power steering in the first place? were they aiming at the Mr. Burns of the world? millionaire skeletons? baffling, could have kept it simple and saved all the bother, couldn't be worse really, I suppose the wheels could fall off
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TANKD0G 6:33PM (6/11/2009)
Small drifts are about all this thing is good for! I don't know why the hell someone thought putting 3 wheels on a snowmobile was a good idea, but it should come as no surprise that people who can't balance a motorcycle are now buying these things and getting hurt..
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