NHTSA Complaint #10278761 — 2000 VICTORY V92C

THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE: ACCORDING TO AN ODI ANALYSIS, THE TRANSMISSIONS ON 1999 AND 2000 VICTORY V92 MOTORCYCLES ARE SUBJECT TO VERY EARLY (WELL BEFORE THE PROJECTED 30K MILE ENGINEERED LIFE CYCLE) FAILURE. THE FAILURE, HOW OFTEN IT OCCURS, ITS CONSEQUENCES: VICTORY V92C MOTORCYCLE TRANSMISSION LOCKED, RESULTING IN WHEEL LOCK AT SPEED. TRANSMISSION FAILURE BASED ON SAME CONDITIONS DETAILED IN ODI'S ANALYSIS. WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED (AND IF OLD PART IS AVAILABLE): TRANSMISSION BEING REPLACED. COMPLAINT IS IN NATURE OF FAILURE OF MANUFACTURER TO HONOR TERMS OF AGREEMENT REACHED WITH ODI, IN THAT THEY EFFECTIVELY DENIED THE EXISTENCE OF THE AGREEMENT OVER A PERIOD OF 8 MONTHS FROM FEB 2007 TO OCT 2007. HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS HAD BEEN RECEIVED BY ODI AND POLARIS INDUSTRIES ON THIS TOPIC BY LATE 2006. POLARIS INDUSTRIES HAD REQUESTED OF ODI THAT THE INFORMATION BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL/PROPRIETARY, AND IN LIEU OF A FORMAL RECALL, OFFERED TO HAVE "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION INITIATIVE." ODI CLOSED THE ENGINEERING INVESTIGATION ON THIS BASIS, BUT POLARIS INDUSTRIES FAILED TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON SEVERAL ASPECTS OF THEIR REPRESENTATIONS TO ODI: 1. INFORM ALL DEALERS OF THE CAMPAIGN OF 10/1/06 TO 10/15/07. A COPY OF THE LETTER THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO USE WAS SENT TO ODI. I SPOKE TO A DEALER WHERE I HAD TRIED TO HAVE RECALL WORK DONE IN MARCH 2007, AND THEY SAID THEY NEVER GOT THE NOTIFICATION. 2. PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ALL OWNERS. I BOUGHT THE BIKE AFTER THE CAMPAIGN STARTED, SO I DIDN'T GET THE LETTER, BUT POLARIS FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BETWEEN MARCH 2007 AND OCTOBER 2007 TO ACCEPT MY OWNERSHIP INFORMATION, SO NOT ONLY DID THEY NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS CAMPAIGN, BUT I WAS DELAYED FOR 11 MONTHS IN HAVING 6 OTHER RECALLS DONE. 3. THE NATURE OF THE CAMPAIGN WAS REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR. THEY WON'T DO THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY DRAGGED THEIR FEET FOR 8 MONTHS BEFORE THE CAMPAIGN EXPIRED. *TR