NHTSA Complaint #10524789 — 2012 POLARIS RANGER 800

TEN MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE BEGAN USING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL; RUNNING BAD AFTER WARM-UP WITH MISFIRING, WOULD NOT IDLE CORRECTLY; ENGINE 'STALLING-OUT' DURING OPERATION AND DYING; ENGINE HARD TO START WHICH RESULTED IN 'SLACK' IN COMPONENTS; MIDDLE OF BACK-SEAT GOT TOO HOT FOR ANYONE TO SIT ON THE SEAT FOR VERY LONG RESULTING IN SLIGHT BURN TO BACK OF LEG AND/OR DISCOMFORT CAUSED FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT RISING-UP FROM MOTOR UNDERNEATH SEAT WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE/SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD; BIG GUSH OF AIR OUT OF SYSTEM WHEN HOOK UP FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE/FUEL-LINE VAPOR LOCK CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE HEAT IN ENGINE, RECOMMENDED FUEL FOR THIS VEHICLE BY DEALERSHIP WAS MID-GRADE GASOLINE (U.S. 87-93 AKI OCTANE RATING). POLARIS TECHNICIANS ASKED IF OPERATOR USING NON-ETHANOL GASOLINE (IF AVAILABLE, WHICH IT IS NOT IN OUR REMOTE AREA OF THE COUNTRY), THEY WENT ON TO SAY "...WITH POOR GRADE OR OLD FUEL THE FUEL COULD BOIL OR VAPORIZE ONCE THERE IS A GOOD HEAT SOAK IN THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT RESULTING IN A VAPOR LOCK ISSUE, THE VAPORS WILL REPLACE FUEL IN THE RAIL AND WILL WORK ITS WAY BACK TOWARDS THE FUEL TANK'. TECH SWAPPED OUT IAC (IDLE AIR CONTROL) VALVE & TPS (THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR) SENSOR; REFLASHED VEHICLE, PERFORMED 'LEAK-DOWN TEST' LOSING 18% ON MAG (MAGNETO/RIGHT PISTON) SIDE/14% ON PTO (POWER TAKE OFF) SIDE; VEHICLE INSTALLED WITH NEW FUEL PUMP. TECH TRIED NEW COIL & REPLACED COMPLETE SET OF FUEL INJECTORS AND WIRES; VEHICLE INSTALLED WITH ANOTHER NEW FUEL PUMP, REFLASHED ECU (ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT)TO 58 P.S.I., TOP-END REBUILT, VEHICLE STILL IDLING ERRATIC FROM 1250 TO 1850 RPM; REPLACED BAD TPS WITH NEW ONE, STILL IDLES ERRATIC. SET TPS TO .40, THEN .43 IDLE ERRATIC, THEN .46, THEN .40 . REPLACED THROTTLE BODY VEHICLE DOESN'T RUN WITH TPS SET AT .46 LIKE IT IS SUPPOSE TO ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANUAL. *TR