NHTSA Complaint #10617819 — 2013 CAN-AM SPYDER RT

FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT MY SPYDER, I'VE HAD ISSUES WITH EXTREME HEAT AT THE LOWER RIGHT AND IN THE AREA AHEAD OF THE SEAT. I'VE HAD NUMEROUS INCIDENTS OF FUMES AFTER PARKING, DRIPPING FUEL, AND FUEL BOILING WITH THE GAS CAP HEATED TO THE POINT THAT I COULD ONLY OPEN IT WHILE WEARING GLOVES. DURING ONE OF MY FIRST TIMES REFUELING WHILE LOOSENING THE GAS CAP MY HANDS WERE WASHED WITH FUEL THAT WAS EXPELLED UNDER PRESSURE, SOAKING MY GLOVES. AFTERWARD I WAS CAREFUL TO OPEN THE CAP SLOWLY (LIKE A COKE CAN UNDER PRESSURE) TO RELIEVE THE BUILT UP PRESSURE IN THE GAS TANK. HEAT ON MY FOOT WAS SO BAD THAT I'VE GONE THROUGH MANY PAIRS OF BOOTS AND WORE FIRE/HEAT RESISTANT SOCKS TO MITIGATE DISCOMFORT. I HAD THE ECM SOFTWARE UPDATE/FUSE BOX SEALING WARRANTY CAMPAIGN [2013-9] DONE ON MY BIKE AT THE MALCOLM SMITH MOTORSPORTS DEALERSHIP. I CONTINUED TO HAVE HEAT ISSUES. AFTER IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THERE WASN'T A SOLUTION TO MY HEAT PROBLEM, I HAD THE EXHAUST WRAPPED AND INSULATION INSTALLED. THIS HAD LITTLE TO NO EFFECT ON REDUCING HEAT. ON SATURDAY (JULY 26, 2014) I LEFT MY HOME AT 5:50 PM TO RIDE. THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 95 DEGREES. ONCE AGAIN, I NOTICED HEAT WHILE RIDING. AT ABOUT 6:20 PM, TRAVELING AT A CRUISE-CONTROLLED 60 MPH ON AMBOY ROAD IN THE MOJAVE DESERT, I SMELLED HOT OR BURNING PLASTIC AND THEN I OBSERVED IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF MY SPYDER. AS I BEGAN TO SLOW, I ALSO NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE AREA JUST AHEAD OF THE SEAT. THINKING IT WAS EITHER AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM OR MELTING BODYWORK, I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, STOPPED AND HIT THE KILL ENGINE SWITCH. AFTER GETTING OFF THE BIKE, I OPENED THE SEAT. INSTANTLY THERE WAS A ?WHOOSHING? SOUND AND THE BIKE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I RAN ACROSS THE ROAD, CALLED 911, AND WHILE WAITING FOR THE FIRE CREW I TOOK PICTURES AND VIDEO OF MY BURNING SPYDER. *TR