NHTSA Complaint #10651139 — 2011 CAN-AM SPYDER RT

SPYDER RT EMITS GASOLINE FUMES FROM EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM VENT HOSE. FUMES ARE EVIDENT WHEN BIKE IS SHUT DOWN. IN HOT WEATHER IT IS NOTICEABLE EVEN WHEN SITTING STILL AT A STOP LIGHT OR STUCK IN TRAFFIC. FUMES OFTEN CONDENSE AROUND THE BOTTOM LIP OF THE VENT HOSE WHEN THEY HIT THE COLDER AIR. THE CONDENSATE COLLECTS AROUND THE LIP AND EVENTUALLY DRIPS OFF. THE MILEAGE AND DATE NOTED ABOVE ARE APPROXIMATELY WHEN I FIRST REQUESTED THE DEALER TO CHECK THE SYSTEM. PRIOR TO THIS TIME THE FUMES WERE A MINOR ANNOYANCE BUT HAD NOW GOTTEN CONSISTENTLY WORSE. THE PURGE VALVE WAS FOUND TO BE WORKING PROPERLY. A MONTH LATER AT ABOUT 30,000 MILES I AGAIN HAD THE DEALER CHECK THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AND IT WAS FOUND WORKING PROPERLY IN SPITE OF THE FUMES. I PAID TO REPLACE THE CANISTER AND PURGE VALVE AS I HAD TO TRY SOMETHING. AS EXPECTED, REPLACEMENT HAD NO EFFECT ON THE PROBLEM. IN DECEMBER OF 2013 AT ABOUT 31,000 MILES I AGAIN HAD DEALER CHECK ENTIRE SYSTEM. I UNDERSTAND THEY EVEN HAD BRP CONSULTATION ON THE PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW. ONCE AGAIN, ALL ELEMENTS OF THE SYSTEM WERE FOUND WORKING PROPERLY AND THE CONCLUSION FROM BRP WAS "THAT'S THE WAY IT IS". THE FUMES CONTINUE TO THIS DAY, NOW OCTOBER 2014 AND OVER 38,000 MILES. I DISSECTED THE REMOVED CANISTER TO SEE HOW IT WORKS AND THE CONDITION IT WAS IN. AFTER 30K MILES IT WAS SEEMINGLY PERFECT. THE ACTIVATED CHARCOAL WAS TOTALLY DRY AND IN GOOD APPEARANCE, CONFIRMING TO ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT CAUSED BY LIQUID FUEL "SLOSHING" THROUGH THE HOSE FROM THE TANK TO THE CANISTER AND CONTAMINATING THE CHARCOAL. THE WAY THE HOSE ON MY 2011 RT IS ROUTED, I CONSIDERED LIQUID FUEL GETTING INTO THE CANISTER TO BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE AND MY DISSECTION OF THE CANISTER CONFIRMED THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. PHOTOS OF THE INSIDE OF THE CANISTER AND CHARCOAL ARE AVAILABLE SHOWING THE GOOD CONDITION AFTER 30K MILES. *TR