2015 Spyder RT SE6 shifting problems

[Wascoman]

I have owned my 2015 RT SE6 for about 5 years and, up to now, it has been flawless. It currently has 19,000 miles on it.

Recently I have noticed that it has begun to shift erratically. If I rest my thumb on the upshift lever it may jump up one or two gears without me actually moving the lever. A time or two it has failed to downshift as I approach a stop. When I look down after the traffic light has changed I find that I am still in 4th or 5th gear even though I am at a dead stop. Occasionally it doesn't want to upshift when I actuate the lever. I have also noticed that the shifting lever appears to be a bit physically loose or floppy.

Any ideas what's going on?

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I have owned my 2015 RT SE6 for about 5 years and, up to now, it has been flawless. It currently has 19,000 miles on it.

Recently I have noticed that it has begun to shift erratically. If I rest my thumb on the upshift lever it may jump up one or two gears without me actually moving the lever. A time or two it has failed to downshift as I approach a stop. When I look down after the traffic light has changed I find that I am still in 4th or 5th gear even though I am at a dead stop. Occasionally it doesn't want to upshift when I actuate the lever. I have also noticed that the shifting lever appears to be a bit physically loose or floppy.

Any ideas what's going on?

Well DON'T rest your finger there... your 15 RT is Fly By Wire, and the Paddle shifter is a SWITCH - either ON or OFF! If your Spyder ISN'T down shifting, that's a problem... How is your OIL level, and are you using proper type of OIL? ...Mike

 

[BertRemington]

Wascoman - excellent description of situation. You've had your Spyder for 5 years of its 7 year life so there was a previous owner. How many of those 19K miles did you add after purchase? Probably most of them, but I just wanted to be sure.

First step is to keep your hand wrapped around the grip except when shifting, just as Mike advised. And try letting the Spyder shift down rather than you doing it manually.

If proper hand control doesn't correct the problem, it's dealer time, because you have a bad vehicle speed signal or gear position signal. Fairly easy to diagnose and correct, except that you aren't getting any error indicators on the console, so this might not be the problem.

So that leaves a faulty left hand switch module - $469 plus... whatever. You don't want this to be the solution.

 

[PMK]

2015 model 1330 powered Spyders did have issues with contaminated gearbox position sensors. That being a relatively easy item to work on, it may be a good starting point.

However, your description of the left hand grip paddle shifters action does sound as if the paddle shifter has mechanically failed.

Quite possibly with the machine failing to downshift, and the action of the paddle, you may have both items failed.

As cool as the paddle shifter is, they are prone to problems. Even the one on our 2014 RTS failed long ago. No doubt a weaker link in the Spyder operation.

 

[JSRT]

It sounds like you may have a broken spring in the paddle shifter. Particularly because you said it feels loose. That’s a good indicator that it is not returning to center. Here’s a thread that may help.

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums...!-Anyone-else-solutions&p=1591497#post1591497

 

[Isopedella]

I have owned my 2015 RT SE6 for about 5 years and, up to now, it has been flawless. It currently has 19,000 miles on it.

Recently I have noticed that it has begun to shift erratically. If I rest my thumb on the upshift lever it may jump up one or two gears without me actually moving the lever. A time or two it has failed to downshift as I approach a stop. When I look down after the traffic light has changed I find that I am still in 4th or 5th gear even though I am at a dead stop. Occasionally it doesn't want to upshift when I actuate the lever. I have also noticed that the shifting lever appears to be a bit physically loose or floppy.

Any ideas what's going on?

It sounds like you may have a broken spring in the paddle shifter. Particularly because you said it feels loose. That’s a good indicator that it is not returning to center. Here’s a thread that may help.

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums...!-Anyone-else-solutions&p=1591497#post1591497

Ya know - I think that is a very good link and just may be the answer to the OP's problems. Thanks for posting. It's gold to a newish Spyder bloke like me.

 

[Frostbyte]

I just came back from the shop after having this very issue diagnosed and was told it was a bad left switch group assembly... parts and labor for the estimate were $800 roughly after taxes and all.

However, it IS an intermittent issue where she won't go into reverse, neutral, downshift manually, or upshift, leaving me stuck in whatever gear I'm in at the moment if moving and in First if I come to a stop. But if I turn the bike off and back on again, she will be in Neutral and usually the issue will clear and not return for a time. This being the case, I have decided to put on my old Lab Rat hat and dig into it to see if I can both come to a complete failure pattern diagnosis, and develop a permanent fix that anyone can accomplish without it costing an arm and a leg.

Wish Me Luck People!

 

[Peter Aawen]

I just came back from the shop after having this very issue diagnosed and was told it was a bad left switch group assembly... parts and labor for the estimate were $800 roughly after taxes and all.

However, it IS an intermittent issue where she won't go into reverse, neutral, downshift manually, or upshift, leaving me stuck in whatever gear I'm in at the moment if moving and in First if I come to a stop. But if I turn the bike off and back on again, she will be in Neutral and usually the issue will clear and not return for a time. This being the case, I have decided to put on my old Lab Rat hat and dig into it to see if I can both come to a complete failure pattern diagnosis, and develop a permanent fix that anyone can accomplish without it costing an arm and a leg.

Wish Me Luck People!

Wishing you Luck People!

Please keep us up to date on progress and any findings along the way, even if it is just more ways NOT to bother trying?! You can never really have too many of them, cos the more you have, the less time you'll waste... I think?!

 

[trikermutha]

Some have just found the paddle to be sticky and use a light lube to make it move freely again.