BRP denies warranty claim on water in fuse box - any ideas on next steps?

[Treekiller]

Looking for help from those smarter than me.

I have a 2021 RT Limited Purchased 6/15/2021 (Build date 05/2020), driven a total of 2,020 miles that had water infiltration into the right side fuse box (from the seated rider position). The water infiltration caused the fuses to corrode and on 9/14/2022 while returning from a visit to a local bike night event, all lights went out as well as the cooling fan. Almost rear ended stopping for a traffic light in a very well light intersection and a kind passer by flagged us down to inform us we had no lights as well. I pulled into the nearest safe stopping location and gathered myself while trying to diagnose the issue. Eventually I got to opening the fuse boxes and found the fuse box to have more than a tablespoon of water in it. This green water dripped all over the frunk of coarse.
After a bit of a struggle I was able to get two of the Pink 30 amp fuses out and get the bike home safely. After waiting a few weeks unable to ride the thing for fear of a fire or another failure; I got it to the dealership who in turn opened a case with BRP.
BRP turned around and denied the warranty claim.
I was curious if anyone has had to deal with this recently and what my next steps may be? I reached out to BRP and was told that a warranty claim that is denied is non-negotiable and they were unwilling to even attempt to work things out. I have since opened a safety claim with the NHTSA and the BBB seeing as BRP seems to not want to cover their flaw. The dealership has quoted $2520 to repair. NOT COOL BRP, not cool!

I remind you this vehicle has been garage kept, driven in the rain once last September and has been bathed twice in its life (I suspect the later was where the water came from). I find it hard to believe that I can't wash or ride the vehicle in the rain.

 

[BajaRon]

A very dicey situation. No way to prove that it's a flaw in design unless you can duplicate the problem in a way that would demonstrate a factory defect. Very unfortunate. But I'm not sure you need $2,500.00 worth of work to make it right. If simply putting in new fuses got your lights back. You may be able to clean up all the contacts and be good to go.

I hope you can get it worked out with a minimum amount of effort.

 

[Treekiller]

Thanks for the reply.
My fear is that a simple fix such as replacing fuses doesn’t correct the root cause and would just lead to a reoccurring situation should the vehicle get wet again. If I dig deeper and try to seal the water ingress, well then I may just void any warranty claim in the future. Not sure why BRP chooses not to fix when the potential for fire or injury is great here.

Again thanks for the kind reply, truly appreciated.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Wasn't there a TSB on this back a fair while (2013/14 or maybe 15??) I have a vague recollection that BRP told everyone it might be an issue &/or provided a different gasket for the fuse boxes/did some other fix?!? :dontknow:

However, if that IS the case & BRP are aware it could be an issue, & your Spyder hasn't had the suggested/mandated remedial work done, then I don't think they've got a leg to stand on as far as denying the claim - they certainly wouldn't here in Oz!! Known issue that they've suggested/provided a fix for that hasn't been done to your bike, then it's up to them to prove that you elected not to have it done.... :banghead:

Can anyone else remember what happened re the 'Water in Fuse Box' issues way back whenever?!? Or is it just my Forgetory??

 

[Tourer]

What was the reason that BRP denied the claim? Was it because you caused the water to get in the box? Would speak to higher management at your dealer. If that doesn’t bear fruit, contact BRP Customer Relations and schedule an appointment with their Field Service Representative. I don’t know what the rep is called. District Service Manager??? Make the appointment at another dealer. The one you have didn’t step up to repair your trike. Did you do your service with this dealer. If so they really didn’t step up. I know car dealers get a Goodwill budget from the manufacturers for repairs that are just out of warranty or questionable. Don’t know if it the same with Motorcycle Dealers. There is a member here who used to own a BMW Motorcycle Dealer. Hopefully he will see your post and contribute his opinion.

 

[Navydad]

What is the dealership wanting to do for $2500? Possibly replace the fuse box and part of the wiring harness? If so what is their reason for replacing the fuse box? Is it damaged or compromised such as a defective seal around the lid? If there was prior damage that could have occurred during the building or prepping phases then that's not your fault. Be interesting to know what the dealership found or if they found anything at all other than a price to repair. The water obviously found its way in somehow. Find that issue and it would give you a better leg to stand on in your case.

 

[Treekiller]

Navydad, you are pretty much spot on. They want to replace the harness with fuse box and other than the attached picture really haven’t even opened Pandora’s box ,if you get my meaning. I get the feeling they haven’t removed a panel to investigate at this point. I really need to approach a different dealer I think as this is the selling dealer and the only one in my area, I would need to travel over an hour to get to the next dealership.

 

[BertRemington]

This is bad

This green water dripped all over the frunk of coarse.

This is bad. The water was green because it contained copper and organic compounds, indicating advanced damage.

I recommend removing the frunk; removing and inspecting all relays and fuses; mechanically cleaning (no abrasives) all contacts (for relays and fuses this is easy, not so much for the block); reinstalling the relays and fuses; and then conducting a stationary end-to-end systems test.

I think BRP uses sealed ATC fuses for the F-series rather than open ATO fuses. If they are ATOs then replace them. And I'm thinking the J-series are open -- if so replace them. The relays should all be sealed so no replacement needed.

For cleaning sprays, I recommend the cheaper CRC 5103 Quick Dry Electronic Cleaner for initial cleaning followed by Hosa D5S-6 CAIG DeoxIT for final cleaning and lubrication of the contacts.

The relay/fuse blocks are the environmentally weak part of the Spyder electrical system. Most of the rest has excellent sealing protection.

Best wishes.

 

[Treekiller]

Tourer, BRP called and left a message saying the warranty claim was denied because the fuse box was exposed to water, then closed the case.

 

[ARtraveler]

BRP strikes again. :yikes:

Personally, I expect better customer service from a company that has no problem taking $30K for these machines.

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

Wasn't there a TSB on this back a fair while (2013/14 or maybe 15??) I have a vague recollection that BRP told everyone it might be an issue &/or provided a different gasket for the fuse boxes/did some other fix?!? :dontknow:

Can anyone else remember what happened re the 'Water in Fuse Box' issues way back whenever?!? Or is it just my Forgetory??

Well, since you asked, here is the bulletin. Not sure if it applies to this situation, but it will close the loop on your question, and may provide an area to investigate.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h1OlDZvfic1dc3NyoJk8gODAiws__iKE/view?usp=sharing

And BTW Treekiller - all references to right or left are always from the point of view of the rider as seated in the seat. So, you might want to start referring to this - at least in official communications - as the Left Fuse Box. And I agree with the rest - unless you bathed your Spyder with a pressure washer, the bases for the warranty claim is WHY was, and correct the cause of, the fuse box being exposed to water.

 

[Treekiller]

Thank yo all for the responses. And forgive the error in posting the location. I realized after posting that it is usual to post location in relation to the seated rider. Been an upsetting day for sure here and I guess my haste to look for help added to my error while posting. For clarification this would be the right fuse box in this case (from the point of view of the seated rider). I have corrected the original post.
Never used a power washer of any kind as the paint is delicate to normal touching and don’t think there is a need when bathing.

Again thank you all for your kind replies.

 

[cruisinTX]

Stories like this just add more nails to the coffin I'm about to close on my ownership of any BRP product.

 

[PMK]

Seems there may be a small fight with the manufacturer over this. Yes, I recall when that bulletin was released. Believe some units required replacement wire harnesses due to corrosion. Good luck. Tell the dealer they are at fault since they knocked the covers loose while assembling and setting up the Spyder.

Other folks should consider inspecting the low quality foam gaskets. We never had water ingress since I noticed the failing gaskets before anything got wet. Removed those junk oem gaskets and installed gasket that truly seal the fuseboxes water tight at the cover.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Tourer, BRP called and left a message saying the warranty claim was denied because the fuse box was exposed to water, then closed the case.

If you are not aware of any way your relatively new/low milage Spyder could've ever been 'exposed to water' other than normal low pressure bike washing & ryding in the rain ONCE, then you might want to try sending a comprehensive description of this, expanding upon how new your Spyder is, what it's done, how it's been cared for, & how this saga has unfolded/exactly what's occurred (maybe highlighting the similarities to the situation prompting the TSB mentioned above??) via PM to BRPcare here on the Forum (that's their username ) or you could send them an email at [email protected] :dontknow: You'll never know unless you ask, but if you cut out what sounds to be a 'less than helpful' dealer to tell your story direct, ie. putting your un-enmbellished & polite case to them directly, without any dealer emotion or pre-conceptions to colour it; you juuust might shine a slightly different light onto the the issue for them, and maybe that'll help your case.... But as I said, you'll never know unless you ask! :lecturef_smilie:

Good Luck! :cheers:

 

[PMK]

I would not waste the time using a Spyderlovers PM to BRPCare, the last time BRPCare visited Spyderlovers.com was May 7, 2020.

You could try the email thing, but typically, if you get a reply, the mother ship of BRP tells everyone to take it to a dealer.

Your fight is with the dealer to convince them that BRP is in error and must correct this issue. You are quickly learning just how a dealer can make or break the fun of a Spyder after the sale. If you have a family relative or friend that is a lawyer, have them draft a nice letter to help smooth this for you.

 

[BajaRon]

Thanks for the reply.
My fear is that a simple fix such as replacing fuses doesn’t correct the root cause and would just lead to a reoccurring situation should the vehicle get wet again. If I dig deeper and try to seal the water ingress, well then I may just void any warranty claim in the future. Not sure why BRP chooses not to fix when the potential for fire or injury is great here.

Again thanks for the kind reply, truly appreciated.

I agree that long term. it is important to discover how the water got in to begin with. But this also points out that replacing everything isn't going to 'Fix' the problem either. It would just be a waste of $2,500.00 as you waited for it to happen again. It is unfortunate that BRP simply closed the door on you with no real solution.

 

[Mikey]

Stories like this just add more nails to the coffin I'm about to close on my ownership of any BRP product.

Oh, don't think for one minute that BRP is the only company out there doing this kind of business! I think the dealer is as much to blame as BRP!!

 

[Peter Aawen]

I would not waste the time using a Spyderlovers PM to BRPCare, the last time BRPCare visited Spyderlovers.com was May 7, 2020.

.....

That may be true, but their profile is set up so that they get an email notification whenever a PM is received; and there are a few members here who have successfully had their issue &/or case reviewed as a result of sending a PM &/or an email since BRPcare's last activity on the Forum.....

So yeah, it might not help a heap to send a PM or an email, but Treekiller, you can be absobloodylutely sure of ONE thing, and that is if you don't at least TRY, you won't ever know if sending a PM or an email may have helped or not!

Or you can just decide it's all too hard &/or assume the answer's gonna be negative anyway, so not bother trying anything.... :banghead: . But if that's the case, then why bother with this thread to start with... :dontknow:

Just Sayin' (again ) You'll never know unless you ask/try! :lecturef_smilie:

So don't be scared of giving it a shot, even if you don't pin your highest hopes on it being all that successful... After all, someone who may or may not have been famous at the time &/or later once said, and has been quoted & paraphrased ever since -

"The only time you truly FAIL, is the time you don't even TRY!" :cheers:

 

[agrimm01]

Looking for help from those smarter than me.

I have a 2021 RT Limited Purchased 6/15/2021 (Build date 05/2020), driven a total of 2,020 miles that had water infiltration into the right side fuse box (from the seated rider position). The water infiltration caused the fuses to corrode and on 9/14/2022 while returning from a visit to a local bike night event, all lights went out as well as the cooling fan. Almost rear ended stopping for a traffic light in a very well light intersection and a kind passer by flagged us down to inform us we had no lights as well. I pulled into the nearest safe stopping location and gathered myself while trying to diagnose the issue. Eventually I got to opening the fuse boxes and found the fuse box to have more than a tablespoon of water in it. This green water dripped all over the frunk of coarse.
After a bit of a struggle I was able to get two of the Pink 30 amp fuses out and get the bike home safely. After waiting a few weeks unable to ride the thing for fear of a fire or another failure; I got it to the dealership who in turn opened a case with BRP.
BRP turned around and denied the warranty claim.
I was curious if anyone has had to deal with this recently and what my next steps may be? I reached out to BRP and was told that a warranty claim that is denied is non-negotiable and they were unwilling to even attempt to work things out. I have since opened a safety claim with the NHTSA and the BBB seeing as BRP seems to not want to cover their flaw. The dealership has quoted $2520 to repair. NOT COOL BRP, not cool!

I remind you this vehicle has been garage kept, driven in the rain once last September and has been bathed twice in its life (I suspect the later was where the water came from). I find it hard to believe that I can't wash or ride the vehicle in the rain.

I had water in both fuse boxes of my 2021 RTL after washing. Was your dealer able to determine how water is getting into the fuse boxes?