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

[sgerksinwi]

As a fellow 21 RT owner.
How did the dealer explain how the water get in the fuse box?

 

[oldguyinTX]

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??

Yes this was an issue with the 2013 MY, my 2013 RTL was fixed under warranty.

 

[Joel The Biker]

For people asking how water gets in the fuse box, be aware, there are 2 covers on the fuse box. The first cover in the frunk simply keeps water out of the frunk and has a foam gasket. It has nothing to do with keeping water out of the fuse boxes. The second cover is actually on the fuse box. It is sealed with a yellow silicone gasket, but the cover must be fully seated (you should hear 2 clicks). Grease, vaseline, or dielectric grease can be added to the yellow gasket to help with the seal. You must be sure that cover is fully secured or water will get in no matter what.

 

[PMK]

For people asking how water gets in the fuse box, be aware, there are 2 covers on the fuse box. The first cover in the frunk simply keeps water out of the frunk and has a foam gasket. It has nothing to do with keeping water out of the fuse boxes. The second cover is actually on the fuse box. It is sealed with a yellow silicone gasket, but the cover must be fully seated (you should hear 2 clicks). Grease, vaseline, or dielectric grease can be added to the yellow gasket to help with the seal. You must be sure that cover is fully secured or water will get in no matter what.

Yes, two covers per fuse box. Need to go back and check if I modified the frunk covers or fuse box covers.

 

[JayBros]

Here are two pictures of the right outer (frunk water protector) fuse cover from my Spyder with the poor stick-on gasket. Both left and right outer covers look identical and the pictures show them exactly as they came from the factory in 2014 -- a very sloppy assembly job. My inner covers however, have done the job protecting the fuses and relays and the Spyder has in its history substantial hours/miles frog strangling rain storms. BRP obviously thought far enough ahead to use a double cap system to prevent us poor shlubs from having to remove the frunk just to check/replace fuses. IMO, Treekiller has every good reason to file a safety complaint against BRP with NHTSA.

 

[Br549rick]

what he says ..

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.

then apply silicone dielectric grease to all connections for protection.....diy no problem

 

[sgerksinwi]

I have a 21 RT.
Took outer covers off.Yep little water in each.
Inner one's look ok.
Would a good shot of contact cleaner on the fuses(electronic ) help to keep the moisture out?

 

[FrogmanDave]

Would a good shot of contact cleaner on the fuses(electronic ) help to keep the moisture out?

No sir. Contact cleaner is made to evaporate away to nothing. It evaporates grease and oil but leaves no protective film behind. There are some cleaners out there that claim to be somewhat corrosion protective but defeat the purpose in my opinion. CRC QD (which is one of the best) makes no such claim.

 

[PMK]

No sir. Contact cleaner is made to evaporate away to nothing. It evaporates grease and oil but leaves no protective film behind. There are some cleaners out there that claim to be somewhat corrosion protective but defeat the purpose in my opinion. CRC QD (which is one of the best) makes no such claim.

Agree, contact cleaner, while often recommended here in Spyderlovers posts, many times is a poor choice, even a harmful choice for the application. The product,you sgerksinwi, should search for, would be designed for electrical components, but is water displacing and leaves an anti corrosion coating. No doubt a multitude of readily or even locally available products exist at reasonable cost. As a possible super easy to find product, WD40 used with care can be effective.

 

[Joel The Biker]

I have a 21 RT.
Took outer covers off.Yep little water in each.
Inner one's look ok.
Would a good shot of contact cleaner on the fuses(electronic ) help to keep the moisture out?

As long as your inner covers are dry, you are OK. The outer covers are exposed to the elements. If you remove the outer covers in the trunk, you can actually reach in through the suspension opening and into the frunk next to the fuse box. Most people don't realize this. I remove those covers to help route wires to the battery.

 

[Treekiller]

So finally able to get back to this thread after such a long Time.
BRP finally replaced the harness under warranty. The dealership was not able to determine the path of water ingress, but after working with BRP were able to determine that this was not the owners error or fault. All covers were in place and seals appeared intact, none of the seals showed any sign of failure or being misplaced that I or the dealer could see. The dealer retained the original harness so I don’t have access to it to investigate further. I suspect the seal where wires enter the fuse block or the potting material in the back sealing the back are most likely culprits, but I am not going to say that for certain.

I would like to thank everyone for their input and suggestions many were very helpful. Thanks again for such a great resource for Spyder owners.

 

[Little Blue]

....Well I just wanted to know how long your Spyder was in the Shop?

Sometimes a month or two is more than enough.

Stay Healthy. ....:thumbup:

 

[pegasus1300]

Treekiller Thank you very much for posting the final outcome of your Problem. I am happy to hear that it came to a successful conclusion for you thru your patience and persistence. I hope you have many happy trails now.

 

[Treekiller]

....Well I just wanted to know how long your Spyder was in the Shop?

Sometimes a month or two is more than enough.

Stay Healthy. ....:thumbup:

Actual time in the shop was exactly two months. Dropped off 11/30/2022 and they delivered it 1/30/2023.