F3 limited Paddle shifter will not shift into reverse or neutral

[south GA Farm Boy]

My new F3 Limited will not shift into neutral or reverse when I stop! It wants to stay in 1st gear! No problems shifting forward, but hard time getting it to shift into neutral when I stop for gas or a rest break! Help, any suggestions?
I appreciate your answers, love the F3, but need to backup or stop!

 

[Rattlebars]

My new F3 Limited will not shift into neutral or reverse when I stop! It wants to stay in 1st gear! No problems shifting forward, but hard time getting it to shift into neutral when I stop for gas or a rest break! Help, any suggestions?
I appreciate your answers, love the F3, but need to backup or stop!

It won't shift to neutral unless you shut off the bike and it will default to "N" when you start up again. To make any other shifts, you must press the brake pedal or it won't. My "T" has been shifting from "N" into "R" without the brake pedal, but I know it won't go into first without.

 

[JP58]

You need to shift the negative downshift paddle to go into neutral. Than from neutral push down reverse button and hold it while hitting downshift button for reverse. Then hit upshift button to go back to 1st.

 

[JayBros]

If your F3 is a 2018, read pgs 15, 25, 46 of your operator's guide; it explains everything about Neutral and Reverse and, to the best of my knowledge appplies to all 1330 engine SE6 Spyders.

 

[billybovine]

You did not say, but is your new F3L a 2018 model? If so. BRP has issued a warranty service bulletin 2018-5 about this issue. Call your dealer and make an appointment and they will replace the left multifunction handlebar control.

PS The only difference I found in shifting going from the ST SE5 to the F3L was the dumbass requirement to have your foot on the brake to shift from neutral to first. If it was for safety reasons. Why do you not need to have your foot on the brake to shift from neutral to reverse.

 

[south GA Farm Boy]

shifter paddle on 2018 F3 Limited

You need to shift the negative downshift paddle to go into neutral. Than from neutral push down reverse button and hold it while hitting downshift button for reverse. Then hit upshift button to go back to 1st.

That's the problem, you can't shift into neutral from 1st gear! You can stop, put your foot on the brake pedal and push on the back of the shifter until you are blue in the face, it will not go into neutral! Will not shift into reverse either! It won't down shift to a lower gear while riding either, you have to let it do it's own downshifting! I have owned 3 Spyders with the SE transmission, so reading a book is not going to help me, I think the dealer is going to have to change out the left hand shifting switch! Many thanks to all of you for your answers, that is what makes this a great site!

 

[JP58]

Sounds like you got one of the bad shift paddles. No problem with mine yet.

 

[south GA Farm Boy]

Bad shifter

Sounds like you got one of the bad shift paddles. No problem with mine yet.

Yes, I got a bad shifter on my 2018 F3 limited! I have contacted the dealer and he is working on a time for me to bring it in, it is only 4 or 5 weeks old, so it will be a warranty issue. BRP knows we are have problems with the 2018 model shifters, I am not the only one. You can look at this forum, and find others, It is just sad that for a Spyder to cost this much, and we have quality problems right out the gate! I feel sure the Dealer and BRP will solve the problem, It just that my dealers are over 100 miles away. It will not go in neutral or reverse no matter what you do to it! If you switch it completely off while it is in 1st gear, the computer will put it in neutral when you crank it up holding down the brake petal, but it still will not go into reverse, and if you put it in 1st, then you are back where you started with no neutral or reverse! You can't down shift while riding it either! I hope yours don't come up with this issue!
Many thanks for all the answers!

 

[south GA Farm Boy]

bad shifter module

Guys, now I can brag on getting my Shifter module replaced! I had lost the ability to put my 2018 F3 Limited in neutral, reverse or to down shift if I needed too! I contact Byron Powersports in Byron, Georgia, yesterday and shared the problem I was having with my F3 Spyder gear shifter. They checked and had the correct part to fix it, so I took it in (about 230 mile round trip) this morning and they changed out the shifter module in about 2 hours or so, and now I am proud to say everything is working correctly! I guess since I had purchased it there only a few weeks ago, they went our of their way to get me back riding while we still have pretty weather down here! Thanks to Bryon Powersports, and to the Spyderlovers Forum for your quick suggestions on how to fix the problem!

 

[JP58]

Guys, now I can brag on getting my Shifter module replaced! I had lost the ability to put my 2018 F3 Limited in neutral, reverse or to down shift if I needed too! I contact Byron Powersports in Byron, Georgia, yesterday and shared the problem I was having with my F3 Spyder gear shifter. They checked and had the correct part to fix it, so I took it in (about 230 mile round trip) this morning and they changed out the shifter module in about 2 hours or so, and now I am proud to say everything is working correctly! I guess since I had purchased it there only a few weeks ago, they went our of their way to get me back riding while we still have pretty weather down here! Thanks to Bryon Powersports, and to the Spyderlovers Forum for your quick suggestions on how to fix the problem!

Was the shift lever replaced or a module. And where is that located.

 

[south GA Farm Boy]

Paddle shift module

Was the shift lever replaced or a module. And where is that located.

They replaced the complete left side module (everything that is connect to that side). They had to take off a lot of tuffer ware up front to run the new wire that comes hooked to the new module to the main connecting point!
Everything work good now! I hope BRP is reading the article about the problems we are having with all the 2018 models (F3 and RT)! They need to hunt a new supplier for this item! My Spyder is only a few weeks old
and only has 1070 miles on it! BRP, I hope this new module lasts longer than the first!!!

 

[stebrock]

As stated earlier this is a known problem. See Warranty Bulletin 2018-5.
Stated solution - replace left hand multifunction switch.

 

[Rattlebars]

You need to shift the negative downshift paddle to go into neutral. Than from neutral push down reverse button and hold it while hitting downshift button for reverse. Then hit upshift button to go back to 1st.

I did not know that. never had occasion to use it cuz if i push it it's in 1st or off.

 

[Peteoz]

You need to shift the negative downshift paddle to go into neutral. Than from neutral push down reverse button and hold it while hitting downshift button for reverse. Then hit upshift button to go back to 1st.

I have never had to engage neutral before shifting into reverse from 1st, JP, or am I misreading your post? On my 2016 F3-L, every time I come home the tranmission auto downshifts to 1st as I slow for my driveway. I swing my nose away from the driveway to reverse in, hold down the R button while pressing the - paddle and it shifts past neutral, straight into reverse and I back in and park. Once stopped, I hit the + paddle and it shifts past neutral into 1st, and I then hit the - paddle to move it into neutral in case I want to move the F3 around the garage without actually starting it.

Pete

 

[JP58]

I have never had to engage neutral before shifting into reverse from 1st, JP, or am I misreading your post? On my 2016 F3-L, every time I come home the tranmission auto downshifts to 1st as I slow for my driveway. I swing my nose away from the driveway to reverse in, hold down the R button while pressing the - paddle and it shifts past neutral, straight into reverse and I back in and park. Once stopped, I hit the + paddle and it shifts past neutral into 1st, and I then hit the - paddle to move it into neutral in case I want to move the F3 around the garage without actually starting it.

Pete

You are also correct it will work ethier way. I always put my bike in neutral when I park it. Then you do not need to push brake pedal in to start. Without getting on bike I just turn key on, push mode, then start button. If you park in 1st you have to push brake pedal to start.

 

[SpdrDvr]

Replace it ....

You did not say, but is your new F3L a 2018 model? If so. BRP has issued a warranty service bulletin 2018-5 about this issue. Call your dealer and make an appointment and they will replace the left multifunction handlebar control.

PS The only difference I found in shifting going from the ST SE5 to the F3L was the dumbass requirement to have your foot on the brake to shift from neutral to first. If it was for safety reasons. Why do you not need to have your foot on the brake to shift from neutral to reverse.

I had had the same problem, dealer replaced the entire shift module and it works fine now. I spoke with several people at M/V who had the same issue.

 

[FIRECAT]

I have a 2019 F3 limited and my gearshift module is acting up exactly as you guys are describing will not downshift on the fly hard to get in reverse apparently they didn’t fix the 19s either??!!

 

[billybovine]

I have a 2019 F3 limited and my gearshift module is acting up exactly as you guys are describing will not downshift on the fly hard to get in reverse apparently they didn’t fix the 19s either??!!

A limited run of 2018s had a defective left handlebar controls with a Can-bus commination problem and often showed up as a gear shift issue but could also show up as a problem on any function on the that control. That is different then the gear change floppy switch going bad.

 

[FIRECAT]

A limited run of 2018s had a defective left handlebar controls with a Can-bus commination problem and often showed up as a gear shift issue but could also show up as a problem on any function on the that control. That is different then the gear change floppy switch going bad.

Well regardless is this considered a recall or is this going to be a warranty claim? I’m into my third year of extended warranty but if this is a recall there should not be a deductible on the repair what’s the story on this what can I expect to deal with with the dealer?

 

[ChicagoSpyder]

I have a 2019 F3 limited and my gearshift module is acting up exactly as you guys are describing will not downshift on the fly hard to get in reverse apparently they didn’t fix the 19s either??!!

So you're doing the Fred Flinstone eh....