Switched to Polaris, not a happy camper!

[stevoo01]

First ride out on a new leftover 2011 550 IQ, rode about 5 miles and when stopping sled backfires but keeps running. I turn around and limp it back to the house and it quits. Oh yeah, forgot to say that when I went to start it [electric start] initially the battery was stone dead. Any how I have pissed with this for an hour and was finally able to get it to run on both cylinders long enough to get it in the garage, low power and popping back thru air box. Call dealer and they ask me if the lights were working, well I wasn't paying attention and couldn't tell them yes or no. He goes on to explain that these sleds have an issue with the VR's. Well when I finally got it into the garage I didn't see any headlamps or taillamps working or lit. This sled has literally 5 f___ing miles on it! Is it the regulator or should I check any where else on the sled before I have to take a day off work to get it to the dealer? My new [also bought at the same time ] 2012 600 IQ seems to be fine other than some god awful noises from the belt area the first mile I put on it. Then it quieted down. I have bought a bunch of new sleds from other manufacturers Cat, Ski Doo, and Yamaha, And I have NEVER! had an issue with a new sled like this. I thought, I've never had a Polaris I'll give them a try. I am very disappointed, if they had an issue with the regulator why didn't they upgrade them and put it in my new sled before they delivered it to me? any help is appreciated and sorry I'm venting just very disappointed.

 

[MARV1]

Sounds like the dealer didn't do his work...

 

[stevoo01]

What's really bothering me about this is we now have rideable snow in Northern Michigan [we had green grass until the day before yesterday] and my wifes sled won't run! And man am I hearing about it from her, she's mumbling something about she could have had the kitchen remodeled with what we spent on new sleds and can't even go for a ride. I'm just glad we didn't load them up and drive up to the Upper Peninsula, drive for 3 or 4 hours and have a sled break down 5 miles back in the woods. Did Polaris notify dealers about a defect in the VR's? And I'm reading they could damage the ecu and possibly the motor.The dealer's an hour away, so I'll have to see if I can get a day off to get it to them. I hope they can fix it right away or they better have a loaner sled or I'll be calling Polaris to raise holy hell!

 

[PAT2]

I'm not positive but you should be able to look at the numbers on VR to see if your 600 has the same as your 550. if so swap it out and see if it fixes it. Then you will no if that is the issue. I think you might be able to get that VR from napa. Thought there was a thread about a napa part that works awhile back on this site or HCS site. If you go to Babbitt.com you can look up schematics to show were VR is located and or check both sled on Babbitt to see if part # are same. I no Polaris did change part numbers on VR was supposed to be a new one but I think they were still same VR with different part number sticker over old part #?

 

[trestlecreek]

From my experience, even with a burned out voltage regulator, my sleds (3 of them thru the years) would still run. It would burn out every light bulb, but still run..... interesting. Let us know what it turns out to be....

 

[canj]

From my experience, even with a burned out voltage regulator, my sleds (3 of them thru the years) would still run. It would burn out every light bulb, but still run..... interesting. Let us know what it turns out to be....

He's right. On carbs sleds, you should be able to ride without any problem with a fried VR. I did it for over a year on my rmk 600 ho.

 

[rmkMatt]

What has the dealer said? I would think if you just bought two new sleds and one doesn't work right out of the gate, they would bend over backwards for you. I'd be content as long as the dealer took care of it, like coming to you to get the sled and throwing in something for your troubles.

 

[stevoo01]

Continueing story here guys. Took the sled 40 miles To the dealer in Gaylord Mi. where I purchased the two new sleds. They said that definitley that the VR was toast as I had told them. They had the updated VR's for the 600 but not the 550 in stock. I pointed out to them that they had a 2012 550 IQ sitting 50 feet from where we were standing and they begrudgingly agreed to rob it from a unit on the floor. Twenty minutes later the tech came out from the shop and told me I had other problems. Duh! He said he could only get it to run on full choke and it was only running on one cylinder and popping. But the lights and hand warmers were working now! Well they said there was a fuel supply problem and they would have to drain the tank, check the fuel lines and pull the carbs and see if there was debris causing a fuel starvation problem. I reminded them that this was the fuel they had put in the sled upon delivery, so they couldn't say That I had put contaminated fuel in. I left and went to work. I got a call from them around 2 o'clock that the sled was done and they would deliver it to me, said they found plastic debris from manufacturing in the carbs and cleaned them out and it was in fine working order now. They delivered the sled an hour later.
Now, today me and the wife get in our suits,start up the sleds and head out for a ride. Beautiful day, fresh snow,sun out just gorgeous outside. Get two miles from the house almost to the trailhead I turn around my wifes not there ! Go back and find her, and the sled quit and won't run again! I get on
,pull the choke fully on get it to fire and hammer the throttle, turn it around and get it back to the house. If you let off the throttle to idle it pops and boggs and dies out. I call the dealer in Gaylord, and I'm pissed off, I tell Doug the service manager who I was and why I was calling, and that they needed to come and pick up this sled and fix it this time. I also asked for a loaner so we could ride this weekend, his reply after he put me on hold for a few minutes was that they would come and pick up sled but they had nothing the could let me use this weekend or next week for that manner. WOW! what customer service. I told him that this was unaccceptable and that when they came to pickup the sled I expected that they would leave one for my wife to use while they figure out this sled. If they do not I will be forced to possible legal action, but I am giving them a chance to do the right thing. Sled now has a total of 12 miles on it. I update as this plays out. Sorry about the long post guys!

 

[stevoo01]

Another update: Tech from dealership just picked up the sled! AND left us a loaner Used 550 IQ Shift to use until the issues on the new sled are resolved. Kudos for Extreme PowerSports in Gaylord Mi. for stepping up and taking care of their customers.. Now the tech that picked it up, is the one that worked on it originally, and of course it barely runs at the moment,full choke it will run on one cyl and backfire thru the intake and exhaust. His thoughts are, how it is running now, it may have a crank seal bad from the factory. it popped back so hard thru the air box that if the hood hadn't been latched down, it would have blown the hood open. We had to lift and hand load the sled onto their trailer, I also mentioned to him not to bring it back until any and all issues are resolved. I'll keep everyone informed as to the outcome of this.

 

[550iq]

Tell the dealer you'll keep the loaner.

 

[cascadesnowjunky]

Just a thought but I read on here somewhere that if the plug wires are crossed it will do similar things as yours is doing, I have not tried to intentionaly cross mine to verify but something to check. Let us know what the problem is after it is fixed, I am curious.

 

[stevoo01]

Well the dealership called me on Monday, or should I say left a message on my answering machine. Piston failure, so now I have a new sled that will have a rebuilt engine with a total of 12 miles on it yay!!!! Evidently the original problem with it not running was fuel starvation that they thought they had cured by cleaning the carbs and lines out. Well evidentley "the damage was done at that time and when I got it back and running properly that's when it let go. Anyhow I Got a call today, the sled is done and they will deliver it back to me and hopefully I won't have any issues. They had to replace the piston and the cylinder and all other parts associated with the rebuild. However I did make it clear to them if I had any more issues with this sled they would be taking it back and exchanging for a new unit, or there would be a picture in The Gaylord Times with the headline "Disgruntled Owner seeks more warranty Work ! with a pic of the sled thru their large showroom glass!