What breaks most · 2008 to 2016 model years
Can-Am Spyder RS problems by year
Owners have filed 75 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Can-Am Spyder RS across model years 2008 to 2016. Three years stand out: 2008 for steering complaints, 2009 for steering complaints and 2010 for steering complaints. The quietest years are 2013, 2011 and 2012.
- Years to check closely: 2008, 2009, 2010
- Fewest complaints: 2013, 2011, 2012
- Complaints on file
- 752008 to 2016, all trims
- Worst year
- 200837 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 411 fires · 4 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 7kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 6Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | 1 | 0 | Steering (22) | |
| 13 | 0 | 1 | Steering (10) | |
| 8 | 2 | 3 | Steering (3) | |
| 5 | 0 | 1 | Fuel system (2) | |
| 6 | 1 | 1 | Steering (1) | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | Engine (3) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Exterior lighting (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Stability control (1) |
What fails on the 2008 Can-Am Spyder RS
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 59% |
22 | 0 | Shop all steering parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 16% |
6 | 0 | Shop all fuel system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 11% |
4 | 0 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 8% |
3 | 1 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 8% |
3 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Stability controlABS and wheel speed sensors | 8% |
3 | 0 | Shop all stability control parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 3% |
1 | 0 | Shop all fuel system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 3% |
1 | 0 | Shop all engine and cooling parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Was traveling about 35 mph and entered a right hand curve. The power steering stopped working which caused me to cross the center line. Lucky nobody coming other direction. The motorcycle has had a dealer recall upgrade of software and the power steering unit replaced under recall.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Can-Am Spyder RS years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2008, 2009, 2010 carry the most filings on the Can-Am Spyder RS. The 2008 alone has 37 complaints, led by steering.
What is the most common Can-Am Spyder RS problem?
On the 2008 model year, the most-reported component is steering with 22 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Can-Am Spyder RS problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Can-Am Spyder RS complaints that include mileage is about 7,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.