Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Aug 28, 2023
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
56%
of 16 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
6
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1
What this page shows
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2015 Polaris Sportsman 1000XP submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming engine
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
EngineFuel system
Filed Aug 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Polaris Sportsman 570. The contact stated while starting the vehicle. The engine ran for approximately 10 minutes and shut off. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that the failure recurred on a third occasion. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was overheating. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA ID
11541182
Incident
Aug 28, 2016
Engine
Filed Jan 8, 2016
Fire reported1 injury reported
THE POOR DESIGN OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM ROUTES THE HEADER PAST PLASTIC AND YOUR ANKLE AREA. MY EXHAUST HAS, SEVERAL TIMES, HEATED UP TO CHERRY RED. THE LAST TIME IT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE PLASTIC AND BURNED MY BOOT (MY BODILY DAMAGE TO PERSONS). POLARIS REFUSES TO ADMIT A PROBLEM. THE HEAT IS SO GREAT WHEN RIDING IT IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP YOUR FOOT IN THE WHEEL WELL ON THE FOOT REST MAKING THIS MACHINE A FIRE HAZARD IN FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL FORESTS AS WELL AS A HAZARD TO BEING BURNED OR LOOSING YOUR MACHINE TO FIRE. POLARIS IS REFUSING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
NHTSA ID
10818840
Incident
Jan 2, 2016
Mileage
191 mi
Body & structureElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 21, 2015
Fire reported
ATV POLARIS SPORTSMAN 1000 XP 2015 ALMOST NEW, 120 MILES ON IT. EXHAUST HEAT MELTED THE TRANSMISSION SPEED SENSOR HARNESS, FENDER AND OTHER SMALLER PLASTIC PARTS. FLEXIBLE HEAT SHIELDS WERE NOT ENOUGH AND DISTROYED AS WELL. VEHICLE GOT ON FIRE (MELTED PLASITC IGNITED), I TURNED THE FIRE WITH HANDS (TKS GOD I HAD GLOVES). DEALER WANT TO REPLACE PARTS ONLY, NO CHANGES AT ALL. HAVE BEEN WAITING 9 WEEKS FOR THE PARTS TO ARRIVE, NO PARTS YET. I'M A MECHANICAL ENGENEER AND ALMOST SURE THAT WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. HOPE POLAIRS FINALLY LISTEN AND PROTECT THEIR CUSOTMERS SAFETY, BEFORE SOME ONE GET HURT. AS PER FORUMS, MORE THAN 50% OF THESE ATVS POLARIS SPORTSMAN 1000 XP 2015, HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, MELTED PLASTIC PARTS.
NHTSA ID
10750322
Incident
Jun 7, 2015
Mileage
120 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 5, 2015
Fire reported
THE MUFFLER IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM GLOWS RED AS A CHARCOAL BRIQUET UNDER ALL OPERATIONAL SPEEDS. THIS PRODUCES VERY EXCESSIVE HEAT AND RENDERS THE PLASTIC ABOVE THE REAR FENDER WELL UNTOUCHABLE. THE USFS APPROVED HEAT SHIELD IS VERY FLIMSY AND AT ONE POINT A TWIG GOT CAUGHT BETWEEN THE SHIELD AND THE MUFFLER AND WAS BURNING. WE JUST HAPPENED TO HAVE STOPPED ON THE TRAIL AND SMELLED THE FAMILIAR CAMPFIRE SMELL AND PULLED THE TWIG AWAY BEFORE IT CAUGHT THE DRY LEAVES ON FIRE. THIS IS AN OFFROAD VEHICLE AND I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A COMPANY LIKE POLARIS WOULD MANUFACTURE AN ATV WITH THIS KIND OF ISSUE. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT OR COMPLAINT AS THE ONLINE "POLARIS ATV FORUMS" WEBSITE IS COVERED UP WITH THREADS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.
NHTSA ID
10732030
Incident
Jul 25, 2014
Mileage
20 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Jun 19, 2015
Fire reported
WHEN I RIDE THIS BRAND NEW SPORTSMAN XP 1000 THE EXHAUST SYSTEM GETS GLOWING RED HOT, PLASTIC FENDERS NEAR THE EXHAUST ARE UNTOUCHABLE, REAR TIRE IS EXTREMELY HOT, AND SOME GRASS THAT WAS THROWN ONTO THE EXHAUST CAUGHT FIRE. THIS IS A TWO WEEK OLD ATV WITH 13 MILES ON IT. I AM NOT RIDING THIS MACHINE HARD. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING THE MACHINE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES AT A MINIMAL RPM. POLARIS SAYS THIS IS NORMAL BREAK IN OCCURRENCES. THESE MACHINES WILL CATCH AN OWNER'S PROPERTY ON FIRE AND/OR HURT SOMEONE SUBSTANTIALLY IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY.
NHTSA ID
10726286
Incident
Jun 18, 2015
Mileage
13 mi
Body & structureEngine
Filed Jun 10, 2015
Fire reported
EXHAUST BECOMES RED HOT ONLY AFTER A COUPLE MINUTES OF RIDING. THE EXHAUST MUFFLER IS VERY CLOSE TO THE PLASTIC FENDER AND RIGHT REAR TIRE. BECAUSE IT GETS SO HOT AND SITS SO CLOSE TO THE REAR TIRE I FEAR THAT THERE WILL BE A FIRE. IN FACT, I HAVE NOTICED LEAVES AND GRASS CATCH FIRE FROM NORMAL RIDING BUT THEY BURNED OFF WITHOUT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE PLASTIC. THE PLASTIC GETS SO HOT IT WILL SOFTEN AND BEND EASILY TO THE TOUCH. THE STICK ON HEAT SHIELD UNDER THE FENDER GETS SO HOT, IT LOST ITS STICKYNESS AND IS NOW FALLING OFF. IT ALSO GOT SO HOT THAT THE ALUMINUM HEAT SHIELD AROUND THE EXHAUST IS COMING APART AT THE FACTORY CRIMP POINTS.
NHTSA ID
10724614
Incident
Apr 8, 2015
Mileage
86 mi
Body & structureEngine
Filed Jun 4, 2015
AFTER A 15 MINUTE RIDE, THE MUFFLER WAS SO HOT IT WAS GLOWING RED. THE HEAT PUT OFF BY THE MUFFLER ACTUALLY MELTED MY REAR BODY PANEL ABOVE THE EXHAUST. THE HEAT COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A FIRE HAD I PARKED THE UNIT WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING THE EXHAUST, WHICH I DO AFTER EVERY RIDE AFTER READING SIMILAR REPORTS FROM OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE.
NHTSA ID
10723324
Incident
May 30, 2015
Mileage
209 mi
Body & structureEngine
Filed Jun 2, 2015
THE EXHAUST MUFFLER GETS SO HOT IT GLOWS ORANGE AND YOU CAN SMELL MELTING PLASTIC. I STOPPED RIDING THIS MACHINE DUE TO IT BEING A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD.
NHTSA ID
10723085
Incident
Apr 30, 2015
Mileage
50 mi
Engine
Filed May 18, 2015
Fire reported
PURCHASED THIS 2015 SPORTSMAN 1000 XP BRAND NEW IN FEBRUARY. MOST OF IT'S OPERATION HAS BEEN LOWER SPEEDS AT A LOCAL ATV PARK. THIS PAST WEEKEND, I HAD A CHANCE TO USE IT ON TRAILS IN A NATIONAL FOREST IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN. I NOTICED THAT OPERATION ABOVE 25-30 MPH RESULTED IN RED HOT METAL ON THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO A WEBSITE FORUM (POLARISATVFORUMS.COM), AND IT'S USERS THERE, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCEDENT. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE EXTREME HEAT GENERATED BY THIS EXHAUST SYSTEM, IT APPEARS ONE OF THE FASTENERS HAS FAILED ON THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE ATV GOT SOMEWHAT LOUDER (NOT TOO NOTICEABLE WHEN YOU'RE GOING 40 MPH). I THEN NOTICED MY RIGHT LEG BEGIN TO FEEL VERY VERY WARM (ALMOST TO THE POINT OF BURNING. LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THE BODY PLASTICS SMOLDERING/SMOKING AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF FIRE. STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A WET TOWEL. HAD I CONTINUED DRIVING (WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY ENOUGH TO DO BEING THAT IT WASN'T SIGNIFICANTLY LOUDER), I AM FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT THE ATV WOULD HAVE BEEN ENGULFED IN FLAMES IN NO TIME. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE ON A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 15 HOURS OF USE ON IT, AND ONLY 260 OR SO MILES. IT'S BASICALLY BRAND NEW. WILL BE TAKING IT IN FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS, BUT IT APPEARS I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THESE ISSUES. THIS SEEMS LIKE A VERY DANGEROUS COMBINATION WHEN YOU CONSIDER WHERE THESE ATV'S OPERATE MOST OF THE TIME (NATIONAL FORESTS, SWAMPS, FARMER FIELDS ETC)- PLACES WHERE THERE IS MUCH FUEL TO ADD TO A FIRE. THIS COULD RESULT IN A FOREST FIRE ETC., IF NOT ADDRESSED SOON.
NHTSA ID
10716996
Incident
May 16, 2015
Mileage
260 mi
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own