2001 Victory V92

BOTH THE PETITON FOR RULEMAKING, DEFECT, AND NONCOMPLIANCE ORDER, AND THE PETITON FOR HEARING ON NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY ARE DENIED.THE AGENCY HAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH PETITIONS ARE MOOT GIVEN THAT THE MANUFACTURER DECIDED THERE WAS A SAFETY DEFECT IN ITS MOTORCYCLES AND ISSUED OWNER AND DEALER NOTIFICATIONS AND SUPPLIED A FREE REMEDY WHERE NEEDED.A COPY OF THE PUBLISHED NOTICE FURTHER EXPLAINING THIS DECISION CAN BE FOUND IN THE NOTICE OF DENIAL DOCUMENT IN THIS FILE.

THIS INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE SUBJECT MOTORCYCLE TRANSMISSIONS ARE PRONE TO SHIFTING PERFORMANCE ISSUES THAT OCCUR WELL BEFORE THE TRANSMISSIONS HAVE REACHED THE END OF THE MANUFACTURER'S STATED INTENDED DESIGN LIFE (30,000 MILES).POLARIS HAS TAKEN ACTIONS INCLUDING CARRYING OUT TWO SAFETY RECALLS TO ADDRESS ISSUES IN SOME OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, CONDUCTING A SPECIAL POLICY, AND FORMALLY COMMUNICATING WITH ITS DEALERS AND SUBJECT OWNERS TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.IN LIGHT OF THE NATURE AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE REPORTED PROBLEMS AND THESE ACTIVITIES BY POLARIS, FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESCOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.SEE THE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR FULL DETAILS.

ODI OPENED THIS PE BASED ON OWNER ALLEGATIONS THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, SPONTANEOUSLY DOWNSHIFT AND/OR LOCKUP.SINCE OPENING THIS PE, WE HAVE INTERVIEWED REPORTING OWNERS, TEST-RIDDEN SUBJECT MOTORCYCLES, MET WITH VICTORY MOTORCYCLE DEALERS AND REVIEWED POLARIS' RESPONSE TO OUR INQUIRY.BASED ON THE INFORMATION GATHERED, WE FIND THAT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ARE QUITE PREVALENT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND ARE CONTINUING.COMMONLY, OWNERS FIRST NOTE DEGRADED SHIFT PERFORMANCE (TYPICALLY FALSE NEUTRALS ON THE 2-3 UPSHIFTS, DIFFICULTLY FINDING NEUTRAL, HARSH 3-2 DOWNSHIFTS, ETC.)DEALERS TELL OWNERS THAT DEGRADED SHIFT PERFORMANCE IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY (BASIC AND EXTENDED), BUT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO DISSASSEMBLE THE TRANSMISSION TO LEARN MORE.HOWEVER, OWNERS ARE ALSO TOLD THAT IF NO TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS FOUND, THE OWNER WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE TRANSMISSION DISASSEMBLY.UNWILLING TO TAKE A CHANCE THAT NOTHING WILL BE FOUND (BASED ON DEALERS' CLAIMS THAT SHIFT DIFFICULTIES ARE DUE TO DEFICIENT OWNER OPERATION), OWNERS KEEP RIDING WITH SHIFT QUALITY ISSUES.IN SOME CASES, OWNERS CONTACT THE DEALER AGAIN WITH THE SAME RESULT.FINALLY, SHIFT QUALITY BECOMES SO POOR THAT SPONTANEOUS, UNINTENDED 3-2 DOWNSHIFTS OCCUR AND/OR THE TRANSMISSION (AND AS A RESULT, THE REAR WHEEL) LOCKS UP.AS RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK, POLARIS WAS OFFERING TO REPLACE A TRANSMISSION WITH THE MY 2003 VERSION, WHICH IS MADE BY A DIFFERENT SUPPLIER.THIS OFFER WAS/IS CONTINGENT UPON THE OWNERS PAYING LABOR CHARGES OF APPROXIMATELY $500-$700. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND POLARIS' RESPONSES TO IT, WE ARE UPGRADING THIS INVESTIGATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS.

There is no summary currently available

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VICTORY V92. WHILE RIDING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REAR SPROCKET DAMPER ASSEMBLY FAILED. THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. ANOTHER DEALER STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V298000 (POWER TRAIN: MANUAL TRANSMISSION) WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AND THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR IT AGAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRST DEALER NEVER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,000.

NHTSA ID

10205429

Incident

Oct 1, 2006

Mileage

6,000 mi

CUSTOMER STATES THAT HE TOOK HIS MOTORCYCLE FOR A RECALL IN WHICH HE RECEIVED A NOTICE IN THE MAIL. ON 12/20/06 THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE BIKE WOULD BE FIXED ON 01/01/03 AND NOW HE IS NOW BEING TOLD JUNE. THE CUSTOMER WANTS TO BE COMPENSATED**CC *JB

NHTSA ID

10186869

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

ODI NUMBER 10157891 THE DATE SHOULD BE 19 MAY 2006. *JB

NHTSA ID

10157988

Incident

May 19, 2006

Mileage

28,251 mi

GOING ON HIGHWAY AT 50 MILES PER HOUR WHEN TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO DIFFERENT GEARS THAT CAUSED MOMENTARY SKID AND A LOUD POP OR CLUNK AND TRANSMISSION IS NO MORE. CALLED VICTORY TO ASK IF ANY RECALLS SAID THEY WOULD GET BACK. NOTHING RESOLVED BROKE TRANSMISSION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10157891

Incident

May 19, 2004

Mileage

25,489 mi

MOTORCYCLE IS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR AND GOING INTO NEUTRAL AND/OR A LOWER GEAR. THIS USUSALLY OCCURS WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC - DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERYTIME, VERY SPORATIC. LUCKEDLY I HAVE NOT LOST CONTROL DURING AN EPISODE. I CONTACTED DEALERSHIP WHERE MOTORCYCLEWAS PURCHASED - TOLD MY PROBLEM. BIKE HAS LESS THAN 5,500 MILES. I DON'T WANT TO RIDE IN FEAR OF MAJOR DAMAGE OR WRECK.*AK

NHTSA ID

10098240

Incident

Sep 17, 2004

Mileage

5,000 mi

2001 POLARIS VICTORY V92C. TRANSMISSION GIVES FALSE NUETRAL, RANDOMLY REFUSES TO SHIFT, BACK TIRE CHIRP FROM LOCK UP ON DOWN SHIFT. FEW CLUTCHS PUT IN BY DEALER FEB 04. RANDOM INCIDENTS MULTIPLE DATES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10091184

Incident

Sep 12, 2004

Mileage

9,000 mi

NHTSA#02-V-263-000: CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL REGARDING A POSSIBLE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER THE DEALER STATED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.*JB

NHTSA ID

10007513

Incident

Feb 14, 2003

VICTORY: REAR SPROCKET CUSHION DRIVE KIT 2876257 PARTS AVAILABILITY UPDATE. *PE

VICTORY MOTORCYCLE SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. REAR SPROCKET CUSHION DRIVE. IF RECEIVED A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, CAN EXPERIENCE A THIRD GEAR FAILURE IF AN ABNORMAL OVERLOAD CONDITION OCCURS, SUCH AS WHEN SHIFTING AT HIGH RPM. MODELS STANDARD, DELUZE, SPORT CRUISER. CSC LETTER WAS RECEIVED. *PE