2001 Victory V92 Recalls

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.

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