How many vipers with starters going bad?

[74Nitro]

Maybe in Canada but its up to dealer to get it done here. I would think if you find a dealer to go to bat for you. It would be covered or at least helped $ wise.

I really doubt it Cannon. Yamaha actually sent out a letter to dealers here in Canada washing their hands of this. My dealer showed it to me.
My causin bought a 14 Viper years ago that had three year warranty, and this happened to it just a couple months after the warranty expired. I agree it should have been covered but they would do nothing for him.
This huge mess could have been solved quickly, all they needed to do was put a kickback clutch in there like used on so many other Yamaha vehicles.
They could have put it on 2015 machines from the factory and had dealers put it on 14's.
Yamaha and Cat lost a lot of customers due to this poorly handled problem.

 

[cannondale27]

I really doubt it Cannon. Yamaha actually sent out a letter to dealers here in Canada washing their hands of this. My dealer showed it to me.
My causin bought a 14 Viper years ago that had three year warranty, and this happened to it just a couple months after the warranty expired. I agree it should have been covered but they would do nothing for him.
This huge mess could have been solved quickly, all they needed to do was put a kickback clutch in there like used on so many other Yamaha vehicles.
They could have put it on 2015 machines from the factory and had dealers put it on 14's.
Yamaha and Cat lost a lot of customers due to this poorly handled problem.

That sucks. 100% agree.

 

[pdiddy]

So is this figured out yet? '19, '20, '21 Vipers immune or at least Nytro equivalent reliability yet?

 

[yamadoo]

I have NOT heard of this since this original post. I have a 15 with latest flash, but still do the hold until certain is started......habit I guess. Has anyone had an issue in the last few years?

 

[Yamasledder]

I have NOT heard of this since this original post. I have a 15 with latest flash, but still do the hold until certain is started......habit I guess. Has anyone had an issue in the last few years?

I had a 2014 Viper and it kicked back and backfired until the latest flash was done on it. It hasn't had any of these things happen since the latest flash but destroyed a starter before things got sorted out. Fortunately, the idler gear and other components were undamaged. It does crank fairly long before starting but has none of the previous issues.
I just bought a new 2020 Viper LTX that I haven't ridden yet but I've observed that it cranks fairly long before starting the same as the 2014 Viper after the latest flash. I'm confident that these 2 sleds have the same computer flash which should work quite well. Anyone who hasn't had the latest flash done on their Viper should get it done immediately. It's also free of charge.

 

[jrusher]

Does anyone know if the nytro parts ie stator, rotor/magneto will work in the viper ? I know its the same engine but looking at some pics comparing the two stators the windings are alittle different, the hub of the rotor/magneto has different machined holes in hub area and the stator cover on some nytros have a different casting on the outside looks like . The part numbers are all different between the two as well . I found a cheap nytro engine hoping to use the stator and rotor but would like to make sure before going through with purchase.

 

[pol9861]

I have arctic cat 2015 xf 7000 with yamaha 1049cc. I have read about the ecu flash and it has not been done. It has always started by the second try cranking approx 3 to 4 seconds when its hot or cold never have heard any noise. After riding for an hour shutdown for 5 min and when I tried to start the starter motor did not turnover but could hear the starter solenoid click one time so tried several times with same result. Thinking it was starter solenoid I replaced with a new one but still have the same issue and when I keep the key in the start position the instrument panel lights go out and you can a very week beep. Battery is good and the fittings are tight and no corrosion on all grounds. In the fuse box there is no fuse for start but there is a fuse and relay labeled ISC does anyone know if this relay is in the starting system. If it is my starter what is a good aftermarket starter and part number? Both Yamaha and Arctic cat OEM starters over priced.

 

[FredW]

Just bought a 2015 XF 7000 High Country. Praying that I don't have any of these issues.

 

[Shattered]

Mine went out last season, February of 2023. It's a 15 MTX with a turbo. But it's eight years old, so this isn't something that happened out of the box. It seemed to kick back (supposedly there's a reflash that will prevent this) when the starter magnets came apart.

When I changed the starter, it didn't look like anyone else had been in there, so I think this is the first starter for this sled. Two pervious owners and I don't know what all has been done to it previously.

If it matters at all, I was having a problem with the ignition switch connections and was turning it over for extended periods of time when this happened. It would fire up and run for a second, then die (which I later found was a result of the faulty ignition switch connection), and after a while, it would turn over, but wouldn't run at all. After turning it over repeatedly for long periods of time, it made a loud bang noise, and then nothing when you turned the key.

I was hoping it wasn't the starter, but it was. And they are a huge pain to replace.

 

[FredW]

I bought my XF 7000 from a dealer and obviously didn't do enough research as I wasn't aware of the kickback issue until after I bought the sled. My question is: neither of the two recalls have been done. (I think they're both the ECU flash? Not sure but will link pic) Should I get the 2017 flash done? I read about it helping some sleds and making it worse for others. Dealer I bought the sled from is no help and playing dumb to the issue.

 

[Shattered]

I bought my XF 7000 from a dealer and obviously didn't do enough research as I wasn't aware of the kickback issue until after I bought the sled. My question is: neither of the two recalls have been done. (I think they're both the ECU flash? Not sure but will link pic) Should I get the 2017 flash done? I read about it helping some sleds and making it worse for others. Dealer I bought the sled from is no help and playing dumb to the issue.

I plan on getting a reflash done before next season. I don't ever want to change one of those starters again.

Unfortunately, the nearest Yamaha dealer is in the Yukon Territory, a six hour boat ride and then 200 mile road trip away. It will certainly cost over $1,000.00 to do this trip, but I think it may be worth it to reduce the chances of having to change out a starter on a Viper again.

 

[FredW]

I plan on getting a reflash done before next season. I don't ever want to change one of those starters again.

Unfortunately, the nearest Yamaha dealer is in the Yukon Territory, a six hour boat ride and then 200 mile road trip away. It will certainly cost over $1,000.00 to do this trip, but I think it may be worth it to reduce the chances of having to change out a starter on a Viper again.

Ideally I'll get the reflash done before next season too. I'm just a bit confused as I read the reflash was a savior for some sleds, and at the same time caused kickback for sleds that weren't originally experiencing it. Wish the dealer I bought the sled from was more help - if the original owner didn't have any kickback issues I'd probably just leave it but I just don't know.

 

[cannondale27]

Ideally I'll get the reflash done before next season too. I'm just a bit confused as I read the reflash was a savior for some sleds, and at the same time caused kickback for sleds that weren't originally experiencing it. Wish the dealer I bought the sled from was more help - if the original owner didn't have any kickback issues I'd probably just leave it but I just don't know.

Newest flash can make starts a little longer but will never kickback. Never. Do it.

 

[Yamasledder]

Newest flash can make starts a little longer but will never kickback. Never. Do it.

Yeah. My 2014 would backfire like it was going to lift itself off the ground. I got all the reflashes as they became available and absolutely no backfires or kickbacks after that. The engine does crank longer before starting but that's a small sacrifice.
My 2020 Viper cranks for an extended time as well but does start properly. It has the factory flash which I believe is the same as the updated ones for the older sleds.

 

[Shattered]

I called Yukon Yamaha in Whitehorse YT (the nearest Yamaha dealer) and they said that they can't reflash my ECU because my sled was purchased in the U.S., and Yamaha Canada doesn't have access to the vin numbers for sleds sold in the U.S.

The next nearest Yamaha dealer is in Fairbanks, AK which is about 700 miles away. So it's cost and logistically prohibitive for me to get the ECU reflashed.