Yamaha tech is aware of, and acknowledges the problem. I dropped my sled back to the dealer on Monday after putting 350 miles on it. Initially Yamaha tech told my dealer they had not heard of the problem, but got back to him less than two hours later and told him what to look for. I have since picked the sled up and will be watching for any leaks. My dealer apologized and thanked me for being his guinnea pig. He pulled apart every Viper on the floor and addressed the problem pre-delivery for those customers.
subaru2006
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
What did he address? Retighten the clamps?
Subaru2006
Subaru2006
snomadTT said:
Yes, tech pointed him to a few clamps that needed another twist. The main culprit on mine was the lower radiator hose connection at the radiator.
chris3475
Veteran
Mine were not that tight either. Glad I'm on this forum.
MCApex44
TY 4 Stroke Guru
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2006
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- 973
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- 2014 Viper RTX SE (sold)
I sent (today-this morning) a Message on Facebook to Yamaha snowmobiles USA asking if there is a service bulletin/update/recall of sorts concerning the leak(s). I still haven't picked up my sled (hopefully I will on the 19th) so I am hoping they inform the dealers by then on the matter. No response yet from my FB message. I hope 'all' you guys that have some sort of leak are letting Yamaha know in one way or another...it should help a lot.
subaru2006
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
Yamaha is aware of it. As far as any recall or service bulletin there is none. Yamaha advised the dealers to check tightness of clamps and tighten if needed.
Or so I've been told...
But yes if you find something even if its been reported. Report it to your dealer.
Subaru2006
Or so I've been told...
But yes if you find something even if its been reported. Report it to your dealer.
Subaru2006
MCApex44 said:
putz21
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
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- '23 Sidewinder LTX LE w/EPS
‘19 Sidewinder LTX SE
snomadTT said:
snomadTT, which dealer did you buy yours from, North Country Yamaha? Hopefully my LTX SE comes in this week so I want to make sure this is checked. They have great customer service there! Can't wait to pick it up!
Yes, North Country Yamaha. They have always treated us well.
What has to be removed to get to the radiator clamps?
subaru2006
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
For radiator clamps only you just need to remove the hood.
Subaru2006
Subaru2006
powerguy1 said:
Shane
Expert
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- 2014 YAMAHA VIPER LTX SE
2015 Ski-Doo 800 XRS Renegade
2012 Ski-Doo 600 ace
2010 Ski-Doo 600 e-tec GTX Limited
2007 Polaris Dragon 120
Can't believe it
A little background...this is YAMAHA #14 for me. In 2012 I switched to DOO on all my sleds with the exception of my sons POLARIS 120. I was tired of having to spends thousands to simply TRY and get the suspension and handling to be what it should be from the factory on all of my YAMAHAS. I have loved every minute of my DOOS and will continue to ride them state side. Then came along the VIPER and I just couldn't help myself For a Canada sled.
After speaking with multiple YAMAHA reps and others supposedly "in the know" (I knew about the venture with Cat long before it was made public) I was assured that in "no uncertain terms that this sled will be built to YAMAHA quality standards that I have come to expect based on all previous sleds but with Cats legendary suspension and handling."
I was further assured that "YAMAHA had brought over dozens of engineers and production specialists and that the VIPER would be built by YAMAHA people to YAMAHA quality standards. Production was to be done on a production line side by side Cats but to YAMAHA quality standards". (Notice the common theme....YAMAHA quality standards?). So this fall after having my best year ever in business I decided I would buy one and make it my Canada sled as I rack up miles pretty fast. I bought an LTX SE in blue. After reading so many threads on here about issues, which at first I thought was just YAMAHA guys being excessively anal, after loading all 5 sleds in the trailer today in preparation for our family trip for a week to Canada starting the end of this week, I thought maybe I should go look at mine a little more closely.
So, I get out of bed and head outside, my wife thinking I am even more insane than she already knew I was. Sure enough....handle bars loose as a goose. Now, I have no ride time on this sled whatsoever other taking it out of the trailer after picking it up and loading it today. What did find? A leaky radiator lower hose. Put 2-1/2 turns in the upper hose clamp on the bottom of the radiator and 4 turns on the lower hose clamp on bottom of radiator. Went on to tighten every clamp that was able to be tightened. I even checked the oil lines and sure enough they took at least 1-1/2 turns as well.
I find it VERY hard to believe that this sled is built/assembled to YAMAHA standards by YAMAHA people. They may technically be YAMAHA employees, (i.e. their pay checks come from YAMAHA) but they are more like Arctic Cat employees wearing a blue uniform. There is ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE that in today's day and age that so much can be overlooked in the assembly process. It is my contention at YAMAHA should be calling, emailing, snail mailing etc., each and every VIPER owner telling them to bring it in immediately for the dealer to finish what wasn't done in TRF. I will be notifying my dealer of see issues so he can check all sleds that advent left and perhaps notify those that haven't. I will also be reaching out to YAMAHA directly.
Sorry for the diatribe! Merry Christmas all.
A little background...this is YAMAHA #14 for me. In 2012 I switched to DOO on all my sleds with the exception of my sons POLARIS 120. I was tired of having to spends thousands to simply TRY and get the suspension and handling to be what it should be from the factory on all of my YAMAHAS. I have loved every minute of my DOOS and will continue to ride them state side. Then came along the VIPER and I just couldn't help myself For a Canada sled.
After speaking with multiple YAMAHA reps and others supposedly "in the know" (I knew about the venture with Cat long before it was made public) I was assured that in "no uncertain terms that this sled will be built to YAMAHA quality standards that I have come to expect based on all previous sleds but with Cats legendary suspension and handling."
I was further assured that "YAMAHA had brought over dozens of engineers and production specialists and that the VIPER would be built by YAMAHA people to YAMAHA quality standards. Production was to be done on a production line side by side Cats but to YAMAHA quality standards". (Notice the common theme....YAMAHA quality standards?). So this fall after having my best year ever in business I decided I would buy one and make it my Canada sled as I rack up miles pretty fast. I bought an LTX SE in blue. After reading so many threads on here about issues, which at first I thought was just YAMAHA guys being excessively anal, after loading all 5 sleds in the trailer today in preparation for our family trip for a week to Canada starting the end of this week, I thought maybe I should go look at mine a little more closely.
So, I get out of bed and head outside, my wife thinking I am even more insane than she already knew I was. Sure enough....handle bars loose as a goose. Now, I have no ride time on this sled whatsoever other taking it out of the trailer after picking it up and loading it today. What did find? A leaky radiator lower hose. Put 2-1/2 turns in the upper hose clamp on the bottom of the radiator and 4 turns on the lower hose clamp on bottom of radiator. Went on to tighten every clamp that was able to be tightened. I even checked the oil lines and sure enough they took at least 1-1/2 turns as well.
I find it VERY hard to believe that this sled is built/assembled to YAMAHA standards by YAMAHA people. They may technically be YAMAHA employees, (i.e. their pay checks come from YAMAHA) but they are more like Arctic Cat employees wearing a blue uniform. There is ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE that in today's day and age that so much can be overlooked in the assembly process. It is my contention at YAMAHA should be calling, emailing, snail mailing etc., each and every VIPER owner telling them to bring it in immediately for the dealer to finish what wasn't done in TRF. I will be notifying my dealer of see issues so he can check all sleds that advent left and perhaps notify those that haven't. I will also be reaching out to YAMAHA directly.
Sorry for the diatribe! Merry Christmas all.
Careful people will call you names for telling the truth on here. I went ski doo this year for first time and was worried and glad I did. These issues are cat related quality. My doo was the best ride ever the other day and that was factory settings. Rmotion suspension is the best in the industry. I didn't have to buy new slides bigger boogie wheels or new skis to make it ride descent.
Sure sounds like all the things we were worried about with yamacat going in are starting to show up.
Sure sounds like all the things we were worried about with yamacat going in are starting to show up.
darv
Lifetime Member
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I do not why everyone thinks that yamaha people where hired to put these sled together.we went on the first day that they started the production on these sleds and watch them take the pictures out front. if you go an watched them build the sleds at arctic cat on the line it is almost all women building except in spots that are hard like dealing with track skid ect. there was maybe 10-15 yamaha people there watching the line when we where there. but the reps yamaha where telling you anything that you wanted to hear and so you would go buy this sled it is to bad because even my buddy has one an we towed it home thursday, it will not started it is at dealer an he said he doesn't know what to do he has 2 yamaha and 3 cat doing the same think. they call artic cat an they told him they they new about the problem but he has not heared anything for Yamaha or artic cat to fix the problem.
Suckur
Pro
It hurt my brain to read that.
