I have 130 miles on my 03 outlander 400 and have the following problems.
When the engine really warms up it knocks at idle. This is only after a good workout like climbing switchbacks for 20 minutes or so.

The dealer cannot duplicate the problem by driving it up and down the alley so it looks like it will be torn down.
Bummer!!!

Today I noticed dirt collecting around the filler plug on the rear end housing. I wiped it off and noticed a crack from the filler plug about an inch long. New oil was coming out of the crack. I had just had it serviced by the dealer last week. I do not know if they over torqued the filler plug or what.

Other than these minor???? problems I love the machine.

 

We sold our second Outlander to the same guy who bought the first. But this second camo 400 has more noises coming out from under it than I can describe. The side to side clunk is horrific, and seems to be coming from the trailing arm pivot/torsion bar. At first we thought the rear differential was the problem. We figured the grease on the splines pushes aside after a few miles.
There is also a loud noise coming from the front driveline, especially when using the front brake. It sounds like a PVT clutch downshifting badly like in a Yamaha Grizzly. This all started at 5 miles. We told the guy to ride the sh!+ out of it and see if something would break, then we'd know what to fix.
After 42 miles the noises have just gotten worse. His first Outlander is perfect. If we can't figure this out quickly I am going to have to do something desperate like letting him have something else. The guy has bought 3 quads from me, I am not about to string him out on a long, endless service road on a quad that was built on a Monday, or Friday, or lemonday.
I think the Outlander is a sensational machine, but this one has some funky problems. Proof that warranties are for factory defects, but when something like this comes along, other arrangements have to be made.

 

To sxr6

On checking my ownership my bike is an Green 04 . They sure made the 04's
early , I think mine was at the dealer in early 03 . I want to put a gun carrier on
next , for hunting in the fall . Anyone put a gun case on an Outlander yet ? What
model and mount ?

Thanx Outlandish

 

Can't help you there made my own front & rear rakes & mounted my gun boot to them with custom mounts but any mounts should be easy to instal on the racks.

 

Update on the noisy Outlander;
The swing arm pivot (trailing arm and torsion bar pivot) were the source of the loud clacking noise. With info from Bombardier, well aware of the problem, Retorquing from 180 ft.lbs down to 80 and removing the chamfer and zinc from the washer totally solved that problem. Noise # 2 does appear to be the CVT clutch, tomorrow we inspect that and see what's the deal.
As we had not registered or titled the unit, I took it back, and gave the customer a new Outlander XT instead, for a little more money of course. I will finish fixing the noisy Outlander and sell it at a reduced price, or maybe even keep it for a while as a demonstrator. We also got a Sportsman 600 with a "sticky clutch" which we fixed quickly today.....
We learn .....
I rode that XT last night,,, very nice.