Edited for Net Viewing
Rubicon purchased on 2-27-01
503-xxx-xxxx
Vin Frame No. xx8TE26081401xxxx



Problem #1 found on 2-27-01
After 17 miles into first ride the engine would not rev past idle and the quad stranded me 10 miles from home, upon inspection found oil to be 2 quarts low and Heavily leaking from the filler cap due to the unit being shipped without the sealing O ring. Quad was towed back to home where it now runs fine after oil was added to full mark. Engine damage due to running with low oil unknown. Called and ordered a replacement O ring the next day and will take 7 days for shipping. Have video-showing quad not running correctly

Problem #2 found on 2-27-01
Battery hold down strap not installed, found lying in bottom of battery tray and was installed.

Problem #3 found on 2-27-01
Seat found to be loose on front right side, Upon inspection found a welding splatter burr on the frame had worn the seat’s plastic rest. Welding burr removed but the seat’s looseness still exists. Have pictures taken on first day of ownership

Problem #4 found on 3-4-01
Quad would start in any gear and also spin the starter motor while driving if the start button was pressed. It would also not accelerate past idle if started in “D” or reverse but after a re-start in Neutral it would drive fine. Upon inspection found the right hand brake override switch to be loose, and the screw holding the switch loose and its head stripped out and also cross-threaded into the mastercylinder. With new screw tightened the switch now performs fine and quad runs and drives fine when started in “D”. Have video showing looseness before being fixed. New screw will be ordered on 3-6-01

Problem #5 found on 3-4-01
Left Front tire came loose and nearly fell off on short ride near home with 40 total miles on quad. Upon inspection found only 2 remaining lug nuts left and them being only finger tight on the last thread. Lug holes on wheel are worn to an out of round state and studs may be damaged due to the wheel being loose and over stressing the remaining 2 lugs. I tightened the remaining 2 lugs and all other wheel lugs to 47ftlb. Replacement lugs and wheel will be ordered on 3-6-01

Problem #6 Found on 7-5-01
Odd clunking sound in front end and pulls to the right, put quad up on blocks to find the drivers side top A arm is loose and I can push the top of the tire inwards toward the radiator drain nearly 3 inches. Made appointment on 7-5-01 to take quad in for inspection and repair on 7-15-01.
Repair shop found that the A arm bolt tore threw the frame mount and that I need a new frame. Estimated total time to complete job and complete paper work is 14 days

As of 8-22-01 the quad is still in the shop waiting for the frame to arrive- total time in shop 5 weeks so far...

I have talked to many fellow rubicon owners on www.atvconnection.com forms and we have come to the conclusion that a replacement quad is not to much to ask for, or at least a 2 year free extended warranty at the minimum due to the fact my quad seems to have encountered an embarrassingly low quality control inspection or was built on a Monday and that many other problems may not surface before the six month warranty is up and that the frame swap will not be covered for more than a few days. The fact that the engine was run with low oil due to the factory not installing the oil o ring, the tire coming loose and the A-arm not being tightened only leads me to wonder what may surface down the road due to these problems encountered within the first week of ownership.

 

You did a very nice job on this letter,and even a better job of video taping your problems.I had a 99 Sportsman with numerous problems so I know how you feel.Continue dating/documenting EVERY problem that occurs,video tape when possible.You have a great case for a new quad,if I were Honda,I'd be asking you to go to the dealership of your choice for a new one,best of luck,
Bill

 

Have you spoken to Honda Customer Service? I delt with them last month and found them quite helpful. I had purchased a Rancher just 3 days before they announced their $300 rebate. They made an exception and gave me the rebate anyway. They also bent over backwards working with my dealer on another issue. Some of the problems (like the tires and the battery strap) sound like a dealer prep thing. The number for their customer service is in the back of your owners manual. It's not toll free and you may have to wait a bit for someone to answer. But I found tha twhen you're nice to them, they really do try to help out. Also, it won't hurt at all if you tell them about all the other Honda products you have. They seem to reward brand loyalty and work hard to keep it. Besides, one of the BIG reasons for getting a Honda and paying more for them is their reputation for quality. You certinally did NOT get quality or what you paid for.

Good luck. It sounds like they owe you and they should just replace the quad. You certinally have enough issues to take them to count under a lemon law. I have to hand it to you, though. If it were me I'd have gone postal. What is the dealer doing for you?

 

JRM, Talk to customer service about this. Also be sure that torque spec is correct on your front lug nuts. Just off the top of my head I think it is supposed to be 47 and not 42. Check the owners manual....you dont want to be incorrect.

 

Good letter, except for the gas gauge-centered thing. My Rancher isn't either. Be careful not to dilute the important things with minor cosmetic stuff.
That being said it sounds like your dealer is at fault for much of this--there's absolutely no excuse for loose lug nuts for instance, and I think they should have caught the O-ring too. After all, don't Ranchers and Recons have O-rings? I agree with the other guys that you should be given a new bike--but through a different dealer. For the benefit of we who live in the area, who'd you buy this thing from?

 

thanks guys, I am nixing the gas guage and front plastic problems from the list. I bought it from st johns honda

 

JRM, Sounds like your problems are dealer related to me. Honda quads are shipped with the wheels off, the dealer failed to properly torque them. I'm not sure but I bet the crank case is supposed to be topped up during set up, your dealer either lost or failed to notice the missing o-ring. Your dealer most likely installed your battery, and if not, should have noticed the hold down strap being off during set up. I would notify Honda, and find a new dealer ASAP. Good Luck!

 

Sounds like a terrible dealer to me...Some of the stuff is not anything irregular, and alot is stuff the dealer should have fixed or taken care of...When buying a fourwheeler I'd say the most important single thing is having good dealership nearby...Sorry you had all those problems....

 

The only thing that letter will do is get your dealer in trouble. The only thing related to the factory would be the welding burr. Everything else should have, and would have, been found by a good dealer when they set it up.

 

I have watched other dealers set up rubicons, when the truck came they unloaded 2 rubicons and tore the cardboard box off the pallet. The only thing not factory installed was the black fender mudguards, they just aired up the tires, put gas in it and drove them off the pallet. My dealer gave me a new screw and O-ring and also ordered me a new wheel.