Hey, I bought a 2011 sportsman 500 ho last year and purchased the extended warranty. Recently my atv instrument cluster was flashing 'hot/check engine' when the atv hadnt even been running. Through the internet I learned that the temperature sender on the left side of the cylinder head was the problem. I took it to a polaris dealship and was extremely pissed to hear that electronic components are not covered on the extended warranty. The bike literally has less then 70 hours on it but polaris told me effective of January 2011 they no longer cover electronics, including sensors, senders and the ever so expenisve ecu. Am I get smoke in my crack on this one?

 

Don't know if your extended warranty is through GE like we had,but you have to read the fine print on coverage. Maintenance items such as belts suspension parts,etc were excluded,basically the same as on any extended warranty coverage,but sounds like this has started because of efi systems now. Didn't have many electrical claims while I was still working,but got them warranted,even radiator sensors (carb atvs). Beginning to sound like an extended warranty on an atv is like getting a warranty on appliances,etc. Not worth the 800-1000 dollar output unless you have a major engine or tranny failure that the repairing dealer can prove wasn't a customer caused failure!. Never was a big fan of them,but did have a few extended warranties that paid off for customers. Just an insurance policy really. Only pays off if you need it and if the area in question is in the "coverage" area of your policy. OPT

 

Keep complaining and get the # to Polaris and call them until they replace it! My 05 800 had the common issue of hot exhaust melting the plastic which polaris came out with a better heat shield and more heat tape for the plastic. They gave me the shield/tape but I had to complain a number of times directly to Polaris before they finally caved and sent me new rear plastic and a side panel. Sqeeky wheel gets greassed when it's loud enough!!!

 

I feel the biggest problem with extended warranties is the salesman has never read it, is afraid to give you the details, just doesn’t know themselves what it covers and the consumer never takes the time to read and understand it before/after the purchase.

I remember reading about a guy who bought an extended warranty with no mileage limit. When he reached close to 10,000 miles and the ATV started burning oil he took it in thinking the warranty would cover the repair and the claim was denied.

They told him the warranty covered breakage and his wasn’t broke just worn out and burning oil was after 10,000 miles was normal wear and tear.

Most warranties cover the cause and not the result too. For example: your driving your car and the rear main seal blows out, you loose all you oil and the engine blows up.

The warranty will cover the defective rear main seal but not the engine.

 

Like OPT said, just an insurance policy that varies quite a bit in what they cover depending on what company issues the policy. You have to pay attention as to what is covered and what exclusions are there and how the exclusions are worded. They will do whatever they can to try to not pay a claim, sometimes persistence pays off.

Fred

 

Thanks everyone for your reply, I appreciate it. To follow up on the post, I took the ATV back to the original dealer and complained quite abit, like Spectra had mentioned, about how I wasnt really informed when purchasing the warranty on exactly what was covered....and mentioned I probably wouldnt have had spent the money if I had known that something I have no control of and is the result of a manufacturing process wasnt covered after what I had forked out. They ended up giving me the sensor at dealer cost, saving me a whopping 40$ and when it was all said and done was 150$(my cheapest visit yet!). They had straightened out a bent tie rod and reseal the clutch case cuz it was scrunched up at the top and included that in the labour for 'free'. I guess if you wana play you gotta pay but Switzo matic is right, if you plead your case with assertiveness and persestincey and you can prove you take car of your machine they will slack up.

 

I purchased a Polaristar 5 year extended warranty a couple of months after I bought my Ranger. When I received the policy, it said that coverage was limited to the vehicle purchase price as shown on the declaration page which was $0.00. I called Polaristar and they confirmed that the purchase price was correct because I purchase the warranty after the vehicle and that I had no coverage. So, for $540, I had nothing to show for it. And they charge $25 to cancel the warranty. There are other clauses in the warranty that are nearly as bad. Avoid Polaristar.

 

welcome to the forum polaris. that really sucks for sure, but some how doesnt suprise me from polaris. i take it you didn't buy from a dealer or did they not know that you was going to screwed?

 

I purchased both the Ranger and the warranty from an authorized Polaris dealer. After telling him about the issues, he says he will never sell another Polaristar warranty. He admitted that Polaristar fights him whenever he has tried to make a claim.
I've started trying to contact Polaris with little to show for it. Their Customer Service response was insulting; their email simply repeated what I told them. No offer to remedy; no apology. So, I'm working on contacting someone in their corporate office. Really hard to find phone numbers!

 

That is why my dealer does not sell Polaris warranty. I have Cornerstone. Polaristar would rather screw people than increase the cost of buying the warranty.