My SP700 went back in the shop last Thursday for the second time to have the leaking water pump cover repaired. It is still there and I am going to call tomorrow to see what is gong on with it. The first time the cover and the o-ring were replaced and a silicon sealer was used. This repair lasted approximately two hundred miles. I am really not looking forward to losing the use of my ATV every two hundred miles even though I did purchase the extended warranty. This is a major inconvenience.

I contacted Polaris customer service and they feel it is just an isolated problem. I have seen way too many posts for this to be just an isolated problem. They feel they may have received a bad batch of covers and not all 700s are affected. They have not been contacted by enough of their dealers in regards to this problem to warrant a redesign and a recall. I suspect that many dealers just removed the cover, applied silicon sealer and did not even contact Polaris. I strongly suggest that anyone who has had or is having this problem contact Polaris customer service and have your dealer do the same. Perhaps if enough of us SP700 owners report the problem they will come up with a permanent solution such as an aluminum cover. The Polaris customer service number is 763-542-0500.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

 

Reliability has never been a strong point for either of MY Polaris ATVs.Allways something constantly wrong with MY two new ones.The dealers were ALLWAYS slow to.Something I've come to expect from Polaris,poor quality and slow service.Sure makes you mad when your making payments on your ATV and its tied up in the repair shop for 6 wks at a time?



Two 2002 Honda ES Recons[never been in the shop]
Two 2002 Kawi Lakota Sports [never been in the shop]
One 1999 Sportsman 500cc [Allways in the shop]
Onw 2000 Xplorer 400cc [In the shop MORE than the 1999 Sportsman]

Bill

 

I picked up my SP700 tonight. Service performed: Replaced water pump cover and seal. Refilled with coolant. Test ran, checked, found no leaks. This is the description on my invoice. I got the SP700 out of the truck, pulled it into the driveway and checked for leaks. IT IS STILL LEAKING! For cryin' out loud! I will call the dealer in the morning and Polaris customer service again. I have just about lost my patience and am ready to explode on someone. It may be time to go the route vegasdude did and sell or trade this lemon in![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

Im laughing my a$$ off,not at you but because I've been thru the same BS with Polaris ATVs SOOOOOO many times.

Once,I brought my new 99 Sportsman into the dealership for an engine noise,it sat in a Polebarn for 3 weeks before they pulled it in for repair,it took another two wks to order parts and one more wk before they called me and said it was done.

The Polaris mechanic was loading my quad in my PU truck and I noticed the quad had the SAME engine noise it had 6 wks when I took it in for repairs.Talk about going off on somebody?

Bill

 

I think you guys need to find a new Mechanic is all thats wrong here. You cant blame Polaris for shoddy shop work. I mean if the mechanic is retarded how is that Polaris's fault?

 

You cant blame Polaris?Who manufactures these shoddy parts?I dont think you can blame the mechanic for poor craftsmanship of a manufactured part?

There's not a ATV manufacture out there today that can lay claim to as many defective parts or problems as Polaris,PERIOD!


Bill

 

I can definitely blame Polaris for the manufacture of inferior parts. This stinking water pump cover is made of plastic. Thae mechanic can't be blamed. He can only work with what is available. He did not design this plastic piece of junk! I retorqued it but it was already tight. I should not have sold the Honda 450ES if the SP700 is always going to be in the shop. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

 

MUDDY4LIFE

I had the same experience you have had but it was Subaru cars I bought the Subaru legacy out of recommendations and before it had 50,000 miles it was in the shop more than could count I sold it at 60,000 and the guy who bought it had to replace the transmission a few month after he bought it. So I bought another one thinking it was a fluke I bought a Subaru Outback I had heard so much good about it from friends and consumer reports when it hit 30,000 miles it had been in the shop more than I had owned it and they finally took it back Lemon Law. What I am getting at is there are Lemon's in all brands I won't even go into all the problems I had with me Honda's so far my two Polaris are the most reliable machines I have owned one has 2300 Miles and the other one has double that and the only thing I have replaced is a starter and tie rods. But keep in mind I don't modify my machines and I maintained them. We have all heard your complaints and I have also heard many times you work for Honda dealership which I am sure sways your opinion all I can say is sell your Polaris then go to the Honda forum and stay there we have all heard you enough times.

 

I called both my dealer and Polaris customer service today. I am taking it back to the dealer tomorrow to let them try to fix it again.

I have seen many posts where people have done the water pump cover repair themselves using a non-hardening silicon sealer. Two of my friends have done the same. The problem is the lack of a report with the selling dealer or with Polaris themselves when a self repair is done. It is still very important to inform your dealer and have them contact Polaris to report the problem. This is the only way Polaris knows that a problem exists and therefore a permanent solution can be undertaken. They do need to redesign the cover. Other than this reoccurring problem, I do like the SP700 very much and really don't want to unload it.

Take it easy on MUDDY4LIFE. I know he has posted many times on his problems but this is the only way we have to find that problems do exist. He is entitled to his opinion whether we like it or not. No one is forced to read these posts.

 

Well how do you exsplain all the guys out there that have had the water pump cover fixed and it has never leaked again. Mine was replaced and I have 1000 miles on my bike now with not a drop leaked. I was told by my dealer that they have released a new cover with the right plastic. If your dealer put the same cover back on that leaked the first time how is that going to fix it? The problem with the water pump covers is not that it is made of plastic it is that it was made from non heat resistant plastic. The manufacturer of the covers screwed up. Just because it is made of plastic doesnt mean squat. Look at the Glock pistol. Plastic will work just fine if it is produced correctly. The new covers are made of the correct plastic. At least Polaris is aware of the problem and is covering the fixes under warrenty.