Just thought I'd alert all of you 03 Kodiak owners or potential buyers. Yamaha has had a problem during production on a number of 03 450 Kodiaks. The frame welding and spec are not 100% correct which results in the right side of the back of the ATV to sit lower than the left side. The improperly welded or incorrectly cut tubing causes the right side to sit about a 1 1/2" lower.

We have just had numerous calls to the dealer and corporate Yamaha and have finally been told there was a production problem. Dealers with the improperly welded frames have been instructed to cut the frame and reweld as a resolution. We did not accept this offer and will be picking up a "new" replacement 450 Kodiak. The dealer we dealt with had 2 other 450 Kodiaks with the same problem that were still unsold.

As a precaution, make sure you check the height of each corner of your Kodiak or one your contemplating buying to ensure there is not a problem.

I don't have the serial number range but will post the serial number of the affected unit that we purchased next week.

 

glad to see they didn't laugh at you and say "too bad- we already have your money bwahahahaha! all sales are final!" i too am fighting with them, but getting nowhere. have gone as high as regional manager but to no avail.
exactly how did you go about dealing with them and to what level did you have to go to get an exchange? the question no one can answer for me is "how the hell did the units leave yamaha in that condition? when you're done sorting it out please ask the same question to them. also is this the same frame as the 400?

 

It becomes very difficult for a dealer to defend Fraud charges in court,
especially with very credible details on a production problem and
knowingly trying to pass it off to the consumer.

I would suggest you file in small claims court to start with. That generally
will prompt the dealer to make something happen or risk having a court
ordered judgement against them.

Those dealers out there saying they have your money, sales are final and laughing are
talking like high school delinquents. They obviously will get educated with the
legal system sooner or later where a judge seperates the B.S. from the law.

I don't know the legal system that well in Canada but I can't imagine there
being too much differnece from the USA.

 

my 03 450 kodiak sits low in the rear too, the day i got it home, sitting level i notice the same problem. call the dealer and told them what i found and they said bring it back. 2 days latter the starter quit working so i took it in, starter fix was motor mounts were not tight, no ground. and they said thier floor was not level so the 4 wheeler look fine to them, they only got 1/4 drop on the rear end on thier shop floor, i got it home and got over an inch on the right rear.

took it for a good ride and notice it turned easyer to the left than it did to the right, much easyer!!!

called them back and they said bring it in, why not, 20 hr service was needed anyway...

went to pick it up and they said the tires did not have = psi and they were different sizes, made it sit wrong, set all tires at 3.6 psi and sent me on my way, got it home and no change, maybe more lean now that i am looking closer.

winch stopped working, will try this again, told them about the problem again and to fix the winch, went to pick it up and they said they forgot to look into it but we fixed the winch, if you want to leave it for a couple of days we will look into it. but i needed it for this weekend, so i took it. then i found this site!!!!!

my ? is, did you get a new 450??? i'm sure going to try. will keep you all up to date

 

MNRAP, were did you get your info on the frame problems??? just got back from droping my machine off to have the dealer look into it, i showed him your thread, and he looked on yamaha's web site to see if thier were any problems with 03 450 frames, and said thier was nothing. what minnesota dealer are you going throu? i need some help here MNRAP, any info will help.

anyone else with this problem???

 

my serial # is 5y4aj10y23a0020075 if this helps anybody

 

TextNEWS FLASH..There is no frame problem, the only thing that is off is the rear rack mount, that is what is 1''1/2 off, not the frame. To recap there is no frame problem and it is just the ol' rack. I can tell you this that guy that said you will get a new frame or unit is wrong, Yamaha or any dealership is not going to be giving out any new frames or units, just the rear rack needs to be remounted. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

isn't the rack mount part of the frame? wasn't the mount welded in the wrong place? i was told by my dealer that, to fix the problem with the rack, and my rear fender sitting low in the right rear, that the mounts would have to be cut off and welded in the right place or maybe trying to shim it. this in my book is not right! this is a brand new machine! what does it do for the resale value? machine looks like it has be fliped over and damaged, and it hasn't.

what should a guy do???

 

MNRAP, you started this, you need to get back to this thread and replay, i need to know how you handled this,,, and how it turned out, i'm going to pick up my machine today and i'm not sure how to handle this, something is still wrong with the machine, when i sit on it and ride down the road, it leans to the right, and you can feel it!!! it pulls to the right.

if the mounts are welded in the wrong place, and the fender and rack is sitting 1 1/2" low in the right rear... the seat... sits on the rear fender.... so the seat on one side sits low, and you can feel it when riding. level road it feels like you are going to falling "leaning" to the right. again, i don't know how to handle this with out back up.

eastsideatvguy187, is my dealer or someone who works there, so whats happens on this site might make or break me... HELP!!!

ps, yamaha and my dealer knows the mounts are wrong, and MNRAP was right, they do want to cut the mounts and reweld, and YES, this is part of the frame, and YES it does efect the handleing of the machine.

 

just got off the phone with yamaha, they said they will fix the frame, buy cutting off the mounts and putting them were they should be. this is all they will do!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO NOT BUY A 450 THAT DOES NOT SIT LEVEL!!!! you will not get it fix, other than hacking up the frame, last time i buy a yamaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anything YAMAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!