AI Damage2008 CAN-AM Spyder GS: common problems
Owners of the 2008 CAN-AM Spyder GS filed 31 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 31
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 65% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 10% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 10% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 10% of all complaints
- 6 Electronic stability control 6% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 3% of all complaints
- Steering: 20 complaints (65% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (16% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 3 complaints (10% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 3 complaints (10% of all).
- Structure: 3 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 31 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
My bike will not go out of limp mode ever again. Can't be fixed. Spent a lot of money and time trying to figure out issue at dealer. No technician that even know the year and any problem issues. Recall this bike or at least make it right!
The vehicle rolled down my driveway narrowly missing my children and it finally came to rest in my neighbors fence. I have taken the vehicle into the dealer 4 times now for the emergency brake not holding and the vehicle rolling backwards or forwards.
Three wheeled cycle steering locked/binded at about 45 mph. Operator lost control and ran off the road causing property damage. This was the fourth time the steering "binded" while traveling straight at freeway speeds.
The dps and check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer where it was diagnosed that the dps failed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 14,000.
Vin [xxx] vehicle purchase date 03/06/2008 brp issued a recall on sept 7, 2010 for a dynamic power steering (dps) unit replacement https://can-am.brp.com/spyder/owners/safety/safety-recalls/dynamic-power-steering--dps--unit-replacement.html the recall was due to a faulty power steering control unit, which severely…
I was traveling on a busy city street during lunch hour traffic when out of no where I lose power and I get a check dps ,vss fault, hightemp, check engine and abs warnings. Almost rear ended before swaying off the onto the shoulder.
While driving my 2008 can am spyder on ct-2 west bound in connecticut at approximately 6:30pm in slow moving, stop & go traffic my wife (who was the passenger) noticed by her right food there were fire flames coming from the vehicle. Simultaneously I noticed white smoke coming from the front of the vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 can-am spyder roadster gs 5s y (na). The contact stated that while driving at 60 mph, the contact noticed fuel fumes emitting from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,740 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Spyder GS has 23 complaints (2 years in the data). This year has 31, above average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 CAN-AM Spyder GS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 31. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (45%), warning lights, check engine (19%), loss of power / limp mode (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 CAN-AM Spyder GS?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2008 CAN-AM Spyder GS from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2008 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.