[Mr Bee]

Morning,

Just wanted to give a short PSA. I purchased a brand new 2021 kodiak 700 eps in mossy oak last Friday, and after 5 miles of very light riding the 2WD stopped working entirely and the machine doesn't get power to the rear wheels in 4WD. After being at the shop for over a week now, turns out the servo that changes from 2WD to 4WD is DEFECTIVE and something in the rear differential is defective as well. They're having to replace the servo and the entire rear differential with a brand new kit.

The tech said '[He'd] been doing this for 48 years and has NEVER seen this happen before'.

Unfortunately I can't legally demand an exchange/refund until they've made multiple attempts to fix it -- but a warning for all the would-be buyers out there!

 

[TRW]

Thanks for the info, and yes it is always painful to have issues with a new machine. These problems have not been an issue in the past, but this may be a sign of what it to come, and I hope not. Good luck with it. I am curious what is a new Kodiak, like yours actually selling for these days? Most of us love these machines, but we don't all love the dealers!

 

[Mr Bee]

Thanks for the info, and yes it is always painful to have issues with a new machine. These problems have not been an issue in the past, but this may be a sign of what it to come, and I hope not. Good luck with it. I am curious what is a new Kodiak, like yours actually selling for these days? Most of us love these machines, but we don't all love the dealers!

It was about 9k for the EPS model in mossy oak.

 

[TRW]

It was about 9k for the EPS model in mossy oak.

Thanks for the info, sorry no one else has weighed in with an opinion, but hope others will soon.

 

[Rob-c]

I get and feel your frustration, no one should have this happen with a new atv , car etc. unfortunately it happens. Had a co worker buy a new Dodge Ram last years and the transmission went in it after a few hundred miles. They threw in a new one and it’s been perfect since . The Yamaha tech says heys never seen this in his 48 years so first it’s very very rare and second the tech has a ton of experience so every thing should get repaired correctly. Keep us up to date on how thing’s go .

 

[Blmpkn]

Are you also on the grizzly forum? Thought I read this there as well within the past week or so.

But yeah, sht happens.

An uncle of mine bought a brand new snowmobile (mxz) back around 2000? Mabey a bit before, anyways.. the clutches on ALL those sleds were crap from the factory, and it took MONTHS for the people who bought them to receive proper working clutches so they could ride them.

A member of another forum im on a couple years ago leased a brand new f150. The new trucks have new rear axles. The memeber got rear ended, which bent the axle tube. Due to the axle being brand new, and ford needing every available axle to go towards production... it took them like 6 months to get him a new one.

 

[2021OrangeKodiak]

Morning,

Just wanted to give a short PSA. I purchased a brand new 2021 kodiak 700 eps in mossy oak last Friday, and after 5 miles of very light riding the 2WD stopped working entirely and the machine doesn't get power to the rear wheels in 4WD. After being at the shop for over a week now, turns out the servo that changes from 2WD to 4WD is DEFECTIVE and something in the rear differential is defective as well. They're having to replace the servo and the entire rear differential with a brand new kit.

The tech said '[He'd] been doing this for 48 years and has NEVER seen this happen before'.

Unfortunately I can't legally demand an exchange/refund until they've made multiple attempts to fix it -- but a warning for all the would-be buyers out there!

I have paint/body defects and a nasty scratch in one of my rims from the factory.

 

[Blmpkn]

I have paint/body defects and a nasty scratch in one of my rims from the factory.

Crate damage possibly? The sticker on my tank cover was scuffed and I had a scratched wheel when I picked my machine up. I really wasn't worried about either, because both are more or less inevitable from regular use but the dealer insisted on making a warranty claim and a few weeks later I got a new cover and wheel.

 

[2021OrangeKodiak]

Crate damage possibly? The sticker on my tank cover was scuffed and I had a scratched wheel when I picked my machine up. I really wasn't worried about either, because both are more or less inevitable from regular use but the dealer insisted on making a warranty claim and a few weeks later I got a new cover and wheel.

the rim maybe and the paint looked like it was painted in a dusty room

 

[Wingnut]

Morning,

Just wanted to give a short PSA. I purchased a brand new 2021 kodiak 700 eps in mossy oak last Friday, and after 5 miles of very light riding the 2WD stopped working entirely and the machine doesn't get power to the rear wheels in 4WD. After being at the shop for over a week now, turns out the servo that changes from 2WD to 4WD is DEFECTIVE and something in the rear differential is defective as well. They're having to replace the servo and the entire rear differential with a brand new kit.

The tech said '[He'd] been doing this for 48 years and has NEVER seen this happen before'.

Unfortunately I can't legally demand an exchange/refund until they've made multiple attempts to fix it -- but a warning for all the would-be buyers out there!

Mr. Bee,

Thanks for alerting me and other owners here on this unfortunate development, and I'm sorry to hear that this is happening to you. As the owner of a new 2021 700-EPS myself, I can say that it's definitely unnerving, and at these prices ($9-10k each), it most definitely should NOT be happening! Not to you or anyone else. Fortunately, I've not had any noticeable trouble with ours as yet, and I guess that all any of us can really do (as consumers), is to hope that your experience is in-fact a rare one. Time alone will tell. But the best of luck to you in getting it resolved, and above all, don't walk softly when it comes to holding Yamaha or it's dealers responsible. Hardball is the only language they tend to speak.

 

[Wingnut]

Thanks for the info, sorry no one else has weighed in with an opinion, but hope others will soon.

After taxes, dealer prep, licensing and registration, etc., my 2021 700-EPS (Hunter Tan with RealTree Camo), was close to $10,300 total (out-the-door), and it too, had several minor blemishes. It was missing the right-front camo graphic, and it had a scratch or two in the molded plastic rear fender. The dealer later sent me the OEM graphic, and the scratches disappeared with some 600-grit wet sandpaper.

 

[RedRocket]

Most of the mechanical components for 19+ Kodiak 700 EPS and Grizzly 700s have been the same up to the current model year and there are a lot of them sold each year. If OP's issue was common this would be brought up a lot. Simple fact it is not at all common and is probably a one-off type situation. Yeah, sucks that it happened to Mr Bee but is not something I'd lose sleep over for others. These Yamaha 700s and 450s seem to be a pretty darned dependable ATV that is something you can count on.

 

[Wingnut]

. . . These Yamaha 700s and 450s seem to be a pretty darned dependable ATV that is something you can count on.

Yup. That is my general impression on them as well.

 

[2021OrangeKodiak]

Yup. That is my general impression on them as well.

I know someone who has a Grizzly 660 and has only done oil changes for the entire life of the machine and he still has it and I see the same for my Kodiak 700.

 

[fossil]

I don't know what you guys have been seeing but I'm hearing all kinds of quality issues on many different products since the pandemic got rolling.

Maybe a bunch of new employees replacing those down and out. Not sure but it seems like it.

 

[Wingnut]

I don't know what you guys have been seeing but I'm hearing all kinds of quality issues on many different products since the pandemic got rolling.

Maybe a bunch of new employees replacing those down and out. Not sure but it seems like it.

There's no doubt that Covid-19 has hit the manufacturing base worldwide, and I think in most cases, what's happened (in the way of slowed-down production, etc.), is justified or explainable, but I also think that at least here in North America, too many companies are using Covid as an excuse to provide lesser quality products and lesser quality customer service.

 

[2021OrangeKodiak]

There's no doubt that Covid-19 has hit the manufacturing base worldwide, and I think in most cases, what's happened (in the way of slowed-down production, etc.), is justified or explainable, but I also think that at least here in North America, too many companies are using Covid as an excuse to provide lesser quality products and lesser quality customer service.

I agree and it seems like everyone is rushing since everything is in extremely high demand.

 

[Wingnut]

Yeah, I don't know what it's like up there in Canada right now, but down here, it's reached the absurd, especially with government and government agencies. Take the Motor Vehicle Departments (DMV) as an example. A year ago, I could walk the vehicle title and bill of sale into the local DMV, and have a new title, valid registration and license plate, with lifetime tags, in less than an hour. Fact!

Now, however? Even though the Governor lifted the mask requirement weeks ago, and even though we have only a small handful of Covid cases per day, statewide, the DMV offices remain inexplicably, but completely closed. So now, it's 3-4 weeks just to obtain and submit an application by mail, then another 3-4 weeks to get a response back, then another 4-6 weeks to pay on-line and get the final documents (and license plate) necessary to drive the vehicle legally. So in my humble view, this whole Covid thing has just gone WAY, WAY, WAY, too far!

But here again, your mileage may vary, so please don't flame me as an insensitive sociopath.

 

[Carteraveri]

I have paint/body defects and a nasty scratch in one of my rims from the factory.

You purchased it like that?

 

[2021OrangeKodiak]

You purchased it like that?

I was working on it all day putting Ricochet skid plates on it and noticed more defects like cross threaded holes and more scratches on other rims.