[dsiegfried]

So I picked up a brand new 2018 kodiak 700 eps se 2 weeks ago after 2 months of test driving and research. I get it home and buzz up and down the driveway a half dozen times (literally ran it 15 min) and all of a sudden smoke starts pouring up from the hood. I look through the wheel well and there is radiator fluid all over the place. I get it back into the garage, and start checking to see where the leak is coming from. Hoses, clamps, everything checks out. Start it up the next day, same thing happens but this time I have the hood panel off to see if and where a leak comes from. It is coming from the radiator cap. Let it cool, take it off, put it back on, start it up, happens again, this time I put my hand on the radiator, cold on drivers side, hot as [email protected]@ on the "passenger side" I call up the dealership and ask them what is up? They said it might be a bad radiator cap. Plausible, but doesn't explain why the radiator is cool on one side, hot on the other. So I ask him could there be a air lock that's preventing flow and should I bleed the radiator fluid? He said go ahead and go through the bleed procedure and if that doesn't work, bring it in. Long short, I jack up the front end, pop the radiator cap off, pop the reservoir cap off, open the air bleed valve, NOTHING!!. I tighten that back up and open the drain valve, NOTHING! After about 5 or so seconds all of a sudden I hear a "belch" come from the radiator cap and radiator fluid starts coming out the drain valve! I button everything back up, check levels, fire it up, check and make sure radiator fluid is moving through the radiator, cap it and it's running fine. No leaks, radiator is hot across it's entirety and seems to be functioning properly.
Fast forward. I put a warn provantage plow and winch combo last weekend and started plowing the driveway with it. Plows great!! I am out tonight clearing the driveway and I notice something is weird with the steering. I figure it might be because I am pushing back some banks and the snow is 6" deep and not as good of traction. I get down to the end of the drive and turn around and the f*&^ing tire literally almost falls off in my turn. I get off and there is only 1 lug nut holding the tire on, the tire is wrapped around the disc/caliper. I have to use my hand to keep the wheel on and walk it back up the driveway to get it in the garage. I get the plow off of it and jack up the front end. All of the lug nuts had backed right off the posts and even one post was missing! My tire is all jacked up, rotor bent, and lord knows if there is anything screwed up with the differential. The threads are fine on the posts, so clearly it wasn't stripped or damaged from like an impact. I begin to wonder if the rest of them are on. Well low and behold, the left side/driver's side are all torqued to specs, but the rear wheel on the same side that the tire came off, 2 of the nuts were barely on and the other 2 were maybe hand tight!!
So as you can imagine, I am about ready to KILL someone and I am glad it is at night and the dealership is closed. Before I call them, I would like to get people's opinions on how to handle the phone call. Before I play my cards and blow the phone up, are they responsible for the radiator issue? Are they responsible for putting on the wheels and torquing them to spec??? Am I up the creek without a paddle? Any ideas/ experiences/ input would greatly be appreciated!!!

 

[JimP]

Odd are they won't do anything about the lug nuts, if it happened right when you got it home they might but after 2 months I doubt it. You might see if they will replace the rotor if it is bent or at least sell you one for cost along with the hub nut since according to the factory manual they are a one time use only but if you are careful you can reuse them a couple of times.

As for the coolant problem it sounds like the mechanic that is doing the fill and per-purchase inspections screwed up. But usually all they do is start the engine up and makes sure that there are no fluid leaks. I doubt that they ever get it up to operation temperature.

One thing that I found on mine was a couple of the wheel studs were stripped when they put the lug nuts on. I just ran a die across the threads and called it good.

What dealer or town did you buy if from?

 

[dsiegfried]

It's only 2wks old and 6 miles on it. I had been looking for a couple months at can ams, honda and liked the Kodiak the best. I got it from tri city cycle up in Loveland on black Friday.

 

[Primethious]

Sounds like the dealer prep you paid for wasn't done correctly.
I'd talk to the manager or better yet the owner of the shop.

 

[dsiegfried]

I am going to give them a call today and see if they will make it right. If this was a new car and I left the dealership, I would be dead on the highway. If it wasn't in the middle of winter, I would of been trail riding and my wife and I would of been severely injured or dead. Thankfully either wasn't the case and I was only doing 3mph plowing, not 25 mph on a forest road!! I will update the post

 

[Nomad]

They'd be fixing that t'were it my bike. That includes replacing the coolant. Unfortunately, most dealerships don't pay their techs very well. That's reflected in the quality of work sometimes.

 

[TRW]

Well I have some issues with a new 1 month old Kodiak also. I started a thread before about what I should buy, and decided to go with the 18, even though I had a 16 that had some issues and I sold it. I have some noise vibration that I think I have found that issue, a heat shield was rubbing on the exhaust intermittently. I got it in to my heated shop for the oil change, and took the skid plates off to get a better look at things. That never got half the bolts, and I don't know if it was prep or the factory. The dust shields near wheel rotors were bent and they had not even attempted to straighten them. They got bent by being set on the ground.

Here is the latest issue that I have, that I need some advice on. When I put on the differential lock, the machine barely runs. It acts like it is running out of gas. Anyone got any thoughts on that?

 

[Buckmaster]

Issues with a brand new machine like those described in this thread need to be handled by the dealer, period. All at no cost to the buyer, period. I would expect any dealer to handle this appropriately.


If the dealer offers even the slightest resistance I would drop off the machine with a written list of issues and expected repairs and inform the dealer that they have xxx number of days to get everything corrected or else the matter would be re-communicated to them through my attorney.

 

[Vincent]

Well I have some issues with a new 1 month old Kodiak also. I started a thread before about what I should buy, and decided to go with the 18, even though I had a 16 that had some issues and I sold it. I have some noise vibration that I think I have found that issue, a heat shield was rubbing on the exhaust intermittently. I got it in to my heated shop for the oil change, and took the skid plates off to get a better look at things. That never got half the bolts, and I don't know if it was prep or the factory. The dust shields near wheel rotors were bent and they had not even attempted to straighten them. They got bent by being set on the ground.

Here is the latest issue that I have, that I need some advice on. When I put on the differential lock, the machine barely runs. It acts like it is running out of gas. Anyone got any thoughts on that?

Does it do this at speeds over or under 20 mph?
On your left hand side handle bar you will have an "override" button. This button permits you to ride over 20 mph without the speed limiter engaging while in diff lock.

If it's hitting the speed limiter at any speed below 20mph in diff lock, something is wrong for sure.

 

[Firefighterjake]

Time to return to the dealer. Patiently and nicely explain what happened and your unhappiness with the apparent lack of dealer prep . . . if that doesn't work kick it up the chain to the regional Yamaha rep, manager, etc.

 

[TRW]

That is interesting about the limiter. I will try it and push the button to see if that corrects the issue. Yes it does it at 2 or three miles an hour and won't go faster, and actually will not go at all, it has no power. I am a fairly handy person and hate to buy a new machine and then have anyone work on it. I don't trust most mechanics, you just never know who you have working on it.

Thanks for the feedback and input!

 

[dsiegfried]

To follow up with the situation on my unit. I will condense a 3hr ordeal of dealing with the service manager and then ultimately the owner of the dealership. They finally took ownership of the major screw up. They tried to trick me to say that I had taken the front wheel off to put on the winch. (you don't need to take it off at all!) Then the service manager never could answer how they were going to warranty their work from the screw up, he kept saying that " It will be as good as new and we will take care of you and you will be happy with it." After never answering my questions, not offering to show me what they were going to "replacing or fix" and offering some accessories and gear or clothing to "pay me off", I told them that I was leaving with a check for my old machine or a brand new machine, end of story. I paid for a new machine, had a new machine, and due to their gross negligence, I have a damaged machine. After 3 times going to the "owner" to negotiate what was going to happen, and saying that it was already up on the lift and they were working on it, I was finally able to talk to the owner face to face and they gave me a new machine. Also the service manager lied to me who the owner was. I knew his name and I called him out on it. Not 2 minutes after telling me they were giving me a new machine, I stepped out to make a phone call and my damaged unit was in the back with a bunch of other units. They had never touched it, wasn't up on the lift or were "working" on it.

Anyways I got a brand new unit out of it but left with bunch of bad taste in my mouth. Is it just the nature of the business to be filled with B.S. and to lie through your teeth? The only reason I went to this dealership was the fact they beat everyone on price. Obviously I will never take my unit there for service.

Bottom line learned is stick to your guns, be civil, and don't take no for an answer especially if you know you are in the right!!!

 

[JimP]

Glad you got it taken care of to your satisfaction.

Did you get your winch back or did they give you another one?

Some dealers will bend over backwards to help you where others will want you to bend over to help them.

 

[dsiegfried]

They gave me a new winch and mount in the box. It only took me an hour to put the new one on since I just put the other one on 2 weeks ago! This was the "Yamaha" warn winch so it had all the plug and play features which made it even easier!

 

[TRW]

Glad that worked out for you. American business has a long way to come when it comes to quality service, and treating a legitimate customer complaint. I assume your unit is a 2018?

 

[dsiegfried]

Yes, it was a 2018 and only 2 wks old!