2015 Polaris Slingshot / Slingshot SL – Steering Rack Replacement

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NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V022
Manufacturer Polaris Industries, Inc.
Components STEERING
Potential Number of Units Affected 1,896

Steering Rack Assembly may Disengage

If the steering pinion gear disengages from the steering rack, a loss of steering control could result, increasing the risk of a crash.

Summary

Polaris Industries, Inc. (Polaris) is recalling certain model year 2015 Slingshot motorcycles manufactured August 26, 2014, to January 9, 2015, and 2015 Slingshot SL motorcycles manufactured August 18, 2014, to January 10, 2015. In the affected motorcycles, the upper pinion bearing may fail on the steering rack assembly, resulting in the pinion gear disengaging from the steering rack.

Remedy

Polaris will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering rack assembly, free of charge. The recall began on January 30, 2015. Owners may contact Polaris customer service at 1-855-863-2284. Polaris’ number for this recall is SLI-15-02.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Check for Polaris Recalls

DEALER COMMUNICATION – PLEASE DISTRIBUTE TO:

ALL DEALERSHIP STAFF

U.S. and Canadian Slingshot Dealers Date: 1/16/2015

Slingshot Stop Sale and Stop Ride

Dear Slingshot dealer,

Safety and quality are the highest priority for Polaris, and we want to make you aware of two important safety concerns for model year 2015 Slingshot vehicles.

First, we are issuing an immediate stop sale and stop ride for all Slingshot vehicles (SAF-15-01). We have determined that some vehicles may have defective ball bearings located in the steering rack which, should they fail, will result in unexpected loss of steering control. Due to the potential safety risks, please immediately notify your Slingshot owners that they should refrain from operating their vehicle until the necessary repairs are made.

Second, but unrelated to the steering safety issue, Polaris is also voluntarily replacing the roll hoops on certain Slingshot vehicles. We were recently notified by our supplier that some hoops, which are situated behind the driver and passenger seats, may not support the Polaris performance specifications. To ensure that Slingshot continues to deliver world class quality and address this potential hazard, we will replace roll hoops on the affected vehicles.

Formal Safety Bulletins for both issues will be delivered to dealers by the end of business on Wednesday, January 21^st. Service parts will be available for dealers to order starting on January 22, with the vast majority of service parts available for dealer order by the end of January.

Polaris will replace all parts and make necessary repairs at no cost to customers. We apologize for the inconvenience caused by this announcement as we work together to ensure safe riding.

Thank you for your continued support.

The Slingshot Team

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE!
STOP SALE – STOP RIDE

STOP SELLING 2015 SLINGSHOT MODELS IMMEDIATELY UNTIL FURTHER
NOTICE. POLARIS WILL ISSUE A SAFETY BULLETIN DETAILING FIELD REPAIR PROCEDURES FOR ALL AFFECTED UNITS.

SUBJECT: 2015 Slingshot / Slingshot SL – STOP SALE – STOP RIDE

PURPOSE: This Service Alert Fax has been released to address a steering rack issue with some model year 2015 Slingshot vehicles. Polaris has determined that some vehicles may have defective ball bearings located in the steering rack which, should they fail, will result in unexpected loss of steering control. This could cause the operator to lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

This STOP SALE – STOP RIDE notification affects some 2015 Slingshot vehicles. Use the Unit Inquiry feature on your dealer website to verify whether a specific VIN is affected.

AFFECTED MODELS:

Model(s) Affected	Model Numbers	Vehicle Identification Number Range
ALL 2015 MODELS	ALL 2015 MODEL #’s	Enter the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) into ‘Unit Inquiry’ or use the Bulletin lookup tool on the STOP Site to verify whether a vehicle is affected by this STOP SALE notice.*

Model(s) Affected

Model Numbers

Vehicle Identification Number Range

ALL 2015 MODELS

ALL 2015 MODEL #’s

Enter the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) into ‘Unit Inquiry’ or use the Bulletin lookup tool

on the STOP Site to verify whether a vehicle is affected by this STOP SALE notice.*

*Unit Inquiry should be used to verify if a specific VIN is affected. You may also go to the STOP Site and click on

the ‘Click Here for a List of Your Dealership’s Units with Open Bulletins / Recalls’ link location in the Search Options menu.

WHAT YOUR DEALERSHIP SHOULD DO:

Review your dealership’s inventory to locate affected vehicles.
Enter VINs into ‘Unit Inquiry’ or use the Bulletin lookup tool on the STOP Site to verify whether a vehicle is affected by this STOP SALE notice.
STOP ALL SALES / TEST RIDES / DEMO RIDES for affected vehicles until further notice.
If your dealership has sold affected vehicles that have not yet been registered, they must be registered immediately upon receiving this notification. Accurate registration information will allow Polaris to contact owners on future notifications regarding this campaign.
Review sales records and contact all consumers who have purchased an affected vehicle. Explain that the Slingshot Division of Polaris Industries has issued a STOP RIDE notification, and that they will receive a Safety Recall communication in the mail detailing further instructions.

WHAT POLARIS WILL DO:

Polaris will contact all registered owners of affected vehicles notifying them of the pending Safety Recall and STOP RIDE notice.

INSPECT / REPAIR PROCEDURE: Official communications for each concern will be released by the end of the day, Wednesday, January 21. Dealers will be able to order the necessary parts to perform the service updates after January 21, and we expect to fill the majority of orders before January 31.

SLI-15-02

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE!
STOP RIDE – STOP SALE

SUBJECT: 2015 Slingshot / Slingshot SL – Steering Rack Replacement

PURPOSE:

Polaris has determined that some Slingshot vehicles were manufactured with a steering rack that does not meet Polaris quality standards. In some vehicles, the upper pinion bearing for the steering rack assembly could fail unexpectedly, allowing the pinion to move so that it no longer is engaged with the steering rack. The result of such a failure could be a loss of steering. This could cause the vehicle operator to lose control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

AFFECTED MODELS:

Model Year	Model Numbers	Models	Vehicle Identification Number Range
2015	ALL MODEL NUMBERS	ALL MODELS	Enter the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) into ‘Unit Inquiry’ to verify whether a vehicle is affected by this Safety Bulletin.

WHAT YOUR DEALERSHIP SHOULD DO:

STOP ALL SALES / TEST RIDES / DEMO RIDES until this Safety Bulletin has been completed on affected units. After the bulletin is completed and a warranty claim has been filed, it is acceptable to resume sales / test rides / demo rides.
Review your dealership’s inventory to locate potentially affected models.

a. Use ‘Unit Inquiry’.

b. Login to the dealer website.

c. Locate the ‘Service and Warranty’ dropdown, click on STOP Site.

d. On the left hand side of the page, under ‘STOP Site Links’, click on ‘Service Bulletins’.

e. Locate the SLI-15-02 link and click on the ‘All VINs’ link located on the right.

f. The ‘All VINs’ page will display all affected VINs within your dealership’s inventory.

Perform the steering rack replacement procedure outlined in this Safety Bulletin on all affected units.
File a warranty claim following completion and attach a bulletin completion decal as shown on page 3 of this bulletin.

CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION:

A customer notification letter will be sent to all registered owners of potentially affected vehicles. In addition to the notification letter sent by Polaris, dealers are required to review sales records and contact consumers who have purchased a potentially affected vehicle. Make arrangements to perform the steps outlined in this Safety Bulletin immediately.

WARRANTY CLAIM INFORMATION:

A single group claim may be submitted listing the complete (17 digit) Vehicle Identification Number for machines with the same model number. File claim type: SB (Service Bulletin). DO NOT PUT MORE THAN ONE MODEL NUMBER ON A CLAIM.

SERVICE BULLETIN #	SLI-15-02
CLAIM TYPE	SB (Service Bulletin)
LABOR ALLOWANCE	1 Hour 18 Minutes (1.3 Hours)
CLAIM PART NUMBERS	N/A – Auto Process Bulletin

PARTS INFORMATION:

PART NUMBER / DESCRIPTION	7170107	(QTY.1) – Service Bulletin Completion Decal
	1824432	(QTY.1) – Rack, Steering
	7547746	(QTY.2) – Nut, M10 x 1.5
	7518097	(QTY.2) – Screw, M8 x 1.25 x 20
	7518291	(QTY.2) – Bolt, Tie Rod to Knuckle
	7517770	(QTY.2) – Bolt, Wheel Speed Sensor
	7518558	(QTY.2) – Bolt, EPAS
	7517792	(QTY.4) – Bolt, Steering Rack to Frame
PARTS AVAILABILITY	Available to order
DIRECT-SHIP FROM POLARIS?	No
TO BE ORDERED BY DEALER?	Yes

TOWING REIMBURSMENT:

Polaris will cover up to $250 for the cost of towing; we recommend customers work with dealerships on the best method of transport, either dealership or 3rd party. Follow the steps below to obtain transport reimbursement.

Submit a Service & Warranty, Non Cosmetic Authorization Request
For Concern, Cause, Correction add: SLI-15-02 Transport Reimbursement
For fail codes 1, 2, 3 add: Service Bulletin, Service Bulletin, Service Bulletin
Add part 0000499, quantity 1
Enter transport costs in the “Misc. Charges” field
Attach documentation (RO, invoice, etc.) supporting the transport reimbursement request and submit the case

PARTS RETURN OR DISPOSAL INFORMATION:

International Dealers & Distributors: Under no circumstances shall the part(s) removed in this repair be re-used, sold, or re-purposed for another application. It is your dealership / distributorship’s responsibility to make sure every part replaced is taken out of circulation and disposed of properly.

For North American Dealers: Once the warranty claim for each unit has processed, please review the “Check Returned Parts List” on your dealer website. The steering rack is an item you will be required to return to Polaris. If you fail to return the steering rack, your dealership will be charged.

SERVICE BULLETIN COMPLETION DECAL:

A Service Bulletin Completion Decal (PN 7170107) must be completed for this bulletin repair. Place the decal on the left side frame tube, near the brake master cylinder (as shown). If you require more decals, order them through normal Polaris parts ordering channels.

Sincerely,

Doug Koch
Technical Service and Warranty Manager

STEERING RACK REPLACEMENT

IMPORTANT

With the steering wheel in a centered position and the front wheels pointing straight ahead, secure the steering wheel with ratchet straps (or similar) to ensure it does not rotate throughout this procedure.

Steering Rack Removal:

Disconnect the negative battery cable.
Open the vehicle hood.
Raise the vehicle using a suitable lift or jack and remove the front wheels. Refer to the 2015 Slingshot Service Manual for lift-point locations.
Remove both of the wheel speed sensors from the steering knuckles prior to removing outer tie rod bolts to gain clearance.
Remove the bolt and nut ① securing the outer tie rod end to the steering knuckle for each side of the vehicle and discard.

Remove the bolts ② from the passenger (right) side of the steering rack.

Remove the four steering rack bracket bolts ③ and remove bracket.

Remove the remaining two bolts ④ from the steering rack.
Remove the steering shaft coupler bolt ⑤.

Using a grease / paint pen, place a mark on the steering shaft coupler ⑥ that is aligned with the pinion gear center cap and perpendicular to the steering rack. (To be used for reference later)

NOTE: Be careful not to damage the radiator, fan shroud or radiator hoses while moving the rack into position for removal.

Slide the rack assembly forward off of the steering shaft coupler and rotate so the input shaft ⑦ is pointing up as shown.

Slide the rack towards the passenger (right) side of the vehicle until the driver (left) side tie rod end clears the inside of the frame opening.

Move the rack to the rear of the shock assembly at the frame opening and remove the rack out of the driver (left) side of the vehicle as shown.

Steering Rack Installation:

NOTE: The new rack should arrive at your dealership pre-centered and marked for installation. The following check will verify that the centered position has not been affected during transit.

IMPORTANT: This is a baseline inspection only. Tie rod ends should not be adjusted at this time.

Lay the steering rack you removed on the ground in front of the new steering rack to verify that the new rack is centered:

Align the pinion gear center caps from each rack (A)
Verify that the outer tie rod ends (B) are in the same position.

Install the new steering rack assembly by sliding it into position in the same order by which it was removed. See Figure 1 & Figure 2.
Apply a thin coat of grease to the input shaft splines and align the centering mark on the input shaft with the mark made in step 10, and slide the input shaft into the coupler joint.
Insert the coupler bolt and torque to specification.
Install the remaining bolts and torque to specification. Verify that steering rack boots were not torn / damaged during installation.

TORQUE:

Steering Rack to Frame: 22 ft-lbs (29.8 Nm)

EPAS Bracket Bolts: 40 ft-lbs (54.2 Nm)

Steering Shaft Coupler Bolt: 35 ft-lbs (47.5 Nm)

Outer Tie Rod Bolts: 55 ft-lbs (74.5 Nm)

Wheel Speed Sensor Bolts: 8 ft-lbs (10.8 Nm)

Install the front wheels and torque to specification in a star pattern.

TORQUE:

Wheel Lug Nuts: 75 ft-lbs (101.7 Nm)

Set toe using the method outlined below.

Setting Toe:

Tools Required for Alignment:

48” Level (QTY.2)
24”- 36” – 2×4 Boards (QTY.2)
Tape Measure
Assorted Ratchet Straps

Lower the vehicle so it is resting on the ground.
Place a 48” level along the outer edge of each front wheel. The level must be elevated off the ground approximately 3-4” and flush against the tire sidewall. (A standard 2×4 will work)

IMPORTANT: Using a 48” level is critical to obtaining an accurate TOE measurement.

NOTE: The center of the level must be aligned with the wheel center cap as shown.

Measure the distance (A) between the forward, inside edges of both levels and record.

Measurement A:____________

Measure the distance (B) between the rear, inside edges of both levels and record.

Measurement B:____________

Subtract measurement A from measurement B and record:

B – A = ____________

This measurement is your TOE.
Example 37”- 36” = 1” Toe-In

If the TOE measurement is not within specification, it will be necessary to loosen the tie rod jam nuts ⑧ and adjust tie rods equally in small increments until the correct TOE-IN specification is achieved.

Example: If wheels are toed-out 1”, each wheel should be brought in 5/8” to achieve the specified 1/4” toe-in.

SPECIFICATION:

Toe-In: 0.21 inch (5.3 mm) ± .04 inch (1.0 mm)

Once the correct TOE specification has been achieved, torque the tie rod end jam nuts to specification.

TORQUE:

Tie Rod End Jam Nut: 55 ft-lbs (74.5 Nm)

Roll the vehicle back and forth 10 feet and repeat steps 22-25 to verify the toe is still correctly adjusted.
If further adjustment is required, repeat steps 26-27. If the toe measurement is correct, proceed to step 30.
Remove straps and turn the key to the ON position. Turn the steering wheel (counting the rotations) to full left lock. Return the wheel to center and count rotations to full right lock. The number of rotations should be approximately equal and steering should operate smoothly.

If the steering wheel is not perfectly centered while driving in a straight line after setting the toe, proceed to step 31. If the steering wheel is perfectly centered, proceed to step 37.

Centering the Steering Wheel:

CAUTION: This procedure is for small corrections (10° or less). Large corrections (greater than 10°) will require the steering wheel to be repositioned on the steering shaft. Refer to the 2015 Slingshot Service Manual for Steering Wheel Removal and Installation.

On a flat surface, drive a short distance in a straight line and park the vehicle without manipulating the steering wheel.
Apply the parking brake.
Loosen the tie rod end jam nuts so both tie rods can be turned.
With an assistant sitting in the driver seat, turn the tie rods in EQUAL, 1/4 TURN INCREMENTS until the steering wheel appears straight. The tie rods must be turned in the same direction to change steering wheel angle.

NOTE: If the tie rods are not turned equally and in the same direction, the toe adjustment will be lost.

Torque tie rod end jam nuts to specification and verify that TOE has not changed by repeating steps 22-25.

TORQUE:

Tie Rod End Jam Nut: 55 ft-lbs (74.5 Nm)

IMPORTANT: There should be a maximum of 5 threads exposed past both jam nuts when the alignment is complete.

Test drive vehicle to verify proper handling and steering wheel position.

Resetting the Steering Angle Sensor (SAS) Using Digital Wrench:

On a flat surface, drive a short distance in a straight line and park the vehicle without manipulating the steering wheel.
Connect the vehicle to Digital Wrench and “Zero” the steering angle sensor.
Test drive the vehicle to verify that no codes are present and that the vehicle handles properly and that the steering wheel is centered.

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL

This notice applies to your vehicle

VIN: INSERT VIN HERE
Recall Campaign: 15V-022
Subject: 2015 Slingshot
Steering Rack Replacement
PLEASE READ IMMEDIATELY

VIN
FIRST NAME LAST NAME
ADDRESS
CITY, ST ZIP

Dear Slingshot Owner:

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. The Slingshot Division of Polaris Industries Inc. has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in some 2015 Slingshot vehicles. Our records indicate that you have purchased a potentially affected vehicle.

The reason for this recall:

This could cause the vehicle operator to lose control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

What Polaris and your dealer will do:

Polaris will issue a Safety Recall Bulletin to all Slingshot dealers, with the appropriate instructions to replace the affected steering racks. Repairs will be made by an authorized Slingshot dealer at no cost to you. The actual repair should take under two hours to perform; however, it may take longer due to service scheduling requirements.

What you should do:

Contact your authorized Slingshot dealer to schedule an appointment to have the bulletin repairs performed. Do not attempt repairs yourself. Repairs must be done only by an authorized Slingshot dealer.

You should stop driving your Slingshot and not allow others to drive or ride in the vehicle until the bulletin has been performed.

If you have questions or if you need more information:

While your Slingshot dealer is in the best position to answer your questions, if you have any questions that your dealer cannot address, if you are having difficulty obtaining the recall repair outlined in this letter, or if you need assistance finding a Slingshot dealer, please visit the Slingshot web site at https://www.polaris.com/en-us/slingshot or contact our Slingshot Consumer Service Department by calling 1-855-863-2284.

This notice was mailed to you according to our most current registration information. If you no longer own your Slingshot vehicle, please contact your local Slingshot dealer to have the ownership information changed. The Slingshot Consumer Service Department cannot change ownership information without identification. Federal law requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within 10 days.

If you have had this repair performed before you received this letter, you may be eligible to receive reimbursement for the cost of obtaining a pre-notification remedy of the problem associated with this recall. For more information regarding reimbursement please contact your Slingshot dealer or the Slingshot Consumer Service Department using the information above.

If you believe that the Slingshot Division of Polaris Industries Inc. has failed to remedy this defect without charge or is unable to do so within a reasonable time, you may submit a complaint to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, D.C. 20590; or call the toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or on the web go to https://www.safercar.gov.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause you. Your safety and continued satisfaction with your Slingshot is our primary concern. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Polaris On-Road Vehicles

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2015/RCSB-15V022-2144.pdf