vss info. - Can-Am Spyder Forums: The Y-factor Community

kdsd731 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-17-2008, 08:34 PM

The VSS ( Vehicle stability system ) is very sensitive. I have a few spyders with complaints of VSS failure on the gauge. On a couple occasions, the alignment was off very slightly, virtually unnoticeable without the b.u.d.s. software. In these cases, we had to perform an alignment procedure and reset the DPS offset angle sensor. This fixed the issue. A couple other VSS issues were caused by the front tire pressures being incorrect. They were different by 2 psi, this was enough to cause the message to appear. The sensors for the VSS are extremely sensitive. It is very important to keep an eye on the tire pressures to prevent any fault codes from appearing and keep the vehicle with the appropriate traction. Front tire psi is 15 +/- 2 psi and the rear is 28 +/-2 psi. Just be sure the front tires are the same.

zeebill · #2 (**permalink**) 10-05-2008, 08:00 PM

Tire pressures when the bike was delivered to me were 27 pounds in both fronts due to a mechanics failing air pressure guage. I saw no VSS system messages though. I did see the side of the road in lefthanders and came way too close to crossing the center line in righthanders. It was beyond pushing it actually skated to avoid turning the way you wanted it to go. I put it up on ramps and looked the front end over for something broke or disconnected and finding nothing after the thing cooled hours later I checked the tire pressures with two different guages and including the one that came with the bike. The reading were from 26.5 to 27 psi! I lowered them to the proper pressures and it was like night and day as it now turned like it should have. I called the dealer the next day and passed the information on about the air pressures. I took the bike back for the first service and oil change and when I picked it up I found 26.5 psi in the fronts again. I went down into the service bay and asked the mechanic to take some pressure readings on any tire down there. He did and I followed him with my two known guages. He was almost 8 pounds higher with his guage then my two were which I then showed him. He said no way and I asked for a guage from one of the other mechanics and it showed him to be 10 pounds off. He apologized profusely and threw the guage in the trash. The dealer never passed the information from my phone call onto the mechanic I found with more checking. Lack of communication is very often the cause of problems that can kill you if you are not careful. All during the time I was fighting this handling problem the VSS system never signaled anything so I wonder just how sensitive this thing really is? Bill

kdsd731 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-05-2008, 10:23 PM

it isn't sensitive where high pressures will throw a code necessarily, it's sensitive to where uneven pressures can throw a code. and this is just the 1/2 dozen with vss codes that our shop has worked on, i can't speak for all. I'm not saying that if your pressures are off, codes will appear. i am just trying to help people self diagnose their spyders with out having to go through the hassle of bringing it to the shop and be without their spyders for a few days. this is just a few inside pointers from a tech's experience.

LonnieD · #4 (**permalink**) 10-06-2008, 09:04 AM

Thanks! From someone who appreciates theory more than heresay.

dennis · #5 (**permalink**) 03-08-2009, 11:19 AM

Will this keep the spyder from starting up????
o-ya the spider starts after setting for a time and runs fine just don't stop for gas or food it takes 1/2 hr to reset it self t.... will the fault codes come up on the dash board automatically or do you have to do something to see them