2005 sportster is a lemon

[hankster]

Well I have had nothing but problems with this sportster, just about ready to sink it. I had a new engine installed, then I had to have the wiring harness replaced, then I had to have a wire fixed on the stator. Now I have a recurring problem. The boat will crank first time just fine, runs fine, shut it down and it might start and it might not. When it does not, it will not even turn over it acts as though the battery is very weak, If I hook a battery to it to jump it off it does the same thing, like I didn't even hook one to it. After letting it sit for about five minutes being connected to the other battery it will turn over, I can then take off the jumper cables and it turns over fine. Problem then is it takes several times of cranking, and I mean probably about 10 to 15 times to ever get it to crank. HELP!

 

[my787]

Well I have had nothing but problems with this sportster, just about ready to sink it. I had a new engine installed, then I had to have the wiring harness replaced, then I had to have a wire fixed on the stator. Now I have a recurring problem. The boat will crank first time just fine, runs fine, shut it down and it might start and it might not. When it does not, it will not even turn over it acts as though the battery is very weak, If I hook a battery to it to jump it off it does the same thing, like I didn't even hook one to it. After letting it sit for about five minutes being connected to the other battery it will turn over, I can then take off the jumper cables and it turns over fine. Problem then is it takes several times of cranking, and I mean probably about 10 to 15 times to ever get it to crank. HELP!

have you had the battery load tested? if it's the original battery it could be dead.

 

[hankster]

Battery is just two years old, and it turns over fine after it gets beyond that initial time when it won't turn over at all.

 

[RFoster130]

My questions would be, why did it need a new engine and wiring harness? Is there an unresolved issue that still needs fixed. A 2005 that was properly taken care of should not have needed either part replaced. Who did all the work?

 

[hankster]

New engine was needed because water had gotten in the previos motor. How didi it get in there you might ask? Two certified repair shops that I carried it to never could say how it got in the motor. No water in the oil this time though.

 

[RFoster130]

So you have had to deal with a water issue. Did you buy it new? If so, I would have really opened a case with BRP before now. If water got in the motor bad enough to ruin it, has it gotten into the wiriing? Sounds like you may have a short somewhere. IF you bought it new and have had these problems, then yes you may have a lemon. Contact BRP and deal with them, do you have all the information from dealing with the repair shops? Are they authorized seadoo shops? I wouldnt deal with this alone if your story is accurate.

 

[hankster]

I didn't buy it new. Bought from an individual.

 

[RFoster130]

Then it sounds like you bought someone elses mistake. I am willing to bet this boat has been sunk or had major water damage. Who knows what could be wrong with the wiring. Now exactly right to call it a lemon then. A lemon is when there is a manufacturing defect. This sounds like a case of someone who was clueless or abused it.

 

[RFoster130]

Just to be somewhat helpful though, make sure all your wires are clean and tight, especially the ground.