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Electrical

More and more, automobiles, side-by-sides, and other means of transportation are becoming increasingly computerized and electrified. The electrical system in the Can-am Defender is particularly important, performing a variety of functions throughout the machine. Sure the UTV battery and bus bar in your rig power all the electric aftermarket accessories such as winches, lights, and stereos, but there is more to the Can-am Defender electric system than that. A short circuit in a single wire harness can throw maintenance lights and render your UTV completely non-functional at best, and can start electric fires that destroy your machine at worst. Faulty or misfiring electrical connections on various UTV components can also trigger limp mode to engage, leaving you with a painfully slow machine that cannot exceed 10-15 MPH. A leaking seal or condensation can cause the ECM to get wet, and a loose plugin on the fuel paddle will both case the Can-am Defender to go into limp mode. Ask your dealer or mechanic to look at the engine harness as it wraps down by the front of the engine and goes through the fire wall to plug into the ECU under the seat.

 

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When it comes to diagnosing electrical issues in a side-by-side, there are a few things that often the culprit. If the problem is intermittent, randomly coming and going, the first thing to check for is chaffed, pinched, or burnet wires. Corrosion on wire connecters is another common issue in UTV electric systems, and bad grounds happen a lot as well. The stator in the motor and the rectifier are also potential problems. Something as simple as a broken or cracked magnet on the fly wheel can cause all sorts of issues in the Can-am electrical system. To proactively protect your Can-am Defender’s electrical system, we’d suggest putting some dielectric grease on all the terminal connecting points to prevent rust, corrosion, and water damage. You don’t apply the grease right on the connection, but rather, the ribs of the weather seal to prevent water intrusion. A very small amount of dielectric grease applied to the pins is ok to prevent corrosion, but the weather seal itself is designed to keep moisture out to prevent corrosion. The dielectric grease on the weather seal ribs not only completes a 100% sealed connector, but also lubricates the seal to prevent possible seal damage from the disconnect and reconnect process of the connector itself. Regardless of what you need to protect, replace, or repair in your Can-am Defender’s electric system, we here at Everything Can-Am Offroad have the parts, equipment, and tools to keep your machine’s electric system running right.