Since the great supply chain situation in 2020-2023, many manufacturers have had quality control problems, thanks to many different factors. Quite frankly, Polaris appears to have had more challenges than most companies in the powersports market.
Specific to snowmobiling, the brand has had many recalls and stop-ride notices. But there have been many other things that didn’t trigger a recall that have caused customers and dealers a large amount of angsts. From self-loosening clutches to disappearing hyfax, seeping oil bottles to various calibration problems, there haven’t been a lot of places for Polaris officials to hide from their quality concerns.
So, the brand says it is facing the problem head-on. First, it delayed many of the things the brand had planned to unveil for model year 2024 by a season to give more testing and validation time. For example, we know the Dynamix shocks were a part of last year’s original plan but it is finally making it to production for 2025. Company officials also said that it is adding a year into its overall development cycle to slow down the rush to production and make sure potential problems are identified and fixed before making it to product units.
Beyond that, the company released a list of 25 quality update for model year 2025. Rather than retyping it all, we’re just posting the Polaris graphic below.
Snowmobile product manager Nels Eide said, “We truly are committed to quality, and not just fixing things that are breaking but [working on] how can we get out ahead of them, provide more margin and less sensitivity… and provide a better customer experience for customers and our dealers.”
That is quite a list, sure hope it finally works as the past few years of updates did not do it right, clutches, oil lines, gas tanks, bearings, etc. Congratulations on the detailed listing of fixes.
No 70 year anniversary models, no retro models or colour schemes, that is big missed opportunity. Very disappointed to not see these highly anticipated anniversary edition sleds, maybe return of the Ultra SP, Storm, or anniversary of XCR and XC 600/700/800.
I am a true blue Polaris loyal owner for 57 years but the sport is in the wrong direction with: too high of prices, too poor quality control, too poor durability/reliability, no family friendly models and too short of a season.
After problems of last 2-4 years for Polaris and with Ski-Doo updating their front end, widening the Back Country XRS to 43″ and increasing track length to 146″ and adding turbo 850, Ski-Doo will increase market share vs. Switchback Assault Boost 850 a lot and for the entire line up of all models as well. Maybe a lot of movement to Ski-Doo and Arctic Cat.
Due to poor low snow conditions and quality control and durability issues of all brands in last few years, undeniable climate change and crazy high sled prices (especially in last four years), I would expect considerably less 2025 sled sales i.e. big decrease in total sled sales perhaps to only 100,000 units.
Prices are outrageous. Durability is awful. Sledding for 40 years on Polaris and nothing has changed. Where I used to need springs every few rides has turned into pistons and cylinders. I have 3 Polaris sleds in my garage and 2 need full engine rebuilds. Warranties are junk. I had a 5 year warranty on a 2006 fusion once upon a time and they topped out the payments on the repairs after 4 years. Pos. People are dumping them.online because of the poor season. This will be a sport that the middle class will not be able to participate in in 10 years. Good luck getting permission to put a trail through my land for something that.s only for the wealthy.
Well it’s about GD time they finally realize they have problems, now polaris do the right thing and offer an extra year or 2 warranty to people you shafted ,I would be embarrassed to say I worked for polaris,hell I’m embarrassed to say I own a polaris, I put 0 that’s a BIG ZERO miles on my sled this year because of “do not ride crap AGAIN” your the Ford of the snowmobile industry in fact I think you beat Ford for recalls,I know for a fact I will never buy another polaris and have already convinced 2 other buddy’s from ever buying one, told them to expect nothing but problems from and with polaris, and as soon as I can I’m dumping this POS and taking my money and business elsewhere, I used to buy new every 2-3years so you lost me as a good customer,I used to have polaris stickers on my trailer and truck NOT NOW I peeled them off after all this. Go team yellow
Polaris quality issues weren’t born with the covid era. This has been going on since the 1990s. I ran a snowmobile/atv repair shop for30 years and most of my work was trying to keep Polaris products running. It was unbelievable the junk they were selling and would not stand behind. I remember a guy with a sled that was just off warranty and the Polaris dealers in the area abandoned him as they couldn’t make his engine run. It took a few days but I finally found that the Liberty crankcase was so poorly cast that air was leaking through the casting itself. I sent him to the dealer with the casting to show him it was the problem from day one and should be warrantees. They sent him away. I fixed it with JB Weld.
Polaris was the most reliable affordable best performing sled in 1970-2000’s. Parts were the least expensive. XLT and Ultra triple single pipe went 20,000 miles with no rebuilds, almost no issues except exhaust gaskets.
I had 13 grease zerks on my sleds in front and rear suspension, steering, ski posts, ski base, jack shaft and drive shaft.
Tons of Polaris parts from many garage guys part time business as well.
Now greedy proffering with cheap parts sky high prices.
No grease zerks at all. They want you to buy new parts instead of common maintenance by keeping everything greased.
Best snowmobile grease locations – Polaris Indy grease zerks for suspension, steering, drive and jack shafts:
2 on ski posts (one each ski), 2 on ski saddle (one on each ski), so 4 zerks on the skis,
1 on CRC steering and 1 on steering post, so 2 on steering.
1 on drive shaft & 1 on jack shaft so 2 on drive shafts
1 on each suspension shaft so 2 zerks
1 under each rear shock absorber so 2 zerks
i under limiter strap shaft
so 5 zerks in rear suspension
Basic common sense to do this, best engineering in the world. reduces wear on parts, avoids unnecessary replacement of wearable items with proper grease application after every longer few rides eg. several hundred miles or a 1,000 miles and after riding in water /slush.
Bring back the 13 grease zerks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ya I will believe it when I see it, so far ANY updates to parts or anything by polaris has FAILED they are only making it worse,customer service sucks I had a issue with my dealer Wards Marine kept giving me a run around on where the hell parts were ,and by the time they supposedly arrived the season was over ,I had the chance to ride with some buddies but couldn’t because my sled was under a “Do not ride” order so by the time you pay for insurance, trail pass,I’m out over a grand for NOTHING that’s polaris now, but I usually get kissed first before I get you know what,anyways I will never buy another polaris EVER. Do yourselves a favor run from them your sled will become a shop Queen tied to the dealer for the life of it or as long as you are stupid enough to keep putting up with it ,I’ve seen the light there’s better out there and I’m jumping ship.