N
Just saying Hi, and happy to be a part of the forum. I bought my first SxS, 2 years ago and happy to be Exploring/Camping/Hunting on a UTV vs. the few quads I've owned over the years. I purchased a very gently used 2016 Honda Pioneer 1000 EPS with roughly 2000 miles on it. I have since put 2000 miles on it. All maintenance performed and new battery installed. Stock other than new wheels and Ridgesaw tires, LED lightbar, roof, 3/4 windshield. Pics to follow.
One big question: After owning it for two years and running flawless, I had my first major glitch. My wife and I were 20+ miles away from our Elk camp, 20 degree evenings, 6 hour hike back, and the Pioneer refused to "Go into gear". It happened while slowing down and stopping for a right hand turn. It was quite scary, as we were fully equipped to stay the night huddled together, but had no desire to when a trailer awaited our arrival. No cell service, and I did have an SOS Garmin just in case. The only thing leading up to this event was driving 1000 - 2000 yards at a time, slowing down, stopping, turning off engine (still in Drive though), glassing for a few minutes, then push on brake and re-starting motor;; repeat many times. This was on a gravel 2 wheel drive road. I've done this many times before over the course of two years. It's a great way to glass into bowls and fingers looking for game. The engine and tranny do not work hard, no heat etc. Long story short, I do not remember what was displayed on the dash pane when the Honda started no problem, but would not go into gear. I tried many, many times to rock the vehicle, move to turf mode, move to 2 wheel lock, 4 wheel, move to lock, reverse, neutral, etc., etc. The symptoms were: the motor ran fine, the tranny would not go into gear. I let it sit for 1/2 hour; nothing. The last resort was to push it as hard as I could and have my wife give it a touch of gas. Voila, we barely got back to camp in 2nd or 1st gear. No way to tell. If you gave it any gas, it would spin or wind out, we just had to feather the throttle to get back.
Post Camp:
-- I do not know if it went into limp mode, because there was zero confidence getting back to camp. I always thought limp mode was a sure thing, just a slow go. This acted as if you were pushing a manual clutch spinning it.
-- It appeared to down shift on its own OK.
-- Back at camp we had cell service. I looked up symptoms and found the clutch relearn procedure. I did it and the unit drove as if nothing was wrong. I drove it for 20 minutes in differing conditions and it performed flawless. Still I had no faith for the remainder of this trip. 4 weeks ago.
-- Since then I have driven our Pioneer in the mountains using various demands (2-wheel lock, 2 wheel turf, 4 wheel, 4 wheel lock, etc.) and it performs flawless. Still I have little confidence as I don't' want to be stranded.
-- No gears slip in any throttle amount.
-- I have since learned of the emergency valve screw under the bed. Is this something I can completely trust for any future tranny mishaps???
Sorry for the novel. I can post this elsewhere too. I have read many, many posts from the members re: similar problem. It just seems as if their issues were always a ground , or the battery, or a wiring harness, or shift motor problems, etc. Mine does not seem like these. it seems like a fluke, but why.
One big question: After owning it for two years and running flawless, I had my first major glitch. My wife and I were 20+ miles away from our Elk camp, 20 degree evenings, 6 hour hike back, and the Pioneer refused to "Go into gear". It happened while slowing down and stopping for a right hand turn. It was quite scary, as we were fully equipped to stay the night huddled together, but had no desire to when a trailer awaited our arrival. No cell service, and I did have an SOS Garmin just in case. The only thing leading up to this event was driving 1000 - 2000 yards at a time, slowing down, stopping, turning off engine (still in Drive though), glassing for a few minutes, then push on brake and re-starting motor;; repeat many times. This was on a gravel 2 wheel drive road. I've done this many times before over the course of two years. It's a great way to glass into bowls and fingers looking for game. The engine and tranny do not work hard, no heat etc. Long story short, I do not remember what was displayed on the dash pane when the Honda started no problem, but would not go into gear. I tried many, many times to rock the vehicle, move to turf mode, move to 2 wheel lock, 4 wheel, move to lock, reverse, neutral, etc., etc. The symptoms were: the motor ran fine, the tranny would not go into gear. I let it sit for 1/2 hour; nothing. The last resort was to push it as hard as I could and have my wife give it a touch of gas. Voila, we barely got back to camp in 2nd or 1st gear. No way to tell. If you gave it any gas, it would spin or wind out, we just had to feather the throttle to get back.
Post Camp:
-- I do not know if it went into limp mode, because there was zero confidence getting back to camp. I always thought limp mode was a sure thing, just a slow go. This acted as if you were pushing a manual clutch spinning it.
-- It appeared to down shift on its own OK.
-- Back at camp we had cell service. I looked up symptoms and found the clutch relearn procedure. I did it and the unit drove as if nothing was wrong. I drove it for 20 minutes in differing conditions and it performed flawless. Still I had no faith for the remainder of this trip. 4 weeks ago.
-- Since then I have driven our Pioneer in the mountains using various demands (2-wheel lock, 2 wheel turf, 4 wheel, 4 wheel lock, etc.) and it performs flawless. Still I have little confidence as I don't' want to be stranded.
-- No gears slip in any throttle amount.
-- I have since learned of the emergency valve screw under the bed. Is this something I can completely trust for any future tranny mishaps???
Sorry for the novel. I can post this elsewhere too. I have read many, many posts from the members re: similar problem. It just seems as if their issues were always a ground , or the battery, or a wiring harness, or shift motor problems, etc. Mine does not seem like these. it seems like a fluke, but why.
