2016 Polaris Slingshot problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Steering (5) · Power Train (4) · Service Brakes (3)
Safety recalls (8)
Electrical System:wiring:fuses And Circuit Breakers 2019-10-18 · campaign 19V750000 · 31,987 vehicles
Defect: Polaris Inc. (Polaris) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Slingshot motorcycles. Excessive electrical current may damage the battery fuse holder terminals.
Risk: Damaged terminals may result in the loss of forward and rear lighting, instrument cluster gauges, or power steering assist. Any of these scenarios increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Polaris will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the battery fuse block terminals and relocate the 50 amp chassis fuse, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact Polaris customer service at 1-855-863-2284. Polaris's number for this recall is T-19-01.
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera 2018-11-15 · campaign 18V809000 · 11,371 vehicles
Defect: Polaris Industries (Polaris) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Polaris Slingshot, Slingshot SL and Slingshot SL LE motorcycles equipped with a backup camera. The back-up camera may fail internally, possibly melting the voltage regulator and blowing the fuse for that circuit, thereby preventing the taillight from functioning properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated E
Risk: The melted voltage regulator can increase the risk of a fire. The loss of a tail light can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Polaris will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the back-up camera, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 2, 2019. Owners may contact Polaris at 1-855-863-2284. Polaris' number for this recall is T-18-04.
Seats 2018-03-26 · campaign 18V195000 · 24,235 vehicles
Defect: Polaris Industries, Inc. (Polaris) is recalling all 2015-2018 Polaris Slingshot motorcycles. The driver-seat and passenger-seat seat belt and seat back anchoring bracket may have been improperly welded. Additionally, differences in the seat assembly may prevent proper latching of the seat slider, allowing the driver's seat to move unexpectedly.
Risk: If the seat belt buckle or seat back detach from the seat base, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash. If the driver's seat unexpectedly moves, it can cause the driver to lose control of the motorcycle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Polaris will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt bracket and seat back welds, and the seat slider latching function. If the weld is missing or incomplete, or if the slider doesn't latch properly, the seat bases will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on April 16, 2018. Owners may contact Polaris customer service at 1-855-863-2284. Polaris' number for this recall is T-18-01.
Traction Control System 2017-06-01 · campaign 17V357000 · 8,962 vehicles
Defect: Polaris Industries, Inc. (Polaris) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Slingshot vehicles. The affected vehicles previously had their rear swingarms replaced during the remedy of NHTSA recall number 16V-255. The replacement swingarms may have been installed without the sealing grommets installed, potentially resulting in road debris contaminating the rear wheel speed sensor.
Risk: Contamination of the rear speed sensor will disable the ABS and Traction/Stability Control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Polaris will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the swingarms for missing grommets, installing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2017. Owners may contact Polaris customer service at 1-888-704-5290. Polaris' number for this recall is T-17-04.
Power Train:driveline 2016-10-19 · campaign 16V755000 · 17,572 vehicles
Defect: Polaris Industries, Inc. (Polaris) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Slingshot motorcycles manufactured March 4, 2014, to September 7, 2016. The affected vehicles may have been manufactured with a swing arm that has insufficient strength.
Risk: Due to the insufficient swing arm strength, the swing arm may fracture resulting in a loss of momentum or vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Polaris will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and repair or replace the swing arm, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Polaris customer service at 1-855-863-2284. Polaris' number for this recall is T-16-06.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 2016-10-18 · campaign 16V752000 · 6,860 vehicles
Defect: Polaris Industries, Inc. (Polaris) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Slingshot motorcycles manufactured December 28, 2015, to April 27, 2016. The brake pressure switch may have been over tightened in the affected motorcycles.
Risk: Over tightening of the brake pressure switch may damage the seal, allowing brake fluid to leak, resulting in reduced brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Polaris will notify owners, and dealers will install new brake pressure switch seals, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Polaris customer service at 1-855-863-2284. Polaris' number for this recall is T-16-02.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings 2016-10-18 · campaign 16V754000 · 17,795 vehicles
Defect: Polaris Idustries, Inc. (Polaris) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Slingshot motorcycles manufactured March 4, 2014, to October 7, 2016. The affected vehicles may have insufficient clearance between the fuel line and the hood structure.
Risk: The insufficient clearance may allow the fuel line to rub against the hood until it leaks fuel. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Polaris will notify owners, and dealers will replace the replace the engine fuel line, and inspect the retention clips to reduce the risk of interference, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Polaris customer service at 1-855-863-2284. Polaris' number for this recall is T-16-03.
Exterior Lighting:headlights 2015-11-20 · campaign 15V777000 · 9,182 vehicles
Defect: Polaris Industries, Inc. (Polaris) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Slingshot motorcycles manufactured April 21, 2014, to October 22, 2015, Slingshot SL motorcycles manufactured April 28, 2015 to October 23, 2015, and Slingshot SL SE motorcycles manufactured December 15, 2014, to October 22, 2015. In the affected motorcycles, the headlight relay may fail and result in a loss of headlights.
Risk: A loss of headlights can reduce driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Polaris will notify owners, and dealers will replace the single headlight relay with a circuit that uses two headlight relays, free of charge. The recall began on December 3, 2015. Owners may contact Slingshot customer service at 1-855-863-2284. Polaris' number for this recall is SLI-15-05.
Service bulletins (43)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Engine 2026-09-26 · SLG-9.25.2026 · Other
this ask polaris article provides information regarding engine valve guide wear inspection and measurement for slingshot vehicles.
Electrical System 2026-08-11 · Team Tip 2026-03 · Service Campaign
submitting a debug report immediately after a digital wrench ii incident is strongly recommended. digital wrench ii errors may be caused by vehicle module issues, software or equipment malfunctions, or interruptions during updates and flash procedures. common causes include poor internet connectivit
Engine 2026-06-19 · SLG-6.18.2026 · Other
this ask polaris article provides information to systematically identify the root cause of excessive exhaust smoke by distinguishing between oil consumption, coolant intrusion, and fuel-related conditions.
Electrical System 2026-06-06 · SLG-6.5.2026 · Other
this slingshot help center article provides information regarding battery maintenance on model year 2019 and older slingshot vehicles.
Engine 2026-06-02 · SLG-6.1.2026 · Other
this ask polaris article provides information about how to perform a leakdown test on polaris slingshot vehicles.
Power Train 2026-02-05 · T-26-02-01 · Other
a new input shaft seal, pn 3610429, has been released for model year 2015-2026 slingshot right angle drives for improved leak resistance. vehicles produced after 11/10/2025 have the updated seal. when installing, this seal requires a lower pinion rolling torque specification. improper pinion rolling
Showing the 6 most recent of 43 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2022-10-25 · Service Brakes“driver side.. brake doesnt stop ,can feel it in brake pedal,constantly filling up resorvoir..also stays accelerated when coming to a stop..there is recalls on issue…”
2021-10-22 · Steering · 1,200 mi“the contact owns a 2016 polaris slingshot. the contact stated that while his wife was driving 20 mph, the power steering failed, and the vehicle drove onto a sidewalk without warning. the contact called the manufacturer and referred him to a local dealer for assistance. the vehicle was taken the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to diag…”
2019-11-08 · Vehicle Speed Control · 10,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2016 polaris slingshot. while riding at various speeds, the rpms suddenly revved high and the vehicle accelerated on its own. the vehicle was taken to cycle sports center (4001 n. john young pkwy, orlando, fl) where the failure was confirmed, but the cause could not be determined. the manufacturer was not notified of the fail…”
2019-09-23 · Seat Belts · 2,500 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2016 polaris slingshot. while the contact was attempting to exit the vehicle, the reservoir seat belt latch failed to release. the failure occurred without warning. a bystander assisted and cut the contact out of the seat belt with scissors. the contact sprayed the base of the seat belt with lubrication before driving. the ve…”
2019-07-01 · Structure:body · 1,800 mi“2 large rear metal angle reflectors attached with double sided tape 1 detached from body thankfully while sitting at a red light. metal angles are not secured to frame adequately. could cause danger to motorist behind vehicle.…”
2019-04-27 · Electrical System · 4,335 mi“during normal driving on the highway day/night, the polaris slingshot electrical system would fail and lost of all lighting visibility for myself and others driving behind me would randomly happen making me a safety hazard on the road. the rear wiring harness fuse box burns out randomly getting very hot and sparking while driving and burning out th…”
2018-06-29 · Vehicle Speed Control · 5,900 mi · 💥 crash“tl* the contact owns a 2016 polaris slingshot. while driving approximately 65 mph, the throttle lost power. the vehicle was taken to dhy motorsports (1300 clements bridge rd, township, nj 08096, 856-848-8500) where it was diagnosed that a pin in the harness was not connecting to the throttle, which caused the throttle failure. the vehicle was repai…”
2018-06-04 · Structure · 103,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2016 polaris slingshot. while driving various speeds, the heat from the muffler and engine entered the cabin of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer in philadelphia, pa, but was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 103,000.…”
2018-01-04 · Suspension · 10,407 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2016 polaris slingshot. when the vehicle was taken in for routine maintenance, the technician stated that the universal coupling was loose. the yoke needed replacement as metal flakes were in the gear box. the contact stated that the independent mechanic was able to tighten the brackets, but the bolts fractured. the contact s…”
2017-11-17 · Unknown Or Other · 2,000 mi“vehicle has an "esp" warning light on dash. vehicle has been displaying this "esp" warning light at various times and under various conditions since april 25, 2017. "esp" warning light will sometimes reset and go out after a restart and at other times while driving. "esp" warning light will come on for no apparent reason. normal 40 mph driving …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.