4XASDA572GA2691222016 POLARIS Sportsman
2016 POLARIS Sportsman was analyzed across NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, crash test data, and public auction records. 2 owner complaints include 1 reported injury, indicating real-world safety incidents beyond normal wear.
Executive Summary
2016 POLARIS Sportsman
2016 POLARIS Sportsman was analyzed across NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, crash test data, and public auction records. 2 owner complaints include 1 reported injury, indicating real-world safety incidents beyond normal wear.
- 1 injury reported across 2 owner complaints
- Complaints describe critical safety events (fire, fatality, loss of control) — language severity is in the highest tier
2 owner complaints filed — top areas: Steering (50%), Engine/Powertrain (50%). 1 crash reported.
Title Brand Check
Mined from auction damage fields and listing titles — not a DMV title history pull
No auction records available. Title brand status could not be verified — request title history from seller or state DMV.
Vehicle Specifications
Decoded from NHTSA vPIC database
- Make
- POLARIS
- Model
- Sportsman
- Year
- 2016
- Trim / Series
- Eagle Touring
- Body Style
- Off-Road Vehicle - All-Terrain Vehicle [ATV] (Motorcycle-Style)
- Vehicle Type
- MOTORCYCLE
- Fuel Type
- Gasoline
- Engine
- 1-cyl 0.567000L
- Manufacturer
- POLARIS INDUSTRIES INC.
- Assembly
- ROSEAU, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES (USA)
- GVWR
- Class 1A: 3,000 lb or less (1,360 kg or less)
Assembly Plant Quality
Plant: ROSEAU, MINNESOTA
No specific quality data available for this plant. No documented recall or complaint concentrations on record.
Safety Intelligence
Composite analysis from NHTSA recall, complaint, and crash data
✓ No high-risk recall components found
NHTSA Safety Recalls
CLEAR1 in 2 complaints involved an injury — significantly above average, indicating real-world safety incidents.
Complaint Intelligence
2 complaints analyzed across 2 system categories
Steering leads owner complaints (50%), most reported when the vehicle was under 1 yr old. Also common: Engine (50%), Fuel/Propulsion System (50%).
Based on 2 complaints with a reported incident date. Too few owners cited mileage (0) to report a reliable failure-mileage range.
Owner Complaints
2 safety complaints filed with NHTSA
I WAS DRIVING DOWN TRAIL, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOST MY POWER STEERING, CAUSING ME TO GO OFF TRAIL AN HIT A BIG ROCK THROWING ME OVER HANDLE BARS, GOOD THING I HAD HELMET ON, BUT I DID BREAK MY FINGER ON MY LEFT HAND,
I BOUGHT A 2016 POLARIS 450 SPORTSMAN FROM A LOCAL NY DEALER IN JUNE AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. THE FIRST TIME I WENT OUT ON IT WITH 4 MILES, IT STOPPED WORKING SO I HAD TO BE TOWED BACK. THE DEALER PICKED IT UP AND TOLD ME THEY FIXED THE ISSUE WHICH WAS THAT THE CVT WAS NOT PROPERLY SEALED SO THE BELT GOT WET. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ANY LASTING ISSUES BUT THEY ASSURED ME I WOULD HAVE NONE. THE SECOND TIME WITH NOT EVEN 20 MILES ON IT, THE WHEELER DID NOT SHIFT RIGHT AND WAS POPPING OUT OF GEAR SO THEY PICKED IT UP AGAIN AND TOLD ME IT WAS FIXED. WENT AWAY THIS PAST WEEKEND AND WITH 40 MILES ON IT, IT STARTED OVER HEATING. I CALLED THEM WHILE I WAS ON THE TRAIL AND THEY SAID TO PRESSURE WASH THE RADIATOR WHICH I KNOW YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO, BUT I HAD ALREADY USED A HOSE TO TRY THAT SO OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. THEN ALSO WHILE ON THE RIDE, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND THE WHEELER WOULD GO INTO LIMP MODE SO I COULDN'T DO ABOVE 15 MPH. IT WOULD ALSO BACKFIRE AND NOT START UP WITHOUT HOLDING BOTH THE BREAK AND GIVING IT GAS AT THE SAME TIME. IN ADDITION THE WHEELER WOULD ALSO STALL GOING DOWN A HILL (I TRIED TO EVEN GIVE IT A LITTLE GAS WHILE MAINTAINING A SAFE SPEED BUT IT STILL WOULD STALL.
Complaint Severity Analysis
NLP analysis of complaint language — not all complaints are equal
2 of 2 complaints describe critical safety events (fire, fatality, loss of control) — language severity is in the top tier.
Complaint & Reliability Timeline
Annual complaints (blue) vs. composite reliability score (amber) — recall years marked in red
The blue line shows 2 NHTSA complaints on file for the POLARIS Sportsman — a relatively low volume that spans from 2016 to 2019.
The amber reliability line averaged 99/100 across the vehicle's life — relatively stable, with the lowest point of 90/100 in 2019.
Red dots on the amber line flag 2019, a year when complaints included crash events — these are the highest-severity incidents in the dataset.
Legal & Regulatory Actions
Known class action lawsuits, settlements, and manufacturer extended warranty programs
5-Year Total Cost of Ownership
Estimated based on EPA fuel data, risk-adjusted maintenance, and depreciation
Estimated 5-year cost of ownership: $30,114 (~$502/mo). Repair risk buffer is standard due to vehicle risk profile.
Negotiation Ammunition
Use these data-backed findings to negotiate the price down
Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Tailored for the 2016 POLARIS Sportsman — specific failure modes your mechanic must check, not a generic list
Recall Probability Forecast
Estimated likelihood of a new recall in the next 18 months based on NHTSA signals
5% baseline recall probability — no strong indicators of an imminent recall.
Maintenance Schedule
OEM-specified service intervals for this vehicle
Maintenance intervals vary significantly by make, model, year, engine, and driving conditions. Always follow the manufacturer's official schedule — not generic industry estimates.
Tip: Request the seller's service records and compare against the manufacturer schedule. Missing intervals are a negotiation point.
Insurance Cost Estimate
Estimated annual premiums based on vehicle profile, theft data, and NHTSA safety ratings
Based on 2024 national avg ($2,011/yr full coverage). Individual rates vary by driver, location & insurer. Always compare 3+ quotes.
State-Specific Legal Protections
What consumer laws apply to this vehicle purchase in your state
Select your state to see what consumer protection laws, lemon law coverage, and title disclosure requirements apply to this vehicle purchase.
Complete Data Table
All decoded fields in a single flattened view
Vehicle Identity
| VIN | 4XASDA572GA269122 |
| Model Year | 2016 |
| Make | POLARIS |
| Model | Sportsman |
| Series | Eagle Touring |
| Vehicle Type | MOTORCYCLE |
Body & Configuration
| Body Style | Off-Road Vehicle - All-Terrain Vehicle [ATV] (Motorcycle-Style) |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline |
Engine
| Engine Cylinders | 1 |
| Displacement (L) | 0.567000 |
Manufacturer
| Manufacturer | POLARIS INDUSTRIES INC. |
| Assembly City | ROSEAU |
| Assembly Country | UNITED STATES (USA) |
VIN Structure
| WMI (Chars 1–3) | 4XA |
| Check Digit (Char 9) | 2 |
| Model Year Code (Char 10) | G |
| Plant Code (Char 11) | A |
| Sequence (Chars 12–17) | 269122 |
Safety Data
| NHTSA Recall Count | 0 |
| NHTSA Complaint Count | 2 |
VIN Structure Decode
ISO 3779 character-by-character breakdown of this Vehicle Identification Number
Disclaimer: Data sourced from NHTSA public APIs and scraped auction listings. For informational purposes only. Not a substitute for a paid vehicle history report. Retrieved: 11/2/2026, 3:11:11 AM.