2011 YAMAHA GRIZZLY 550 Owners Manual

2-3
2 steady speed when climbing a hill. If you stall or
roll backwards, follow the special procedure for
braking described in this manual. Dismount on
the uphill side or to a side if pointed straight up-
hill. Turn the ATV around and remount, following
the procedure described in this manual.

Always check for obstacles before operating in a
new area.
Never attempt to operate over large obstacles,
such as large rocks or fallen trees. Always follow
proper procedures when operating over obsta-
cles as described in this manual.
Always be careful when skidding or sliding.
Learn to safely control skidding or sliding by
practicing at low speeds and on level, smooth
terrain. On extremely slippery surfaces, such as
ice, go slowly and be very cautious in order to re-
duce the chance of skidding or sliding out of con-
trol.
Never operate an ATV in fast flowing water or in
water deeper than that recommended in this
manual. Remember that wet brakes may have
reduced stopping ability. Test your brakes after
leaving water. If necessary, apply them several
times to let friction dry out the linings.

Always be sure there are no obstacles or people
behind you when you operate in reverse. When
it is safe to proceed in reverse, go slowly.
Always use the size and type of tires specified in
this manual.
Always maintain proper tire pressure as de-
scribed in this manual.
Never modify an ATV through improper installa-
tion or use of accessories.
Never exceed the stated load capacity for an
ATV. Cargo should be properly distributed and
securely attached. Reduce speed and follow in-
structions in this manual for carrying cargo or
pulling a trailer. Allow greater distance for brak-
ing.
WARNING
EWB00071Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
All engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide,
a deadly gas. Breathing carbon monoxide can
cause headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, nau-
sea, confusion, and eventually death.
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless,
tasteless gas which may be present even if you
do not see or smell any engine exhaust. Deadly
levels of carbon monoxide can collect rapidly
U28P62E0.book Page 3 Thursday, March 11, 2010 3:25 PM

2-4
2and you can quickly be overcome and unable
to save yourself. Also, deadly levels of carbon
monoxide can linger for hours or days in en-
closed or poorly ventilated areas. If you experi-
ence any symptoms of carbon monoxide
poisoning, leave the area immediately, get
fresh air, and SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT.

Do not run engine indoors. Even if you try to
ventilate engine exhaust with fans or open
windows and doors, carbon monoxide can
rapidly reach dangerous levels.
Do not run engine in poorly ventilated or par-
tially enclosed areas such as barns, garages,
or carports.
Do not run engine outdoors where engine
exhaust can be drawn into a building
through openings such as windows and
doors.
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3-1
3
EBU17680
DESCRIPTION
EBU17690Left view
EBU17700Right view
1. Radiator cap
2. Battery
3. Fuses
4. Air filter case
5. Spark arrester
6. Engine oil dipstick
7. Oil filter cartridge
8. Coolant reservoir
5
1. Rear shock absorber assembly spring preload adjusting
ring
2. Rear storage compartment and tool kit
3. Fuel tank cap cover
4. Front shock absorber assembly spring preload adjusting
ring
5. Spark plug
6. Brake pedal
7. V-belt case drain plug
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3-2
3
EBU17712Controls and instruments
TIPThe ATV you have purchased may differ slightly
from the figures shown in this manual.
1. Drive select lever
2. Rear brake lever
3. Handlebar switches
4. Horn switch
5. Rear brake fluid reservoir
6. Multi-function display
7. Front brake fluid reservoir
8. On-Command four-wheel-drive/differential gear lock
switch
9. Front brake lever
10.Throttle lever
11.Front storage compartment
12.Main switch
13.Auxiliary DC jackU28P62E0.book Page 2 Thursday, March 11, 2010 3:25 PM

4-1
4
EBU17733
INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
EBU17760Main switch The positions of the main switch are as follows:
ON
All electrical systems are supplied with power. The
headlights and taillight come on when the light
switch is on, and the engine can be started. The
key cannot be removed.
OFF
All electrical systems are off. The key can be re-
moved.
1. Main switch
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4-2
4
EBU26694Indicator lights and warning lights
EBU17990Low-range indicator light“”
This indicator light comes on when the transmis-
sion is in the low-range position.EBU17980High-range indicator light“”
This indicator light comes on when the transmis-
sion is in the high-range position.EBU17860Neutral indicator light“”
This indicator light comes on when the transmis-
sion is in the neutral position.EBU17830Reverse indicator light“”
This indicator light comes on when the transmis-
sion is in the reverse position.EBU17970Park indicator light“”
This indicator light comes on when the transmis-
sion is in the park position.
1. On-Command differential gear lock indicator light “DIFF.
LOCK”
2. Low-range indicator light “L”
3. High-range indicator light “H”
4. Neutral indicator light “N”
5. Reverse indicator light “R”
6. Park indicator light “P”
7. On-Command four-wheel-drive/differential gear lock
indicator“”/“”
8. Engine trouble warning light“”
9. Coolant temperature warning light“”
10.Electric Power Steering warning light “EPS” (for EPS
model)U28P62E0.book Page 2 Thursday, March 11, 2010 3:25 PM

4-3
4
EBU28664Coolant temperature warning light“”
This warning light comes on when the engine over-
heats. When this occurs during operation, stop the
engine as soon as it is safe to do so and allow it to
cool down for about 10 minutes.
The electrical circuit of the warning light can be
checked by turning the key to “ON”. The warning
light should come on for a few seconds, and then
go off.
If the warning light does not come on initially when
the key is turned to “ON”, or if the warning light re-
mains on, have a Yamaha dealer check the electri-
cal circuit.NOTICEECB00891
The engine may overheat if the ATV is over-
loaded. In this case, reduce the load to spec-
ification.
The engine may also overheat if mud or dirt
has accumulated on the radiator (i.e., after
riding in wet terrain). In this case, see page
8-21 for an explanation on how to access the
radiator.

Start the engine after making sure that the
warning light is out. Continuous use while
the warning light is on may cause damage to
the engine.EBU27284Engine trouble warning light“”
This warning light comes on or flashes when an
electrical circuit monitoring the engine is not work-
ing correctly. When this occurs, have a Yamaha
dealer check the self-diagnosis system. (See page
4-7 for an explanation of the self-diagnosis device.)
The electrical circuit of the warning light can be
checked by turning the key to “ON”. The warning
light should come on for a few seconds, and then
go off.
If the warning light does not come on initially when
the key is turned to “ON”, or if the warning light re-
mains on, have a Yamaha dealer check the electri-
cal circuit.EBU29061Electric Power Steering warning light “EPS”
(for EPS model)
This warning light comes on when the key is turned
to “ON”, and then goes off once the engine is start-
ed. If the warning light remains on or comes on af-
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4-4
4ter the engine is started, the EPS system may not
be working correctly. When this occurs, have a
Yamaha dealer check the EPS system.
The electrical circuit of the warning light can be
checked by turning the key to “ON”. If the warning
light does not come on, have a Yamaha dealer
check the electrical circuit.
TIP
If the engine is stopped using the engine stop
switch and the key is in the “ON” position, the
EPS warning light comes on to indicate that the
power assistance for the steering is not function-
ing.
If the steering load is too heavy (i.e., excessive
steering use when the ATV is traveling at a slow
speed), the power assist is reduced to protect
the EPS motor from overheating.EBU29621On-Command four-wheel-drive indicator“”,
On-Command differential gear lock
indicator“” and indicator light “DIFF.
LOCK”
The On-Command four-wheel-drive indicator“”
comes on when the On-Command four-wheel-
drive switch is set to the “4WD” position.The On-Command differential gear lock
indicator“” and the On-Command differential
gear lock indicator light “DIFF. LOCK” come on
when the On-Command differential gear lock
switch is set to the “LOCK” position.
TIP
Due to the synchronizing mechanism in the dif-
ferential gear case, the four-wheel-drive indica-
tor may not come on until the ATV starts moving.
When the On-Command differential gear lock
switch is set to “LOCK”, the indicator“” and
the indicator light “DIFF. LOCK” will flash until
the differential gear is locked. If the indicator and
the indicator light continue to flash, the differen-
tial is not locked. In this case, start moving to al-
low time for the differential to lock.
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