2018 YAMAHA KODIAK 450 Owners Manual

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technique described in this manual on level
ground. Avoid crossing the side of a steep hill if
possible.
 Always use proper procedures if you stall or roll
backwards when climbing a hill. To avoid stall-
ing, use the proper gear range and maintain a
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
reduce the chance of skidding or sliding out of
control. 
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 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.
 Do not operate your ATV during darkness un-
less it is equipped with a properly functioning
headlight. Off-road riding is inherently danger-
ous and additionally, off-road trails do not have
streetlights to guide you.
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Never maintain an ATV without proper knowl-
edge. Contact an authorized ATV dealer to in-
form you on basic ATV maintenance. Certain
maintenance can only be carried out by certified
staff.
In the event of an accident 1. If serious injuries are incurred, you may be safer staying next to your vehicle; it may
shield you from oncoming riders. Depending
on your injuries and position in the trail; you
must make a judgment call as to whether you
should move to a position off the trail. If you
have sustained head, neck, or back injuries,
or cannot feel your limbs, you should not
move. Keep your helmet on and remain mo-
tionless. Lie down next to your vehicle and
wait for help.
2. If less serious injuries are incurred and you can walk, then move to a position off the trail.
Check yourself for injuries and apply first aid
as needed.
3. If your injuries are light, when safe to do so, move your vehicle off the trail to avoid colli-
sions with oncoming riders. Check for injuries
and apply first aid as necessary. If you can
physically operate your vehicle, inspect your vehicle. If the vehicle is in safe operating con-
dition and you can safely operate it, restart it
and ride gently back to camp or other known
location where you can receive medical at-
tention. If necessary, contact your riding party
or local authorities to let them know where
you are and what has happened.
In the event of a breakdown 1. If your vehicle will not restart or is not in safe operating condition, turn off the main switch
and engine stop switch. If the breakdown oc-
curs at twilight or night, leave the main switch
on so that your lights may warn other riders of
your stopped vehicle.
2. Get out of danger. Check for oncoming vehi- cles and when safe, push your vehicle to the
side of the trail or even off the main trail to
avoid any possible collisions with oncoming
riders. If you cannot move your vehicle by
yourself, when safe, walk to the nearest van-
tage point and signal an oncoming rider to
help you push your vehicle to a safe place off
the trail.
3. Inspect your vehicle for any immediate haz- ardous conditions. The most obvious hazard-
ous conditions are leaking fuel and
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ungrounded or broken wiring. Visually check
for broken wiring and leaking fuel. Leaking
fuel can be confirmed by the odor of gasoline.
4. Once immediate safety hazards are con- firmed not to exist, you may remove your hel-
met to more closely inspect your vehicle.
Check for external signs of wear, broken
parts, fluid leaks, cracks in the frame, sus-
pension damage, wheel damage, and so on.
Fuel, oil, and coolant usually give off a notice-
able odor.
5. If your vehicle will not restart or if it is unsafe to ride, then turn off all vehicle systems (en-
gine stop switch, main switch, and fuel cock),
and then signal or go for help.
Aftermarket Parts, Accessories, and Modifica-
tions
While you may find aftermarket products similar in
design and quality to genuine Yamaha accesso-
ries, recognize that some aftermarket accessories
or modifications are not suitable because of po-
tential safety hazards to you or others. Installing
aftermarket products or having other modifica-
tions performed to your vehicle that change any of
the vehicle’s design or operation characteristics
can put you and others at greater risk of serious injury or death. You are responsible for injuries re-
lated to changes in the vehicle. Keep the following
guidelines in mind, as well as those found in the
Loading section (page 6-6) when mounting acces-
sories.

Never install accessories that would impair the
performance of your ATV. Carefully inspect the
accessory before using it to make sure that it
does not in any way reduce ground clearance,
limit suspension travel, steering travel or control
operation.
 Accessories fitted to the ATV can create insta-
bility due to improper weight distribution.
 Bulky or large accessories may seriously affect
the stability of the ATV.
 Certain accessories can displace the operator
from his or her normal riding position. This im-
proper position limits the freedom of movement
of the operator and may limit control ability,
therefore, such accessories are not recom-
mended.
 Use caution when adding electrical accesso-
ries. If electrical accessories exceed the capac-
ity of the ATV’s electrical system, an electric
failure could result, which could cause a dan-
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2gerous loss of lights or engine power. Also, the
battery tends to discharge more quickly if elec-
trical accessories are added.
WARNING
EWB00073Avoid 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
and 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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EBU17681
DESCRIPTION
EBU17691Left view
EBU17701Right view
1. Radiator cap
2. Air filter case
3. Battery
4. Fuses
5. Tail/brake light
6. Engine oil filler cap
7. Oil filter cartridge
8. Coolant reservoir
9. V-belt cooling duct check hose
1
2
3
4
5
9
7
8
6
1. Spark arrester
2. Storage compartment and tool kit
3. Fuel tank cap
4. Spark plug
5. Auxiliary DC jack
6. Front shock absorber spring preload adjuster
7. Rear brake light switch
8. Brake pedal
9. V-belt case drain plug
10.Rear shock absorber spring preload adjuster 110
6
2
3
4
5
7
9
8
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EBU17714Controls and instrumentsTIPThe ATV you have purchased may differ slightly
from the figures shown in this manual. 1. Rear brake lever
2. Handlebar switches
3. Horn switch
4. Drive select lever
5. Display unit
6. Front brake fluid reservoir
7. On-Command four-wheel-drive switch “2WD”/“4WD”
8. Throttle lever
9. Front brake lever
10.Main switch
1
2
3
5
6
9
7
4
10
8
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EBU17739
INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
EBU29912Main switchThe 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
1
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EBU26697Indicator lights and warning lightsEBU17861Neutral indicator light “ ”
This indicator light comes on when the transmis-
sion is in the neutral position.
EBU17831Reverse indicator light “ ”
This indicator light comes on when the transmis-
sion is in the reverse position.EBU17971Park indicator light “ ”
This indicator light comes on when the transmis-
sion is in the park position.EBU34560Coolant temperature warning light “ ”
This warning light comes on when the engine
overheats. 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 remains on, have a Yamaha dealer check the
electrical circuit.
1. Neutral indicator light “N”
2. Reverse indicator light “R”
3. Park indicator light “P”
4. Coolant temperature warning light “ ”
5. Electric Power Steering warning light “EPS” (for EPS model)
6. Engine trouble warning light “ ”
7. On-Command four-wheel-drive indicator light “ ”1
2
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