Snowmobile Polaris 550 IQ Shift / 550 IQ 136 / 550 IQ LXT (2013 year). Manual - part 3

14

SAFETY

Operator Safety

Ice and Snow Build-up

WARNING! Ice and snow build-up may interfere with the steering of your 
machine, resulting in serious injury or death. Keep the underhood area free of 
snow and ice.

Before driving, manually turn the skis to the left and right to be sure ice 
and snow are not interfering with full left and right steering. If difficulty 
is encountered, remove ice and snow build-up that may be obstructing 
the steering linkage.

Driving on Slippery Surfaces

WARNING! Never attempt an abrupt change of direction when operating on 
slippery surfaces. Proceed slowly and use extra caution. Driving on ice or hard-
packed snow reduces steering and braking control, which may result in loss of 
control and serious injury or death. Slow down and use extra caution when 
operating on slippery surfaces.

15

SAFETY

Operator Safety

Driving Downhill

When riding downhill, shift your weight to the rear of the machine and 
reduce your speed to a minimum. Apply just enough throttle to keep the 
clutch engaged, allowing the engine's compression to help slow the 
machine and keep it from rolling freely downhill.

WARNING! When driving on long downhill stretches, pump the brakes. Riding 
the brakes may cause the brake system to overheat, which may result in brake 
failure. Excessive or repetitive use of the brakes for high speed stops will also 
cause an overheated brake system. This condition may lead to a sudden loss of 
brakes and/or fire and may result in serious injury or death.

16

SAFETY

Operator Safety

Driving in Hilly Terrain

WARNING! Climbing a hill or crossing the face of a slope may result in loss of 
balance and machine roll-over, causing serious injury or death. Use caution and 
good judgement when driving in hilly terrain.

Use extra caution when operating in hilly terrain.  If climbing a hill is 
unavoidable, keep your weight low and forward.  If you must cross the 
face of a slope, keep your weight on the uphill side of the machine to 
maintain proper balance and avoid possible roll-over.

Slow down when reaching the crest of a hill.  Be prepared to react to 
obstacles, sharp drops or other people or vehicles that may be on the 
other side of the hill.

If you're unable to continue up a hill, turn the machine downhill before 
it loses momentum.  If this isn't possible, spin the track just enough to 
dig in to prevent it from rolling back down the hill.  Stop the engine and 
set the parking brake (if equipped).  Keeping away from the downhill 
side of the machine, pull the rear of the snowmobile around and point 
the front end and skis downhill.  Remount the machine, restart the 
engine, release the parking brake, and descend the hill carefully.

17

SAFETY

Operator Safety

Drive Belt

Do not operate the engine with the drive belt removed.

Any servicing that requires operation without a belt must be performed 
by your dealer.  Operation of the engine with the belt removed may 
result in injury or damage to the engine.

Intake Silencer

Do not operate the engine with the intake silencer or filter removed.

Damage to the engine may occur if the intake silencer or filter are 
removed. 

Clutches

Do not attempt to service the clutches.

All clutch service must be performed by your dealer.  The clutch is a 
complex mechanism that rotates at high speeds.  Each clutch is dynami-
cally balanced before installation.  Any tampering may disrupt this pre-
cision balancing and create an unstable condition.

Cold Weather Drive-Away

Whenever your snowmobile has been parked for a length of time, espe-
cially overnight, always make sure the skis and track are loosened from 
ice and snow before attempting to drive. Apply the throttle with enough 
authority to put the snowmobile into motion, but always operate within 
safety limits and, on 2-up machines, with respect for a passenger. 

Maneuverability

While much control and maneuverability is achieved through the steer-
ing system and skis, maximum control is achieved by the shifting of 
your body weight. Maneuverability will change for lighter operators or 
snowmobiles designed to carry a load or a passenger.

Maintenance

Follow the recommended maintenance program beginning on page 62 
of this manual to ensure that all critical components on the snowmobile 
are thoroughly inspected by your dealer at specific mileage intervals.