Polaris RANGER 500 EFI 4X4 2011 User manual

PMS 419
Owner's Manual
for Maintenance and Safety
500 EFI 4X4
500 EFI CREW
RANGER

WARNING
Read, understand, and follow all of the instructions and safety precautions in
this manual and on all product labels.
Failure to follow the safety precautions could result in serious injury or death.
WARNING
The engine exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

The text is printed on 100% recycled
with 40% post-consumer waste (PCW).

For your nearest Polaris dealer,
call 1-800-POLARIS
or visit www.polarisindustries.com
Polaris Sales Inc.,
2100 Hwy. 55, Medina, MN 55340
Phone [phone]
Part No. 9923135 Rev 01
Printed in USA
PMS 419
*9923135 *
WARNING
Improper vehicle use can result in SEVERE INJURY or DEATH.
READ OWNER'S MANUAL.
FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS.
NEVER Operate:
At speeds too fast for your skills or the conditions.
After or while using Alcohol or Drugs.
On hills steeper than 15 degrees 15 .
On public roads. A collision can occur with another vehicle.
With more than ONE passenger on the 4X4, with more than
THREE passengers on the CREW, or with passengers under age
twelve or who cannot comfortably reach the floor and hand holds.
On paved surfaces - pavement may seriously affect handling
and control.
With non-Polaris approved accessories - they may seriously affect
stability.
ALWAYS:
Wear your seat belt. Vehicle rollover could cause severe injury or
death.
Wear a helmet and eye protection and keep hands and feet in vehicle
at all times. Use the cab nets.
Reduce speed and use extra caution when carrying passengers.
Avoid sharp turns or turns while applying heavy throttle.
Operate slowly in reverse - avoid sharp turns or sudden braking.
Make sure passenger reads and understands all safety labels.
Watch for branches or other hazards that could enter vehicle.

1
WELCOME
Thank you for purchasing a POLARIS vehicle, and welcome to our
world-wide family of POLARIS owners. We proudly produce an excit-
ing line of utility and recreational products.
• Snowmobiles
• All-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
•RANGER®utility vehicles
• Victory Motorcycles®
• Low Emission Vehicles (LEVs)
We believe POLARIS sets a standard of excellence for all utility and
recreational vehicles manufactured in the world today. Many years of
experience have gone into the engineering, design, and development of
your POLARIS vehicle, making it the finest machine we’ve ever pro-
duced.
For safe and enjoyable operation of your vehicle, be sure to follow the
instructions and recommendations in this owner’s manual. Your manual
contains instructions for minor maintenance, but information about
major repairs is outlined in the POLARIS Service Manual and should be
performed only by a factory certified Master Service Dealer®(MSD)
technician.
Your POLARIS dealer knows your vehicle best and is interested in your
total satisfaction. Be sure to return to your dealership for all of your ser-
vice needs during, and after, the warranty period.
We also take great pride in our complete line of apparel, parts and acces-
sories, available through our online store at www.purepolaris.com. Have
your accessories and clothing delivered right to your door!

2
POLARIS, THE WAY OUT, RANGER and RANGER CREW are registered trademarks
of POLARIS Industries Inc.
Copyright 2010 POLARIS Sales Inc. All information contained within this publication
is based on the latest product information at the time of publication. Due to constant
improvements in the design and quality of production components, some minor discrep-
ancies may result between the actual vehicle and the information presented in this publi-
cation. Depictions and/or procedures in this publication are intended for reference use
only. No liability can be accepted for omissions or inaccuracies. Any reprinting or reuse
of the depictions and/or procedures contained within, whether whole or in part, is
expressly prohibited.
The original instructions for this vehicle are in English. Other languages are provided as
translations of the original instructions.
Printed in U.S.A.
2011 RANGER 500 EFI 4X4 / RANGER 500 EFI CREW Owner’s Manual
P/N 9923135

3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Vehicle Identification Numbers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Features and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Emission Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
POLARIS Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Declaration of Conformity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Maintenance Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

4
INTRODUCTION
The RANGER is an off-road vehicle. Familiarize yourself with all laws
and regulations concerning the operation of this vehicle in your area.
The following signal words and symbols appear throughout this manual
and on your vehicle. Your safety is involved when these words and sym-
bols are used. Become familiar with their meanings before reading the
manual.
The safety alert symbol indicates a potential personal injury hazard.
WARNING
A WARNING indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in
death or serious injury.
CAUTION
A CAUTION indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in
minor or moderate injury.
NOTICE
A NOTICE indicates a situation that may result in property damage.
The Prohibition Safety Sign indicates an action NOT to take in order
to avoid a hazard.
The Mandatory Action Sign indicates an action that NEEDS to be
taken to avoid a hazard.

5
INTRODUCTION
Failure to follow the warnings contained in this manual can result in severe
injury or death.
A POLARIS RANGER is not a toy and can be hazardous to operate. This
vehicle handles differently than other vehicles, such as motorcycles and cars. A
collision or rollover can occur quickly, even during routine maneuvers like
turning, or driving on hills or over obstacles, if you fail to take proper
precautions.
• Read this owner’s manual. Understand all safety warnings, precautions and
operating procedures before operating the vehicle. Keep this manual with the
vehicle.
• This vehicle is an ADULT VEHICLE ONLY. NEVER operate this vehicle if you
are under age 16 and NEVER operate without a valid driver’s license.
• No person under the age of 12 may ride as a passenger in this vehicle. Any
passenger must be able to comfortably reach the floor and hand holds.
• Never permit a guest to operate this vehicle unless the guest has read this
manual and all product labels.
• Always use the cab nets while riding in this vehicle.
• Always keep hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times.
WARNING

6
INTRODUCTION
Vehicle Identification Numbers
Record your vehicle's identification numbers and key number in the
spaces provided. Remove the spare key and store it in a safe place. An
ignition key can be duplicated only by ordering a POLARIS key blank
(using your key number) and mating it with one of your existing keys.
The ignition switch must be replaced if all keys are lost.
Vehicle Model Number: ___________________________________________________
Frame VIN: ____________________________________________________________
Engine Serial Number: ___________________________________________________
(label on side of engine)
Key Number ___________________________________________________________
Key
Number
####
VIN (Crew)
VIN (4X4)