ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Winnebago Industries is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Winnebago Journey and Tour motorhomes, and certain model year 2010-2013 Itasca Meridian and Ellipse motorhomes, manufactured June 18, 2010, through November 17, 2011. The chassis are equipped with connectors for diode jumpers that may come loose, resulting in an open circuit. Two circuits are affected: The one that disengages the cruise control with brake pedal use, and the one that illuminates the brake lights with brake pedal use.
Remedy: Daimler Trucks North America will be conducting the recall on behalf of Winnebago Industries. Daimler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the the diode jumpers to make sure they are fully locked in place and will correct the vehicles as needed. The recall began December 26, 2012. Owners should contact Winnebago at 1-641-585-3535 or Daimler Trucks at 1-503-745-6910.
1,521 vehicles affected
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 JOURNEY, MERIDIAN, TOUR, ELLIPSE MOTOR HOMES AND WINNEBAGO COMMERCIAL VEHICLES BUILT ON MC, XCL, AND XCS CHASSIS FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2010, THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2010, AND EQUIPPED WITH A CUMMINS ISX OR ISL DIESEL ENGINE. THE V-BAND CLAMP ASSEMBLY, PART NUMBERS Q187684, Q187685, AND Q187686, USED TO CONNECT THE INLET AND OUTLET CONE SECTIONS TO THE DIESEL OXIDATION CATALYST (DOC)/DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER (DPF) INCLUDE A T-BOLT WHICH CAN FRACTURE AND FAIL WHEN SUBJECTED TO STRESS OR LOAD. A FRACTURE OR FAILURE OF THE T-BOLT MAY CAUSE THE CLAMP TO LOOSEN AND THE INLET OR OUTLET SECTIONS ATTACHED TO THE DOC/DPF HOUSING TO DISCONNECT.
Remedy: WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA (THE SUPPLIER OF THE CHASSIS) AND CUMMINS TO IDENTIFY AND NOTIFY OWNERS OF THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED THE AGENCY WITH A REMEDY PLAN FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 10, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CUMMINS AT 1-812-377-5000.
237 vehicles affected
EQUIPMENT
WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING CERTAIN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1200-SERIES NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. THE POPULATION OF REFRIGERATORS BEING ADDRESSED CONTAINS EITHER A SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A POTENTIAL FIRE. THE RESPONSE TIMES OF THE SENSOR ALGORITHM AND THERMAL SWITCH DEVICES TO STOP POWER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT.
Remedy: WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH NORCOLD TO IDENTIFY AND NOTIFY ANY AFFECTED OWNERS. OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT NORCOLD DEALERS TO RECEIVE THE REMEDY FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE SEE NORCOLD'S DEFECT REPORT 10E-049 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING DECEMBER 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD AT 1-800-767-9101 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-3535.
18,461 vehicles affected
RV SLIDEOUTS OFTEN HAVE PASSENGER SEATING. ON CERTAIN MODELS OF POWER GEAR SLIDE SYSTEMS, THERE IS A LOCK SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT THE SLIDEOUT CAN'T MOVE WHILE DRIVING. THESE LOCKING MECHANISMS CIRCA 2010 - 2012? WERE DEFECTIVE AND OFTEN JAM IN THE UNLOCKED POSITION. THE OPERATOR HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THE LOCK IS INOPERATIVE AND NOT HOLDING THE SLIDEOUT CLOSED. THIS PRESENTS A DANGER TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE COACH AS A VEHICLE IN MOTION, AND A DANGER TO PASSENGERS WHO ARE SEAT-BELTED INTO THE SLIDEOUT. IN 2012 POWERGEAR AND KWIKEE (BOTH DIVISIONS OF LIPPERT ( LCI INDUSTRIES) & WINNEBAGO OFFERED AN "UPGRADE" KIT TO FIX THIS SLIDEOUT LOCKS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY RECALL! ATTACHED IS THE POWERGEAR BULLETIN REGARDING THE KIT SUPPLIED TO 'UPGRADE' THE LOCKS SO THEY WOULD NOT FAIL IN THE OPEN POSITION. I HAVE TRIED TO GET LCI TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY REFUSE. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON MANY BRANDS OF RV'S THAT USE THE POWERGEAR ARM AND PINION SLIDEOUT MECHANISMS. A WEB SEARCH OF THE RV FORUMS WILL YIELD STORIES OF RV OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD VARIOUS STANDINGS AND MAJOR PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF THESE LOCKS. MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS ONLY THAT I DISCOVERED THESE LOCKS ON MY COACH WERE NOT WORKING AND AM DEEPLY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY BECAUSE OF THE RISK POSED BY TWO OF MY SLIDES NOT BEING LOCKED. LCI HAS DECLINED TO DO MORE THAN OFFER A 25% DISCOUNT ON THE ENTIRE SLIDE MECHANISM (MUCH MORE THAN NEEDED TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE).
RV SLIDEOUTS OFTEN HAVE PASSENGER SEATING. ON CERTAIN MODELS OF POWER GEAR SLIDE SYSTEMS, THERE IS A LOCK SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT THE SLIDEOUT CAN'T MOVE WHILE DRIVING. THESE LOCKING MECHANISMS CIRCA 2010 - 2012? WERE DEFECTIVE AND OFTEN JAM IN THE UNLOCKED POSITION. THE OPERATOR HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THE LOCK IS INOPERATIVE AND NOT HOLDING THE SLIDEOUT CLOSED. THIS PRESENTS A DANGER TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE COACH AS A VEHICLE IN MOTION, AND A DANGER TO PASSENGERS WHO ARE SEAT-BELTED INTO THE SLIDEOUT. IN 2012 POWERGEAR AND KWIKEE (BOTH DIVISIONS OF LIPPERT ( LCI INDUSTRIES) & WINNEBAGO OFFERED AN "UPGRADE" KIT TO FIX THIS SLIDEOUT LOCKS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY RECALL! ATTACHED IS THE POWERGEAR BULLETIN REGARDING THE KIT SUPPLIED TO 'UPGRADE' THE LOCKS SO THEY WOULD NOT FAIL IN THE OPEN POSITION. I HAVE TRIED TO GET LCI TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY REFUSE. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON MANY BRANDS OF RV'S THAT USE THE POWERGEAR ARM AND PINION SLIDEOUT MECHANISMS. A WEB SEARCH OF THE RV FORUMS WILL YIELD STORIES OF RV OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD VARIOUS STANDINGS AND MAJOR PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF THESE LOCKS. MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS ONLY THAT I DISCOVERED THESE LOCKS ON MY COACH WERE NOT WORKING AND AM DEEPLY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY BECAUSE OF THE RISK POSED BY TWO OF MY SLIDES NOT BEING LOCKED. LCI HAS DECLINED TO DO MORE THAN OFFER A 25% DISCOUNT ON THE ENTIRE SLIDE MECHANISM (MUCH MORE THAN NEEDED TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE).
RV SLIDEOUTS OFTEN HAVE PASSENGER SEATING. ON CERTAIN MODELS OF POWER GEAR SLIDE SYSTEMS, THERE IS A LOCK SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT THE SLIDEOUT CAN'T MOVE WHILE DRIVING. THESE LOCKING MECHANISMS CIRCA 2010 - 2012? WERE DEFECTIVE AND OFTEN JAM IN THE UNLOCKED POSITION. THE OPERATOR HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THE LOCK IS INOPERATIVE AND NOT HOLDING THE SLIDEOUT CLOSED. THIS PRESENTS A DANGER TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE COACH AS A VEHICLE IN MOTION, AND A DANGER TO PASSENGERS WHO ARE SEAT-BELTED INTO THE SLIDEOUT. IN 2012 POWERGEAR AND KWIKEE (BOTH DIVISIONS OF LIPPERT ( LCI INDUSTRIES) & WINNEBAGO OFFERED AN "UPGRADE" KIT TO FIX THIS SLIDEOUT LOCKS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY RECALL! ATTACHED IS THE POWERGEAR BULLETIN REGARDING THE KIT SUPPLIED TO 'UPGRADE' THE LOCKS SO THEY WOULD NOT FAIL IN THE OPEN POSITION. I HAVE TRIED TO GET LCI TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY REFUSE. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON MANY BRANDS OF RV'S THAT USE THE POWERGEAR ARM AND PINION SLIDEOUT MECHANISMS. A WEB SEARCH OF THE RV FORUMS WILL YIELD STORIES OF RV OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD VARIOUS STANDINGS AND MAJOR PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF THESE LOCKS. MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS ONLY THAT I DISCOVERED THESE LOCKS ON MY COACH WERE NOT WORKING AND AM DEEPLY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY BECAUSE OF THE RISK POSED BY TWO OF MY SLIDES NOT BEING LOCKED. LCI HAS DECLINED TO DO MORE THAN OFFER A 25% DISCOUNT ON THE ENTIRE SLIDE MECHANISM (MUCH MORE THAN NEEDED TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE).
WHILE OPERATING THE DRIVER FRONT SLIDE, THE HARNESS THAT ENCASES ELECTRICAL WIRES IN A PLASTIC CHAIN, DID NOT FLOW BACK INTO THE BOX DESIGNED FOR IT. THE PLASTIC CHAIN FAILED AND THE HARNESS BACKED UP AND GOT WEDGED BETWEEN THE AREA IT SLIDES INTO AND THE EXTERIOR OF THE SLIDE OUTSIDE THE MOTOR HOME SQUASHED THE HARNESS AND ELECTRICAL WIRES. AND OF COURSE, BECAUSE YOU ARE INSIDE THE RV CLOSING THE SLIDE, YOU DON'T SEE THE DAMAGES UNTIL ITS TOO LATE. THAT HARNESS ALSO IS ATTACHED TO A METAL BRACKET WHICH IS IN RETURN ATTACHED TO THE MOVING SLIDE. WITH 50 AMP SERVICE PLUGGED INTO THE RV, I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A SEVERE ELECTRICAL HAZARD. THE PLASTIC CHAIN HARNESS ALSO BECAME DETACHED FROM THE REAR OF THE "BOX" IT SLIDES INTO WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO THE RV. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE DAMAGES WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO MY COACH. I HAVE ALSO REVIEWED INTERNET FORUMS. THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THIS DESIGN. IT'S MY OPINION THAT ELECTRICAL HAZARDS LIKE THIS COULD CAUSE BODILY INJURY OR START FIRES. I AM SURPRISED THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN, NOR GOTTEN, ANY RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE. I HAVE HEARD OTHERS SAY THAT THIS WAS A BAD DESIGN, AND YET WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES KNOWS THIS, WILL NOT ELABORATE ON THEIR TECHNICAL FIX, OR A PUT OUT A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM SO THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN TO US OR OTHERS. WITHOUT RECALL, AND THIS HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE, THEY MIGHT NOT BE SO LUCK TO RECTIFY THIS ON THE ROAD BECAUSE THE DAMAGES COULD BE MORE SEVERE UPDATED 11/14/13*CN