RV Recalls

Wide ranging problems force recalls

2012-03-05T07:00:00.002-08:00

A wide range of bugs makes the scene for RV recalls this time around. Uncle Sam's National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation provides this information:

Thor Motor Coach (TMC) is recalling 165 model year 2010 Windsport and Hurricane motorhomes manufactured from April 27, 2009 through Sept. 3, 2010. On these vehicles, the exhaust system is close to the vehicle's storage compartment. Heat can build up in this area.

Heat buildup could result in a fire, property damage, personal injury or death.

TMC will notify owners, and dealers will install a heat shield to protect the storage compartment from the heat generated by the exhaust. This service will be performed free of charge. TMC has not provided NHTSA with a notification schedule. Owners may contact TMC at 1.877.855.2867. Thor Motor Coach's safety recalls number is RC000042.

Navistar Inc. is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Beaver, certain model year 2009-2011 Monaco, and certain model year 2009-2011 Holiday Rambler RVs manufactured from Oct. 25, 2007 through Aug. 26, 2010, equipped with Iota ITS-50R 50 amp automatic transfer switches. The Iota ITS-50R 50 amp automatic transfer switch bus bar and/or electrical connections may be inadequate to handle the electrical load.

Electrical overload of the transfer switch could lead to overheating, and a fire, increasing the risk of property damage, personal injury or death.

Navistar will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Iota ITS-50R transfer switch free of charge. Owners may contact Navistar at 1.800.448.7825. Navistar's recall number is 12504.

Winnebago Industries Inc. is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Winnebago and Itasca motorhomes built on a Ford F-53 chassis. The 'prndl' cable may break at the attachment to the transmission control selector arm assembly mounted on the steering column. If the cable breaks, the transmission gear indicator in the 'prndl' display in the instrument panel will remain in the first gear position regardless of the gear selected.

An incorrect gear indication in the instrument panel may prevent the driver from knowing if they are in park or reverse, increasing the risk of a crash.

Winnebago will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission selector arm assembly and the 'prndl' cable assembly, free of charge. Owners may contact Winnebago Industries Owner Relations at 1.641.585.6939.

Tiffin is potentially recalling 13 certain Model Year 2011, 2012 and 2013 recreational vehicles, models Phaeton and Zephyr, equipped with a Cummins ISB, ISC, ISL or ISX 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 that 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. If the inlet or outlet sections disconnect, hot exhaust gases can vent prior to exiting the tailpipe, creating the risk of combustion and a fire. If both clamps fail, there is a risk in some applications that the DOC/DPF housing may detach completely, creating a road hazard.

Tiffin is working with Cummins to identify and notify owners of the recall campaign. Repairs will be performed by authorized Cummins dealers free of charge.

Owners may contact Cummins at 812-377-5000 or Tiffin at 256-356-8661. Cummins recall campaign number is c1154.

January 2012 RV recalls

2012-02-15T16:08:00.000-08:00

Looks like the RV industry has taken a cue from Adam Brand's country western ditty, Drive it Til the Wheels Fall Off. All of the official US Government recalls involving recreational vehicles involve just that problem.

Thor is recalling certain model year 2012 Dutchmen Voltage and Rubicon trailers, manufactured from July 19, 2011 through December 21, 2011. The trailer wheels may not be fully seated on the hub and therefore may loosen and potentially detach from the trailer. Wheel separation can lead to loss of control of the trailer increasing the risk of a crash. A detached wheel also poses a risk of injury to pedestrians and other vehicles. Thor will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wheels, and repair the trailers as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during February 2012. Owners may contact Thor Industries, Inc. at 1-937-596-6849.

Crossroads RV is recalling certain model year 2012 Rushmore and Elevation recreational vehicles manufactured from June 1, 2011, through January 12, 2012, with panther style 16" 8-lug aluminum wheels. These vehicles have been manufactured with an incorrect wheel center cap. The center cap that was assembled with the trailer did not provide adequate clearance to allow the wheel to fully seat on the hub face of the axle. This can result in a wheel becoming loose and potentially coming off of the trailer. A wheel separation can lead to loss of control of the trailer increasing the risk of a crash, serious injuries, or damage to others. Crossroads RV will notify owners, and replace the center caps free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during February 2012. Owners may contact Crossroads RV at 1-888-226-7496.

DRV Suites (DRV), formerly Doubletree RV, is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2011 Select, Mobile, and Elite Suite recreational vehicles manufactured from June 12, 2007, through October 27, 2010 and equipped with disc brakes. Due to the paint applied to the aluminum wheel and hub face, the wheel may become loose. This situation can result in the wheel/rim moving, shearing of the wheel studs and the wheel coming off of vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. DRV will notify owners, and dealers will remove the paint from the hub face and the back of the wheels free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during February or early March 2012. Owners may contact DRV at 1-574-457-6472.

December RV recalls

2012-01-12T10:42:00.000-08:00

It was a quiet month for the RV industry in December. Here's the list of recalls published by the US Department of Transportation's Office of Defects.

Keystone has revised its remedy process and is again recalling certain 2009-2011 vehicles with the "generator ready" option, or with standard generator. Some IOTA ITS-50R transfer switches are experiencing failures when exposed to high electrical loads. The failure is causing connections and wiring in the transfer switch to degrade and over heat. Continued use of the vehicle without replacing the transfer switch may damage other appliances, increase the risk of a fire, personal injury, and property damage. Keystone will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transfer switch, free of charge. The remedy for the previous recall (10V-594) was to inspect and tighten the switch connections. The safety recall is expected to begin during January 2012. Owners may contact Keystone Customer Service at 1-866-425-4369.

Spartan is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 K2 recreational vehicles manufactured from September 30, 2010, through November 22, 2011, rated at 52,000 lbs and equipped with 3030 brake chambers. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 121, "Air Brake Systems" because they do not meet the park brake and draw bar requirements. The park brake may not hold the vehicle in place and if the vehicle moves, injury or property damage could occur without warning. Spartan will notify owners and install improved brake chambers, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule for this campaign. Owners may contact Spartan at 1-517-543-6400.

Recalls for November 2011

2011-12-08T08:48:00.000-08:00

We start the list off with something other than an RV. Some RVers have modified their rigs or tow vehicles with after-market accessories. Included are a couple of popular brands of oil and fuel filters.

Baldwin Filters is recalling certain Baldwin and Hastings brand oil and fuel filters sold as aftermarket parts designed for use in a variety of small diesel engines used in light/medium duty applications such as pickup trucks, vans, or buses. The defective oil/fuel filters were manufactured between July 2011 and October 2011. The gasket material loses the ability to resist permanent deformation under heat and load. As this event progresses, the gasket is no longer able to provide the necessary sealing capability. Fluid loss in the application will subsequently occur, which in turn could lead to power loss while the vehicle is in operation, increasing the risk of a crash. Also, a fuel leak could cause a fire. Baldwin will retrofit the filter with new gaskets free of charge. The safety recall began on November 18, 2011. Owners may contact Baldwin Filters Service Engineering at 1-800-822-5394 ext. 79729.

Universal Specialty Vehicles (USV) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Eagle recreational vehicles manufactured from September 1, 2010, through December 31, 2010, 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. If the inlet or outlet sections disconnect, hot exhaust gases can vent prior to exiting the tailpipe, creating the risk of combustion and a fire. If both clamps fail, there is a risk in some applications that the DOC/DPF housing may detach completely, creating a road hazard. USV is working with Cummins to identify and notify owners of the recall campaign. Repairs will be performed by authorized Cummins dealers free of charge. The safety recall began October 10, 2011. Owners may contact Cummins at 1-812-377-5000.

Forest River is recalling certain model year 2011 Berkshire models 360FWS, 390BH, 390RB and 390QS recreational vehicles manufactured from September 1, 2010, through February 28, 2011, 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. If the inlet or outlet sections disconnect, hot exhaust gases can vent prior to exiting the tailpipe, creating the risk of combustion and a fire. If both clamps fail, there is a risk in some applications that the DOC/DPF housing may detach completely, creating a road hazard. Forest River is working with Cummins to identify and notify owners of the recall campaign. Repairs will be performed by authorized Cummins dealers free of charge. The safety recall began October 10, 2011. Owners may contact Cummins at 1-812-377-5000.

Tiffin Motorhomes, Inc. (Tiffin) is recalling certain model year 2011 Allegro and Phaeton recreational vehicles built on Freightliner chassis and equipped with a Cummins ISC, ISX, ISM, 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. If the inlet or outlet sections disconnect, hot exhaust gases can vent prior to exiting the tailpipe, creating the risk of combustion and a fire. If both clamps fail, there is a risk in some applications that the DOC/DPF housing may detach completely, creating a road hazard. Tiffin is working with Cummins to identify and notify owners of the recall campaign. Repairs will be performed by authorized Cummins dealers free of charge. The safety recall began on October 10, 2011. Owners may contact Cummins at 1-812-377-5000 or Tiffin at 1-256-356-8661. Cummins recall campaign number is C1154.

Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 D4505 motor coaches manufactured from May 1, 2010, through September 30, 2011. These vehicles were equipped with Penntex alternators that, as installed, may collect moisture at the power stud. This moisture may result in corrosion buildup at and around the power stud base. This corrosion may create a short circuit between the power stud and the alternator body, which in turn could result in burning of the power stud or the power cable end. This could increase the risk of a fire. Additionally, the vehicle battery could discharge which could cause the vehicle to stall. MCI will inspect and modify the alternator installation free of charge. The safety recall began on November 30, 2011. Owners may contact MCI customer service at 1-800-241-2947.

Winnebago is recalling certain model year 2012 Era motor homes, manufactured from July 25, 2011, through August 4, 2011and built on Sprinter/Daimler chassis. The supplier of the rear springs rolled the spring eye diameter out of tolerance during production, and then corrected the diameter without heating the parts. This could potentially lead to a crack of the spring eye over time. If a spring eye were to crack, the rear spring could collapse, suddenly upsetting the vehicles handling, which could increase the risk of a crash. Winnebago is working with Sprinter/Daimler to notify owners. Sprinter/Daimler dealers will replace the rear springs as necessary free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule. Owners may contact Sprinter at 1-877-762-8267.

Jayco is recalling certain model year 2012 jay Flight And Eagle Super Lite ½ ton travel trailers manufactured from October 6, 2011, through October 17, 2011. The power converters may have been built with an undersized input coil, which may cause overheating, smoking, and melting of the converter. This could result in a fire, injury or death. Jayco will notify owners, and Jayco dealers will repair the travel trailers as necessary free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during December 2011. Owners may contact Jayco at 1-800-283-8267.

Starcraft is recalling certain model year 2012 Autumn Ridge and Travel Star travel trailers manufactured from October 6, 2011, through October 17, 2011. The power converters may have been built with an undersized input coil, which may cause overheating, smoking, and melting of the converter. This could result in a fire, injury or death. Starcraft will notify owners, and Starcraft dealers will repair the travel trailers as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during December 2011. Owners may contact Starcraft at 1-800-283-8267.

Navistar is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Beaver, Holiday Rambler and Monaco Coach brand recreational vehicles manufactured from January 11, 2008, through April 15, 2011. The front windshield shade may separate from the cabin body without warning, possibly impairing the driver's ability to see the roadway. An impairment to a driver's ability to see the roadway could cause a vehicle crash potentially resulting in property damage, personal injury, or death. Navistar will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the shade mounting clips and repair the vehicles as necessary free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin December 10, 2011. Owners may contact Navistar at 1-877-466-6226.

Keystone is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Cougar fifth wheel trailers manufactured from May 12, 2006, through February 12, 2009, for incorrect information on the federal identification tag and tire and loading information label. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of part 567, "Certification." The subject vehicles were manufactured with a label that lists the maximum tire pressure of 80psi instead of the correct maximum pressure of 65psi. Overinflating tires increases the risk of tire failure and property damage. Keystone will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during December 2011. Owners may contact Keystone Customer Service at 1-866-425-4369.

READ LAST MONTH'S RV RECALLS.

RV Recalls, October, 2011

2011-12-06T18:13:00.000-08:00

Airstream is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 International, 16 foot , recreational vehicles manufactured from May 10, 2010, through September 27, 2011. These vehicles were manufactured with the incorrect tire information label. During replacement of the tires, a consumer could install the incorrect tire, potentially leading to property damage. Airstream will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on October 20, 2011. Owners may contact Airstream at 1-937-596-6111.

Jayco is recalling certain model year 2010- 2011 Greyhawk Class C motor homes manufactured from May 28, 2009, through September 22, 2010 for an improper electrical connection at the buss bar on the affected transfer switches. This could lead to overheating and melting of the transfer switch, increasing the risk of a fire, injury or death. Dealers will replace the transfer switch free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2011. Owners may contact Jayco at 1-800-283-8267.

Jayco is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Jay Feather LGT travel trailers manufactured from October 9, 2006, through April 17, 2008. These travel trailers may have insufficient clearance between the tires and the wheel well. This could allow the tires to contact the wheel well increasing the risk of a crash, injury, or death. Jayco will notify owners, and Jayco dealers will add a spacer to increase the distance between the axle and the wheel well. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2011. Owners may contact Jayco at 1-800-283-8267.

Cruiser RV is recalling certain model year 2011 Shadow Cruiser and Viewfinder recreational vehicles, models V-27RBSS, V-22RBDS, S-285RLS, S-260BHS AND S-280QBS, manufactured from April 21, 2011, through September 6, 2011. These vehicles have the incorrect Federal ID Tag, Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) information labels which fails to comply with the requirements of Part 567, “Certification.” Failure to follow proper vehicle loading specifications because of a misprinted label could increase the risk of a crash. Cruiser RV will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2011. Owners may contact Cruiser RV at 1-574-457-6472.

Keystone is recalling certain model year 2012 Passport travel trailers manufactured from September 15, 2011, through September 28, 2011. The rear living room is missing an egress window. In the event that
an emergency evacuation is necessary, the absence of an egress window will increase the risk of personal injury. Dealers will replace the window currently installed with an egress window free of charge. The safety recall began on October 25, 2011. Owners may contact Keystone Customer Service at 1-866-425-4369.

Spartan is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 K2, K3, MM, and SU incomplete recreational vehicle chassis manufactured from January 4, 2010, through January 26, 2011, equipped with an electronic control module, part number 2791-NN2E-001 or 2791-NN2E-002. When the brake is applied, the cruise control may not cancel. Additionally, these vehicles may exhibit an inadvertent, moderate increase in vehicle speed until the vehicles reaches its governed speed after the vehicle’s cruise control is set. If the driver attempts to cancel the cruise control by applying the brake or if the vehicle speed increases and the driver is unaware, they may have reduced control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. The manufacturer is in the process of developing a remedy for this issue. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule for this campaign. Owners may contact Spartan at 1-800-543- 5008 Option 5. Spartan’s safety recall number is 11027.

Thor Motor Coach (TMC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Tuscany, Astoria, and Avanti recreational vehicles manufactured from January 21, 2011, through September 16, 2011, 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. If the inlet or outlet sections disconnect, hot exhaust gases can vent prior to exiting the tailpipe, creating the risk of combustion and a fire. If both clamps fail, there is a risk in some applications that the doc/dpf housing may detach completely, creating a road hazard. TMC is working with Cummins to identify and notify owners of the recall campaign. Repairs will be performed by authorized Cummins dealers free of charge. The safety recall began October 10, 2011. Owners may contact Cummins at 1-812-377-5000.

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. If the inlet or outlet sections disconnect, hot exhaust gases can vent prior to exiting the tailpipe, creating the risk of combustion and a fire. If both clamps fail, there is a risk in some applications that the DOC/DPF housing may detach completely, creating a road hazard. 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.