2017 Grand Design Solitude

The contact owns a 2017 Grand Design Solitude. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact became aware of a gap in the corner of the RV overhang, in the transition to the vehicle upper deck down to the lower deck. The contact became aware of movement underneath the fiberglass. Additionally, the contact stated that the bedroom doors were stuck, but upon setting the RV down on the jack stands, the doors became functional. There were several cracks in the aluminum frame and in the welds. The contact had contacted a welder, who performed welding on the defective areas. The RV was taken to the dealer, who sent more pictures of the failure to the manufacturer. The dealer replaced the front aluminum frame and the pilon underneath the fiber glass; however, the failure recurred. Additionally, the contact noticed that the bedroom flooring had become raised. The RV was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there were more fractures in the beams underneath the bedroom, and that the fractures were extensive. The dealer forwarded a claim to the manufacturer with pictures of the failure; however, the claim was denied. The RV was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE24029 (Structure). The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Grand Design Solitude RV. The contact stated that while driving, the rear axle suspension separated from vehicle. The contacted noticed that the rear axle shifted three inches towards the driver’s side. The vehicle was taken to a rest stop where an independent mechanic replaced the left and right leaf springs. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 8,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GRAND DESIGN SOLITUDE FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE BY ANOTHER DRIVER THAT THE REAR WALL OF THE TRAILER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND RATCHET STRAPPED THE BOTTOM OF THE REAR WALL ONTO THE SIDEWALL OF THE RV AND DROVE HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RV NEEDED TO BE INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 940. INVALID VIN.

BOUGHT NEW, AFTER 6 MONTHS OF USE THE BRAKES FAILED. THE LIPPERT AXLES ON THE COACH HAD FAILURE ON THE SEALS AND COATED THE BRAKES WITH GREASE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE ON A 16,000 TRAILER WITH NO BRAKES. LIPPERT KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON ALL OF THE TRAILERS WITH THEIR AXLES. MOST OF THE GRAND DESIGN COACHES ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM

NOTICE - LATE EMAIL.... 11/13/17 GRAND DESIGN RV 11333 COUNTY ROAD 2 MIDDLEBURY, IN 46540 GREETINGS, THIS LETTER IS REGARDING OUR 2017 SOLITUDE 375RES, VIN #[XXX]. WE PURCHASED THE UNIT IN FEBRUARY OF 2017 FROM LAZY DAYS RV IN TUCSON, AZ. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN UTAH WE FOUND THAT WE A BROKEN LEAF SPRING ON DRIVERS SIDE REAR AXEL AND THAT THE TIRE HAD BEEN DAMAGED. WE HAD THOSE REPLACED AT LES SCHWAB TIRES IN PROVO, UTAH AT OUR EXPENSE. THIS OCCURRED ON JUNE 14, 2017. I THEN CONTACTED THE FACTORY AND SPOKE WITH [XXX]. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THE PROBLEMS AND HE SAID THAT GRAND DESIGN WOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR REASONABLE COSTS. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE LEFT UTAH AND WENT CALDWELL, ID. AFTER ARRIVING THERE WE FOUND THAT THE OTHER THREE LEAF SPRINGS HAD COLLAPSED. I CONTACTED THE FACTORY AGAIN AND SPOKE TO [XXX] WHO SAID THAT HE COULD UNDERSTAND HAVING ONE BAD SPRING BUT TO HAVE ALL FOUR GO BAD WAS UNLIKELY AND THAT WE SHOULD HAVE IT WEIGHED. I AGREED. IN THE MEAN TIME I HAD THE WORK DONE AGAIN AT MY EXPENSE AND I THEN PARKED THE UNIT UNTIL WE COULD GET IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR OTHER WORK. ONCE THERE WE FOUND THAT YET ANOTHER SPRING HAD COLLAPSED. I HAD THE DEALER WEIGH THE UNIT AND IT WAS FOUND TO BE WITHIN THE PUBLISHED WEIGHTS FOR THIS UNIT. AS OF THIS WRITING THE DEALER SAYS THAT THEY ARE STILL WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM GRAND DESIGN. SO IN CLOSING WHILE WE AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE, I CAN'T HELP BUT TO CONSIDER THE BIGGER PICTURE AND THAT IS, ARE THESE AXEL/SPRINGS UNDERSIZED FOR THIS SIZE RV AND IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE THE HIGHWAYS? [XXX] CELL- [XXX] CC:FILE NHTSA GRAND DESIGN FORUM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

OUR TRAILER HAS A LIPPERT SUSPENSION ORIGINALLY WITH 7,000# AXLES THAT HAVE BEEN UPGRADED TO 8,000# AXLES JUST 4,200 MILES AGO. ONE OF THE FOUR SPRING PACKS CAME APART ON THE INTERSTATE CAUSING THE AXLE TO BECOME MISALIGNED AND NEARLY CAUSING US TO DRIVE OVER THE EDGE OF A GUARDRAIL ON A NARROW BRIDGE WITH TWO LANES AT 50MPH. THIS IS THE 3RD LIPPERT SPRING FAILURE WE HAVE HAD, BUT THE 6TH SUSPENSION FAILURE. UPON INSPECTION WE ALSO HAVE DISCOVERED THAT EACH TIME THE BRONZE BUSHINGS ARE PREMATURELY, COMPLETELY, WORN THROUGH SO THAT THERE IS NO ANTI-FRICTION SURFACE REMAINING. PICTURES ATTACHED.

WE PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2017 GRAND DESIGN SOLITUDE 310GK. UPON REVIEWING THE GRAND DESIGN OWNER'S FORUM, NUMEROUS PEOPLE REPORTED THEIR BRAKES BEING COVERED IN GREASE FROM THE LEAKING SEALS. 75% OF OWNERS POLLED IN THE FORUM REPORTED THEIR BRAKES ARE FAULTY. WE HAD OUR RV DEALER PULL THE DRUMS AND THEY REPORTED THAT ALL OF THE BRAKES ARE FAULTY AND COVERED IN GREASE. WE'RE NOW WAITING FOR THE REPAIR PARTS TO ARRIVE FROM GRAND DESIGN AND LIPPERT MFG. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE ON A CANADIAN ROCKIES TRIP LAST WEEK. IT'S A GOOD THING WE HAD THE BRAKES CHECKED AS THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS PROBLEM RESULTING IN INJURY OR EVEN A FATALITY SHOULD THE BRAKES FAIL. THIS IS A 12,000 LB. 5TH WHEEL. IT'S EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING THE GD AND LIPPERT KNOW THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE PROBLEM IN THE LAST 3 OR MORE YEARS. I AM ONE DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER!

OUR GRAND DESIGN SOLITUDE 310GK WAS MANUFACTURED IN SEP 2016. THE LCI/LIPPERT AXLES LEAKED GREASE OUT THE BACKSIDE PAST THE LIP SEAL AND GOT ALL OVER THE BRAKES AND MAGNET. NOTHING WRONG WITH THE LIP SEAL. SUSPECTED CAUSE IS OVERFILLING WITH GREASE DURING MANUFACTURING. IF YOU HAVE A GRAND DESIGN ANY MODEL MADE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS YOU BETTER PULL YOUR BRAKE DRUMS AND INSPECT. HAVE LOTS OF SHOP TOWELS...IT MAY BE A MESS. LUCKILY I WASN'T COMING DOWN SOME MOUNTAIN WITH GREASE ALL OVER MY BRAKES, SOMEBODY MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED.