2021 Newmar Dutch Star

Last week I had the air dryer filter replaced at Colton Truck Terminal in Colton Ca. Subsequently, I did the complete 7 step air brake system check and discovered that during total loss of air pressure , the emergency brakes would not auto apply. I replaced the dash hand valve and the problem still persists, so I installed the original valve and took the coach back to Colton Truck Terminal to diagnose the problem. Attached is the paper work from Colton Truck Terminal diagnosing the issue and the correction of that issue. Also on that paperwork is the vehicle information. Apparently, two air lines were crossed going into the primary air tank during chassis assembly. Once corrected, the system worked properly. I did not take it to a FL dealer because the chassis is out of warranty and Colton Truck Terminal is a well respected local repair company that almost exclusively works on Class A diesel pusher chassis. My hopes are that FL will reimburse me for this repair that was required as a result of improper initial assembly. My other concern is that there are no other chassis that may have this issue that were built around the same period. Though the emergency brakes could still be manually applied during loss of air pressure, the incorrect assembly prohibited automatic operation as required. You are welcome to call the repair facility to gather further information if you require or contact me as well by email or phone at [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My Newmar motorhome has 20,000 miles on it. When driving on the highway the steering intermittantly gets about 60% harder to steer for approximately 20 minutes then goes back to normal. It happens repeatedly and regardless of whether you are turning or going straight. Last week the problem became much worse. More importantly I was exiting the highway and the steering wheel turned by itself back to center while I was turning! Thank god I was moving slowly and was able to stop. I turned the motorhome engine off and restarted it and the steering was operational again. I called freightliner and spoke to a customer service person who said I had to bring it to a dealer which I did. Now they can not find the problem and want to charge me at least $2500.00 to start looking for the problem. I allowed them to investgate the problem for 1 hour of labor but they could not find a cause. Attached are the tech notes and estimate to continue looking for the problem. Freightliner has a known issue with steering on this particular chassis. They replace the steering column. I feel it is extremely dangerous for me to keep driving.

This model motorhome has a steering assist function to allow the steering wheel effort to be adjusted to a very light turning input or a very hard turning input. This feature is known as Comfort Drive or Comfort Steer. As I was driving down the highway at 60 MPH, I got a warning on the dash that said “Steering Effort Control (CTRL) Disabled” and the steering wheel immediately went into the very hard steering feel. While still driveable at highway speeds, all turns, especially at slow speeds are difficult to turn the wheel into and out of the turn. On a social media page for Newmar owners, I found that several people had this same issue and a “fix” to return the steering to normal was to turn off the chassis batteries and turn them back on. This did reset the Comfort Drive initially, but as I was making a turn at an intersection, the warning came on again, and because of the slow speed in making the turn, the steering wheel was excessively hard to turn and I drifted into the lane next to me and almost ran onto the curb. Had there been another vehicle next to me or a pedestrian walking on the sidewalk, it could have been a serious accident. Supposedly, Freightliner (the motorhome is built on a Freightliner chassis) knows about this issue but has not voluntarily offered to fix the issue. I am told there is no repair possible on this system, instead it requires a complete replacement of the steering column and a software update of the Comfort Drive system. Newmar says it is not their problem and Freightliner refuses to address the issue in a timely manner. I seriously believe that if this system were to shut off on someone not as capable of turning the steering wheel in the heaviest steering mode on this 50,000 pound vehicle, , there could very easily be an accident due to loss of control of the motorhome.

I recently purchased a 2021 Newmar Dutchstar Motorhome, and took delivery recently. The Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) sensor failed in less than 3,000 miles. As a newbie in the motorhome world, I was stunned and very disappointed that this failure occurred so quickly, and also with the ramifications of the failure. When DEF sensors fail the engine can go into derate state which can cause my coach to move at a maximum of 5 mph in less than a couple hundred miles, and then the engine SHUTS DOWN. I contacted Spartan motors, the manufacturer of my chassis, and was told that this is a known problem with diesel engines, and that there is a worldwide problem with the DEF failures compounded by a worldwide shortage in functioning replacement parts. The DEF sensors regulation was passed by EPA in 2016, stating the DEF concentration be measured in the DEF tanks of vehicles. I believe that Shaw Development is currently at the sixth generation of the DEF sensor which are still failing regularly on brand new 2021 motorhomes. That is six attempts to make a part that continues to leave people on long trips stranded. As a female driving my coach, this is a major problem. First, because I cannot even drive my brand-new coach anywhere but also because the prospect of getting stranded on the side of the road, as a female, is too frightening to risk. And there is no prediction when I will get the part needed to repair the failure, or whether that part will be defective too.