COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. " WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 81 WITH THE ON BOARD GENERATOR ON, WE NOTICED A FOUL ODOR COMING INTO THE COACH. SHORTLY AFTER A LOSS OF COOLANT THE DASH LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD I FOUND THE HEATER CORE HAD SPRUNG A MAJOR COOLANT LEAK WHICH WAS SPRAYING HOT COOLANT ONTO THE HOT GENERATOR. I LATER LEARNED THIS SITUATION HAS EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO START A FIRE. WINNEBAGO AND THE COMPANY THAT BUILT THE HEATER CORE WILL NOT ASSIST IN ANY WAY WITH THIS MAJOR EXPENSIVE REPAIR. OTHER JOURNEY OWNERS I HAVE ENCOUNTERED IN DIFFERENT CAMP GROUNDS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE HEATER CORE. I FEEL WINNEBAGO SHOULD SHARE SOME RESPONSIBILITY BOTH FROM A NEGLIGENCE AS WELL AS A POTENTIAL VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION EXISTING FROM POOR QUALITY CONTROL. THE PART IS $75.00, BUT THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE COACH HAS TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO REACH THE HEATER CORE. THE REPAIR WILL BE IN THE THOUSANDS.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10097109

Official recalls

10V525000 · Equipment

Oct 26, 2010

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH INSTALLED TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED DUE TO A POSSIBLE HYDROGEN GAS LEAK MAY NOT SHUT OFF IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO PREVENT A FIRE.

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.

09V300000 · Equipment

Jul 29, 2009

WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING 1,547 MODEL YEAR 2001-2003 RECREATIONAL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD MODEL 1200LRIM REFRIGERATORS, MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 1, 2001 TO DECEMBER 31, 2002, WITH SERIAL NUMBERS BETWEEN 1273701 AND 1536607, NON-CONSECUTIVELY. A FATIGUE FAILURE IN THE SECTION OF THE COOLING UNIT WHICH CONTAINS THE REFRIGERANT COULD ALLOW THE LIQUID SOLUTION TO SLOWLY LEAK. IF A LEAK OCCURS AND THE REFRIGERATOR CONTINUES TO BE OPERATED AFTER SOLUTION CIRCULATION HAS CEASED THE HEAT SOURCE COULD GENERATE VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES. AT SUCH HIGH TEMPERATURES, THE COOLING UNIT COULD RUPTURE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF A LEAK OCCURS AND THE UNIT IS CONTINUES TO OPERATE, HYDROGEN GAS MAY BE EXPELLED AND CAN BE IGNITED, RESULTING IN A FIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy: WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH NORCOLD AND NORCOLD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE VEHICLE'S REFRIGERATOR WILL BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE (PLEASE SEE 09E-027). OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD'S RECALL CENTER AT 1-800-767-9101.

04V114000 · Equipment:recreational Vehicle/trailer:lpg Systems:tank Assembly

Mar 4, 2004

ON CERTAIN MOTORHOMES, THE LP TANK HAS STRESS ON WELD JOINTS AT THE POINT WHERE MOUNTING BRACKETS ARE WELDED TO THE TANK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE STRESS CRACKS AT THE WELD JOINTS AND LEAD TO AN LP LEAK AND CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REINSTALL A CRADLE-STYLE CARRIER, AND, IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE LP TANK. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 25, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 641-585-6939.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.