2004 Winnebago Journey

Winnebago propane road tank serial #1661055. This tank is mounted on the frame with 2 brackets which are welded to the tank and bolted to the frame. This is the second time for this failure. The tank forms a crack at the end of the bracket where the bracket has a sharp 90 degree corner. The bracket is not welded at this point and is welded 3/4 of an inch from where the leak forms. The second leak happened with a full tank of propane (37.6 gallons) and was at the bottom of the tank and therefore in liquid not gaseous propane. The leak was loud enough to be audible and as such scared the hell out of us. We had just driven the stretch of highway 93 between Phoenix and Henderson Nevada which is in very poor condition and is extremely rough in different sections. I believe the rough road is what contributed to this crack braking though the thin tank wall and the tank bounces up and down and flexes with pressure concentrating at the sharp 90 degree corner at the top and bottom of the bracket. We drained the tank so that we may continue to our destination. There is already a safety recall of Winnebago’s up to September 2003 manufacture date for this same problem. This safety recall should be expanded to include all Winnebago’s with the same mounting system. I understand that there is a change up bracket system that will support the weight of the tank better to prevent these tank cracks at the ends of the brackets. It was only due to being very lucky that we did not end up in a fatal fire or explosion. This defect needs to be addressed no matter how old the vehicle is as it is a deadly hazard.

The contact owns a 2004 Winnebago Journey travel trailer. The contact stated that there was a propane odor detected about a year ago but the propane leakage was recently found at the weld joints where there was a stress crack. The local dealer and Gander RV & Outdoors of Nashville (2614 Music Valley Dr, Nashville, TN 37214) were made aware of the failure and both dealers informed the contact that the propane tank needed to be replaced. The propane tank was not replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to two different dealers. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V114000 (Equipment). The failure mileage was 110,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 WINNEBAGO JOURNEY RECREATIONAL VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK CONTINUOUSLY LEAKED NEAR THE WELDED FRONT BRACKET. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000. UPDATED 10/03/14*LJ UPDATED 3/10/15 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 WINNEBAGO JOURNEY MOTOR HOME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTOR HOME EMITTED A STRONG PROPANE ODOR. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE PROPANE TANK HAD A HOLE IN THE BRACKET MOUNTING AREA DUE TO DEFECTIVE WELDING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LP TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V114000 (EQUIPMENT). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,000. UPDATED 8/19/14*CN UPDATED 09/5/2014 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 WINNEBAGO JOURNEY MOTOR HOME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTOR HOME EMITTED A STRONG PROPANE ODOR. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE PROPANE TANK HAD A HOLE IN THE BRACKET MOUNTING AREA DUE TO DEFECTIVE WELDING. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE MOTOR HOME WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 WINNEBAGO JOURNEY RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE PROPANE DETECTION ALARM SOUNDED IN THE VEHICLE. WHEN EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A VERY SMALL CRACK WHERE THE PROPANE TANK WAS WELDED TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V114000 (EQUIPMENT: RECREATIONAL VEHICLE: LPG TANK ASSEMBLY). THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR AND THE PROPANE TANK WAS REPLACED AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE DID NOT RECURRED SINCE THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

ON JULY 1ST OF THIS YEAR OUR 2004 WINNEBAGO JOURNEY HAD A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS EVIDENT. THE TWO HYDRAULIC LINES FOR THE REAR SLIDE WERE ROUTED AROUND THE FRAME IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE TURBO CHARGER AND REPEATED EXPOSURE TO THE HEAT OF THAT UNIT HAD CAUSED THEM TO DETERIORATE, BURST AND SPRAY HYDRAULIC FLUID. THAT FLUID, HITTING THE VERY HOT TURBO CHARGER QUICKLY IGNITED AND CAUSED THE FIRE. I RETIRED IN 2003 AS THE MASTER MECHANIC FOR THE DENVER FIRE DEPARTMENT. AS SUCH I WAS IN CHARGE OF THE ENTIRE FLEET AND ALL EQUIPMENT FOR THE DENVER FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MY EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS ARE AS A MASTER TECHNICIAN (ASE CERTIFIED) FOR TRUCK AND AUTOMOBILE AND I HAVE A DEGREE IN BUSINESS AS WELL. I AFFECTED REPAIRS ON SITE THAT ALLOWED US TO GET TO DILLION, COLORADO WHERE I PULLED THE DEFECTIVE HYDRAULIC LINES AND HAD NEW ONE'S MADE. I INSTALLED THE NEW LINES (RE-ROUTING THEM AWAY FROM THE HEAT SOURCE) AND REPAIRED ALL OF THE WIRING AND HOSES INVOLVED AS WELL. LUCKILY DAMAGE WAS NOT EXTENSIVE AND WAS LIMITED TO THE ITEMS I DESCRIBED. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE ARE MANY POTENTIAL FAILURES AND FIRE HAZARDS ON THE ROAD WITH SIMILAR JOURNEY'S AND THOSE OWNERS MIGHT NOT BE SO LUCKY. THE HOSE USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SLIDES WAS, IN MY OPINION, A POOR ONE IN THAT IT IS NYLON REINFORCED AND PLASTIC COATED RATHER THAN THE STEEL REINFORCED ' HARD RUBBER COATED LINE USUALLY USED IN HYDRAULIC APPLICATIONS. THE ROUTING WAS ANOTHER POOR CHOICE IN THAT THERE IS AMPLE ROOM AND PROVISION FOR AVOIDING HEAT SOURCES, ESPECIALLY THE TURBO IN THAT IT IS THE GREATEST HEAT SOURCE IN THE AREA. I AM COPYING THIS LETTER TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OF ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES BUILT IN THIS MANNER UTILIZING THESE HOSES. IN FAIRNESS I AM NOTIFYING YOU OF THE PROBLEM AND MY INTENTIONS. *TR

WHEN IN OPERATION ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS OUR 2004 WINNEBAGO JOURNEY OVER CHARGES THE COACH BATTERIES. THE INVERTER OVER CHARGES OVER 16 VOLTS CAUSING A HIGH VOLTAGE TO THE BATTERIES. AFTER THIS OCCURS THERE ARE SEVERAL ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE BURNT OUT. THERE HAS BEEN MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO FIX THIS ISSUE, BUT NO SUCCESSFUL SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND. *TR