NHTSA Complaint #10130700 — 2003 WINNEBAGO MINNIE

SMELLED GAS FUMES INSIDE THE MOTORHOME WHEN PARKED. TRACED THE SMELL TO THE GENERATOR AND FOUND GAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL INLET LINE INTO THE FUEL FILTER INSIDE THE GENERATOR. CALLED CUMINS NORTHWEST IN PENDLETON, OREGON AS THE GENERATOR IS A ONAN MANUFACTURED BY CUMINS AND WAS UNDER WARRENTY. TOOK THE MOTORHOME TO PENDLETON (100 MILES EACH WAY) FOR NEEDED REPAIR. *JBTHEY FOUND THAT IT WAS NOT THE GENERATOR BUT HOW WINNEBAGO HAD HOOKED THE FUEL LINE INTO THE GENERATOR (PROBABLY AT THE FACTORY). WINNEBAGO HAS USED TWO BRASS FITTINGS ABOUT 2" INCHES LONG COUPLED BY A BRASS FITTING. THE COUPLER HAD WORKED LOOSE AND GAS WAS LEAKING FROM THAT FITTING. CUMINS REPLACED THE TWO BRASS FITTINGS AND COUPLER WITH A SINGLE NIPPLE (AS IS STANDARD PRACTICE ACCORDING TO THEM). THIS SOLVED THE GAS LEAK PROBLEM. CUMINS FUTHER STATED THAT THEY WERE SURPRISED THAT THE GENERATOR HADN'T CAUGHT FIRE WITH THE GAS LEAK. WE HAD ONLY 15 HOURS ON THE GENERATOR AND WERE GETTING READY TO DO "DRY CAMPING" IN THE FOREST AND WOULD HAVE REQUIRED THE USE OF THE GENERATOR. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE FITTINGS AND COUPLERS USED BETWEEN THE FUEL LINE AND INLET HAD WORKED LOOSE DUE TO THE VIBRATION OF THE MOTORHOME DURING TRAVEL. AT THE TIME OF REPAIR THE MOTORHOME HAD 6754 MILES. DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE COUPLINGS, THE GENERATOR DIDN'T HAVE TO BE TAKEN OUT BUT IT STILL TOOK 2 HOURS AND $165.00 + PARTS TO REPAIR. THIS PROBLEM HAS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY IF FOLKS TAKE THEIR MOTORHOME INTO THE FOREST FOR CAMPING..