NHTSA Complaint #11431469 — 2016 NEWMAR VENTANA

The SCR/DPF/DEF emissions control system is faulty and results in the vehicle becoming undrivable at unpredictable instances when no actual fault or deficiency exists. This may result in the driver becoming stranded in area with no cell phone signal and during times of harsh weather. It may also leave motorists stranded in unsafe locations with insufficient room to park safely and no capability to move to a safe location. This is a result of the system “de-rating” due to faulty sensors or DEF delivery systems or a variety of other causes. Because the system will derate the engine when the sensors indicate a low DEF condition when the DEF tank is sufficiently full, it is impossible for the motorists to predict these failures and subsequent strandings. It is also worthy of note that in the case of diesel motorhomes, these are not professional drivers, they are often older, and their vehicles serve as a conveyance of both their personal possessions and valuables.Further the operative word is in many cases “homes” and these motorists often have no other place to go to seek shelter. It is therefore both unsafe and unethical to force such severe restrictions on the owners of diesel motorhomes. This segment of the diesel vehicle driving population is entirely different from the light truck, SUV, bus, and big rig driving populations for the reasons stated above and as such the derating function of the emission control system must be disabled in motorhomes until the engineering and programming of these systems evolves to the point of reasonable reliability and predictability -conditions which currently clearly do not exist. In my case I have had four instances in less than two months disabling the vehicle when no actual fault exists, after the DEF header has been replaced twice and the vehicle is still unreliable. This is an ongoing unsafe condition.