2022 NEWMAR MOUNTAIN AIRE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

The driver's side wiper arm became loose and travelled around the driver's side front corner of the vehicle where it became stuck and motionless. The incident occurred during a rainstorm as I was passing a semi on I-95 going about 60 mph. The driver's vision was dangerously obscured by rain on that side of the windshield as it was not being removed by the stuck wiper blade. Passenger assistance was needed to avoid an accident while getting into a safer position to address the problem. I have read on the IRV2 Newmar Owner's Forum that this is not the first time such an incident has occurred. Evidently, the bolts that hold the wider arms in their correct position have a tendency to loosen causing the arm to travel to the side of the motorhome and become inoperable. A more effective mounting strategy would make operation of the wipers more reliable and the motorhome safer to drive in a rainstorm.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Tire pressurre monitoring system (TPMS) has not functioned properly since the day the vehicle was delivered. Drive and tag axle tire pressures and temps won't display reliably. The inner tire pressure on the driver's side of the drive axle has never displayed. Other drive and tag axle tire info displays intermittently in no obvious pattern-appears and disappears unpredictably. The TPMS can be inspected. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Operating the vehicle with over or underrinflated tires or tires that are too hot can compromise the tires and cause a blowout and loss of control of the vehicle placing our safety and the safety of others at risk. The TPMS mitigates this risk to safe operation. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The dealer (Independence RV in Winter Garden, FL) has made at least two attempts to correct these TPMS issues without success. They have consulted with Spatan technicians and suggestions for correction have been made by Spartan and the suggestions have been implemented by the dealer without success. In conversations with me, Spartan technicians have acknowledged there are known common issues with my installed "Gen 1" TPMS system manufactured by Valor which have been addressed by Valor's "Gen 3" system which Spartan is currently installing. Spartan has no current plans to switch my TPMS to a "Gen 3" system even though they feel this would eliminate the safety issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No. Just the RV dealership. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? The problem was apparent by way of a failure of tire pressures and temps to display correctly on the instrument cluster.