1999 WINNEBAGO CHIEFTAIN — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THE LEFT SIDE THE ROOF CAME LOOSE SITTING IN STORAGE FROM WINDS OF A LESSER SPEED THAN IF ONE WAS DRIVING 55 MPH. THERE HAS BEEN CASES WHERE THE ROOF ON THESE MODELS HAVE CAME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING. THE ROOF MEMBRANE IS BIG ENOUGH TO BLOCK A FOLLOWING VEHICLES VIEW IF IT WERE TO COME OFF IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL YEAR. IT IS CAUSED BY IMPROPER INSTALLATION AT THE FACTORY. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE A DEATH OCCURS DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTIONING BODY PART. LAWS IN SOME STATES ARE VERY STRICT IN SECURING LOADS, THIS MALFUNCTION SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY WINNEBAGO. *TR

JUNE 2005 MY WIFE AND I WERE LEAVING ROSWELL NM IN OUR 1999 WINNEBAGO MOTOR HOME WHEN WE EXPERIENCED A LOUD POPPING NOISE. I CALLED OUR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CARRIER AND WAS DIRECTED TO A REPAIR FACILITY A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY. AFTER LISTENING TO THE NOISE AND LOOKING UNDER THE VEHICLE THEY DETERMINED IT MUST BE AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAK. THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKET LOCALLY AND HAD TO ORDER ONE. WE LEFT THE MOTOR HOME WITH THEM AND PROCEEDED TO CARLSBAD NM IN OUR TOWED VEHICLE. UPON OUR RETURN A COUPLE DAYS LATER THE MECHANIC WAS JUST COMPLETING THE GASKET REPLACEMENT. WHEN HE FINISHED, HE STARTED THE ENGINE ONLY TO DISCOVER THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE #4 SPARK PLUG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD BLOWN OUT AND ALSO BROKE THE COIL. THEY WERE ABLE TO GET A NEW SPARK PLUG AND COIL FROM THE LOCAL FORD DEALER. AFTER REPLACING THESE PARTS WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO COLORADO. ON JULY 6, 2006 WE WERE AGAIN LEAVING TOWN WHEN APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES FROM HOME WE HEARD THE FAMILIAR POPPING NOISE. I RETURNED HOME AND DISCOVERED THE SAME #4 SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT AGAIN BREAKING THE COIL. I WENT TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND PURCHASED ANOTHER SPARK PLUG AND COIL THINKING ALL I NEEDED TO DO WAS REPLACE IT. I ASKED THE PARTS PERSONNEL WHAT CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HADN'T HEARD OF THIS BEFORE AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT REPLACING THE SPARK PLUG I CALLED A MOBILE REPAIR SERVICE TO SEE IF THEY COULD ASSIST ME. THE PERSON I TALKED WITH TOLD ME ABOUT THE TRITON V-10 BLOWING SPARK PLUGS AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER HEADS AT A COST OF $2,000. I THEN CALLED A LOCAL GARAGE AND EXPLAINED MY PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY COULD TRY AND PUT A HELICOIL IN THE HEAD TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR AROUND $220. I TOOK THE MOTOR HOME TO THEM AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THE HELICOIL FOR $220 PLUS THE SPARK PLUG AND COIL THAT I FURNISHED. THIS SECOND SPARK OCCURRED AT 29,600 MILES. *NM

I DOWNLOADED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V246111, WHICH REFERS TO A DEFECT IN THE STEERING LINKAGE ON MY 1999 WINNEBAGO MOTOR HOME WHICH IS BUILT ON A 1999 FORD HEAVY DUTY CHASSIS. I HAVE CONTACTED TWO LOCAL FORD DEALERS, FORD'S NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE, FORD'S TRUCK CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE, AND WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES SERVICE DEPARTMENTS. THEY ALL CLAIM THAT NO SUCH PROBLEM EXISTS, AND NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS OR RECALLS HAVE EVER BEEN ISSUED. THE PERSON TAKING MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT FILED BY PHONE (NHTSA ODI#10160922) MIS-CHARACTERIZED THE NATURE OF THE COMPLAINT. FORD AND WINNEBAGO DO NOT CLAIM THAT IT DOESN'T APPLY TO MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE BY YEAR OR VIN, RATHER THAT NO SUCH PROBLEM DOES OR DID EXIST ON FORD'S HEAVY DUTY TRUCK CHASSIS, FOR 1999, 2000, OR ANY OTHER MODEL YEARS. THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #00V246111. FAILURE OF THE DESCRIBED PARTS WOULD RESULT IN COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL IN A 22,000LB VEHICLE IN WHICH I AND MY FAMILY WERE RIDING, PROBABLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES HAVE REFUSED TO GIVE ANY CONSIDERATION TO MY REQUESTS FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION TO THE VEHICLE. SEVERAL CALLS TO NHTSA HAVE RESULTED IN THE ADVICE THAT I FILE THIS COMPLAINT ON-LINE, AND THEN TAKE IT UP WITH THE MANUFACTURER. *NM

I DOWNLOADED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V246111, WHICH REFERS TO A DEFECT IN THE STEERING LINKAGE ON MY 1999 WINNEBAGO MOTOR HOME WHICH IS BUILT ON A 1999 FORD HEAVY DUTY CHASSIS. I HAVE CONTACTED TWO LOCAL FORD DEALERS, FORD'S NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE, FORD'S TRUCK CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE, AND WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES SERVICE DEPARTMENTS. THEY ALL CLAIM THAT NO SUCH PROBLEM EXISTS, AND NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS OR RECALLS HAVE EVER BEEN ISSUED. THE PERSON TAKING MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT FILED BY PHONE (NHTSA ODI#10160922) MIS-CHARACTERIZED THE NATURE OF THE COMPLAINT. FORD AND WINNEBAGO DO NOT CLAIM THAT IT DOESN'T APPLY TO MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE BY YEAR OR VIN, RATHER THAT NO SUCH PROBLEM DOES OR DID EXIST ON FORD'S HEAVY DUTY TRUCK CHASSIS, FOR 1999, 2000, OR ANY OTHER MODEL YEARS. THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #00V246111. FAILURE OF THE DESCRIBED PARTS WOULD RESULT IN COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL IN A 22,000LB VEHICLE IN WHICH I AND MY FAMILY WERE RIDING, PROBABLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES HAVE REFUSED TO GIVE ANY CONSIDERATION TO MY REQUESTS FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION TO THE VEHICLE. SEVERAL CALLS TO NHTSA HAVE RESULTED IN THE ADVICE THAT I FILE THIS COMPLAINT ON-LINE, AND THEN TAKE IT UP WITH THE MANUFACTURER. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE SMOKE CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. THE SMOKE WAS A RESULT OF FIRE UNDERNEATH THE DASH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTAIN THE FIRE BEFORE IT SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THERE WAS A SHORT IN HEADLIGHT SWITCH WHICH CAUSED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THE DEALER REMOVED AND REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND THE REPLACEMENT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *AK UPDATED 01/11/06