2003 WINNEBAGO MINNIE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

2003 WINNEBAGO MINNIE RV. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MULTIPLE MICHELIN TIRE FAILURES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE SIDEWALLS WERE SHOWING CRACKS. AL 4 TIRES, WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, 4 MONTHS LATER, THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOW OUT ON THE LEFT REAR INSIDE TIRE, WHICH CAUSED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO 2 LOWER BASEMENT COMPARTMENTS, CABLES, ELECTRICAL HOOK-UPS, ETC. THE AFFECTED TIRE WAS SUBJECT TO RECALL. THE DAMAGED TIRE, WAS REPLACED WITH AN ALMOST NEW SPARE TIRE. APPROXIMATELY TEN HOURS LATER, A SECOND BLOW OUT OCCURRED. THE ROADSIDE SERVICE REPLACED THE INSIDE LEFT REAR TIRE, BUT ALSO THE OUTSIDE LEFT REAR TIRE, WHICH UNDETECTED AT THE TIME, HAD BEEN DAMAGED BY THE EARLIER BLOW OUT AND WAS LOSING AIR. CONTRIBUTING TO THE BLOW OUT OF THE INSIDE TIRE. THE TIRES WERE EVENTUALLY REPLACED WITH GOOD YEAR TIRES. MICHELIN CONCLUDED THE TIRES WERE FINE AND DECLINED THE CONSUMERS REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT. HOWEVER, A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE.

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..

ON 3/18/04 ENROUTE FROM KANSAS TO BRANSON MO, MY 2003 RIALTA DEAD STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY. 4 OF 6 BOLTS IN THE AXLE HAD FALLEN OUT. I WAS TOLD BY THE WINNEBAGO ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY PROBLEM, THAT HAD I NOT BEEN ON A BACK HIGHWAY, COULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF MY FAMILY. I FEEL A RECALL IS DEEMED ON THE VW EUROVANS THAT WINNEBAGO UTILIZES FOR THESE MOTORHOMES. *JB