2011 WINNEBAGO VIEW — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THE VEHICLE WHICH IS ON A MERCEDES SPRINTER 3500 CARGO CHASSIS IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS AS WITHOUT WARNING IT GOES INTO A "LIMP MODE" WHERE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOSES POWER AND/OR ACCELERATION SUCH THAT ON A LEVEL SURFACE THE VEHICLE MAY NOT EXCEED SPEEDS OF 20 TO 25 MILES AN HOUR AND ON ANY INCLINE SURFACE ONLY REACH SPEEDS OF 5 MPH OR COME TO A STANDSTILL. THE VEHICLES INTENDED FOR USE BY CONSUMERS WHO MAY BE TRAVELING ON BUSY INTERSTATES AND HIGHWAYS IN AREAS GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE VEHICLE WHERE A SAFE PULL OFF MAY NOT EXIST AND/OR MAY BE OPERATED IN REMOTE AREAS, WHERE THE VEHICLE OPERATOR AND PASSENGERS COULD BE STRANDED. THE UNSAFE CONDITION OF THE VEHICLE IS COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE MERCEDES-BENZ COMPUTER CODES ACCURATE REPAIRS TO RESTORE THE VEHICLE TO OPERABILITY CAN ONLY BE MADE AT MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERSHIPS. THE UNSAFE CONDITION DESCRIBED HEREIN HAS BEEN REPORTED BY INNUMERABLE OWNERS OF SUCH A VEHICLES DESCRIBING HARROWING EXPERIENCES WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING BECOMES INOPERABLE. AS TO THE SPECIFIC COMPLAINT, THE OCCURRENCE OF THE "LIMP MODE" HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL INSTANCES, AND ALTHOUGH REPORTEDLY REPAIRED AT A MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERSHIP THE CONDITION CONTINUES TO REPEAT.

6/20/2012- WHILE DRIVING ON HWY 101 I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND OUR 2011 WINNEBAGO VIEW 24J ACTED LIKE WE HIT A LARGE BUMP IN THE ROAD. I THOUGHT IT WAS A BLOW OUT. WHEN I PULLED OVER, I RAN AROUND TO THE PASSENGER SIDE TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I COULD HEAR AIR LEAKING FROM THE TIRES. A CHP OFFICER PULLED UP BEHIND US TO SEE IF WE WERE OKAY. HE ASKED IF THAT WAS OUR EXHAUST SYSTEM LAYING IN THE MIDDLE OF 101. I SAID I DON'T THINK SO, BUT WHEN I LOOKED TO SEE MY TAILPIPE STICKING OUT IN FRONT OF THE PASSENGER REAR TIRES, I REALIZED THAT IT WAS GONE. OUR ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS GONE. FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BACK, EVERYTHING WAS MISSING. SOMEHOW, OUR EXHAUST SYSTEM DROPPED IN FRONT OF OUR REAR TIRES. IN THE DROPPED POSITION, THE TIRES STRUCK THE EXHAUST AND PULLED IT UNDER THEM. THIS PULLED THE ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM UNDER THE TIRES AND RIPPED IT FROM THE ENGINE. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM IS HEAVY AND LARGE. IT COULD EASILY DAMAGE ONCOMING VEHICLES. AS THE EXHAUST EXITED OUR VEHICLE, IT CUT ONE OF THE REAR TIRES CAUSING IRREPARABLE DAMAGE. UPDATE: 8/29/2013 TOTAL COST OF ALL REPAIRS WAS OVER $10K. AFTER HEARING ABOUT ANOTHER WINNEBAGO VIEW OWNER THAT HAD NEARLY THE EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE I DECIDED TO POST THIS ON NHTSA. I BELIEVE THE ENTIRE INCIDENT WAS DUE TO A FAILED EXHAUST HANGER AND LACK OF SECONDARY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR THE EXHAUST. I CONSIDER THIS A DESIGN FAILURE BY THE MANUFACTURER WINNEBAGO. *TT