2018 Grand Design Solitude

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Suspension2
000
Service Brakes2
000

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Equipment › Appliance › Refrigerator22V038000
Filed Jan 28, 202243,421 vehiclesGrand Design Rv, Llc

Defect. Grand Design RV, LLC (Grand Design) is recalling certain 2013-2021 Momentum, Solitude, and Reflection recreational vehicles. A 110-volt wire in the refrigerator cabinet may be improperly secured, which could result in the wire contacting the refrigerator cooling unit, causing an electrical arc.

Risk. An electrical arc increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect and replace any damaged wiring, and properly secure the wires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 21, 2022. Owners may contact Grand Design customer service at 1-574-825-9679. Grand Design's number for this recall is 910026.

Equipment › Appliance › Refrigerator20V523000
Filed Aug 28, 20208,161 vehiclesGrand Design Rv, Llc

Defect. Grand Design RV, LLC (Grand Design) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Solitude recreational trailers. The liquid propane (LP) supply line that runs through the exterior lower refrigerator compartment may contact the burner tube of the refrigerator, possibly damaging the line and causing an LP gas leak.

Risk. An LP gas leak increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Grand Design will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the LP supply line for damage, replacing it as necessary. All lines in the vicinity of the burner tube will be wrapped in a thermal foil heat barrier material, then secured away from the burner tube of the refrigerator with additional P-clamps, free of charge. The recall began September 17, 2020. Owners may contact Grand Design customer service at 1-574-825-9679. Grand Design's number for this recall is 910021.

Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer › Lpg Systems › Lines and Fittings18V399000
Filed Jun 14, 2018200 vehiclesGrand Design Rv, Llc

Defect. Grand Design RV, LLC (Grand Design) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Grand Design Solitude fifth-wheel trailers. The liquid propane (LP) gas line on the optional pull-out outside kitchen may contact the underside of the hot grill.

Risk. Contact with the hot grill may result in a propane leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Grand Design will notify owners, and dealers will re-route the LP gas line to prevent it from contacting the bottom of the grill, free of charge. The recall began July 10, 2018. Owners may contact Grand Design RV customer service at 1-574-825-9679. Grand Design's number for this recall is 900013.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Suspension
Filed Apr 28, 2022WY

One of the passenger side leaf springs on our Dexter axle snapped near the shackle point. Since we have read that this is a common issue, we are reporting as this could have potentially resulted in a serious safety issue. When our leaf spring snapped, it severed the propane line that runs underneath our 5th wheel in two places. It also caused the two tires to rub together. Fortunately, for us, this must have happened within a short distance from the RV park we were staying at for the evening because we only lost about 1/3 tank of propane and the tires do not appear to have sustained significant damage. We were able to disconnect and drive to a nearby trailer supply store and get a new leaf spring. We also removed and took the damaged propane supply line to a nearby propane provider/retail store and have it repaired. My husband replaced the leaf spring and reinstalled the propane line making sure to test for leaks. We did not keep the broken leaf spring as it didn't even occur to us to keep it for inspection but we are able to show where it snapped, if needed. It almost appeared to be rusted from the inside. Since we don't live/store our RV in humidity prone areas, this seemed unusual. This incident occurred while we were on a trip to visit family in Florida. We do not/nor have not lived in our RV full-time. Our use is infrequent. There was no indication that there was any issue while we were driving. It was only when we exited our truck that we smelled a very strong propane s

Suspension
Filed Jul 27, 2021FL

From factory, vehicle standard build weight of this trailer (nothing loaded) is; 14,200 lbs. Trailer is a two axle design, with each axle rated at 7,000 lbs. Total load allowed by their specifications is 14,000 lbs. Before I add any items normally carried in a travel trailer (food, clothing, etc.) I am already over the axle rating. On a trip with with normally carried items and approximately 20 gallons of water in a fresh water tank (capacity is 54 gallons) I had two tires blow out on two separate roads. (one tire each side about 25 miles apart) Factory now offers upgraded axles of 8,000 lbs. each, bringing axle load capacity to 16,000 lbs. I was unable to determine why the tires failed as they shredded beyond any recovery of the tire structure. Tires were 235/85 R 16 in size, load range 'G' and trailer rated. They were inflated to 110 lbs. as directed by the sidewall. My concern is with the possible defective design of the axles, which may have contributed to the tire failure. Overheated bearings, poor load distribution, unknown at this time.

Service Brakes
Filed Feb 5, 20186,000 milesOR

MINE IS A 5TH WHEEL TRAILER. IT HAD 7K LB LIPPERT AXLES FROM THE FACTORY. ALL FOUR INSIDE SEALS LEAKED AND GOT GREASE ON THE BRAKE DRUMS AND SHOES. THE TRAILER BRAKES DIDN'T WORK FROM THE FIRST DAY I GOT THE TRAILER. I ENDED UP CHANGING OUT THE AXLES WITH DEXTER 8K LB AXLES WITH NEVER LUBE BEARINGS SO I WOULD NEVER HAVE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN. I FOUND OUT LIPPERT WAS REIMBURSING FOR THIS REPAIR. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO QUALIFY?

Service Brakes
Filed Jun 27, 2017400 milesWY

JUST PICKED UP A BRAND NEW 2018 GRAND DESIGN SOLITUDE 310GK 5TH WHEEL TRAILER AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES DON'T WORK VERY WELL. TOWED THE UNIT HOME 400 MILES AND DECIDED TO CONTACT LIPPERT, THE MANUFACTURER OF THE AXLES AND BRAKES. I WAS GIVEN A CLAIM NUMBER TO INSPECT THE BRAKES. DUE TO OWNING A TIRE REPAIR SHOP, I WAS ALLOWED TO PERFORM THE INSPECTION MYSELF. WHAT I FOUND WAS NO ISSUE ON THE TWO HUBS AND BRAKES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE UNIT, BRAKES CONTAMINATED WITH GREASE ON THE TWO RIGHT HAND HUBS. GREASE WAS ON THE MAGNETS, INSIDE OF THE DRUM BRAKING SURFACES AND MAGNET SURFACE. LIPPERT AGREED TO SEND ME 2 NEW BACKING PLATES WITH BRAKES, AND TWO NEW GREASE SEALS, PLUS PAY TWO HOURS OF LABOR. ALL OF THIS IS GREAT, BUT IF I HAD BEEN IN A PANIC STOP SITUATION, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP THIS VEHICLE.

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2022
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20262000Routine
20251000Routine
20247410Routine
202319610Routine
202235710Routine
202131420Routine
202014310Routine
20195400Routine
2018 — this page4300Routine
201710200Routine
20165300Routine
20155200Routine
20146200Routine
20130100Routine

Compare every Solitude year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jan 28, 2022. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.