2007 Itasca Horizon

Defect. WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING CERTAIN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1200-SERIES NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. THE POPULATION OF REFRIGERATORS BEING ADDRESSED CONTAINS EITHER A SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A POTENTIAL FIRE. THE RESPONSE TIMES OF THE SENSOR ALGORITHM AND THERMAL SWITCH DEVICES TO STOP POWER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT.

Risk. THE SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH INSTALLED TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED DUE TO A POSSIBLE HYDROGEN GAS LEAK MAY NOT SHUT OFF IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO PREVENT A FIRE.

Remedy. WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH NORCOLD TO IDENTIFY AND NOTIFY ANY AFFECTED OWNERS. OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT NORCOLD DEALERS TO RECEIVE THE REMEDY FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE SEE NORCOLD'S DEFECT REPORT 10E-049 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING DECEMBER 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD AT 1-800-767-9101 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-3535.

Defect. WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING 31 MY 2006-2008 ITASCA CAMBRIA, HORIZON, WINNEBAGO ACCESS, ADVENTURER, JOURNEY, MINNIE WINNIE, SIGNTSEER, TOUR, VECTRA, AND VOYAGE MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE LIFTS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 403, "PLATFORM LIFT SYSTEMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES." THE ANTI-STOW INTERLOCK MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY AID USER. THE PRESSURE SENSING SWITCH THAT DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF WEIGHT ON THE PLATFORM WAS NOT ADJUSTED TO THE NECESSARY SENSITIVITY LEVEL. THE LIFT COULD STOW EVEN THOUGH SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IS STILL ON THE LIFT.

Risk. A LIFT OCCUPANT CAN BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT BEGIN TO STOW UNINTENTIONALLY.

Remedy. WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH RICON TO CORRECT THE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS (PLEASE SEE 07E097). OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-800-322-2884 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-3535.

Defect. WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING 31 MY 2006-2008 JOURNEY, VOYAGE, MY 2006-2007 SIGHTSEER, MY 2006 ADVENTURER, MINNIE WINNIE, MY 2007 ACCESS, TOUR, VECTRA, ITASCA CAMBRIA, AND MY 2007-2008 ITASCA HORIZON MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE MOTOR HOMES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 404, "PLATFORM LIFT INSTALLATIONS IN MOTOR VEHICLES." THE THRESHOLD WARNING SYSTEM MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY AID USER IN A CERTAIN SPOT WITHIN THE DEFINED THRESHOLD AREA.

Risk. THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE UNINTENTIONALLY.

Remedy. WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH RICON TO CORRECT THE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS FREE OF CHARGE (PLEASE SEE 07E095). THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 9, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-818-267-3000.

Defect. CERTAIN MOTOR HOME CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH ZF MODEL 8018 STEERING GEARS MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH THE INCORRECT RECIRCULATING BALL SPACER. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY ALLOW THE RECIRCULATION BALLS TO ESCAPE FROM THE RECIRCULATION BALL CIRCUIT RESULTING IN A LOSS OF STEERING.

Risk. THE OPERATOR MAY NOTICE HIGHER REQUIRED STEERING WHEEL INPUTS,OR THE NEED FOR MORE STEERING WHEEL ADJUSTMENTS, WHILE DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE IN COMBINATION WITH METALLIC CRACKING NOISES PRIOR TO A LOSS OF STEERING. LOSS OF STEERING COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH FREIGHTLINER AND ZF TO REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 641-585-3535 OR FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES BUILT WITH CUMMINS ISL CM850 DIESEL ENGINES, THE CONNECTING ROD CONTAINS A MACHINING DEFECT IN THE WRIST PIN BUSHING OF THE ROD THAT COULD CAUSE A SEIZURE OF THE PISTON PIN.

Risk. IF ALLOWED TO PROGRESS, THIS CAN LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF THE ROD RUPTURING THE LOCK CAVITY, SPILLING OIL AND DEBRIS ONTO THE ROADWAY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH CUMMINS TO RECALIBRATE THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND ENHANCE THE ENGINE PROTECTION SYSTEM ENABLING IT TO PROVIDE EARLY DETECTION OF THE FAILURE MODE AND AVOID MORE SERIOUS ENGINE DAMAGE AND RESULTANT SAFETY HAZARD. CUMMINS WILL ALSO INSTALL A NEW VALVE COVER WITH A CRANKCASE PRESSURE SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE (PLEASE SEE 07E033). OWNERS MAY CONTACT CUMMINS AT 1-800-343-7357 OR WINNEBAGO AT 641-585-3535.

THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE CUMMINS ISL ENGINE FAILURES. A LIGHT ON OUR DASH PINGED AND FLASHED. I CALLED FREIGHTLINER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A STOP ENGINE LIGHT. I WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY A "GLITC" AND IT WAS OKAY TO DRIVE. HOWEVER, WE TOOK IT INTO A FREIGHTLINER/CUMMINS REPAIR FACILITY TO JUST CHECK IT OUT. THEY FOUND THAT THE OIL PRESSURE WAS FINE, NO PROBLEM WITH THE SENDING UNIT, OR THE DASH INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, SO THEY DROPPED THE OIL PAN. THEY FOUND THAT A THRUST BUSHING HAD FALLEN OFF ONE OF THE CRANKSHAFT BEARINGS AND 2 OF THE MAIN BEARINGS HAD SPUN OUT. HAD WE NOT STOPPED AND TAKEN THE COACH IN TO BE LOOKED AT, THAT ENGINE WOULD HAVE BLOWN APART ON THE HIGHWAY AND POSSIBLY KILLED SOMEONE AND DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE COACH. THESE CUMMINS ENGINES HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECALLED ONCE, BUT THE ENGINE SERIAL NUMBERS NEED TO BE EXTENDED. MY ENGINE FALLS JUST OUTSIDE THE RECALL NUMBERS.

WHILE ON A TRIP IN OUR MOTOR HOME, WE HEARD AN INTERMITTENT GRINDING SOUND. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE UNIT TO AN RV DEALER, WHO AFTER DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUE, ADVISED US TO TAKE IT TO A FREIGHTLINER DEALER. FREIGHTLINER DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR AXLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAD SHIFTED BACKWARDS, AND WAS CAUSING THE WHEEL TO GRIND AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL. THEY ALSO DISCOVERED TWO BOLTS WERE LOOSE AND A THIRD BOLT WAS MISSING ENTIRELY. THEY INDICATED THAT THIS COULD ONLY HAVE EMANATED FROM THE FACTORY. THEY ALSO STATED THAT HAD THIS ISSUE BEEN LEFT UNATTENDED, IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN MORE SERIOUS DAMAGE AND/OR AN ACCIDENT. FREIGHTLINER AGREED TO COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR TO THE AXLE AND CHASSIS, AND EVENTUALLY AGREED TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT AND REPAINTING OF THE WHEEL WELL. ALTHOUGH THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN EARLY OCTOBER 2008, WE HAVE ONLY BEEN ADVISED TODAY (4/27/09) THAT OUR UNIT IS READY FOR PICKUP, DENYING US THE USE OF OUR MOTOR HOME FOR SEVEN MONTHS. *TR