1997 Jayco Designer

Routine

Owners filed 11 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the tires › tread/belt. It has been recalled 5 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires › Tread/Belt3
000
Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers2
000
Trailer Hitches1
000
Structure › Frame and Members1
000
Structure1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc1
000
Equipment1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control1
000

5 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Vehicle Speed Control06V320000
Filed Aug 30, 20066,285 vehiclesJayco, Inc.

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES BUILT ON FORD CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT.

Risk. OVERHEATING COULD RESULT IN SMOKE OR BURNING, AND IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy. FORD IS CONDUCTING THIS RECALL (PLEASE SEE 06V286) AND WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS INTO THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332 OR JAYCO AT 1-800-283-8267.

Structure01V251000
Filed Aug 1, 200112,281 vehiclesJayco, Inc.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TRAVEL AND FIFTH WHEEL TRAILERS. THE FASTENERS USED ON THE UNDERFLOOR CAN EITHER COME LOOSE OR PULL THROUGH THE UNDERFLOOR CAUSING PORTIONS OR ALL OF A SECTION OF UNDERFLOOR TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE.

Risk. IF THIS OCCURRED, THE SECTION COULD FALL TO THE PAVEMENT, POTENTIALLY CAUSING A CRASH FOR FOLLOWING VEHICLES.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL ADD OR REPLACE FASTENERS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 28, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT JAYCO AT 1-219-825-5861.

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers98V122001
Filed Feb 10, 19987,660 vehiclesJayco, Inc.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI-MOTOR HOMES, TRAVEL TRAILERS, AND FIFTH WHEELS EQUIPPED WITH A PRINTED CIRCUIT (PC) BOARD HOUSED IN THE ELECTRICAL CONTROL BOX ASSEMBLY EQUIPPED WITH THE VEHICLE'S AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. AN ELECTRICAL RELAY ON THE PC BOARD WILL FAIL TO ACTIVATE. WHEN THE RELAY FAILS TO ACTIVATE, OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, AND THE PC BOARD ITSELF, ARE REQUIRED TO CARRY EXCESS ELECTRICAL CURRENT.

Risk. THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND THE PC BOARD CAN OVERHEAT, CHAR AND PRODUCE SMOKE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

Remedy. RV PRODUCTS IS CONDUCTING THE OWNER NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY CAMPAIGN FOR THIS RECALL. OWNERS WILL RECEIVE A REPLACEMENT ELECTRICAL CONTROL BOX AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. IF AN OWNER SO DESIRES, THEY CAN HAVE THEIR DEALER INSTALL THIS CONTROL BOX.

Structure97V113000
Filed Jul 9, 1997485 vehiclesJayco, Inc.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: FIFTH WHEEL AND TRAVEL TRAILERS. RIVETS USED TO SECURE THE STEP RISERS ON THESE VEHICLES ARE THE WRONG SIZE. THE RIVETS ARE TOO SHORT IN LENGTH AND UNDER STRESS CAN ALLOW THE STEP TREADS TO BECOME UNATTACHED FROM THE MOUNTING BRACKET.

Risk. IF THE STEP RISER FALLS FROM THE MOUNTING BRACKET WHILE A PERSON IS STEPPING ON IT, PERSONAL INJURY COULD OCCUR.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEP RISER ASSEMBLY.

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers97V062000
Filed Apr 16, 1997445 vehiclesJayco, Inc.

Defect. AN IN-LINE FUSE TO THE AUXILIARY BATTERY WAS OMITTED.

Risk. IF A SHORT OCCURRED IN THE POWER LINE FROM THE BATTERY WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF OVER-CURRENT PROTECTION, THE 12 VOLT LINE CAN OVERHEAT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN IN-LINE FUSE TO THE AUXILIARY BATTERY.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Aug 2, 201040,000 milesMS

THE 6" CHANNEL WELDED ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE FIFTH WHEEL PIN BOX BROKE IN HALF CAUSING THE TRAILER TO DROP.THIS IS THE POINT OF ATTACHMENT OF THE FIFTH WHEEL TO THE TOW VEHICLE. THE CHANNEL SUPPORTS THE FRONT PART OF THE KING PIN BOX. ON REMOVAL OF THE SHEET METAL UNDER THE GOOSENECK PART OF THE TRAILER IT EXPOSED THE CHANNEL BROKE INTO ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PIN BOX, THE METAL ON THE LEFT SIDE RIPPED OPEN, THE BACK OF THE PIN BOX ATTACHMENT BROKE LOOSE AND METAL RIPPED OUT. ONE WELD WAS BROKEN. I HAVE BEEN INTOUCH WITH JAYCO BUT THEY SAY IT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. THEY SAY THAT THIS UNIT IS 13 YEARS OLD AND I WILL HAVE TO REPAIR. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE METAL USED FOR THIS MAJOR STRESS POINT IS TO THIN AND INFERIOR. THE CONTINUED FLEXING OF THESE COMPONENTS CAUSE THEM TO BREAK AFTER TIME AND THE RESULT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE TOW VEHICLE AS WELL AS OTHER UNSUSPECTING MOTORIST. REPAIR OF THIS WILL ONLY MOVE THE FLEX POINT TO THE SIDE OF THE WELD AND AGAIN AFTER CONTINUOUS FLEXING BREAK AGAIN. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE HANDLED ASAP. THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW MANY UNITS ARE TRAVELING OUR HIGHWAYS THAT ARE ONLY SECONDS AWAY FROM TRAGEDY. I HAVE PICTURES TO SHOW IF SO NEEDED. *TR

Structure
Filed Jun 28, 2007VT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JAYCO DESIGNER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE # 01V251000 (STRUCTURE). FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, THE CONTACT HAD BEEN TO THREE DEALERS AND THE VEHICLE STILL HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE DEALER FINALLY RECEIVED THE PART, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Filed Apr 7, 2006MI

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS A RECALL, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 98V122001 REGARDING THE FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS. THE VEHICLE IS NOT HAVING THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 5/3/2006 - THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED. *NM

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Filed Aug 12, 200535,700 milesAZ

RETURNED TO MOTORHOME FROM DINNER WITH A/C ON AND FOUND A COACH FULL OF SMOKE. DISCONNECTED ALL POWER, TRAVELED 2 DAYS WITHOUT AIR IN OVER 100' TEMPS. BROUGHT COACH IN FOR REPAIR AND FOUND ONLINE WITH GOODSAMS CLUB, 2 RECALLS FOR THIS UNIT. NHTSA-- 98V122001. OUR VIN # IS [XXX]. NOTIFIED JAYCO (29FT. JAYCO, CLASS C DESIGNER SERIES MOTORHOME) AND THEY SAID OUR UNIT DID NOT FALL INTO THAT RECALL. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RECALL IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. THE WHOLE COACH COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. ALSO, THERE IS ANOTHER RECALL--NHTSA CAMP. ID-97V062000. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS ONE ALSO. *JB UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Aug 22, 200316,766 milesOR

ON SEPT.16,2002, I HAD A LEFT FRONT TIRE, FIRESTONE STEELTEX 225/75/16, TREAD SEPARATE FROM THE STEEL BELT. JULY 27TH THIS YEAR, TWO BACK DUALS, LEFT SIDE, SEPERATED. THEN ON AUG. 16TH, 124 MILES MORE, TWO MORE TIRES SEPERATED. FOR AS TOTAL OF 5 TIRES WITH LESS THAN 19,000 MILES. THESE TIRES WERE ON MY RV. WHEN I BOUGHT IT NEW. *AK

Trailer Hitches
Filed Oct 8, 2002LA

CONSUMER STATES AFTER SOME MOUNTAIN DRIVING THE FRAME TO THE TRAILER THAT THE HITCH IS ATTACHED TO CRACKED AND COLLASPED. *MR

Equipment
Filed May 10, 2002TX

FRONT REAR THREE COVERS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE CAME OFF WHILE TRAVELING AND TWO SLIDE OUT MOTORS BURNT UP. *YH

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Oct 23, 2001WA

WHILE DRIVING, 2 TIRES, LEFT FRONT AND RIGHT REAR, HAVE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, ONE IN MARCH AND THE OTHER IN APRIL OF 2001, BOTH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, GOODYEAR WRANGLER HT, LT215/85R16 E. *YH

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc
Filed Oct 27, 2000MD

ON OR ABOUT NOVEMBER 9, 1999 THE HYDRAULIC SURGE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED DURING AN EMERGENCY STOP. ON OCTOBER 22, 2000 THE SAME WHEEL CYLINDER FAILED WHILE CRUISING AT 60MPH. DEALER ORIG. SAID OTHERS IN SERIES HAD SAME PROBLEM IN 1999.

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Aug 28, 2000WI

THE GOODYEAR WRANGLER HT TIRE SIZE LT P215/85R16 EXPERIENCED TWO TIRE TREAD SEPARATIONS WHILE DRIVING CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE RECREATIONAL TRAILER. *MJS

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control
Filed Aug 4, 1998OH

CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR IS PICKING UP AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF CARBON MONOXIDE IN MOTOR HOME. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

11 of 11 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1997
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20101300Routine
20091210Routine
20082420Routine
20070300Routine
20050200Routine
20042100Routine
20030200Routine
20021400Routine
20010300Routine
20005510Routine
19996300Routine
19982300Routine
1997 — this page11500Routine
19963200Routine
19954220Routine
19930100Routine
19920200Routine
19910200Routine

Compare every Designer 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: Aug 30, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.