1998 National Rv Dolphin

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the structure › frame and members. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Visibility › Windshield1
000
Visibility › Glass, Side/Rear1
000
Structure › Frame and Members1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer07V230000
Filed Jun 4, 200721,326 vehiclesNational Rv, Inc.

Defect. CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR, MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION, MAY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE BOILER TUBE. PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION COULD BE RELEASED INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.

Risk. RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy. NATIONAL RV WILL BE WORKING WITH DOMETIC IN ORDER TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 06E076). DOMETIC WILL REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS BY INSTALLING A SECONDARY BURN HOUSING, A THERMAL FUSE, AND A MELT FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. DOMETIC HAS RETAINED STERICYCLE INC. TO MANAGE THIS CAMPAIGN. STERICYCLE WILL ASSIST OWNERS IN LOCATING DEALERSHIPS OR SERVICE CENTERS AND WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC/STERICYCLE AT 1-888-446-5157 OR NATIONAL RV AT 1-800-999-7260, EXT. 4335. THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA), AN AGENCY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, HAS BEEN NOTIFIED THAT NATIONAL RV, INC. AND ITS HOLDING COMPANY, NATIONAL RV HOLDINGS, INC., HAVE FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY. NHTSA HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT OWNERS WHO WISH TO PURSUE CLAIMS RELATED TO SAFETY RECALL REPAIR WORK ON THEIR NATIONAL RV VEHICLES MAY FILE A PROOF OF CLAIM WITH THE UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT FOR THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE DIVISION. THE CASE NUMBER ASSIGNED TO THIS MATTER IS 07-17941. THE PROOF OF CLAIM FORM AND INSTRUCTIONS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT THE COURT'S WEBSITE WWW.CACB.USCOURTS.GOV. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE BANKRUPTCY AND ITS PROCEEDINGS MAY ALSO BE FOUND AT WWW.OMNIMGT.COM/NATIONALRV. NATIONAL RV'S PHONE NUMBER IS (951) 943-6007. INFORMATION ABOUT SAFETY RECALLS ON NATIONAL RV'S PRODUCTS MAY BE FOUND AT WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV. THE NHTSA WISHES TO ADVISE OWNERS OF RECALLED PRODUCTS THAT, IN THE INTERESTS OF THEIR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF THE MOTORING PUBLIC, ALL SAFETY RECALL WORK SHOULD BE PERFORMED ON MOTOR VEHICLES AND ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Visibility › Windshield
Filed Mar 23, 201177,000 milesFL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 NATIONAL DOLPHIN RV MOTOR HOME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RUBBER SEALING AROUND THE DUAL PANE WINDOWS IN THE VEHICLE WERE SEEPING OUT. THE SEAL WAS BROKEN WHICH CAUSED THE WINDOWS TO FALL OUT. THE COMPANY THAT MADE THE WINDOWS WILL NOT SEAL OR REPAIR THE WINDOWS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO REPLACE THE WINDOWS EVEN WHEN THEY WERE UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. UPDATED 05/03/11*LJ UPDATED 1/6/12 *CN

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jan 4, 200745,000 milesTX

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET DOLPHIN MOTOR HOME. THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE, AND WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE, THE PEDAL ALMOST WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LIMP TO THE NEXT TOWN USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. WHEN THE CONTACT APPROACHED THE REPAIR SHOP THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES PER THE MECHANIC. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE 120 MILES HOME WITH NOT PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKE TO A CHEVY DEALER WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE A CAUSE OF THE VEHICLE'S PROBLEM. NO WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. SINCE THE INCIDENT. *AK UPDATED 1/29/2007 - *NM

Visibility › Glass, Side/Rear
Filed Dec 4, 200531,200 milesNY

DEFECTIVE DUEL PANE WINDOWS, FOUR OF THEM TO BE EXACT, IN MY MOTORHOME. *NM

Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Mar 30, 2005TN

1998 NATIONAL RV DOLPHIN FRONT SEATS AND SEAT BELT EQUIPMENT WERE NOT ANCHORED TO THE METAL PLATES AND FRAME OF THE VEHICLE.*MR THE DEALER RECOMMENDED TO THE CONSUMER STRENGTHENING THE ANCHORAGE. *JB

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20080100Routine
20073200Routine
20063200Routine
20055000Routine
20039120Routine
20022200Routine
20013200Routine
20004100Routine
19992100Routine
1998 — this page4100Routine
19971100Routine
19963000Routine

Compare every Dolphin 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: Jun 4, 2007. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.