2003 National Rv Dolphin

Routine

Owners filed 9 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
000
Structure1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings1
010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads1
000
Service Brakes, Air1
000
Fuel System, Other › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings1
000
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood1
010
Electrical System › Wiring1
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Jun 15, 200915,000 milesFL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NATIONAL DOLPHIN RV. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING BRAKE FAILURE EVER SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE FRONT BRAKES UNDER WARRANTY. THE REAR BRAKES WERE ALSO REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE BRAKES, BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL REPAIR SINCE THE REPAIRS WERE PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Nov 17, 200823,640 milesCA

MILEAGE: 23640 BRAKES ON MY RV (WORKHORSE W22 2003 CHASIS) LOCKED UP, OVERHEATED, AND DASH ABS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. REPLACED LEFT FRONT AND REAR WHEEL SENSORS. MILEAGE: 23765 DATE:11-7-07 - BRAKES AGAIN LOCKED UP, OVERHEATED, AND ABS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. REPLACED ABS CONTROL MODULE, WHEEL SENSORS, FRONT HUB SEALS, FRONT BRAKE PADS, FLUSH BRAKE SYSTEM, ADD NEW FLUID, & BLEED SYSTEM. MILEAGE:31990 DATE:10-15-08 - FRONT BRAKES DRAGGING, OVERHEATED, ABS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. REPLACE FRONT ROTORS, CALIPERS, HUB SEALS, PADS, WHEEL SENSORS, FLUSH, REPLACE FLUID, AND BLEED BRAKE SYSTEM. MILEAGE:33052 DATE: 10-30-08 - FRONT BRAKES DRAGGING, OVERHEATING, ABS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. FRONT BRAKES CHECKED & HAD NO DAMAGE. REPLACED WHEEL SENSOR, CLEARED CODE, CHECKED SYSTEM,ETC. *TR

Service Brakes, Air
Filed Aug 28, 200715,000 milesFL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NATIONAL RV DOLPHIN. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BRAKE WAS NOT RELEASING. BOTH FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE REAR BRAKES BECAUSE THE CALIPERS OVERHEATED AND BECAME STUCK. THE BRAKES WERE LESS THAN 20% WORN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

Fuel System, Other › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Filed Jan 26, 200737,000 milesCA

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL LINE ON THE 2003 DOLPHIN LX MOTOR HOME STARTED LEAKING GAS ABOVE THE FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT HAS THE FUEL TANK AND THE REPAIR INVOICES. THE CONTACT ALSO HAD THE FUEL TANK WITH THE CRACKS IN IT. *AK UPDATED 02/22/07.*JB

Structure
Filed May 20, 20042,364 milesPA

THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT DUE TO THE ANGLE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, SUN LIGHT REFLECTED ON THE WINDSHIELD WHICH CAUSED A GLARE IN THE EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR. THIS RESULTED IN POOR OR NO VISIBILITY. *AK *SC *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads
Filed Jan 5, 2004CA

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED BRAKES OVERHEATED, AND IT TOOK LONGER TO STOP. DEALER REPLACED BRAKE PADS/SPEEDOMETER, AND WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR.*AK

Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Sep 23, 2003587 milesCA

THE PCM/TCM FUSE BLEW WHEN ACCELERATING AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE STALLING WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE FUSE 3 TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. *AK INCIDENT WAS TRACED TO A CHAFFED WIRE ON A METAL CLAMP WITHIN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *PH *JB

Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed Aug 15, 20033,070 milesFL

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY CONSUMER. THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE AND CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and FittingsFire
Filed Jun 10, 20033,073 milesFL

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS NINE WEEKS OLD WHEN THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE WAS A FLAMMABLE FLUID. THERE WAS A LIQUID TRAIL ABOUT ONE FOOT WIDE AND 100 YARDS LONG ON THE ROAD WHICH LEAD UP TO THE MOTORHOME. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE FAILURE WAS NARROWED DOWN TO EITHER THE TRANSMISSION OR THE BRAKE LINE. *SCC *NLM

9 of 9 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20080100Routine
20073200Routine
20063200Routine
20055000Routine
2003 — this page9120Routine
20022200Routine
20013200Routine
20004100Routine
19992100Routine
19984100Routine
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.