2021 Newmar Dutch Star

Routine

Owners filed 6 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the steering. It has been recalled 13 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Wheels2
000
Steering2
000
Service Brakes1
000
Engine1
000

13 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Seats22V234000
Filed Apr 11, 20224,961 vehiclesNewmar Corporation

Defect. Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Bay Star, Bay Star Sport, Ventana, Dutch Star, New Aire, Canyon Star, 2019 Ventana LE, 2020-2022 Kountry Star, 2019-2020 Mountain Aire, London Aire, Essex, and 2021 Super Star vehicles. The wiring under the seats may be incorrectly secured, which can lead to a pinched wire in the seat adjustment mechanism and cause an electrical short circuit.

Risk. A short circuit increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect and secure the wiring, adding circuit breaker and fuse protection as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on June 10, 2022. Owners may contact Newmar's customer service at 1-800-731-8300.

Steering › Critical Fasteners22V166000
Filed Mar 17, 20221,277 vehiclesNewmar Corporation

Defect. Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2021-2022 New Aire, Essex, King Aire, Ventana, Kountry Star, London Aire, Dutch Star and Mountain Aire motorhomes. The upper bolt connecting the steering column may not have been properly tightened, causing the nut to loosen off the bolt, potentially resulting in loss of steering control.

Risk. Loss of steering control increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect and tighten the upper and lower bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 16, 2022. Owners may contact Newmar's customer service at 1-800-731-8300.

Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel21V700000
Filed Sep 9, 20211,554 vehiclesNewmar Corporation

Defect. Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2019-2021 London Aire, Dutch Star, Essex, King Aire, Mountain Aire, 2020-2021 Ventana, and 2021 New Aire recreational vehicles. The instrument cluster may intermittently go blank while the vehicle is in motion.

Risk. A blank instrument cluster display may be missing critical information such as the vehicle's speed and warning lights, which can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will update the control module software, and reroute and secure the ductwork, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 8, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar's customer service at 1-800-731-8300.

Fuel System, Diesel › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings21V642000
Filed Aug 17, 2021140 vehiclesNewmar Corporation

Defect. Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Dutch Star, New Aire, and Ventana vehicles equipped with Cummins L9 diesel engines. A fuel leak may occur from the fuel hose between the fuel pump and the remote fuel filter head.

Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Cummins will replace the fuel hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on October 16, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar's customer service at 1-800-731-8300 or Cummins' customer service at 1-800-286-6467. Newmar's number for this recall is DTNA #21V556/FL-897.

Fuel System, Diesel › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings21V604000
Filed Aug 4, 2021169 vehiclesNewmar Corporation

Defect. Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Dutch Star, New Aire, and Ventana motorhomes equipped with Cummins L9 diesel engines. A fuel leak may occur from the fuel hose between the fuel pump and the remote fuel filter head.

Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Cummins will replace the fuel hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 16, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar's customer service at 1-800-731-8300. Newmar's number for this recall is Cummins 21E-063.

Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer21V571000
Filed Jul 27, 20214,106 vehiclesNewmar Corporation

Defect. Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Bay Star, Ventana, New Aire, 2019-2020 Canyon Star, Bay Star Sport, Essex, King Aire, London Aire, Mountain Aire, 2018-2021 Dutch Star, 2020 Kountry Star, and 2019 Ventana LE recreational vehicles. The adhesive that bonds the vented portion of the window may fail.

Risk. Adhesive failure may cause the vent portion of the window to detach, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect the windows, and replace the vent if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300. Newmar's number for this recall is 21E 047.

Fuel System, Diesel › Fuel Injection System › Fuel Rail21V506000
Filed Jul 2, 20211,737 vehiclesNewmar Corporation

Defect. Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2019 Mountain Aire, 2020-2021 New Aire, 2020-2022 Super Star, 2018-2021 Ventana, and Dutch Star vehicles equipped with certain Cummins diesel engines. The sealing washer may not seat correctly in the pilot boreholes, allowing the high-pressure fuel rail assembly to leak.

Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Cummins service centers will inspect the rail threads and fuel lines, and replace the rail as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300. Newmar's number for this recall is Cummins 21E-32.

Fuel System, Diesel › Fuel Injection System › Fuel Rail21V372000
Filed May 20, 20211,294 vehiclesNewmar Corporation

Defect. Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Dutch Star, 2017-2019 Mountain Aire, 2019-2021 Ventana and 2021 New Aire motorhomes. The sealing washer may not seat correctly in the pilot bore holes, allowing the high pressure fuel rail assembly to leak.

Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect the rail threads, and replace the rail as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters were mailed to owners on July 16, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8000. Newmar's number for this recall is Cummins 21E-032.

Steering › Column21V258000
Filed Apr 13, 202119 vehiclesNewmar Corporation

Defect. Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2021 London Aire, Dutch Star, New Aire, Ventana, and Mountain Aire vehicles. The steering output shaft may be too short and could disengage from the steering input shaft.

Risk. Disengagement of the steering output shaft may result in a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Newmar will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the steering column, free of charge. The recall began on May 19, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300 and Shyft Group customer service at 1-800-582-3454. Newmar's number for this recall is 21V-214.

Service Brakes, Air › Antilock21V182000
Filed Mar 17, 2021141 vehiclesNewmar Corporation

Defect. Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2021 Dutch Star, New Aire, and Ventana motorhomes. The adjustable brake pedal assembly may be missing a return spring. This may cause the brake lights to stay illuminated after the brake pedal is released. Also, in certain towed vehicles, the brakes may stay engaged after the brake pedal is released.

Risk. Malfunctioning brake lights can fail to alert other motorists of the driver's intention, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, brakes remaining unintentionally engaged on a towed vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Newmar will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly, and install a return spring if necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 16, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300. Newmar's number for this recall is 21V 108.

Showing 10 of 13 campaigns, newest first.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Nov 23, 2024CA

Last week I had the air dryer filter replaced at Colton Truck Terminal in Colton Ca. Subsequently, I did the complete 7 step air brake system check and discovered that during total loss of air pressure , the emergency brakes would not auto apply. I replaced the dash hand valve and the problem still persists, so I installed the original valve and took the coach back to Colton Truck Terminal to diagnose the problem. Attached is the paper work from Colton Truck Terminal diagnosing the issue and the correction of that issue. Also on that paperwork is the vehicle information. Apparently, two air lines were crossed going into the primary air tank during chassis assembly. Once corrected, the system worked properly. I did not take it to a FL dealer because the chassis is out of warranty and Colton Truck Terminal is a well respected local repair company that almost exclusively works on Class A diesel pusher chassis. My hopes are that FL will reimburse me for this repair that was required as a result of improper initial assembly. My other concern is that there are no other chassis that may have this issue that were built around the same period. Though the emergency brakes could still be manually applied during loss of air pressure, the incorrect assembly prohibited automatic operation as required. You are welcome to call the repair facility to gather further information if you require or contact me as well by email or phone at [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INF

Steering
Filed Oct 22, 2024FL

My Newmar motorhome has 20,000 miles on it. When driving on the highway the steering intermittantly gets about 60% harder to steer for approximately 20 minutes then goes back to normal. It happens repeatedly and regardless of whether you are turning or going straight. Last week the problem became much worse. More importantly I was exiting the highway and the steering wheel turned by itself back to center while I was turning! Thank god I was moving slowly and was able to stop. I turned the motorhome engine off and restarted it and the steering was operational again. I called freightliner and spoke to a customer service person who said I had to bring it to a dealer which I did. Now they can not find the problem and want to charge me at least $2500.00 to start looking for the problem. I allowed them to investgate the problem for 1 hour of labor but they could not find a cause. Attached are the tech notes and estimate to continue looking for the problem. Freightliner has a known issue with steering on this particular chassis. They replace the steering column. I feel it is extremely dangerous for me to keep driving.

Wheels
Filed Dec 2, 2023WI

TPMS not reading tire pressure

Wheels
Filed Oct 18, 2022NV

Tire Pressure Monitor System stops working after 1 to 2 hours and shows all tires at 401 degrees F and 136 PSI. At this point there is no warning if a tire loses pressure or overheats which could lead to a blowout and accident.

Steering
Filed Sep 28, 2022TX

This model motorhome has a steering assist function to allow the steering wheel effort to be adjusted to a very light turning input or a very hard turning input. This feature is known as Comfort Drive or Comfort Steer. As I was driving down the highway at 60 MPH, I got a warning on the dash that said “Steering Effort Control (CTRL) Disabled” and the steering wheel immediately went into the very hard steering feel. While still driveable at highway speeds, all turns, especially at slow speeds are difficult to turn the wheel into and out of the turn. On a social media page for Newmar owners, I found that several people had this same issue and a “fix” to return the steering to normal was to turn off the chassis batteries and turn them back on. This did reset the Comfort Drive initially, but as I was making a turn at an intersection, the warning came on again, and because of the slow speed in making the turn, the steering wheel was excessively hard to turn and I drifted into the lane next to me and almost ran onto the curb. Had there been another vehicle next to me or a pedestrian walking on the sidewalk, it could have been a serious accident. Supposedly, Freightliner (the motorhome is built on a Freightliner chassis) knows about this issue but has not voluntarily offered to fix the issue. I am told there is no repair possible on this system, instead it requires a complete replacement of the steering column and a software update of the Comfort Drive system. Newmar says it is not t

Engine
Filed Jul 15, 2021TX

I recently purchased a 2021 Newmar Dutchstar Motorhome, and took delivery recently. The Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) sensor failed in less than 3,000 miles. As a newbie in the motorhome world, I was stunned and very disappointed that this failure occurred so quickly, and also with the ramifications of the failure. When DEF sensors fail the engine can go into derate state which can cause my coach to move at a maximum of 5 mph in less than a couple hundred miles, and then the engine SHUTS DOWN. I contacted Spartan motors, the manufacturer of my chassis, and was told that this is a known problem with diesel engines, and that there is a worldwide problem with the DEF failures compounded by a worldwide shortage in functioning replacement parts. The DEF sensors regulation was passed by EPA in 2016, stating the DEF concentration be measured in the DEF tanks of vehicles. I believe that Shaw Development is currently at the sixth generation of the DEF sensor which are still failing regularly on brand new 2021 motorhomes. That is six attempts to make a part that continues to leave people on long trips stranded. As a female driving my coach, this is a major problem. First, because I cannot even drive my brand-new coach anywhere but also because the prospect of getting stranded on the side of the road, as a female, is too frightening to risk. And there is no prediction when I will get the part needed to repair the failure, or whether that part will be defective too.

6 of 6 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20232300Routine
20220900Routine
2021 — this page61300Routine
202061000Routine
2019231100Routine
2018161500Routine
201761800Routine
201641100Do not drive
201551120Do not drive
201421400Do not drive
20130800Routine
20120600Routine
20110600Routine
20100600Routine
20090500Routine
20082700Routine
20071800Routine
20064410Routine
20055900Routine
200431010Routine
200341200Routine
200231000Routine
20018800Routine
200033800Routine
199923610Routine
199810600Routine
19973400Routine
19960100Routine
19950100Routine
19941100Routine

Compare every Dutch Star 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: Apr 11, 2022. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.