1999 Norcold Refrigerator

Defect. EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: GAS/ELECTRIC ABSORPTION REFRIGERATORS USED IN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AND CAMPING TRAILERS. THE SWIVEL NUT WHICH IS AN INTEGRAL CONNECTION COMPONENT OF A PRESSURE TAP DEVICE HAS "STRESS CORROSION CRACKING."

Risk. THIS CRACKING CAN LEAD TO AN OPEN FRACTURE IN THE BRASS NUT, POTENTIALLY ALLOWING PROPANE GAS TO LEAK.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE SWIVEL NUT/PRESSURE TAP COMPONENT AND REPLACE WITH A REMEDY KIT.

I OWN A 2014 WINNEBAGO ERA 70X. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW. I HAD TO HAVE MY NORCOLD N3104 REFRIGERATOR REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY IN JANUARY 2014. NOW AGAIN THE REFRIGERATOR HAS FAILED DUE TO BLACKENED OVERHEATED CIRCUIT BOARD DUE TO FAILURE OF 12V PORTION OF THE 3 WAY REFRIGERATOR. NORCOLD SAYS I NEED TO REPLACE THE POWER CONTROL BOARD ANT AN EXPENSE OF OVER $700 FOR THE PART ALONE!! I AM HESITANT TO ORDER THE PART SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH NORCOLD. SEARCHING THE INTERNET REVEALS ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS. I AM LEANING TOWARDS ADDING A LEVEL OF PROTECTION TO PREVENT OVERHEATING WITH THE NEXT REFRIGERATOR THAT IS MANUFACTURED BY A COMPANY CALLED ARP. HER IS A LINK TO THEIR WEB SITE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING MY REFRIGERATOR - HTTPS://WWW.ARPRV.COM/N3104-N3150-NO-12-VOLT-HEATER.PHP

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KEYSTONE MONTANA 3750FL EQUIPPED WITH A NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR, SERIAL NUMBER 12711643. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE REFRIGERATOR MALFUNCTIONED AND IT FAILED TO COOL ITS CONTENTS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REFRIGERATOR HAS BEEN REPAIRED UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10E049000 ( EQUIPMENT) ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE EQUIPMENT WAS NOT REPAIRED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A NORCOLD RV REFRIGERATOR, MODEL NUMBER: 1200 RM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REFRIGERATOR COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE INSIDE THE VEHICLE DUE TO A BREAK DOWN IN A RUBBER SEAL WITHIN THE GAS VALVE.. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER 02E044000 (EQUIPMENT: RECREATIONAL VEHICLE) AND CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER SENT A TECHNICIAN TO INSPECT THE REFRIGERATOR. THE TECHNICIAN SENT PICTURES OF THE REFRIGERATOR TO THE MANUFACTURER THEN DETERMINED THAT A FIRE DID NOT OCCUR. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS TO THE REFRIGERATOR.

I HAVE A NORCOLD 6162 REFRIGERATOR. THE GAS SHUT OFF VALVE HAD DEVELOPED A LEAK FROM THE VALVE ITSELF, NOT THE FITTINGS CAUSING A GAS LEAK. THE LEAK ALLOWS GAS TO FLOW INTO THE OUTSIDE COMPARTMENT APPROXIMATELY 6-10 INCHES FROM THE BURNER CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF FIRE. SEVERAL OTHER NORCOLD UNITS WERE RECALLED FOR SIMILAR FAILURES, HOWEVER THIS MODEL IS NOT LISTED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DUTCHMEN 26LDSL TRAVEL TRAILER. A THETFORD/NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR/FREEZER, SERIAL # 11162687 MODEL #N611 LT GROUP CODE: 080225 WAS INSTALLED IN THE TRAILER. AN ODOR WAS IN THE REFRIGERATOR THAT THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE. THE REFRIGERATOR MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL POWER OUTAGE AND EVERYTHING WAS DESTROYED. FOR TWO WEEKS THEY HAVE MADE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO CLEAN THE REFRIGERATOR BECAUSE OF THE ODOR AND SPOILED FOOD INSIDE THE REFRIGERATOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT REMOVE THE PANEL; YET, THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT TO USE ODO BAN TO GET RID OF THE ODOR. THERE WAS NO MILEAGE ON THE TRAVEL TRAILER.

REGARDING SAFETY RECALL #06V430. SINCE MY PURCHASE OF RV IN 1998, I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH MY REFRIGERATOR. LOTS OF MONEY SPENT ON IT. ONE OF THE MECHANICS HAD TO BY-PASS ONE OF THE LINES IN THE BACK OF UNIT. WHEN I SAW THIS RECALL, I WAS RELIEVED. COME TO FIND OUT, MY UNIT IS NOT ONE OF THE RECALLS. MY UNIT MODEL AND UNIT #S ARE 541274ED, 9162. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT IT WAS LEFT OUT? I WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD LET ME KNOW IF THE RECALL EXTENDED TO UNIT I HAVE. THANKS *TR

THE REFRIGERATOR IN THIS MOTOR HOME QUIT OPERATING IN JUNE OF 2008 WE REPLACED IT IN JULY OF 2008 AT A COST OF MORE THAN 1700.00. WE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM NORCOLD. WE REPLACED IT AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL AND OFFERED SOME RESTITUTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 ALLEGRO RV TIFFIN MODEL EQUIPPED WITH AN NORCOLD COOLING UNIT THAT EXPLODED TWO DAYS AFTER SHE RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 09E027000 EQUIPMENT. SHE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITHOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT HER SERIAL NUMBER WAS OUT OF THE RECALL RANGE; HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER GAVE HER A NEW COOLING UNIT THAT IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ICING UNIT OR DOOR. UPDATED 10/23/09 *CN THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE OF WHAT A NEW COOLING UNIT WOULD COST. UPDATED 10/27/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FOUR WINDS TRAVEL TRAILER. THE VEHICLE HAS A 1999 NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED OUTSIDE OF THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THE FOLLOWING DAY AND STATED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE REFRIGERATOR. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED ON ITS OWN AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE BARN NEXT TO THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO DESTROYED. THE SERIAL NUMBER, PART NUMBER, AND MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 6/29/09 *CN UPDATED 06/30/09.*JB

MY NORCOLD RV MODEL 683 REFRIGERATOR WITH A SERIAL NUMBER OF 210740 ON THE COOLING UNIT WAS WORKING IN THE ELECTRIC MODE WHEN I STARTED SMELLING A STRONG AMMONIA ODOR I TURNED THE REFRIGERATOR OFF AND CHECKED TO SEE WHERE THE SMELL WAS ORIGINATING FROM. I FOUND NO LEAKS SO I TRIED RUNNING IT ON PROPANE WITH NO PROBLEMS, THEN I SWITCHED TO DC POWER AND HAD NO PROBLEMS, HOWEVER WHEN I SWITCHED BACK TO ELECTRIC IT WOULD NOT COOL. UPON INVESTIGATION I FOUND THE AC HEATER HAD SHORTED CAUSING THE METAL JACKET AROUND THE WIRES TO MELT. I FEEL THIS WAS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, THIS ELEMENT IS CONTAINED INSIDE THE VENT HOUSING WHICH CONTAINS INSULATION AND TUBING WITH THE AMMONIA SOLUTION IN IT IF THE POWER FUSE HAD NOT BLOWN I FEEL IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE IN THE UNIT WHICH IN TURN WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE MOTORHOME TO CATCH ON FIRE. I FEEL THIS WAS A DEFECT THAT COULD HAVE CAUSE A MAJOR PROBLEM IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE AMMONIA TUBE CRACKED FROM THE HEAT FROM THE AC HEATER. I FEEL THE ONLY SAFE WAY TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM IS TO REPLACE THE COOLING UNIT AND MODIFY THE SHIELD FOR THE AC HEATER WIRES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 DUTCHMAN CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR CAUGHT FIRE DAMAGING THE INTERIOR OF THE RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REFRIGERATOR IS A PART OF THE NORCOLD RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #02E019000). THE SERIAL NUMBER IS 061963ADBKH2.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HOLIDAY RAMBLER VACATIONER. THE 1999 NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REFRIGERATOR COOLANT SYSTEM WELD FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE REFRIGERATOR NOT TO COOL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE COOLING UNIT WAS LEAKING. NORCOLD HAD A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02E019000 (EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE) CONCERNING THE SAME FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS REFRIGERATOR WAS NOT INCLUDED. DUE TO THE COST OF THE REPAIR, THE CONTACT BOUGHT A NEW REFRIGERATOR. THE SERIAL AND PART NUMBERS WERE UNAVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR (MODEL # 1104985 AND SERIAL # 762583FK). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REFRIGERATOR IN HIS 2000 DUTCHMAN LITE IS LEAKING COOLANT. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH NORCOLD WHO STATED THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE REFRIGERATOR. HOWEVER, HIS MODEL AND SERIAL NUMBERS ARE NOT INCLUDED. THE REFRIGERATOR PART NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN.

REFRIGERATOR COOLING UNIT IS LEAKING AMMONIA. FROM PREVIOUS NHTSA RECALLS I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD. THE MANUFACTURER (NORCOLD) HAS TOLD ME TO SHUT OFF THE REFRIGERATOR IMMEDIATELY AND REPLACE THE COOLING UNIT. ALTHOUGH UNITS MANUFACTURED WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF MINE HAVE BEEN OFFICIALLY RECALLED FOR THIS SAME DEFECT, THEY OFFER NO ASSISTANCE IN REPLACEMENT. *NM

NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR UNIT BURN OUT, SEEMS TO BE THE SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEM AS THE PUBLISHED RECALLS: GROUP CODE: 70821 MODEL NR - 9162 S/N - 457156E COOLING UNIT S/N: 807168 [NOT PRESENTLY UNDER RECALL] THE RV WAS PARKED AT A CAMP SITE AT BANFF CANADA FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THE NORCOLD REFRIGERATION UNIT WAS IN USE, POWERED BY ON SITE ELECTRICAL DROP. IT WAS MID MORNING ABOUT 1100 HRS THAT AN ODOR OF SMOKE WAS NOTICED. CHECKING THE RIG FOUND THAT THE NORCOLD UNIT WAS WARM AND THE WALL NEXT TO IT VERY MUCH WARMER, SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE AMBIENT TEMP. I REMOVED THE UNIT FROM THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND OTHER POWER SOURCES. TRACKING DOWN THE BURNING SMELL LEAD TO THE OUTSIDE ACCESS PANEL. INSIDE THE PANEL I DISCOVERED SOOT, SIGNS OF HEAT AND SMOKE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE APPARATUS, SIGNS THAT A SMALL EXPLOSION HAD OCCURRED WITHIN A VERTICAL METAL CYLINDER ON THE RIGHT DEFORMED AND EXPOSING WHAT APPEARS TO BE INSULATION PACKING, PRESENTLY BLACK. NO FURTHER HEAT OR PROBLEMS FROM HEAT WERE DISCOVERED. CORRECTIVE ACTION: PRESENTLY UNIT IS BEING EVALUATED FOR REPAIRS. I EXPECT REPAIRS TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH. OLD PART WILL BE RETAINED. *JB

WE RECENTLY LOST OUR CAMP TRAILER TO FIRE CAUSED BY A NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR. THE FRIDGE HAD BEEN RECALLED AND THE RV REPAIR PLACE INSTALLED THE RECALL KIT AS PER NORCOLD'S INSTRUCTION AND IT BURNED DOWN IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS. IN DOING RESEARCH ABOUT NOROLD, I SEE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL WRONGFUL DEATH SUITS FILED AND PERSONALLY KNOW FIVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR CAMPERS BECAUSE OF NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. I WILL GLADLY PROVIDE SWORN STATEMENTS IF YOU NEED THEM. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY SETTLED WITH US BUT IT WAS NOT NEAR WHAT IT WILL COST US TO REPLACE THIS CAMPER. THANK GOODNESS WE HAD NOT ALREADY PICKED IT UP AND LEFT ON OUR TRIP. I HAVE PICTURES TO SHOW WHAT HAPPENED - BEFORE AND AFTER. NORCOLD WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FROM ALL I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET AS WELL AS SPEAKING TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR CAMPERS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THOSE PEOPLE WILL BE MADE TO STOP MAKING THAT REFRIGERATOR?!?!?! HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL LOSE THEIR LIFE'S SAVINGS AND COME UP EMPTY HANDED BECAUSE NORCOLD REFUSES TO REPLACE THE CAMPERS THAT THEIR PRODUCT BURNED DOWN? WE ARE SIMPLE FOLKS AND CANNOT AFFORD AN ATTORNEY SO WE ARE, SIMPLY PUT - SCREWED. THIS IS WRONG. IF YOU RESEARCH THIS, YOU WILL SEE WHAT I AM TELLING YOU IS THE TRUTH. JUST GO TO GOOGLE.COM AND TYPE IN "WRONGFUL DEATH NORCOLD" OR "NORCOLD FIRE". PLEASE ADVISE ME WHAT, IF ANY, RECOURSE PLAIN ORDINARY PEOPLE HAVE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR LOVED ONES FROM BEING KILLED OR WIND UP STIL