1996 Winnebago Adventurer

Routine

Owners filed 14 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the suspension. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Suspension2
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission2
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and Associated Pulleys2
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Fluid1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
010
Parking Brake › Conventional1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings1
000
Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer › Lpg Systems › Water Heater1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Equipment10V525000
Filed Oct 26, 201018,461 vehiclesWinnebago Industries, Inc.

Defect. WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING CERTAIN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1200-SERIES NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. THE POPULATION OF REFRIGERATORS BEING ADDRESSED CONTAINS EITHER A SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A POTENTIAL FIRE. THE RESPONSE TIMES OF THE SENSOR ALGORITHM AND THERMAL SWITCH DEVICES TO STOP POWER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT.

Risk. THE SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH INSTALLED TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED DUE TO A POSSIBLE HYDROGEN GAS LEAK MAY NOT SHUT OFF IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO PREVENT A FIRE.

Remedy. WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH NORCOLD TO IDENTIFY AND NOTIFY ANY AFFECTED OWNERS. OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT NORCOLD DEALERS TO RECEIVE THE REMEDY FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE SEE NORCOLD'S DEFECT REPORT 10E-049 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING DECEMBER 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD AT 1-800-767-9101 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-3535.

Equipment › Mechanical › Carrier/Rack97V012000
Filed Feb 3, 199710,590 vehiclesWinnebago Industries, Inc.

Defect. THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER HOIST COMPONENTS CAN BECOME LOOSE WHILE TRAVELING AND ALLOW THE SPARE TIRE TO MOVE FROM ITS STORED POSITION TO THE ROAD SURFACE.

Risk. THE SPARE TIRE CAN CONTACT THE ROAD SURFACE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL ADD A PRIMARY SPARE TIRE SUPPORT BRACKET.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes, HydraulicFire
Filed Mar 26, 2007CA

WE PURCHASED AN RV FROM ARIZONA RV OUTLET 5 WEEKS AGO THAT HAD SOME TERRIBLE BRAKE ISSUES, THERE WAS A MINOR FIRE FROM BRAKE ISSUES. THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE VEHICLE WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB.*AK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THEY HAVE REFUSED TO HELP US AND EVEN FURTHER, WE PAID FOR A 4 YEAR BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY THROUGH THEM AND THEY NEVER SUBMITTED THE PAYMENT OR INFORMATION TO THE SERVICE COMPANY SO WE CAN GET ANY REPAIRS PAID FOR. WE HAD A TIRE BLOW NOT 60 MILES FROM THEIR LOT THAT BROKE A LEVELER AND THEY OFFERED NO HELP ON THAT EITHER.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and Associated Pulleys
Filed Nov 24, 2003113,000 milesNJ

ON MY 1996 WINNEBAGO MOTOR HOME (34 FEET) (16,000 GVW) I LOST THE "SERPENTINE FAN BELT" WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 81 IN VIRGINIA. THIS CAUSED A LOSS OF MY POWER STEERING , AND I LOST MY POWER BRAKES! IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE BUT IT WAS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I AM OVER 6 FEET TALL AND WEIGH MORE THAN 200 POUNDS BUT NO MATTER HOW HARD I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IT STILL TOOK OVER 500 FEET TO FINALLY STOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, NO DAMAGES. *LA

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and Associated Pulleys
Filed Nov 24, 200311,300 milesNJ

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S FAN BELT FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Fluid
Filed Oct 20, 200337,000 milesMN

THE DRIVER SAID, "THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF HOT BRAKE FLUID". HE COULD HEAR THE BRAKE FLUID BOILING WHILE INSIDE OF MOTOR HOME". AS A RESULT, THE BRAKES HAD TO BE PUMPED IN ORDER TO STOP. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Aug 7, 200317,750 milesFL

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THERE WAS NO REVERSE WHILE SHIFTING THE GEAR. *AK WHEN ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. THE PROBLEM RECURRED AFTER THE REPAIR. (THE VEHICLE COOLED FOR 30 MINUTES, THEN THE REVERSE FUNCTIONED) *SCC *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 25, 200317,000 milesFL

I PURCHASED A 1996 WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER RV WITH 16,209 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE SECOND TIME THAT I USED THE VEHICLE, THE REVERSE DID NOT WORK AFTER IT HAD BEEN RUNNING. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR FACILITY AND THERE IS A TEK TIP, FROM TOLEDO TRANS-KIT, WHICH ILLUSTRATES THE PROBLEM. "TRANSMISSION HAS GOOD REVERSE UNTIL THE UNIT REACHES FULL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. PRIMARILY AFTER SUBSTAINED HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CAUSE HAS BEEN TRACED TO THE USE OF SHORT LIP SEALS ON THE DIRECT DRUM PISTON CAUSING THE DIRECT CLUTCH NOT TO APPLY WHEN REVERSE IS SELECTED. THIS IS FOR THE THM 4L80-E/4L80-EHD TRANSMISSION BUILT BY CHEVROLET. I WROTE TO WINNEBAGO AND THEY REFERRED ME TO CHEVROLET. CHEVROLET SAID THE WARRANTY WAS NOT VALID ANYMORE AND THEY DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE ((JIM SLAIN-25 MARCH 2003).

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
Filed Nov 16, 2000PA

EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED SIX TIMES. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE EACH TIME.*AK THE DEALER REPAIRED ALL SIX FAILURES AS CHARGING THE CONSUMER. ALSO FUMES GET INTO THE MOTOR HOME CAUSING SICKNESS TO CONSUMER AND FAMILY. VALVE COVER GASKET IS LEAKING. *YH

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Filed Nov 9, 1998IN

VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK AND FUMES DUE TO A HOLE IN THE FUEL LINE. FORD WAS CONTACTED AND WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. WINNEBEGO WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS MADE TO FIND THE PROBLEM WITHIN 1 YEAR TIME FRAME. *AK

Unknown or Other
Filed Nov 4, 1998CA

WANT TO KNOW IF THEIR ANY RECALLS ON THIS MAKE, MODEL,YEAR, ETC?

Suspension
Filed Jun 9, 1998TX

VEHICLE VERY UNSTABLE WHEN BOTH TANKS (WATER AND GAS) ARE FILLED DUE TO DESIGN FLAW.

Suspension
Filed May 20, 1998TX

SUSPENSION SYSTEM PROBLEMS OCCUR WHEN WATER AND GAS TANKS ARE FULL CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN STEERING/CONTROL.

Parking Brake › Conventional
Filed Apr 29, 1998VA

THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD. THE BRAKE WILL ENGAGE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES THEN LET GO. THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer › Lpg Systems › Water Heater
Filed Apr 28, 1998WA

VENT ON HOT WATER HEATER WAS INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN, CAUSING HEAT TO TRAVEL UPWARDS INSIDE OF WALLS INSTEAD OF DOWNWARDS, THIS CAUSED WALLS TO RIPPLE AND A HOT SPOT IN THE INSULATION. WAS ALSO A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Sep 19, 1997CA

ANTIFREEZE LINE BROKE OPEN DUE TO SHARP EDGE ON TUBING CONNECTION AND LEAKED FIVE GALLONS OF COOLANT.

14 of 14 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2004
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20250200Routine
20240200Routine
20231400Routine
20224300Routine
20218300Routine
20201400Routine
20192400Routine
20180500Routine
20170500Routine
20161800Routine
20150500Routine
20140300Routine
20130400Routine
20120300Routine
20113300Routine
20101400Routine
20090400Routine
20087300Routine
20073300Routine
20063500Routine
20057600Routine
200422310Routine
200316510Routine
200218210Routine
200114600Routine
200014500Routine
199917120Routine
19986200Routine
199711210Routine
1996 — this page14210Routine
199513200Routine
19947200Routine
19933100Routine
19923100Routine

Compare every Adventurer 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: Oct 26, 2010. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.