1998 Winnebago Chieftain

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the parking brake. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Parking Brake2
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Carburetor System1
000

3 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 › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer02V276006
Filed Dec 3, 2002631 vehiclesWinnebago Industries Inc.

Defect. CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR COOLING UNITS MODEL NUMBERS 442, 443, 452, EV452, 453, 462, EV462, 463, EV463, 482, EV482, 483, EV483, 874, AND 875. THESE REFRIGERATORS CAN EXPERIENCE A BREAK DOWN IN A RUBBER SEAL WITHIN THE GAS VALVE. AS THE RUBBER SEAL AGES, A LEAK MAY OCCUR, ALLOWING PROPANE GAS TO ACCUMULATE IN THE BURNER AREA.

Risk. THE CONSEQUENCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy. NORCOLD WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND PROVIDE A REPLACEMENT GAS VALVE FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NORCOLD SERVICE CENTER AT 1-800-667-3005 OR WINNEBAGO AT 641-585-3535.

Fuel System, Other › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings98V015000
Filed Jan 26, 1998741 vehiclesWinnebago Industries, Inc.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTOR HOMES. A LIQUID PROPANE (LP) HOSE WAS INSTALLED IN THE RANGE BURNER BOX. THE ELEVATED TEMPERATURE THE HOSE IS EXPOSED TO INSIDE THIS BOX CAN PREMATURELY AGE THE HOSE CAUSING A POSSIBLE LP LEAK.

Risk. LP GAS LEAKAGE COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN BODILY INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL RELOCATE THE FLEXIBLE HOSE OUTSIDE OF THE RANGE BOX.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Parking Brake
Filed Dec 29, 2004MN

PARK BRAKE SYSTEM IS PERIODICALLY ADJUSTED, IF NOT FULLY ENGAGE, ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER FOUND RESERVOIR FOR THE FLUID EMPTY AND THE CONVERTER TO THE PUMP WAS FLUID OF FLUID AND NOT MAKING CONNECTIONS, ALSO THE PRESSURE SWITCH WAS LEAKING. A NEW SWITCH, DRUMS SHOES AND SHAFT WERE REPLACED, HOWEVER IN APRIL 2001, THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRED AND THE DEALER ADJUSTED THE FRONT BRAKE SHOE. *JB

Parking Brake
Filed Dec 27, 20041,767 milesMN

WHILE PARKED AND EMERGENCY AND WITH THE BRAKE APPLIED IT DISENGAGED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OUT OF CONTROL. *AK THE BRAKE PADS HAD BURNED OUT WITH NO WARNING. *SC *JB

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 28, 2002GA

CONSUMER STATES HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MONOXIDE CARBON. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. TS

Fuel System, Gasoline › Carburetor System
Filed Jul 20, 1999TX

WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN THE AIR FILTER INTAKE PULLS WATER INTO THE AIR FILTER CAUSING ENGINE TO MISFIRE AND RUN POORLY, UNABLE TO FIND CORRECTION FOR CONDITION AT THIS TIME. MJS

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1999
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20110100Routine
20100100Routine
20090100Routine
20080100Routine
20070100Routine
20060100Routine
20050300Routine
20040300Routine
20030200Routine
20021200Routine
20010400Routine
20004510Routine
199913310Routine
1998 — this page4300Routine
19970200Routine
19960200Routine
19940100Routine

Compare every Chieftain 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.