2000 Winnebago Winnebago

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTOR HOMES AND TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR COOLING UNITS MODEL NUMBERS N841, N821, N641, AND N621. THESE REFRIGERATORS CAN EXPERIENCE A COOLING SYSTEM LEAK CAUSED BY OPERATION IN THE AC ELECTRIC MODE. IF A LEAK OCCURS, THE COOLING PERFORMANCE OF THE REFRIGERATOR WILL DETERIORATE, REQUIRING IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT OF THE COOLING UNIT.

Risk. EXTENDED OPERATION OF A LEAKING COOLING UNIT IN THE AC ELECTRIC MODE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy. NORCOLD WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE REFRIGERATOR COOLING UNITS. NORCOLD WILL CONDUCT THE OWNER NOTIFICATION. 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 1-800-767-9101 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-3535.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 WINNEBAGO RIALTA (NA). WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH IN DRY CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO RUN HOT. HE DROVE TO A GAS STATION TO ALLOW THE ENGINE TO COOL DOWN AND ADDED FLUID. WHEN HE BEGAN DRIVING AGAIN, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED ONCE MORE. THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT ALL OF THE BLADES ON THE FAN FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SHOP AND REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS THE WORK ORDER FROM THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 32,046.

DT: CONTACT STATES THE VACUUM HOSE/PIPING FROM THE POWER BRAKES TO THE ENGINE BROKE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE LOSE OF POWER BRAKING CAPABILITY. THE CONTACT WRAPPED THE END THAT WAS CRACKED WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE, APPLIED PRESSURE AND TRIED TO PUT THE ENDS BACK TOGETHER. THE CONSUMER DID REPLACE THE HOSE/PIPING WITH A RUBBER MADE HOSE/PIPING. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING FROM PASSENGER'S SIDE AND DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOWS. THIS CAUSED THE WINDOWS TO FOG UP, AND POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH WINDOWS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK.....SIDE WINDOWS ON PASSENGER'S SIDE WERECLOWDED BETWEEN SEALED PANELS AND OBSTRUCTED VISION TO SIDE AND REARVIEW MIRROR. *AK

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL FOR A SAMSUNG MICROWAVE. THE REQUIRED REPAIRS WERE MADE BUT THE CONSUMER WAS CHARGED. *NM THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED BECAUSE THE MICROWAVE NUMBER WAS LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE DEFECT CAN CAUSE THE MICROWAVE OVEN TO START BY ITSELF WITHOUT ANY USER INTERVENTION. *TC

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE DUAL FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL TIRE SEPARATED REMOVING THE PLUMBING FROM THE MOTORHOME. *NM PLUMBING COMPONENTS WERE RUN OVER BY A SEMI TRUCK WHICH WAS BEHIND THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. OTHER DAMAGE WAS ALSO MADE BY THE SEPARATION OF THE TREAD. *TC

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 04V107000 CONCERNING ENGINE COOLING FANS. CONSUMER ENDURED THE RECALL TWICE ALREADY, AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THERE WAS ALSO AN AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR PROBLEM.*AK THE VEHICLE FRONT RIGHT BRAKE PAD DISINTEGRATED. *NM

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING REAR TIRES HAVE TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER.*AK

THE TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION ON THE RIGHT SIDE DUAL TIRE OF THE WINNEBAGO ITASKA SUNDANCER 2000. FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL TIRES LT225/75R16. TIRE REPLACED FOR THE AMOUNT OF $114.99. *JB *CB

THE RIGHT REAR OUTER DUEL TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. *JB

THE LPG TANK LEAKED PROPANE DUE TO TWO MISSING BOLTS, ONE LOOSE BOLT AND ONE READY TO FALL OFF. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. (WINNEBAGO ITASCA 2000) *JB

THIS REPORT IS IN ADDITION TO THE ODI#763205 WE HAVE ALREADY SENT. SINCE THE LAST REPORT WE SENT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TWO MORE TIRE FAILURES ON THE SAME MOTOR HOME AND HAVE FOUND THAT ANOTHER OWNER HAS HAD TWO FAILURES OF HIS OWN. ALL FIVE OF THESE FAILURES OCCURRED IN APPROXIMATELY A SIX WEEK PERIOD. THE LAST ONE WE HAD WAS NOT AN ACTUAL FAILURE ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT RATHER IT WAS FOUND WHILE ROTATING THE TIRES. THIS ONE WAS FOUND ON THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE OTHER 4 WERE ON THE REAR OF THE UNITS. THE LAST UNIT WAS DISCOVERED BY THE MECHANIC WHO WAS ROTATING THE TIRES. HE FOUND THE TREAED WAS ABOUT TO SEPARATE FROM THE TIRE. WE HAVE REMOVED ALL THE FIRESTONE TIRES FROM THE UNIT EXCEPT FOR THE NEW SPARE AND REPLACED THEM WITH ANOTHER BRAND. WE HAVE ALL THE OLD TIRES AS WELL AS ONE FROM ANOTHER UNIT. WE CONTACTED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHO HAVE NOT RESPONDED. WE CONTACTED WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES TO SIMPLY ADVISE THEM OF THE ISSUE AS THEY APPARENTLY HAVE SOLD THEIR UNITS WITH THIS TIRE AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT. THEY TOLD US TO CONTACT THE TIRE MANUFACTURE. WE CONTACTED FIRESTONE IN DENVER AND ALL THEY SAY IS THAT THE TIRE WAS OVERLOADED AND UNDERINFLATED. WE ACCEPTED THEIR EXPLANATION UNTIL WE LOST TWO MORE TIRES AND WERE MADE AWARE THAT ANOTHER OWNERS UNIT HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH TWO OF HIS TIRES. WE HAVE KEPT THE OLD TIRES OFF OUR UNIT EXCEPT FOR TWO. WE ALSO HAVE ONE OF THE OTHER UNITS TIRES THAT FAILED IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN INSPECTING THEM. OUR CONCERN I

2 TIRES SEPARATED ON 2 OCCASIONS,NEAR COLLISION ON SECOND SEPARATION. *AK

THE DRIVER AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE: DOUG MONROE 3621 G.4 ROAD, PALISADE, CO 81526. HE INDICATED HE HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR 6 HOURS ON INTERSTATE 70 AT 65 MPH ON A HOT DAY IN UTAH. THEY HEARD A FLOPPING SOUND AND FELT A VIBRATION AND APPARENTLY PULLED OVER TO INVESTIGATE. NONE OF THE 4 PEOPLE ON BOARD WERE HURT AND THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE ARE FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL R4S. THE VEHICLE IS A 29' 2000 WINNEBAGO MINNIE CLASS C MOTOR HOME ON A FORD F-450 CHASSIS. THE VIN#: 1FDXE45S9YHA13064. THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE ARE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 16,500 MILE ON IT. THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE ARE FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIALS R4S. THE DOT#: VD1L 1XD 339. THE TIRE SIZE: LT 225/75R16 M/S. THERE IS A SMALL STICKER ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE WHICH READS: 6009-483. IT WAS LOCATED ON THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE RIGHT REAR. THE OWNERS OF THE TIRE STILL HAVE THE TIRE. THE OWNERS CONTACTED A FIRESTONE SERVICE CENTER IN DENVER. THE CENTER INDICATED IT WAS A TIRE SEPARATION MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY UNDERINFLATION AND A POSSIBLE OVERWEIGHT CONDITION. THE CENTER OFFERED TO ADJUST FOR MILEAGE AND REPLACE THE TIRE. THE CENTER INDICATED ONE OF THEIR TECH'S WOULD INSPECT THE TIRE THEN DESTROY IT OR SEND IT TO THEIR RESEACH PEOPLE FOR FURTHER ANAYLSIS. THE OWNER ELECTED NOT TO GIVE THEM THE TIRE AT THAT TIME UNTIL THE NHTSA WAS CONTACTED IN CASE THEY WANTED TO SEE THE TIRE THEMSELVES. THE OWNERS ALSO HAVE PICTURES OF THE TIRE IF THE NHTSA WANTS TO SEE THEM IN LIEU OF

TWO QUESTIONS/ISSUES: 1. THE RV WINDOWS ARE MADE OF 1/8TH INCH GLASS. WE EXPERIENCED AN "EXPLOSION" OF THE WINDOW IN THE OVERHEAD SLEEPING AREA. NO SIGN OF AN OBJECT HITTING THE WINDOW. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY REPORTED PROBLEMS RELATED TO RV WINDOWS SHATTERING? 2. IN INVESTIGATING THE PLUMBING OF THE VARIOUS SINKS, ETC. TO THE STORAGE TANKS I NOTICED A FRAME CROSS MEMBER HAD A CUTOUT OF APPROXAMATLY 1/2 OF THE MATERIAL THICKNESS TO ACCOMADATE A MOUNTING BRACKET FOR ONE OF THE HOLDING TANKS. THIS FRAME CROSS MEMBER IS TWARDS THE BACK OF THE UNIT WHERE THE TRAILER HITCH IS HOOKED UP. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS WITH A LOAD ON THE TRAILER HITCH. SHOULD I BE CONCERNED?*AK

DOOR FLIES OPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. METAL PLATE THAT SEPARATES DUAL TIRES FROM LP TANK WAS FALLING OFF AND DAMAGED.*AK ELECTRIC WATER HEATER WAS NOT WORKING POSING SAFETY HAZARD. *YH

SIDE ENTRANCE HAS A SEAT NEXT TO THE DOOR, AND IT CAN'T BE LOCKED INTO PLACE. ALSO, IT DOESN'T HAVE A SEAT BELT & IT ROCKS IN MOTION OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY WOULD PUT A 2X4 UNDER THE SEAT TO FIX IT. *AK *ML