2016 Winnebago transfer switch recall

[MIDMONDN]

I am currently a retired electrical contractor / master electrician. My electrical carrear spands 47 years. Education includes Military electrical mechanical training, electrician trade school, IBEW apprenticeship school and continued education throughout. I am not an engineer and dont claim to be one. (So with all that said just to claim I am not a internet troll with a unfounded opinion) I claim to have a decent amount of backround and experance to make this statement - IN MY OPINION, it is Reckless to solder the wire ends for a termination connection point on a transfer switch.

[CatManDo]

Originally Posted by MIDMONDN

I am currently a retired electrical contractor / master electrician. My electrical carrear spands 47 years. Education includes Military electrical mechanical training, electrician trade school, IBEW apprenticeship school and continued education throughout. I am not an engineer and dont claim to be one. (So with all that said just to claim I am not a internet troll with a unfounded opinion) I claim to have a decent amount of backround and experance to make this statement - IN MY OPINION, it is Reckless to solder the wire ends for a termination connection point on a transfer switch.

Had whomever did this - no other way to say it - “hack job” - could have least had the brains to use electrical solder. That alone should have allowed SUBSTANTIALLY more energy transfer than mechanical-grade leaded solder.

I appreciate your candor - and agree with you.

Regards,

[Freebird1958]

Thank you for the pictures, they say a lot.

[CatManDo]

My wife & I took delivery of our beautiful Vista LX 30T right around the end of September ‘16.

Stands to reason - since we also never received ANY notification of a recall from Winnebago or the dealer - that this ATS issue was taken care of by the dealer prior to handing us the keys.

Nope. One reason or another, ours still failed. Or was basically sabotaged ... in Forest City IA.

My written evidence / pictures submitted - in my opinion - is proof that this “loose wire” hokum is exactly that; a purposefully false statement by the manufacturer side-stepping the REAL issue involving Winnebago’s incorrect and negligently dangerous “tinning” of the stranded wire ends of the shoreline cable prior to insertion into the ATS connectors.

I've got a great picture of the inside of the ATS and the wires. Can someone please tell me how to post it?!?!?!?!?! Posting on this forum is *difficult* - if not downright impossible!!!!!!!!

(Can't list the pic file as a URL 'cuz it's not on / from the web .... It's on my desktop - and it's not too big of a file either!)

(Using an iMac .... )

/Users/thomashodge/Desktop/IMG_0670.jpg

[CatManDo]

OK, I think I may have it ....

[CatManDo]

OK, I think I found the pic ....

All of the wires & transfer switch connectors were 100% tight as could be when I removed my ATS. Therefore, I call the “possible loose wire” excuse for the recall a steaming pile of bull-xxxx. It’s a smoke screen ....

The problem here was caused by over-heated wires, causing the shoreline wire insulation to melt - then short circuit. This over-heated wiring was a direct result of a point of super-resistance in the shoreline power supply coming in - the improperly lead-solder (not electrical solder) “tinned” ends clamped into the ATS, then ............ ZAP!!!!!

The intense heat even melted the phenolic (?) mounting box of the ATS and that was it for the switch. My 30A breaker in the dedicated RV circuit also tripped ... and upon ATS removal, the heat where the shoreline wires attached? The wires with connectors just fell loose ... BUT THE WIRES WERE STILL ATTACHED - FIRMLY!!!!

Since all of my AC outlets were dead, I was afraid the inverter was fried ... but upon examining the inside of the ATS, I knew what the real problem was in an instant.

[Chellayh]

I am fighting trying to get this problem fixed on my 2014 Cambria. We bought it June 15. I had checked recalls before we signed on it & saw the ATS recall & the dealer assured us they had taken care of it. We took it for a shakedown trip the following weekend. Woke up about 4 am Sunday morning with no electric (no AC in Houston & my CPAP being off woke us up). My surge protector said the pedestal was fine, no breakers were flipped. Finally opened the power cord compartment & it was full of smoke & the outside of the ATS had a small burn mark on it. As we packed up that morning to head home, I asked my husband to check tire pressures. I had thought they looked a bit low, but wasn’t sure before spending all weekend seeing other RV’s tires. Sure enough, every one was about 30 lbs low, which means the dealer sent us home (a 4 hour drive) with all the tires that low! Now I wondered if they really took care of the ATS!

Called Winnebago the next morning & their records showed our dealer recorded taking care of the recall. So I then called the dealer, who said the burnt spot was there during their PDI & that’s why they did the “repair” by tightening the wire connections even though the 2014 wasn’t technically in the recall. They agreed to help me find someone in Houston to repair it so I wouldn’t have to drive back the 4 hours, stay in their campsite in a RV with no AC & drive the 4 hours back home. They also got approval to replace the ATS under recall by Winnebago. No dealer here would touch it though, because I didn’t buy from them! I finally found a mobile repair place who does Winnebago repairs & they agreed to work with my dealer to get it done.

Now here I am, 1 1/2 weeks later & haven’t heard a peep. Called the mobile repair place (NARV) yesterday morning & apparently Winn won’t send them the part direct & even though it’s a recall Winnebago will only pay for the part, NOT THE LABOR!!!! NARV said they called the dealer back, who was supposed to talk to Winn & call me as of last Thurs. So I called the dealer twice yesterday with no response & called again this am & finally got a call back. The service guy was making noise about how it might have been the rv park pole so I should go try the genny until I reminded him about the smoke & the surge protector. H said he would try to get Winn to send me the part, since we’re supposed to take it on vacation in 2 weeks. This afternoon I went to the rv (in storage) & took off the ATS lid & took a pic. The inside is fried. I texted the service guy the pic & told him I didn’t think it would be a good idea to try the genny. Haven’t heard anything back. But if they did indeed tighten the connections, I think there is definitely more to the problem!

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by oldjoe

Just received notice from Good Sam that the government has issued a recall on certain 2015-2017 Winnebagos for an electrical connection to the automatic transfer switch (ATS) that may not be properly tightened. A loose power connection may cause a build up of heat at the connection, increasing the risk of a fire.

Details will be coming from Winnebago.

Here is the link: 2016 WINNEBAGO VISTA | Safercar | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Been a problem for many, many years now. NHTS has finally gotten involved. I recommend that we all check our ATS and service panel connections. Even the inverter. I do this every year or so. After the first time through I have not had any issues. But the first time? Save me a bunch of trouble and money.

[Chellayh]

I have been getting runaround after runaround & a earful of lies from our dealer regarding this fix. Just returned home after leaving at 9 am to drive my rig back to the dealer. I am beyond p.o.’d. Got no answer after texting service advisor for an update & eta on part arrival yesterday morning, so when my husband came home at noon, he got on the phone, to have the service advisor tell him that Winnebago won’t approve replacement. “There is no part involved in the recall.” Uh, excuse me, you told me Tues morning that Winnebago had approved replacement & the part had been ordered. DH had his phone on speaker with me listening in & I lost it, basically told him where he could put it & hung up the phone. DH called them back, then called Winne, who told him that the dealer never tried to order the part & the dealer had been told if the part was burnt they should have replaced it. As mentioned in my last post, the s.a. told me that the ATS had a burn mark on the outside during the PDI & the tech took a pic of it. Which means it should have been replaced before we ever got it! Basically this s.a. is a lying pile of doo-doo. DH got them to order the part at 4:30 yesterday (& got the order #), we delivered it today & supposedly they are going to have it fixed by Friday. Once this is done, both Winne & the dealer will be getting a letter detailing everything. (And yes, I will keep it a whole lot more business-like than I have here. I am venting.) Not sure it will do any good, but I have read of people getting at least some response from Winne by doing this. But McClain’s RV in Denton TX will NEVER have me darken their doorstep again.

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by Chellayh

I have been getting runaround after runaround & a earful of lies from our dealer regarding this fix. Just returned home after leaving at 9 am to drive my rig back to the dealer. I am beyond p.o.’d. Got no answer after texting service advisor for an update & eta on part arrival yesterday morning, so when my husband came home at noon, he got on the phone, to have the service advisor tell him that Winnebago won’t approve replacement. “There is no part involved in the recall.” Uh, excuse me, you told me Tues morning that Winnebago had approved replacement & the part had been ordered. DH had his phone on speaker with me listening in & I lost it, basically told him where he could put it & hung up the phone. DH called them back, then called Winne, who told him that the dealer never tried to order the part & the dealer had been told if the part was burnt they should have replaced it. As mentioned in my last post, the s.a. told me that the ATS had a burn mark on the outside during the PDI & the tech took a pic of it. Which means it should have been replaced before we ever got it! Basically this s.a. is a lying pile of doo-doo. DH got them to order the part at 4:30 yesterday (& got the order #), we delivered it today & supposedly they are going to have it fixed by Friday. Once this is done, both Winne & the dealer will be getting a letter detailing everything. (And yes, I will keep it a whole lot more business-like than I have here. I am venting.) Not sure it will do any good, but I have read of people getting at least some response from Winne by doing this. But McClain’s RV in Denton TX will NEVER have me darken their doorstep again.

Yes... We were not particularly impressed with them either. I do hope you can get back on the road ASAP or sooner. It is a bummer when a dealer messes up such a simple fix. This fix takes about 2 hrs, including paper work, to complete. ATS's are usually on the shelf parts.

[JTKelly]

I replaced my transfer switch last August and the same thing happend. Multiple wires melted. The reason for this is either because I didn't use loc-Tite on the lugs , or I needed to re-tighten the lugs after each trip. I think the quality of the surge guard product is poor. You actually have to hold the lugs with long nosed pliers so you don't break it while tightening it. 2nd time i replaced it , after 3 long trips it was as if it I never tightened the lugs to begin with. Every trip loosened the lugs. Going to try loctight on the threads and see if that works.

[chickenman05]

My 2016 Sunova ats crapped out at 3000 mile mark. Selling dealer made good though and sent me a Parallax unit to replace Winnebagos muck up.

[TJoyce]

Hi where is the energy transfer switch in a 26 ANOVA what I’m looking at thank you

[chickenman05]

It's in the compartment where your 50 amp shore power cord is - the power cord is connected to it.