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Old 11-04-2010, 02:23 PM   #1
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Angry 09 adventurer-p.o.s.

Since we purchased our 09 Winnebago Adventurer we have had nothing but problems. We thought we were buying the best of the best. Let me give you a summary of some of the continual problems...The first day of delivery...ceiling leaking water, wiring harness never mounted on dash(it was shoved up under the steering column and the dealership told us that a trip reset didn't come with this model), driver side mirror not operable. This was only the FIRST DAY! We purchased this RV at White Horse RV in Williamstown NJ. After many many more issues, White Horse told us they could no longer help us. We now drive even further for repairs over the PA bridge.
Here are the other problems:
Water leaking from roof
Slides not going in or out
Stabilizer jacks not working properly
Rust on the chassis extension
Bathroom pipe leaking
Mask on front bubbling & brown spots underneath
Driver door pin broken and rattles
wind sensor on awning will not work
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON............
HERE's the kicker....PROPANE LEAK WHILE IN THE OBX...MAKING US ALL SICK TO OUR STOMACHS!!!
I even e-mailed the President of Winnebago and I wasn't even worth a reply...he had someone else reply to tell me they were going to fix it. They have been fixing it for a year and a half. WHEN WILL IT END> I JUST WANT MY FAMILY TO HAVE FUN LIKE WE HAD INTENDED TO DO IN OUR WINNEBAGO. Now we are stuck with an RV that we can't sell, trade in or use with out headaches! I guess our last resort(since the President didn't care) is to take out a large ad in the USA TODAY to warn consumers before they buy a WInnebago. My family has had enough, we spent enough money in legal fees and this is our last resort. We have heard from individuals that work with Winnebago and for lesser issues..people have been compensated. What are we doing wrong?? Can someone please help us on this forum??
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Old 11-04-2010, 02:46 PM   #2
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Alan ...

Welcome to the forum ...

I am sorry that you are having such a difficult time with your Adventurer.

I am on my second Winnebago product. I have had exactly the opposite reaction from Winnebago resolving issues with my rigs. I am a satisfied customer. They were able to help me diagnose a very difficult electrical problem that I was having through a series of Emails. They have gotten things repaired where one of their vendors was involved. Please don't give up on Winnebago.

This has been a difficult time for RV dealers and many are under financial duress or closed. The two closest Winnebago dealers to me no longer handle motorhomes ... only towables. So don't take it personally that your closest dealer won't work on your Adventurer ... it sounds to me like they weren't doing an adequate job of repairing it anyway ... maybe it is a blessing in disguise that you are being directed to a different dealer.

Winnebago wants you to be a satisfied customer.
  • Have you followed up directly with the person at Winnebago who responded from your letter to the president?
  • Have you thought about the possibility that this responder could be the company expert who knows exactly how to follow through on problem resolutions?
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Old 11-04-2010, 04:21 PM   #3
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SkiGramp,

The rep that replied told us to follow up with the service manager where our RV is being repaired for the 10th time for numerous issues. Does he think we haven't been doing this for the passed year and a half?
We have dealt with the experts since day 1 and I don't think they are experts, they are just pacifying us once again.
I have a question for you: What would you do if you had your family in your rig and propane was pouring into your rig and could have exploded at any time? Thank God I got my family out of it at 2am.
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Old 11-04-2010, 04:31 PM   #4
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Another unhappy Winnebago owner and I not at all surprised. We just bought Winne number 3 in the spring of 2010. The first 2 were great RV's and very few if any problems. Number 3 is making up for all the good times we had with the other 2. We also have brown spots under the front mask. We had a super leak in the the roof, found there was about 6" of caulk missing where the front cap and roof meet. It didn't look like the area had ever seen caulk. Water poured down wall and out of the plug, carpet was soaked. Our dump valves were installed to far forward and the gray water handle hit on the backside of the panel, only allowed a trickle of water to dump. The fix for that one was to cut the corner off the panel so the handle would pass. Floor squeaks in the bedroom and hall and then there were 41 other things on the list of which I repaired many. Our dealer has been great and gets a "A", Winne backing them up gets a "D-". Your lucky you got a note back I got nothing. At the point I'm at now I don't think a Winne #4 will ever be on our short list.
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Old 11-04-2010, 04:33 PM   #5
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Sorry you are having such problems.

I communicated many times with Winnebago Owner Relations at (800) 537-1885 and/or email to [email protected]. They helped refer me to different dealerships when one was incapable and/or incompetent. A few items were fixed by the factory when we were in Iowa for the annual GNR. When I pushed them for specific solutions to specific problems, I got my problems resolved ...sometimes sooner and sometimes later, but they were resolved most often at Winnebago expense even after the warranty period (because there was plenty of documentation along the way).

So, what would I do?? ...I would continue to communicate directly with Winnebago Owner Relations, keeping them informed of my problems, my efforts to resolve the problems, the failures along the way, and my expectations/desires to get things working right.
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Old 11-04-2010, 04:44 PM   #6
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What about your state's lemon law? Have you talked to an attorney?
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Old 11-04-2010, 06:37 PM   #7
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It's continuously back after EVERY trip. They can't seem to repair anything once and for all. Our slides either get stuck in or out. Two times we watched the slide rip the rug completely up to the wood and watched the gasket rip and get pulled out. I can't tell you how many times we had to hand crank the slide in....it's pretty embarrassing when other campers in $20,000 rigs are watching me. You would think Winnebago would make us happy instead of getting bad PR everywhere we go.
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Old 11-05-2010, 07:23 AM   #8
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If I had all that aggravation i would get that rig to the Factory at Forest City Iowa. Your Dealer service is awful. I know the cost and time involved going to Iowa, but is what you are going thru better? We are on our 7th winnie so I am a fan but never had your amount of problems. They are pretty good at the factory.
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Old 11-05-2010, 07:55 AM   #9
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I agree about going to the factory for repairs. Our dealer here in Oregon is the pits. I will never darken their door again. Now I did find a good dealer in Washington that I would go back to - Uhlmann RV, but the factory has the parts and knows how everything is put together. They are the experts on your rig and can be expected to do the repairs the fastest and the best.
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Old 11-05-2010, 07:56 AM   #10
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Alan W;

Sorry to hear about your problems. I believe lakewoodpaul has given you good advice. Winnebago is known for good service at the factory. I have had the same results with Winnebago that skigramp states in his reply as we live 35 miles apart. I have had several issues and after calling Winnebago Customer Service they have been able to help me solve my problems. They have always been courteous and respectful to me.

I believe your slide problems need factory service and the trip to Forest City may be your best bet.

Good Luck;
Don
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Old 11-05-2010, 08:24 AM   #11
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Story has holes, just joined yesterday and posted. 09 MH did he buy it new etc.

He says lawyer fees, that is why no body will help. Once he contacted lawyers the dealer and manufacture stopped helping. Well known once a customer contacts lawyer all communication goes from lawyer to lawyer.

Interesting he got lawyer and no results, could be he has no case?
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Old 11-05-2010, 08:25 AM   #12
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I appreciate all of your replies. Another major issue now are my children getting sick on every trip. Has anyone else experienced this?
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Old 11-05-2010, 08:26 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Petro View Post
Alan W;

Sorry to hear about your problems. I believe lakewoodpaul has given you good advice. Winnebago is known for good service at the factory. I have had the same results with Winnebago that skigramp states in his reply as we live 35 miles apart. I have had several issues and after calling Winnebago Customer Service they have been able to help me solve my problems. They have always been courteous and respectful to me.

I believe your slide problems need factory service and the trip to Forest City may be your best bet.

Good Luck;
Don
As they should be helpfull to you and as they are to me. We did not spend money on a lawyer to go after them as OP did
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Old 11-06-2010, 10:27 AM   #14
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That really is a shame, all those problems, in a Winny. My dealership closed and I have used "White Horse RV" for parts but never for service. I have found that Media camping on Rt. 1 in Media PA has a really well stocked parts store, and a very helpful parts manager. I havn't had the need for service from them so I can't comment on there service dept. My aunt has a gulf stream with a lot of problems like you do, good luck on any thing you do. Best wishes.
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Old 11-06-2010, 02:22 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan W View Post
I appreciate all of your replies. Another major issue now are my children getting sick on every trip. Has anyone else experienced this?
Sick like with respiratory problems or something else?

I noticed a lot of respiratory gunkiness and irritation for the first 12 or 15 months in our new 2009 Sightseer. I think it was related to outgassing from the new materials. It's definitely better now.

To your other issues, I think maybe the 2008-2009 time period may have been a bad run for Winnebago. My '09 Sightseer was a mid-08 build. I was prepared for there to be a punch list with a new unit from reading the internet forums, but I was disappointed with my interactions with Winnebago owner relations. My dealer was reasonably competent (most of the time) and was more helpful in general than Winnebago was, but that dealer is no longer a Winnebago dealer, so no more work with them. They couldn't even order window glass for me.

Most of the majors have gotten fixed up on ours. I have one or two minors that I'm just dealing with myself. Mine spent, cumulatively, months at the dealership during the first year. It was ridiculous. What I find really bizarre is the idea that we have to drive to Iowa to get things fixed right. I bought new because I didn't want the hassles I saw coming with our old MH. Hopefully the next few years will fulfill that plan. The first year sure didn't.
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Old 11-06-2010, 05:50 PM   #16
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We have a 2009 Itasca and I'm really disappointed by both the quality of the Coach and the treatment I have received from our dealership. Considering you can spend as much for a new RV as you do for a house, I really expected fewer problems and a bit more satisfaction from the dealer...

On our maiden voyage the drain pipe below the floor disconnected from the grey tank and flooded our RV. We returned it to the dealer to get it fixed, and when we got it back, there were other things broken. On another trip we had a short punch list of items to be fixed, when we got it back, the jacks didn't work and the ice maker didn't work. In both cases we found wires had been disconnected! We knew of no reason why they would have to had been anywhere near the ice maker solenoid or the back of the jack controls. Thank God we are a member of a local WIT Group, who came to our rescue and helped us get things reattached. The last straw was our last trip to our dealer to have a leaking jack replaced. When we got the coach back, I discovered our $260 air pump had been stolen from the basement storage area! We thought it odd after we got home from picking it up that every single basement door was unlocked, because they were all locked when we dropped it off. After a hassle, and dealing with three different people at the dealership, I was reimbursed for the air pump, but not for the various tools and tire gauge I had stored in the bag with the air pump! I have absolutely no trust in this dealership, and will never do business with them again. On our latest outing, the drain pipe disconnected once again, and again flooded our coach! Fortunately if was another WIT outing, and once again our WIT family came to our aid and we repaired it in the field. It should have never happened to begin with and the Dealership blamed Winnebago for not glueing the pipe to the elbow connected the drain, but after it disconnected again after they allegedly repaired it, I wonder who they would blame this time. I'll never know because I'll never be back to see them again...

Sadly, the reason we purchased from them was so we would have a local dealership because we heard horror stories about not being able to get an appointment for service if you hadn't purchased from them, and there is no other convenient Winnebago Dealership close by... I can't believe a company as big as Winnebago would allow this type of business practice by one of their dealerships. They are a disgrace to the entire company, and unfortunately, because they represent Winnebago, they have also tarnished my image of Winnebago as well...
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Old 11-06-2010, 08:31 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Sage View Post
I agree about going to the factory for repairs. Our dealer here in Oregon is the pits. I will never darken their door again. Now I did find a good dealer in Washington that I would go back to - Uhlmann RV, but the factory has the parts and knows how everything is put together. They are the experts on your rig and can be expected to do the repairs the fastest and the best.
I guess you are emphasizing "experts", which if they were I don't think purchasers would have such long lists of punch correction items with a new vehicle. Sure, a few small items might need repairing but should never reach into the teens and twenties of them, with some reports of over 50 faulty items needing attention. Even in bad times workers should have a little bit of pride left in their work quality.

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Old 11-08-2010, 06:30 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan W View Post
I appreciate all of your replies. Another major issue now are my children getting sick on every trip. Has anyone else experienced this?




Could you explain the part about your kids getting sick? been motorhoming since 1974, never had that problem, please elaborate. Dont remember my 3 kids getting sick from the rigs.
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Old 11-08-2010, 09:39 PM   #19
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One thing our salesman told us 7 years ago when we bought our first trailer was to install maxair vent covers so we could leave the vents open 24/7, which helped tremendously with off gassing. We live in Alberta and still leave our vents open all year round even in the winter. Never had a problem with off gassing except once when I forgot I closed them before driving home one time in heavy rain and forgot to open them when we got home. (This was the first summer we had it) could barely stand it in the trailer until we aired it out again.

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Old 11-09-2010, 06:36 AM   #20
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I've always kept a vent cracked even without the maxair covers. I learned another little lesson about that recently. We came home in a torrential downpour and had the vents closed. I left the slides in and just parked it.

Preparing to leave for our next trip, I started opening the rear slide and a window broke in on my front slide. The only thing I can figure is that it was air pressure. Our rear slide moves pretty fast and I hadn't opened a vent like I usually have. I wouldn't have guessed that it was that air tight.
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