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Old 11-16-2013, 08:37 PM   #1
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Itasca Meridian 42E

We purchased a 2013 Winnebago Itasca Meridian 42E this year. We've had some issues with it, and I'm curious if anyone else has been seeing these issues:

1. Zone 1 environmental controls - Blower revs up and down on cycle start/stop. Also have had runaway situation (heat or AC continues to pump in WELL after hitting the point where it should shut off) multiple times.

2. Fuel spills - The filler ports are almost horizontal. If you put the pump nozzle in, and let it run, it ALWAYS creates a fuel spill before the automatic shutoff kills the flow. This occurs regardless of the side, and regardless of the facility, high speed/low speed pumps. I'm baffled by this design, and quite frankly am surprised it's not a recall situation. Not sure if this is a Freightliner or Winnebago issue.

3. Backup camera - I was blown away to find out that the system does not have infrared capability. Every coach we've had (they were previously Fleetwoods) had this, and I had no idea any were made that did NOT have this. Winnebago help line was completely useless. No help, and would not allow me to speak to an engineer to try and get information on something else that would connect to the system so I can replace ONLY the camera.

4. Seatbelts - there is NO WAY to legally connect a car seat in this coach. Winnebago help line is once again no help. Ask to speak to an engineer so I can determine where I could attach seat belt anchor bolts myself, and they outright refuse to even discuss.

I was surprised and saddened by the response after spending that much money on a new coach. Just wondered if anyone else had hit these issues, and what your experiences were.

Cliff McGlamry
2013 Itasca Meridian 42E
400hp Cummins

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Old 11-17-2013, 05:39 AM   #2
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1have a 2012 Journey 42e. All thought I have haven't had some the problems you are having I do have problems when fueling. No matter what I do I always seem to get an overfill. We do not travel with children so the car seat isn't an issue but I am sure it would be the same as yours. I have found the help line to be useful. We just had to replace our slide locks and they made arrangements to send the the parts to me so I could do it on the road. They have also done some good will work. Most recent was a windshield leak. Hope you have better luck with them.
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Old 11-17-2013, 07:07 AM   #3
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We have had 3 Winnies and have only called Forest City 2 times, but each time they were very helpful and if they did not have the answer they connected me with someone who did. Get your dealer involved and put the pressure on them to get the right answers fro Winnebago...Good luck
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Old 11-17-2013, 07:34 AM   #4
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Not knowing how your control panel is set up but with our Journey 40U the control panel if behind a wood panel door. The door will actually keep the enclosure behind it where the Thermostat is located a couple of degrees cooler when running the heat mode. Try cracking the door open a bit. I've noticed a 4-5 degree difference between the inside temps and the temp behind the door where the thermostat is located.
As to the fuel spitting back, yes it's a piss pour design issue & there's nothing that can be done other then to stand there and as soon as you start to hear it gurgle, shut the nozzle off and then add fuel real slow if you want you tanks 100% full.
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Old 11-17-2013, 09:28 AM   #5
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We have the Itasca Meridian 34Y and the zone 2 unit would cycle on and off every 30 seconds. It finally failed to come on at all in heat pump mode. Winne tech support referred me to the thermostat manufacturer who recommended replacement of the thermostat. The local Winne dealer had been insisting the cycling was normal. I had to remove the entire wood panel to get to the thermostat connection. Thank goodness we were still in warranty.
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Old 11-17-2013, 12:28 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by toothdk View Post
We have the Itasca Meridian 34Y and the zone 2 unit would cycle on and off every 30 seconds. It finally failed to come on at all in heat pump mode. Winne tech support referred me to the thermostat manufacturer who recommended replacement of the thermostat. The local Winne dealer had been insisting the cycling was normal. I had to remove the entire wood panel to get to the thermostat connection. Thank goodness we were still in warranty.
Did this fix the cycling on & off? I have had 3 different thermostats in mine. Journey 42E 2013, This is what Winnebago said to fix this for me.

To the OP I have had this to the dealer several times & called the Help Line. I finally decided that we set the fan to low and then just let the ac pump come on when it needs to. This is what I have figured out, The thermostat is doing its job. The problem in my mind is that it is set to too close of a tolerance. 1.5 degrees temp change will cycle the ac or heat from the heat pump on & off. Any other system is 3 degrees. I have used an infer red thermometer to verify this. The temp changes in the mh & the system kicks on, sometimes the fan cools it off enough to turn it off, some times it kicks the ac/heat, pump on . The pump has a 3 minute lock out. It will not come on for 3 minutes after it shut off to prevent freezing up the system. This is normal operation for any heat pump from what I understand. I don't seem to have this problem as much from the heat mode. But some times I do experience the fan trying to come on & off like it is racing as you describe. It's like the system just can't decide if it needs to run or not.

On the fuel overflow. I have had this happen one time and it was from the passenger side filler & I had the fuel set to full flow. I learned very quickly that diesel fuel foams & it foams a lot. I now set the fuel flow to its lowest point even at the truckers lanes which uses a larger nozzle so I am told. I have only used the drivers side filler point since then. I have never had it overflow since. I have always been able to fill it to the top when using slow flow.
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Old 11-17-2013, 09:50 PM   #7
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Hey Cliff and Dan,
Let me try to help with these issues, if I can.
First, it is not the thermostat nor the sensor; it is the a/c controller. Call Eric Botts at RVP (RV Products) at Airxcel. The only number I have is (316) 832-3400. He told me it was a compatibility problem issue between the control box and the thermostat. The early version (mine was built in October of 2012) of the 2013 42E had the wrong controller. Winnebago at Forest City replaced my controllers for each heat pump and I no longer have the problem.
Second, I sometimes spill some diesel but never if I fill at the slow rate. So, I fill for a while at the high rate and then switch the nozzle to slow fill.
Third, I also noticed the lack of a night vision but I rarely drive at night so it was not a problem. Mine stopped working and I had to take it apart to fix it but I don’t know who makes it. I know Sony stopped making lens for RVs but the connector is used by Polaris. I would first call River Park Inc. They are the vendor for the Infotainment Center. It is a XSG2NA-X unit. The number is 800-442-7717. Ask for their Technical Department and ask them if they know the vendor for the rear lens, or what lens will work with their system. Then call Tim at RVcams.com and ask for a Voyager camera that will work for you.
Fourth, regarding the car seats, are you talking about seat belts? There are seat belts on the floor under the sofa behind the driver’s seat. I used them for our twin grandchildren. Do you not have them? I could take photo’s of mine if it would help.
>> Dennis
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Old 11-17-2013, 09:56 PM   #8
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Cliff,
I forgot to mention if you have any problems call Owner Relations at 800-537-1885. Just leave a message to have Eric Gustafson call you back. He is a Service Advisor and he will not let you go until you have all the information you need. I really want you to enjoy your great motorhome. It is a great coach and a lot of fun.
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Old 11-18-2013, 06:47 AM   #9
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Dennis, Thank You very much for this info on the heat pumps. I will try to get a hold of Eric this week.
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Old 11-18-2013, 11:42 AM   #10
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As far as child seat tethers go, they have good reason not to advise where to locate one aftermarket. LIABILITY. If something were to happen where someone got injured due to a seatbelt that was installed aftermarket failing, everyone in that chain of conversation would be on the hook.
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Old 11-19-2013, 09:55 AM   #11
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Quote:
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As far as child seat tethers go, they have good reason not to advise where to locate one aftermarket. LIABILITY. If something were to happen where someone got injured due to a seatbelt that was installed aftermarket failing, everyone in that chain of conversation would be on the hook.
Certainly understand the logic. However, car manufacturers can't get away with it, and I don't really get how they can avoid this. Quite frankly, I would think that if they take the approach they are taking, added seat belts on their own to attempt to comply after being refused help by the manufacturer, they would be MORE at risk on the liability situation because they ignored it. I really don't see how they can ignore the issue this way, but that's just me.
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Old 11-19-2013, 10:00 AM   #12
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Dennis, thanks for the response. Will follow up on the controllers and camera with your info.

Regarding seat belts, the problem is that the two seatbelts on the sofa face sideways. Car seats must be mounted forward or rear facing. The belt on the passenger seat in the cab won't lock, so we couldn't put it there either.
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Old 11-19-2013, 10:25 AM   #13
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Cliff, I forgot to mention if you have any problems call Owner Relations at 800-537-1885. Just leave a message to have Eric Gustafson call you back. He is a Service Advisor and he will not let you go until you have all the information you need. I really want you to enjoy your great motorhome. It is a great coach and a lot of fun.
Our Winnebago has now logged more than 200 days in the shop in 18 months. Until we found our advocate at Winnebago, we just went around in circles. Even if you figure out your current problems, a relationship with such an advocate will prove invaluable.
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Old 11-19-2013, 12:03 PM   #14
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The early version (mine was built in October of 2012) of the 2013 42E had the wrong controller. Winnebago at Forest City replaced my controllers for each heat pump and I no longer have the problem.
>> Dennis
Did Winnebago cover that under Warranty?
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Old 11-19-2013, 01:43 PM   #15
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Cliff try pulling the seat belt all the way out till it stops, when it goes back in it should ratchet to lock it in place, if not then on the car seat should be a H looking device, that is used to lock the seat belt in place to secure the child safety seat to the motorhome seatbelt/seat. the H device or clip it silver metal, if its not there you can buy them at the stores.
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Old 11-26-2013, 01:43 PM   #16
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Follow up on issues

Update on this thread.

I contacted RV Products. We are making arrangements to get the parts to repair the environmental controls issue.

On the camera issue, it turns out that there is a camera that, while not a drop in replacement, will fit into the existing camera bay on the coach. The camera with the color/IR capability is a Convoy C1000.

The Convoy is a 4 pin connector, while the existing camera uses a 7 pin connector. I got a wiring diagram for a connector made for putting an XITE (existing) camera onto a Convoy system, and just backed into it from there (drawing attached in PDF format). The pinout is:

4 PIN <===============>7 PIN

1. Red 12+ <==========>6. 12v+ (Red)

2. Ground (Black)<====>3,5,7 (Audio Ground, Video Ground (Shield), and Ground)

3. Audio +(White)<====>2 Audio Signal +

4. Video +(Yellow) 4 Video Signal (Yellow)

The camera does not come with the connectors when bought alone, so you'll need to also purchase a cable (part number MCBL10 - 25 foot cable) so that the end can be cut off and spliced using the above information.

We'll be pursuing this, and will let folks know how it goes.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Motor home camera wiring.pdf (229.0 KB, 82 views)
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Old 11-26-2013, 09:23 PM   #17
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I have the same problem on our 08 40FD when fueling. No matter what you do it always overflows. About 50% of the time the fuel will barely go in on any setting other than the lowest. Out of that probably 5% of the time it wont go in at all. The filler tube seems to be flat and no matter which side you fuel on doesnt work with high flow pumps.
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Old 11-26-2013, 09:28 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cliffm View Post
We purchased a 2013 Winnebago Itasca Meridian 42E this year. We've had some issues with it, and I'm curious if anyone else has been seeing these issues:

1. Zone 1 environmental controls - Blower revs up and down on cycle start/stop. Also have had runaway situation (heat or AC continues to pump in WELL after hitting the point where it should shut off) multiple times.

Make certain that the heat vents are not pointed toward the thermostat sensor. Mine is mounted between the control panel door and the light switch bank. I have heard of one being mounted by the fireplace. As far as the compressor goes, I have noticed that the fan will run a bit before the pump starts and after it shuts down. This is normal and I think it is intended to get all of the conditioning out of the coil.

2. Fuel spills - The filler ports are almost horizontal. If you put the pump nozzle in, and let it run, it ALWAYS creates a fuel spill before the automatic shutoff kills the flow. This occurs regardless of the side, and regardless of the facility, high speed/low speed pumps. I'm baffled by this design, and quite frankly am surprised it's not a recall situation. Not sure if this is a Freightliner or Winnebago issue.

[COLOR="rgb(65, 105, 225)"]The tank fill is Winnebago I think. I have the same problem. If I watch very closely I can catch it before I get a spill. The tank fills much better than my '05 did but the splashback is their tradeoff. Email Winnebago. If they get enough complaints they will address the issue in future builds. We may or may not benefit.[/COLOR]

3. Backup camera - I was blown away to find out that the system does not have infrared capability. Every coach we've had (they were previously Fleetwoods) had this, and I had no idea any were made that did NOT have this. Winnebago help line was completely useless. No help, and would not allow me to speak to an engineer to try and get information on something else that would connect to the system so I can replace ONLY the camera.

[COLOR="rgb(65, 105, 225)"]I am not familiar with this system. I think if you email a well formed question like "Who manufactures my backup camera?" you may get the information you need to seek a replacement. [/COLOR]

4. Seatbelts - there is NO WAY to legally connect a car seat in this coach. Winnebago help line is once again no help. Ask to speak to an engineer so I can determine where I could attach seat belt anchor bolts myself, and they outright refuse to even discuss.

[COLOR="rgb(65, 105, 225)"]My grandchildren rode in the coach with us and did not have restraints or special seats. Mom and Dad simply watched them. This is not a car. It is a house on wheels and not made for transporting with special seating for children, but you know that now. There may be some special furniture you can purchase through Flex Steel that would satisfy your needs.[/COLOR]

I was surprised and saddened by the response after spending that much money on a new coach. Just wondered if anyone else had hit these issues, and what your experiences were.

[COLOR="rgb(65, 105, 225)"]I can understand where the manufacturer is coming from. Engineers are not public assistance trained. I encourage you to email your suggestions and complaints to Winnebago. They have been great about responding to me.[/COLOR]

Cliff McGlamry
2013 Itasca Meridian 42E
400hp Cummins

You have a lovely coach, Cliff. Each manufacturer has strengths and weaknesses. Some we can adapt to, some we modify to our liking and some we are just plain stuck with. I hope you can work all of these things out so that you can live with them and not be stressed.

Many Blessings and happy trails,
Rick
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Old 11-27-2013, 07:39 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cliffm View Post
Update on this thread.

I contacted RV Products. We are making arrangements to get the parts to repair the environmental controls issue.

I guess what you are experiencing is different than what I understood.

On the camera issue, it turns out that there is a camera that, while not a drop in replacement, will fit into the existing camera bay on the coach. The camera with the color/IR capability is a Convoy C1000.

[COLOR="rgb(65, 105, 225)"]Your research is good and I am certain many will gain from it. I did a web search and I could not find a place to buy this unit or a price. All I found is that it is made by Samsung for River Park. Where are you getting the camera and how much is the cost?[/COLOR]

The Convoy is a 4 pin connector, while the existing camera uses a 7 pin connector. I got a wiring diagram for a connector made for putting an XITE (existing) camera onto a Convoy system, and just backed into it from there (drawing attached in PDF format). The pinout is:

4 PIN <===============>7 PIN

1. Red 12+ <==========>6. 12v+ (Red)

2. Ground (Black)<====>3,5,7 (Audio Ground, Video Ground (Shield), and Ground)

3. Audio +(White)<====>2 Audio Signal +

4. Video +(Yellow) 4 Video Signal (Yellow)

The camera does not come with the connectors when bought alone, so you'll need to also purchase a cable (part number MCBL10 - 25 foot cable) so that the end can be cut off and spliced using the above information.

[COLOR="rgb(65, 105, 225)"]Radio Shack or Granger may have just the connector alone. Without a fine tip soldering iron the connections may be more of a problem than a simple splice.[/COLOR]

We'll be pursuing this, and will let folks know how it goes.
[COLOR="rgb(65, 105, 225)"]Thanks for keeping us in the loop, Cliff. I hope all of your problems are fixed to your satisfaction so that you can truly enjoy your coach.

Happy trails,
Rick[/COLOR]
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Old 11-27-2013, 09:48 AM   #20
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Cliff,
I also want to thank you for keeping us up to date on these items. It sounds like RVP is going to help and River Park gave you some great information. Keep us posted on your progress.
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