What to do? Leaky Window 2023 Solis Pocket

[yellowdaisy]

Here is all the info. Please help me make a decision.

2023 Solis Pocket, it has 4 slider windows. One of them is hard to open/slide while others are so smooth. Then that one started to leak within warranty time frame. But I did not know the water was from leaking window. Thought it was spill. Only one month after warranty expired, while in storage, noticed the water again and found out the source. Photos at the end of the post.

There is no outside caulking around the window. There are some black thing ooze out from the window frame. I think it is a clamp style window. Inside, there is a frame cover screwed onto the main piece. And the leaking section of the window, no ooze out black thing.

Here is the reply from Winnebago.

Winnebago will cover the labor if vendor can cover the window depending on what is causing the leak. So get into a Winnebago authorized dealer so they can inspect the window on why it is leaking. If it is an install issue then Winnebago will cover it. If it is leaking because of the way the window is made from the vendor then the vendor would have to cover it.

Camping world said no matter what, they will charge $100 for inspection. I do not know how they will decide if it is installation problem or not. And if they have to remove the window, I guess they have to reinstall anyway with proper seal. Do not know how much though.

So Camping world said you just buy $10 RV non sag sealant and seal it yourself. And you are supposed to inspect/seal every 3 month. No need to waste the money.

That is why I am asking who is the vendor for the window, and wanted to know if they will covered if it is window's issue. When I asked Winnebago, they will not tell me who is the vendor. But I can see Winnebago did not do a good job. Photos below.

So my questions:
1. When it is hard to slide, is it more likely a manufacture issue or installation issue?

2. How do I contact vendor about the potential issue and good will warranty

3. Should I take the risk have camping world remove the window or at least the frame cover to inspect. Their $100 inspection is spraying water around to find the leak.

4. or I just seal it myself? And for window without outside caulking, do we need to caulk it periodically? With what product?

Thanks

[Morich]

Well, this can get to be tricky as all we really have to offer is our opinion!
But it is true that leaks are common, that's part of the reason we have some many different ideas on how to fix them.

For the slide that is difficult, I find that it is often just a place to lube the tracks a bit.
what lube? Different folks with different opinions?
For my use, I almost always have a can of WD-40 around so I try it first. If it were a metal track, I might try rubbing soap on the metal but if it is the fuzzy felt like stuff, I go for a liquid and see how long it lasts.
Personally, I would be very slow to think of taking the window out for the ease of sliding!

Then moving to the leak? The reason for not seeing any caulk may be as simple as they used a different way to seal, both for ease and speed of sealing but also for better appearance.
They may have used some form of sealant strip, placed it on the wall and then set the window in. This leaves the sealer out of sight but also doing it's job.
But things are often not perfect and this seal strip may have had a problem.
Rather than seal all the points on an RV on a specific time schedule, I go for looking at the caulk/sealers all around for any obvious defects.
Things happen to the seal at times. If you get too close to a tree limb, the branches may gouge the caulk out if it's where I can put it on from the outside!
Other times the sun just makes it brittle and it falls out as we rock and roll down the road!
Different sealers for different places, so what to use? I find the Dicor products work for me. Others have their preferred.
Looking and then thinking like a rain drop and then using as little as possible is my plan.
A 1/8 strip of caulk, sealing well to the surface will do just as good as a 1/2 inch wide that looks like somebody threw up.

Trick is not so much doing it totally correct but actually DOING it seems to be the real answer! If we see a gap in the caulk, we need to peel it off and replace it.
But it sure is easy to put off stuff like that!

Point? I would never pay $100 for somebody to do this inspection but I would look carefully at why the window is hard to open and go from there. The guy who is doing the work is not guaranteed to be any better than you and certain to care less than you!

[yellowdaisy]

Thanks for the detailed reply!


So if camping world finds out that is the installation issue, then Winnebago will cover the cost. I do not need to pay $100 inspection fee.



That black thing ooze out is the sealant under the window trim. I have read that the proper way to fix the leak is replacing that black sealant under instead of caulking outside which is just a band-aid.


That is why I was thinking if I want to risk to pay for the re-installation of the window properly if it were not Winnebago's installation issue.



Does owner need to apply additional caulking outside periodically if window already have the sealant underneath?

Thanks

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by yellowdaisy

Does owner need to apply additional caulking outside periodically if window already have the sealant underneath?

I guess you are asking if an owner is supposed to add new caulking where none was placed by the factory??

If that's what you are asking, then no, not really. However, it's an RV and we do what's needed to make the safe and watertight, regardless of what the factory does.

This may sound counterintuitive, but quite worrying about the warranty and who pays for what. Just fix it. Either fix it yourself or hire someone (other than Camping World, preferably) to fix your problem and go on with your life.

Get stressed about the warranty and who pays on the expensive stuff. Not these little issues that are easy to fix.

[Morich]

In a perfect world, the seal should be under and out of sight as well as last forever! But life is far from perfect and most of us who have a few years on the RV will have learned to check the seals and reseal any that look suspect----even if we cant see a problem.
Most would never consider taking the window, etc. out as that is a really big job, so we opt for renewing the seal with caulk of choice where we can get to it!
Warranty on RV, tends to be such a bummer to get it done and done right, that I just shy away from it if it is not a huge price!
Often it is something like this. I can do the inspection and sealing in an afternoon or so but if I take it to a shop, they may keep it for three weeks or months and it still leaks!

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by yellowdaisy

Thanks for the detailed reply!


So if camping world finds out that is the installation issue, then Winnebago will cover the cost. I do not need to pay $100 inspection fee.



That black thing ooze out is the sealant under the window trim. I have read that the proper way to fix the leak is replacing that black sealant under instead of caulking outside which is just a band-aid.


That is why I was thinking if I want to risk to pay for the re-installation of the window properly if it were not Winnebago's installation issue.



Does owner need to apply additional caulking outside periodically if window already have the sealant underneath?

Thanks

Avoid Camping World if you can. Find a Winne dealer. If there is any question about how the work is done Winne will back you up. If the typical Camping World issues happen, you are on your own.

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by jerichorick

Avoid Camping World if you can. Find a Winne dealer.

I'm pretty certain that some Camping World locations ARE Winnebago dealers. And the OP may be referring to his selling dealership.

There is such a Winnebago dealer Comping World in CONCORD, NC

[CoolhandLuke]

Originally Posted by yellowdaisy

Here is all the info. Please help me make a decision.

I had the same issue with my 2022 Solis 59P still under warranty after some back and forward with the dealer I desired to fix it myself so I ended changing the seals on all 4 windows as seals not even one year old showed dry rot like an old car tire, I suggest use a silicone base seal as the cheap black rubber installed at factory will not last.

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by creativepart

I'm pretty certain that some Camping World locations ARE Winnebago dealers. And the OP may be referring to his selling dealership.

There is such a Winnebago dealer Comping World in CONCORD, NC

"A rose by any other name...."