2019+ View/Navion Coach Door Handle Issue

[rprochnow]

We recently had the outside handle of our 2021 View 24D break, causing the handle to fail to open the door. [Broken by Sprinter service.]

I had a spare internal latch assembly that I used to scavenge for parts the previous time the coach door broke (a different plastic piece).

But when I installed the replacement part from the replacement latch assembly, the outer handle didn't work correctly. When the door was locked and the outer handle is pulled, it would stay extended, with the top hanging out of the door. If someone tries to force the handle back in, that breaks a plastic part in the latch assembly, preventing the handle from working.

I looked at this for several hours at our house, and couldn't figure out how to fix this. So I ordered another new interior latch assembly and scheduled the replacement with our Winnebago service.

They looked at the problem this week. They replaced the internal latch assembly mechanism - didn't fix the issue. They replaced the external handle assembly - didn't fix the issue. They replaced the internal handle assembly - didn't fix the issue.

The tech and the service manager looked at this for a couple of hours - and couldn't figure out what was wrong.

Then they looked at the internal latch assembly they had pulled from a new View - and found the plastic part that was hitting the exterior handle had been shaved off.

Evidently when the new doors are assembled, the door manufacturer (Lippert) is shaving off about 1/4" of that plastic part to prevent the outer handle from sticking open.

But... The replacement latch assembly parts that Winnebago has in stock and is shipping dealers (and customers) still has the part that extends too far and hits the outer handle.

So... If you have to get the coach door latch assembly replaced - and the outside handle stays extended when the door is locked, the fix is simple. Just shave the end off that plastic piece that's hitting the outer handle by enough to allow the exterior handle to retract - but not so much to prevent the outer handle from working.

Winnebago should do something about shipping replacement parts that are different from what is being used by the door manufacturer!

[Mtn Charlie]

I'm wondering if the same latch assembly might be used on several different thicknesses of doors. Maybe the plastic needs to shaved on thin doors but is necessary for a thicker door. I don't know that for a fact, but it seems like a plausible explination for shipping it with a need to be modified.