Safety Recall Questions? Are Details Coming?

[DCMac]

When are they coming?

We've got two notices from Winnebago of coming safety recalls -- not the recall notice itself, just a warning order. Notice said further instructions for recall work would come as soon as Winnebago does whatever it has to do to do the repairs.

Headlight replacement -- got that one nearly a year ago.

Hood latch bracket or whatever the things are called, lost both on the highway someplace -- got this one last week. I wonder if they'll only re-glue new brackets onto the now-damaged hood or fix (replace) that as well. Hmmm.

Related question looking ahead to getting the problems fixed, any one have any recommendations for a reputable Winnebago dealer, someplace where I can make an appointment, deliver the RV that day, and pick up when done. Anyplace within a one-day drive. My "local" dealer, McClain's, policy is make an appointment to put the RV in the lot awaiting service when they can get to it. The last time the RV was in for service it sat in the waiting lot for over a month before getting into the shop. That is totally unacceptable.

 

[Eagle5]

Hi DC & Mac,
Yes, I agree leaving your motorhome in their parking lot for a month until they start work is nuts.
I have heard good things about mobile RV Technicians. That might be the most cost-effective and quickest method now. I know our local Winnebago Dealer sold out to Camping World, and I am not ever going to darken their door.
Eagle5

 

[creativepart]

There is no answer to your questions. Winnebago has to create a fix, get it approved by NTSA and source the parts and coordinate with dealers and lastly contact owners.

How long does that take? There’s no way to tell.

As to a dealer that will do the work in a timely manner? That’s also not automaticity answerable. If you find one let us all know.

This is the reality of the RV Industry.

 

[dkoldman]

#1 You should take action now on a workaround on the hood. At minimum check epoxy and /or tighten before every trip. There are a few threads on what others have done to fix. I personally would never screw holes in my hood but some have. Maybe no need to redesign the brackets to eliminate vibration as I did, but JB Weld will secure to that fiberglass if you see the existing epoxy has failed.

I use to use the same Dealer as you for maybe the 1st 2 years. I could never tell if their incompetence was based on the fact that I went 1200 miles to Florida to buy a similar brand new RV they had on lot $30k cheaper), or just poor service ethic? From my few trips their, they did seem to put a premium on what they called honeymooners, someone that had just bought from them (new or old).

I have not been back there approaching 4 years now. My last visit there I fighting an issue with the Kwikee steps, twice I had driven 1 1/2 hours in Dallas traffic in that damn RV to get out there with my wife following in her car, and had to return a few weeks later to pick up. When I got it back home it was still not fixed So the 3rd cycle of the same they told me it was NOT an issue with the steps and charged me $100. I figured they wanted me to go away, so I did.

About 3 months later, I noticed one day when shutting a driver side compartment hatch, the kwikee steps incorrectly retracted on it's own. A repeat of the problem I had been having for almost 6 months. Out of curiosity, I opened the main DC Panel on that side and sure enough I found a multi pin connector that had one wire leading to the Kwikee step. That pin was loose!!! I took it out and reset the pin and pushed back in, problem solved. I told that dealer but they never said we will refund you for your troubles, thanks for info no nothing etc.

I do have a Mobile Tech. He has been great and he does all of the work at the house. In my case, he does not charge me to come by as he lives nearby. He even custom rebuilt a compartment behind passenger dually tire after it was demolished by a blowout. He did the entire thing in one day for about $500. I did not even bother to file a insurance claim.

If I had to pick the best WBGO dealer, I would say Lichtsinn, ( sp? I can never spell it and don't try to check if it is right anymore) They will charge more, but if you want what you seek from WBGO dealer, they may be one of the best to try.

 

[Pointyears]

From my few trips there, they did seem to put a premium on what they called honeymooners, someone that had just bought from them (new or old).

My local dealer (Beckley's in MD) and GeneralRV both flat out told me that their customers get service priority.

 

[oracle1]

It is now turning to June, yet Winnebago has STILL not issued a fix procedure for the faulty hood brackets. Our passenger side one simply dropped on the ground while I was checking the oil, etc. We then shortened our trip imagining possible catastrophic damage (or wreck) if the other brace failed at 60 mph.

We read that a key problem is that the paint on the bracket causes the adhesion to fail. Agree with earlier comment that drilling into the F/G body would be a mistake.

Suspect that Winnebago needs to strip the paint and reapply the adhesive. No doubt, the cost of getting thousands of Class A RV's in for the work would be considerable. But this is POOR customer service/response...we got the recall advice late in 2024.

VERY FRUSTRATED here in Georgia!

2022 Adventurer 29B

 

[dkoldman]

I think it is faulty design. WBGO would love it if were just a matter of paint. The adhesive chosen cannot handle the vibration that should be expected from the from engine at any speeds. Over time this vibrations effectively shears the adhesive and will come off.

I am waiting to see what WBGO comes out as a repair, but I don't want mine repaired by them, I would like some reasonable compensation as I had my redesigned and it works like a champ. I would sell the coach if it came down to having to put screws on the hood. Too me, that is akin to buying a new Lincoln Navigator and hood keep popping up, so they tell me they need to but screws on the hood so the latch will hold

If you are just in a pinch and need quick fix, clean it all up with acetone or alcohol and encapsulate the bracket to the hood with the original JB weld. Other JB welds might work and even be better, but I have never had need to try anything but original JB weld.

Search for my thread to see how mine was redesigned.

• This is what I did

It provides more support to minimize the impact of shearing forces cause by the vibration.

Note: I think WBGO has same issue with the front grill. They used that same cheap adhesive and is loose on mine on one side. I would go with JB weld there too,but I can't get to it easily. I may have to call Mobile Tech to fix and be done with it.


With that said, I love WBGO, compared to the problems I was expecting with a new RV purchase, WBGO and my coach has been amazing.

 

[creativepart]

We then shortened our trip imagining possible catastrophic damage (or wreck) if the other brace failed at 60 mph.

Wow, sorry to hear that. But why not add some duct tape to the front of the loose side or both sides just in case and travel on???

We've all had this issue and don't think anyone has had "catastrophic damage." Have they?

I just had mine reattached with JB Weld and have blissfully continued to use my RV for the past 5-years since the "fix."

In fact, I haven't had any of the recalls on my Adventurer completed. Maybe one day???

 

[oracle1]

A salient and cognitive post on the same topic at a different thread...as to my being scolded for not being a DIYer, for what one pays for these RV's, the design AND problem resolutions should be on Winnebago...the NTSB agrees...even Winnebago agrees.

And there have been catastrophic accidents...the brackets could surely explode a front tire.

This is what I did (See Thread in link for more details)

Few points on this thread.

1. Our passenger side fell out while we were driving. Bracket and the piece that is was in epoxy, both on passenger side.

2. My biggest issue was given how frequently this happens, that I had owned by a RV a few years before I knew about the potential to be a problem

3. When I lost the passenger side parts, I checked the driver side and while it was okay, you could see where the vibration over time will work against the epoxy and eventually shear it off.

4. I was proud of what WBGO did because my dealer wanted $1,200 to fix just one side WBGO sent me the two parts lost as goodwill. No damage was done and I am sure I lost the parts driving from Houston to Dallas.

5. I had my Mobile tech fabricate additional brackets to support the OEM bracket so it mechanically could not move to vibrate to shear. There may be a number of ways to fix the problem, but using the OEM Process to repair is insanity if not outright madness.

This is post of what I did, Hood Latch issue

I check the brackets all the time and they are solid. I crow by WBGO as far as what my RV has been to me over 4 years; and how they have treated me when I called them. They always took care of me or told me a sound action plan to get me back on my way. I would be scared to death to buy another RV from another MFG. But I do think they should redesign these brackets. I sent them what my Mobile Tech did. At a minimum; as it may not rise to be a recall they should have a Service Bulletin so every owner knows to check at least twice a year like changing oil.

 

[dkoldman]

A salient and cognitive post on the same topic at a different thread...as to my being scolded for not being a DIYer, for what one pays for these RV's, the design AND problem resolutions should be on Winnebago...the NTSB agrees...even Winnebago agrees.

And there have been catastrophic accidents...the brackets could surely explode a front tire.

~~~~~~~~~

[IMG alt="dkoldman"]https://www.winnieowners.com/data/avatars/m/319/319265.jpg?1739908920[/IMG]

dkoldman​

Senior Member​

RV LIFE Pro
JoinedSep 11, 2018Posts8,538LocationDallas, Texas
This is what I did (See Thread in link for more details)

Few points on this thread.

1. Our passenger side fell out while we were driving. Bracket and the piece that is was in epoxy, both on passenger side.

2. My biggest issue was given how frequently this happens, that I had owned by a RV a few years before I knew about the potential to be a problem

3. When I lost the passenger side parts, I checked the driver side and while it was okay, you could see where the vibration over time will work against the epoxy and eventually shear it off.

4. I was proud of what WBGO did because my dealer wanted $1,200 to fix just one side WBGO sent me the two parts lost as goodwill. No damage was done and I am sure I lost the parts driving from Houston to Dallas.

5. I had my Mobile tech fabricate additional brackets to support the OEM bracket so it mechanically could not move to vibrate to shear. There may be a number of ways to fix the problem, but using the OEM Process to repair is insanity if not outright madness.

This is post of what I did, Hood Latch issue

I check the brackets all the time and they are solid. I crow by WBGO as far as what my RV has been to me over 4 years; and how they have treated me when I called them. They always took care of me or told me a sound action plan to get me back on my way. I would be scared to death to buy another RV from another MFG. But I do think they should redesign these brackets. I sent them what my Mobile Tech did. At a minimum; as it may not rise to be a recall they should have a Service Bulletin so every owner knows to check at least twice a year like changing oil.

2019 Sunstar 29ve; Toad Lincoln Navigator; RVi Brake 3, Tire Patrol & Command Center; Roadmaster Nighthawk Tow bar & Baseplate; Sumo Springs; Safe T Plus; Onan EC-30 AGS; 300ah Lithium; Victron Orion XS & SmartShunt; T-Mobile Internet; H/W Heater / Chassis Disconnect Switches; Southwire Surge Guard 44270 & 34951 w/Monitor 40301; Jet Flo Macerator; Alpine SPE500 Speakers; Visio M21D-H8R
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When I wrote that I felt it should have been a recall but I didn't think they ever would based on conversations and how long it had been an issue.

Just yesterday, I am now working on trying to fix the front grill. This is the 2nd time for this repair. I should NOT have to do it, but unfortunately I have no WBGO Dealer locally that I care to use for ANYTHING.

See how I am having to hold my grill out while I try to get an epoxy secure. It should be a mechanically secured. Just trying to clean the grill of bugs put you at risk of slowly degrading the epoxys.

WBGO should fix or reimburse owners to have fixed

 

[creativepart]

A salient and cognitive post on the same topic at a different thread...as to my being scolded for not being a DIYer, for what one pays for these RV's, the design AND problem resolutions should be on Winnebago...the NTSB agrees...even Winnebago agrees.

And there have been catastrophic accidents...the brackets could surely explode a front tire.

I'm certainly not scolding you. I'm just sorry that this issue caused you to worry so much that you cut your trip short. My comment about taping the "hood" and continuing on was simply about not interrupting your trip. As RVers things seem to crop up every trip and the majority of us try to devise an easy fix that preserves the trip we're on. Though it's not always possible without hiring some help.

I'm serious that I know of no catastrophic accidents caused by this issue. Nor of any brackets have have exploded any tires. If there are any such reports I truly would like to be aware of them.

Is it an ongoing problem that Winnebago should have taken care of decades ago? Of course it is and I'm glad they are being made to remedy this.

Be aware, that the remedy may very well be the drilling of bolt holes in the front engine cover... by a dealership that can work you into their schedule 4 months from now and will have to keep your motorhome for 45 or more days. That's how these things usually go and why I've been reluctant to react to this type of recall.