COACHMEN Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 COACHMEN VIP. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME HAD EXCESSIVE RUST UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THE FRAME WELDED AS A TEMPORARY REMEDY. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, THE FRAME FRACTURED AND THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERATIVE. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED ITS WARRANTY. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE NOT APPLICABLE. UPDATED 03/03/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE ALSO HAD 4 FLAT TIRES WHICH ALWAYS SEEMED TO HAPPEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RV. UPDATED 03/03/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 COACHMEN CAPRI, MODEL 27DS. WHILE STOPPED, THE ELECTRIC BRAKE SWITCH DID NOT REGISTER A READING. THE CONTACT ASSUMED THAT THE ELECTRIC BRAKES FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE RV WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT DID NOT QUALIFY. HE TOOK THE RV TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTRIC BRAKE WIRES WERE TAPED TO THE WHEEL SPINDLES, WHICH LOOSENED AND BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE ROTATION OF THE WHEEL DRUM. AS A RESULT, THE GROUND WIRE BECAME LOOSE. ALL FOUR WHEELS EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE COST OF OVER $200. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENT. UPDATED 02/02/09.*LJ AN INSPECTION REVEALED THE BRAKE WIRES WERE NOT CONNECTED PROPERLY AT EACH AXLE WHEEL HOUSING. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE RV HAD NO BRAKES GOING FORWARD, BUT HAD BRAKES BACKING UP. UPDATED 02/03/09. *JB

HAVE A COACHMEN 2003 RV ON A WORKHORSE W22 CHASSIS THAT THE FRONT BRAKE OVERHEATED AND LOCKED UP. *TR

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE ON DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR IN RV. CALLED DOMETIC ON 9/8/08. DOMETIC ARRANGED/APPROVED SERVICE CENTER TO COME OUT AND REPAIR. MADE APPOINTMENT FOR REPAIR TO BE DONE ON 9/18.REPAIRMAN NEVER SHOWED UP. MADE ANOTHER APPT. FOR REPAIR WITH SAME SERVICE CENTER FOR WEEK OF SEPT 29. AGAIN REPAIRMAN NEVER SHOWED UP AFTER ARRANGING FOR SOMEONE TO MEET HIM. CALLED DOMETIC TODAY 10/08/08 AFTER I COULD NOT GET SERVICE CENTER TO ANSWER PHONE AND ASKED DOMETIC TO ARRANGE FOR ANOTHER SERVICE CENTER TO DO THE WORK. DOMETIC INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS UP TO ME TO CALL AROUND AND FIND SOMEONE TO DO THE WORK FOR $75.00 AS THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYONE THAT CHEAP. I TOLD THEM THAT I FELT THAT SINCE THE RECALL WAS THEIR FAULT THEY NEEDED TO BE THE ONES TO CALL AROUND AND ARRANGE FOR THE SERVICE. I ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR AND SHE TOLD ME THE ONLY THING SHE COULD DO WAS CALL THE SAME SERVICE CENTER AGAIN AND MAKE A 3RD APPOINTMENT FOR THEM TO COME OUT. I HAVE ARRANGED FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE OFF WORK 2 TIMES NOW AND THIS REPAIRMAN HAS NEVER SHOWN UP. I AM CONCERNED THAT HE WILL EVEN DO THE JOB RIGHT IF HE DOES SHOW UP. IS THIS ANYTHING YOU CAN ASSIST US WITH? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 COACHMEN SPIRIT OF AMERICA. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL RM2652. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REFRIGERATOR WAS NOT COOLING PROPERLY. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A YELLOW RESIDUE LEAKING FROM THE REFRIGERATOR AND AN AMMONIA ODOR. THE DOMETIC CUSTOMER CENTER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE TWO MONTHS AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE. DOMETIC REFUSED TO INCLUDE THE REFRIGERATOR IN THE RECALL BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE REFRIGERATOR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. UPDATED 11-19-08 *BF UPDATED 11/20/08. *JB

2003 COACHMEN RV MODEL 2652 SERIAL # 21703167 DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR THAT IS ON RECALL. THE RECALL # IS 06E-076, RECALL 08E-032. EARLIER THIS YEAR I BELIEVE IT WAS APRIL I WENT INTO MY CAMPER AND I SMELLED A STRONG SCENT OF AMMONIA. WHEN I CALLED ABOUT SERVICE AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE LINE IN BACK OF FRIDGE PROBABLY BUSTED WHICH FILLED THE RV WITH AMMONIA. THEY TOLD ME TO TURN MY UNIT OFF UNTIL THE REFRIDGERATOR COULD BE FIXED OR REPLACED AND THE COST WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $1200. RECENTLY I FOUND OUT FROM A FRIEND THAT MY REFRIGERATOR WAS ON THE RECALL LIST. WHEN I WENT TO THE WEB SITE AND LOOKED UP THE RECALL, THE REFRIGERATOR HAD EVERY SYMPTOM LISTED. (1) LEAKAGE IN BACK OF UNIT (2) YELLOW RESIDUE IN BACK OF UNIT (3) SMELL OF AMMONIA (4) UNIT WILL NOT COOL. #6 ON THE RECALL NOTICE STATES THAT IF YOU PREVIOUSLY PAID TO REPAIR OR REPLACE A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR THAT FAILED DUE TO THIS DEFECT, YOU CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR YOUR COSTS PURSUANT TO DOMETIC'S PRE-NOTIFICATION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM. I HAVE NOT HAD THE UNIT FIXED BECAUSE OF THE COST BUT IF THEY ARE WILLING TO REIMBURSE FOR THE COST THEN THEY SHOULD ALSO FIX IT AT NO COST. I CONTACTED THE RV DEALER THIS MORNING AND WAS TOLD TO BRING THE RV TO THEM TO BE FIXED BUT ON ARRIVAL WAS TOLD THEY COULD PUT HEAT SHIELD ON THE UNIT BUT THAT THE COST OF FIXING THE UNIT SO THAT IT WOULD WORK WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND THEREFORE PUTTING THE HEAT SHIELD ON THIS WOULD NOT HELP MY UNIT. THEY SAID THAT I COULD PAY THE $1200 TO FIX THE UNIT AND THEN THEY WOULD PUT A HEAT SHIELD ON IT AT NO COST TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. I FEEL THAT SINCE THE UNIT WAS DAMAGED DO TO OVERHEATING WHICH CAUSED THE LINE TO BURST IT SHOULD BE FIXED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE RECALL, THEN THEY COULD ALSO PUT THE HEATSHIELD ON TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. THANK YOU. *TR

I BOUGHT A TRAVEL TRAILER CAMPER MADE 3 VACATION TRIPS AND HAD 3 FLATS ON TIRES # ST 175/80/R13. THE FLAT TIRE DAMAGED THE RIM AND FENDER SKIRT. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEALING WITH GOODYEAR ON REPLACING THE TIRES AND FENDER SKIRT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 COACHMAN ROYAL. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL RM2852. WHILE ON A CAMPING TRIP, THE CONTACT'S REFRIGERATOR BEGAN TO LEAK. TWO DAYS LATER, HE OPENED THE REFRIGERATOR AND NOTICED THAT EVERYTHING ON THE INSIDE WAS SPOILED. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, HE DISCOVERED A RECALL FOR THE SAME FAILURE; HOWEVER, HE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT HE DID NOT RECEIVE A NOTICE BECAUSE HE IS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. DOMETIC STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE WOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED THE FACT THAT HIS REFRIGERATOR FAILED. DOMETIC REFUSES TO EVEN TRY TO REPAIR THE REFRIGERATOR UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE IT IS COMPLETELY RUINED. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT IF HE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON TIME, THE DEFECT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. UPDATED 09/24/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/29/08

FAILURE IS ON A COACHMAN SPIRIT OF AMERICA TRAVEL TRAILER. ONE REAR SPRING SHACKLE COMPLETELY TORE OFF THE FRAME. THE OTHER REAR SPRING SHACKLE CRACKED WHERE IT WAS ATTACHED TO FRAME. FORTUNATELY, I WAS TRAVELING AT A VERY SLOW SPEED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT IF IT OCCURRED ON A HIGHWAY. THE DESIGN OF THIS FRAME IS FAULTY. I HAVE READ OF MANY SIMILAR FAILURES. THE FRAME IS MADE OF VERY THIN MATERIAL AND IS EASILY TORN. THE SPRING SHACKLES SHOULD BE REINFORCED WHERE THEY ARE ATTACHED TO THE FRAME. I HAD THE SHACKLES RE-WELDED AND REINFORCED TO REPAIR. I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE FAILURE ALSO. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 COACHMAN. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL RM2652. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08E032000 (EQUIPMENT) AND CALLED A LOCAL RV STATION TO HAVE THE EQUIPMENT REPAIRED. HE WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A SIX MONTH WAITING PERIOD. THE CONTACT CALLED ANOTHER DEALER 30 MILES AWAY. IF HE TRAVELS TO THAT DEALER, THE EXPENSE OF FUEL AND TIME OFF EXCEEDS THE COST OF INSTALLING THE REPAIR KIT. SECONDLY, THERE IS A LONG WAITING PERIOD AT THE DEALER THAT IS 30 MILES AWAY. DOMETIC DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. AS OF AUGUST 12, 2008, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE NOT APPLICABLE. UPDATED 09/24/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/30/08.*JB