2022 GRAND DESIGN SOLITUDE Complaints

We have had multiple failures of the slides, the tsb that was supposed to fix the sagging problem in the kitchen has now also failed. Presently one of kitchen slides won’t extend. We have excessive frame flex. Recently Grand Design inspected the hitch area and re-welded 3 areas that had cracked and broken welds. Added the larger lag bolts per their service bulletin. They were unable to check the upper deck at the time due to not have the necessary tools to do that. The front cap has separated from the roof slightly. The rear wall has now started to separate from the side walls. We also have a broken part in the suspension. The interior walls have cracked by the kitchen slides. Grand Design has been notified complete with photos. I am awaiting their response. These issues began very early after purchase and have only gotten worse with time.

While driving, the entire wheel detached from the front axle on the driver's side on 7/31/2024. I was unaware of the tire coming off until another motorist flagged me down. I pulled over to the next gas station where I found the entire wheel, hub, and tire including brakes had detached from the vehicle. I purchased the vehicle new and there has been no service done to the wheels and tires since purchased. Based on my contacts with the Grand Design dealership in my area as well as other mechanics I know, they suspect the castle nut must have come loose while driving which I have been told should not have failed. I was unable to locate the wheel after the incident as I was on an approximately 4 mile long bridge when the motorist flagged me down so I suspect it may have gone over the side of the bridge when I lost it. Attached repair invoice for repairs to get home, but additional cost is being incurred to replace the wheel and tire at this time.

Frame failure at the pin box, 2 cracked welds, missing lag screws on upper decking rails and wrong size, had dealer inspect and make repairs per Grand Design, these defects are putting me and my family, and other people on our highways at risk due to possibility of complete king pin failure and rv coming detached from tow vehicle, I personally feel that Grand Design and Lippert are covering up a severe defect on these frames and poor construction quality at the expense of the consumer, which has drastically decreased the value of my rv which I now feel is defective and just waiting for a serious accident every time I hitch it up to my vehicle. The way I was aware of issue was from other Solitude owners who were having same issues. I feel there should be a recall or buy back of these defective rv's to remove them from our highways before a fatality occurs.

When checking for frame failure per Grand Designs TSB. My RV shop found 4 missing lag bolts and the ones installed were incorrect ( 3/8 installed should be 1/2 ). Then in examining the front upper frame they found cracks on both sides. I have pictures of the cracks.

This 2022 grand design solitude was used on one 200 mile trip other than going to the dealer for repairs and it has upper deck frame flex because it keeps shearing off the screws on the front filon. The frame flexes so much even empty that when it’s sitting on the front jacks the passenger side storage door is locked good , but when you put the weight on the truck 5th wheel to travel down the road, the door doesn’t stay locked and opens. The passenger side wall is sagged down, pulling away from the camper and the floor is sag down also on that side and screws are pushing through the floors. There’s a huge list of things wrong with this camper. Those are just a few. It is not safe for the roads.

We are experiencing signs of excessive frame flex like many others with similar Lippert frames. We have a squeaky floor in the front and rear. We have furniture rubbing in the front and pulling away from the wall. The stairs inside the door are rubbing as well. The rig makes excessive creaking noises while being towed. We have an appointment to take it to the Grand Design service center in June. Until that time, we will not be towing anywhere. We are frankly a little concerned about the 600 mile trip.

The outside and inside body parts started to separate. Frame failed. Yes it is available to be inspected upon request 5th wheel could have broken free from tow vehicle while traveling down the highway. . Problem was confirmed by the manufacturer, we were told to bring it in to the manufacturer service center. They confirmed the frame had failed. They deconstructed upper deck and then added supports and repaired the damaged areas of the frame. However we are unable to see what they have done. We have to hope the “fix” is enough to hold the frame together as we drive down the road . There are no warning lamps or messages you just have to be really aware of any changes in hitch moving and screws falling out, decals getting ruined around filon and on the inside is the furniture or stairs rubbing on the walls is the moulding twisted. Our roof popped after the first 6 months . There isn’t anything that screams a problem until it’s too late. We noticed things happening very quickly, however being new to a 5th wheel we thought a lot of what we were seeing was normal travel movement.

I have been experiencing floor squeaking for more than a year now. It's in the front of the fifth wheel in what is the bedroom. Extending into the hallway, and bathroom. I tried to contact grand design and was told it was ok and to add wood shims into the framing under the bedroom flooring. This only help minimally for a couple of weeks. Then the loudness and softness of the flooring has gotten worse. We also lost a wheel and tire due to a suspension failure resulting in the wheel to be ripped from the hub and axle while going down a two lane highway at approximately 40 mph. 8 lug bolts were sheared completely off the wet bolt holding the springs were also broken. I again contacted grand design and dexter the axle manufacturer and was denied coverage at both locations. I do believe I'm suffering from some amount of frame failure. However I cannot get grand design to agree to check on how bad the frame issue really is. I had a SRT from grand design work on my tv in December of 2022. However he never finished all the issues we had brought to grand designs attention. Now that was over a year and a half ago since we saw the SRT, I have tried to contact him numerous times I never heard back from the SRT. We just heard that grand design has extended all frame warranties from 2 years to 5 years effective immediately from the 2020 model year. However it doesn't cover second owners or anyone before the 2020 model year. The unit I have a 2022 GD Solitude 390 rk-r. I ordered this rv new from the factory with 8k axles and disc brakes to make sure I had the highest amount of structure under the rv that was available at the time. I believe and the science will bear out these 18k rv’s should have come with triple 8k axles. Not twin 7k axles and subgrade steel frame structures. There are going to be very serious accidents with these rv’s until they are all recalled, a third 8k axle added and beefed up Frame structure completed. These rv’s are the same as the momentum line has.

1 April about 1530 we had an electrically generated "thermal event" in the generator compartment of the RV. We were not traveling, the RV was set up in the dedicated site on our property and had not been moved in 3+ months. The fire could not have been caused by any "outside influence" as no one had been in that compartment for 3+ months and there is no generator in that compartment. We use it for storage when we travel. The greatest safety concern is any fire can consume an RV in just minutes and this compartment is directly beneath our bed and immediately adjacent to a 40# propane tank connected by rubber hosing to the regulator. Had we been in the trailer asleep we might very well have been overcome by the dense smoke before we could get out. The only thing that kept the trailer from burning to the ground was the simple fact that the ventilation holes cut into the floor of this compartment to provide combustion air to a generator were covered because we didn't want our stuff bouncing around on a metal floor in transit. Simply put, the fire just rain out of oxygen. Grand Design has not been particularly responsive to the event, so we do not know yet what the eventual resolution will be, but it's clear than any repairs will require a massive structural exploration to reveal any hidden damages or possibly determine a cause. Are there any similar thermal events reported to you, particularly with this manufacturer?

1. **Immediate Call to Halt ABS Brake System Use:** - My recent experience on an 8-mile grade, where the newly installed ABS module and two new axles and brakes failed catastrophically, has left me with no choice but to demand an immediate cessation of the use of these ABS brake systems in your RVs. Despite being in low gear, my truck's brakes overheated to the point of failure, rendering them unable to slow the RV. This terrifying event could have ended in tragedy were it not for the runaway truck lane. After over a decade 1. **Background of the Issue:** - **Severe Brake Failure:** After only 1,900 miles of usage, then again 100 miles into total replacement and again after 700 miles after the next total replacement of axles, brakes, and ABS unit. I faced a critical safety issue several times as have many other Grand Design ABS brake newer model owners - the complete disintegration of all four brakes. The danger was alarmingly signaled by O2 alarms during stops on the first time of the several catastrophic failures, revealing a life-threatening flaw that placed my entire family in peril. 2. **Systemic Failures and Inadequate Response:** - **Widespread Safety Concerns:** This issue is not unique to my vehicle. Numerous owners of the 2021-2022 and 2023 models have experienced similar catastrophic brake failures, signaling a systemic flaw in Grand Design's production. Grand Design allegedly denies that any other owners have had an issue. Hundreds have posted their own similar brake failures with the several RV brands carrying the ABS module, and dozens of Grand Design owners have now done the same. There is lives at risk daily as the weather warms up and families in NEW RV's travel.