GRAND DESIGN Complaints

The welds for the rear wall framing have broken loose and the rear wall is shifting side to side. I assume after time it could fully detach from the trailer and fall into the roadway. The trailer has not been inspected yet, but there are other cases documented on the internet. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The front frame has been in for repairs before for flexing issues/excessive movement. We have had a door pop open during travel and suspension parts break (hanger and leaf spring) in 2 separate incidents. The frame appears to have further issues on the passenger side more recently.

The contact owns a 2023 Grand Design Momentum hauled by a 2022 Ford F-450. The contact stated that while driving uphill at 65 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the trailer brakes failed to respond as needed. The contact pulled over onto the side of the highway and was able to bring the trailer to a complete stop. No warning lights were illuminated. The trailer was taken to a local dealer and was inspected. The contact was advised that the trailer no longer had brake pads. The trailer was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.

Frame failure on fifth wheel deck. Noticed when hooking RV to tow vehicle that the pin box would move upward roughly 1 inch. Also when hitched to tow vehicle would notice that all cabinets in front bedroom would move to the point of damaging walls and causing the doors to bind and hit the ceiling. Once I learned of many other Grand Design RV owners having this same problem, I removed the front skin to expose the frame of the rv and found that welds had completely broken, steel angle gussets sheared, along with finding the upper fifth wheel deck welds completely broke free of the upright supports on the passenger side of the rv. With the broken steel and broken welds, the only way the camper stayed together while towing was by way of the fiberglass skin of the walls. Also found that the steel deck plates designed to bolt to the rv walls had less than half the bolts (due to more than half the available holes not have a bolt installed), out of the existing bolts they were either sheared or severely bent. I contacted Grand Design and provided the pictures to show the damage and they requested that I tow the RV to an approved repair shop. Due to safety concerns I explained that I would not tow the RV anywhere in this condition. Problem was confirmed by Owen Bailey with Grand Design through the pictures supplied by me. No warning was given other than the interior damage from the frame flexing.

The frame and suspension on our 2021 Grand Design is failing. The frame on the upper deck has broken welds and there is visible movement in the upper deck when hitching and unhitching. The furniture inside the main bedroom move when hitching and unhitching. The side walls have started to detach from the frame as evidenced by screws backing out or breaking. The suspension has bent components. The frame is also bending in the right front. The hitch visibly moves into the upper deck when hitching.

Cross member of frame bending, allowing A frame that its connected at to also bend.

My RV's frame has compromised integrity. During transit, it flexes beyond the allowable range specified by the manufacturer. The inspected frame is available for further evaluation upon request. The flexing of the frame poses a significant safety risk, resulting in cargo doors opening unintentionally and RV slide rooms shifting to the open position while the vehicle is in tow. Furthermore, during my inspection and the subsequent assessment by the authorized service center, I identified multiple critical issues: lag bolts connecting the unit's walls to the frame were found to be missing, loose, and bent. There were also instances where holes existed in the frame without lag bolts. Additionally, cracks were observed in several welds, welded metal reinforcement tabs were broken, and there were indications of torn or sheared metal. Strained and moving parts were also noted, indicated by rust formation and an accumulation of metal shavings throughout the kingpin area. Consequently, the structural integrity of the kingpin, which connects the RV to the tow vehicle during transit, remains to be determined. The manufacturer-authorized service center has confirmed all issues above. Service center technicians, a manufacturer representative, and I inspected the vehicle using Grand Design Technical Service Bulletin 24-001 as the inspection criteria. January 24 - June 24 I observed an accumulation of sawdust in various locations within the RV. This was accompanied by the disintegration of cabinetry. Cabinet doors detached from their frames, trim separated from the walls, and cabinetry began detaching from both the wall and floor. Side tables had contact marks from contact with outer walls during transit. The aluminum garage door surround had cracked welds at three corners. Pantry shelves were dislodged, and cabinets above the coffee bar showed separation at the corners. Trim over the upper deck frame rail detached.

I habe a 2021 Grand Design Reflection 303 RLS. The frame is cracked on both side just above the center spring shackles, I have also noticed frame flex between the pin box of the hitch and the rv body. I noticed the cracks when setting up the rv for the weekend and the frame flex driving down the road. I do not have any pictures of the cracks, but did attach a document to reference the frame crack and procedure to repair. The rv is at the dealership now being evaluated.

Latched and locked baggage storage doors pop open while in transit exposing content to falling out. Both passenger and driver sides have exhibited this behavior. It did it on the first trip after purchase, and was addressed by dealer but continued to occur. Was again checked by manufacturer two years later, latches adjusted, continued to occur. I ended up using packing tape on the doors to help secure. Unit was returned to manufacturer (Grand Design) facility in June of 2024 (originally reported to them June 2023) for frame / wall flexing was addressed. These did were adjusted again and the popping open has not occurred again after about 3k miles. I'm convinced the issue was related to this flexure, not the doors or latches themselves. Other issues that may be of concern to you as well. - roof membrane separation at front cap - relative movement between walls and interior furnishings - cracks in frame behind rear axle spring mount (repaired on site by Lippert remote repair technician 9/2023)

Purchased new June 2023 in Tuscon AZ. No issues until underbelly filled with water and had to be serviced in Albuquerque NM. Issue was not resolved with water pump replacement. Towed to Homerville OH not knowing water leak still exists and where frame flex was discovered. Man doors, propane tank doors, and basement doors randomly open while in tow and stationery. The seal for nose cone and felon broken and screws missing that secure nose to the chasse. May 2024, Grand Design picked up and towed the 5th wheel back to factory for frame flex repairs. A gusset "kit" was added, welded to existing frame. Door locks were adjusted, front man door replaced, one basement door replaced as it was water damaged, and is again. There were missing/never installed lag bolts for upper deck side walls. It is documented the lag bolts were replaced with larger ones and missing ones were added. Rear man door adjusted however still does not close from inside. There are huge gaps along door frames you can see daylight through. On Oct. 5, 2024, we towed the 5th wheel 10 miles to a winter location. When lowering and hitching up there was a very loud metal snapping, explosive sound came from the frame when the weight was put back onto the suspension. It was so very loud it made my heart skip a beat. It was like a cannon ball struck the metal frame. Definitely metal popping and snapping. As of today, Nov 21, 2024, the man door in garage is inoperable, the floors creek from nose to interior door to garage. The floors seem bowed. The front man door randomly opens when people or the dog walk past it on the inside. The basement doors randomly open and are water damaged. The slide in bedroom {holds the bed} is tilted and falling out of the wall. Air leaks all around the slide as if the frame is twisted. Grand Design states an SRT can be here in a couple of months. We are parked on an oversized level concrete pad. I feel the mixed metal the frame is made of didn't hold the welds. Not safe to tow.