ITASCA Complaints

Last fall while traveling north from Phoenix on [XXX] when I reached our campground in Cottonwood, AZ I got out and started to my set up to camp and noticed the engine grill was detached and tucked up against the radiator. It was held on by 2 brackets. All the others were broken as the epoxy failed. I know there is a recall from Winnebago currently for the engine hood brackets. I assume the same epoxy was used on that. They are repairing at no charge. There is nothing about the grill.The recall is NHSTA24V-826 Winnebago 197. Is there anyone else had the grill disconnect from its brackets or a potential recall coming on that? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I took my RV for the airbag recall to Ron Carter Dodge in Alvin, Texas. They repaired driver and passenger side airbags. When I left the SRS light was on and the tech told me he couldn’t get it to go off. Turns out the passenger airbag was never properly plugged in so it would not have worked in a collision. The service department let me leave with an improperly installed airbag.

The contact owns a 2015 Itasca Sunstar 36Y built on a 2014 Ford F-59 chassis. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver’s side window exploded, and the shattered pieces were propelled inside the vehicle. There were no injuries sustained. The contact replaced the window himself. The contact stated that the RV was jerking while driving at various speeds. The power train warning light was illuminated. The contact stated while driving 60-75 MPH, the RPMs increased from 4,000 to 5,500. The check engine warning light and the power train warning light were illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that he used an OBD reader and retrieved a diagnostic code that related the failure to the drive train. The contact stated that the failure had been occurring increasingly while driving at high speed or while driving downhill. The vehicle was taken to an RV transmission specialist, where the vehicle was diagnosed with low voltage. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

The windshield Carrier (frame) that the windshield sits in rusts out causing the windshield to NOT remain secure the carrier. This can be inspected upon request. I have found online, Many complaints about this issue. The safety factor is, the windshield could become loose or crack while traveling. I am not aware if this has been confirmed by a dealer. At this point, I have not had it inspected but I did have this issue fixed twice to the tune of about $1500.00. Each time this was fixed, it only lasted several years. Last time I had it addressed, I was told that it wouldn't last and that I would need to replace the Carrier or at least the rusted out sections. The warning signs were the water from the rain leaking from above the windshield to the inside of my dash.

Aluminum wiper arm is mounted on a steel stud because of dissimilar metals spline on aluminum arm corroded/stripped causing wiper arm to stop functioning without any prior indication.

OUR ENTIRE MOTORHOME BURNED COMPLETELY, WE BARELY ESCAPED WITH OUR LIVES, WHEN THE NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR CAUGHT FIRE IN THE NIGHT WHILE WE WERE ASLEEP. WE WERE PARKED ON REMOTE PRIVATE PROPERTY. Consumer stated from 2004- 2020 there was no issues with the refrigerator. Original owners: [XXX]and [XXX] Email: [XXX] @ aol.com Telephone [XXX] Address [XXX] Documents follow INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 ITASCA ELLIPSE MOTORHOME EQUIPPED WITH A HIGH-PRESSURE LIQUID PROPANE HOSE WITH PART NUMBER: 195011-01-000. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V625000 (EQUIPMENT) HOWEVER, THE EQUIPMENT FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED A LIQUID PROPANE LEAK COMING FROM THE ENDS OF THE HOSE FITTINGS. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE EQUIPMENT WAS TOO OLD TO BE RECALLED. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A NEW PROPANE HOSE HOWEVER, THE PART HAD NOT ARRIVED FOR INSTALLATION. THE RV WAS NOT REPAIRED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 ITASCA SUNRISE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE IN A STORM THE ROOF OF THE RV DISLODGED FROM BODY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000. ## VIN PASSED ## 2006 WINNEBAGO ITASCA SUNRISE ##

1ST EVENT. 1/3017. DRIVING S. I75, APPROX. 65MPH, FROM OCALA TO TAMPA LOST CRUISE CONTROL,THESE MESSAGES APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT DISPLAY:ABS VISIT WORKSHOP, ESP VISIT WORKSHOP AND A TIRE IMAGE VISIT WORKSHOP. TOOK NEXT EXIT AND REFERRED TO THE SPRINTER MANUAL. VERY CONCERNED AFTER READING WHAT WAS DEACTIVATED. CALLED M-B OF WESLEY CHAPEL AND WAS TOLD I COULD DRIVE TO THEIR SERVICE CENTER ABOUT 50 MILES AWAY, BUT TO DRIVE MODERATE SPEED, NO HARD BRAKING OR SHARP TURNS! NO NEED TO TOW. DIAGNOSED FAULTY LEFT REAR WHEEL SENSOR AND REPLACED. SERVICE MANAGE STATED WHEN WHEEL SENSORS USUALLY FAIL AROUND 30,000 MILES. MY MILAGE WAS 30264! 2ND EVENT. TWO DAYS LATER 2/1/17 SAME ERROR MESSAGES WHILE DRIVING ON US 17, ABOUT 45 MPH, NEAR WINTER HAVEN, FL. CALLED FIELDS MOTORCARS SPRINTER SERVICE, EXPLAINED MY PROBLEM, MADE AN APPOINTMENT AND WAS TOLD BASICALLY THE SAME PRECAUTIONS THAT I RECEIVED FROM WESLEY CHAPEL. REPLACED RIGHT REAR WHEEL SENSOR ASKED SM IF IT WAS UNUSUAL FOR TWO TO FAIL WITHIN DAYS. HE STATED THAT MB WAS HAVING ISSUES WITH A CERTAIN BATCH OF WHEEL SENSORS, NOT TO WORRY THEY ARE UNDER WARRANTY. I TOLD HIM MY CONCERN WHILE DRIVING W/O ABS, ESP, ASR, BAS AND CRUISE CONTROL. HE SAID THERE WERE NO KNOWN ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY FAULTY WHEEL SENSORS.3RD EVENT. 2/6/17. ABS,ESP, AND TIRE SYMBOL LIGHTED UP AGAIN! THIS OCCURRED WHILE ON 301 IN DADE CITY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. FIELDS MOTORCARS REPLACES FRONT LEFT WHEEL SENSOR. I REQUESTED THE 4TH WHEEL SENSOR TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE I WAS SURE IT WAS GOING TO FAIL!! SM SAID NO WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION FROM MB. I CALLED MB CORPORATE AND SPOKE TO ROSEMARY EXT 7823 AT 201-802-7823 AND SHE AUTHORIZED THE 4TH WHEEL SENSOR REPLACEMENT. 5TH EVENT! 10/18/18. WHILE IN LITTLE ROCK, AR HAD TO DRIVE TO MEMPHIS, TN VIA I40. 6TH EVENT. 3/29/19. I85, GREENVILLE, SC. 7TH EVENT 12/12/20. TORREYA SP, FL. HAVE NOT SCHEDULED SERVICE

NOW TWO MONTHS AFTER THE LAST IDENTICAL INCIDENT, ANOTHER WHEEL SPEED CONTROL SENSOR FAILED (REAR AXLE) THAT AFFECTED NOT ONLY CRUISE-CONTROL BUT ALSO DISABLED ABS BRAKES AND STABILITY CONTROL FUNCTIONS DURING A LONG AND RAINY TRIP TO PA. (SEE EARLIER COMPLAINT #11340388) OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THIS IS NOW THE FIFTH WHEEL SPEED SENSOR NEEDING REPLACEMENT AND THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT REFLECTS THE SECOND TIME FOR THE VERY SAME UNIT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED YEARS AGO ON THE SAME SIDE. M/BENZ HAS DISALLOWED ANY WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THESE LAST FEW FAILURES DESPITE WHAT MY FAMILY (AND OTHERS) BELIEVE IS A DRASTIC SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD RESULT IN NOT ONLY AN ACCIDENT, BUT POTENTIAL LOSS OF LIFE ! THESE SENSORS ARE NOT CONSIDERED TYPICAL 'WEAR-AND-TEAR' ITEMS FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND/OR REPLACEMENT SUCH AS BRAKE ROTORS, DISKS, ETC. THE ISSUE HERE IS NOT JUST THE COST OF REPLACEMENT ($600/EACH), BUT PRINCIPALLY THE MATTER OF SAFETY AND RELIABILITY. TAKING THIS MOTORHOME CROSS-COUNTY IS NOW CONSIDERED VERY RISKY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR REPETITIVE FAILURES AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THE RV GOING INTO 'LIMP MODE' WHEREIN SUCH AN OUTAGE WOULD DROP THE TRANSMISSION INTO FIRST-GEAR ! AND, NO MERCEDES DEALERS ARE EQUIPPED TO FIX THESE SENSORS OTHER THAN DESIGNATED MB 'SPRINTER' DEALERS, WHICH ARE NOT AS NUMEROUS AS THEIR MB CAR COUNTERPARTS. BOTTOM LINE HERE; WHEN IS MB GOING TO FIX ALL THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS GOING INTO MB SPRINTERS AND IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT IS DOT/NHTSA DOING TO AFFECT THIS ACTION THAT IS SADLY OVERDUE? AND, THAT'S BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS HURT OUT THERE ! FOR EXAMPLE, SEE THESE OTHER REPORTS; HTTPS://WWW.VEHIE.COM/COMPLAINTS/MERCEDES-BENZ?VEHIE_MODEL=SPRINTER MINE IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT NOR A SINGLE UNIQUE VEHICLE TO THIS ISSUE !