ITASCA Complaints

THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION IS A 2004 ITASCA SUNCRUISER 35 FOOT MOTORHOME BUILT ON A WORKHORSE W22 CHASSIS. IT WAS PURCHASED ON JUNE 30, 2004. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW WITH 1911 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND HAD 11391 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. ON SEP 6, 2007 WHILE TRAVELING FROM THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA TO KISSIMMEE, FL, I NOTICED THE RV PULLING TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKING AS WE APPROACHED KISSIMMEE. WHEN WE PULLED INTO THE CAMPGROUND, I SMELLED ?HOT? FLUID AND NOTED LIQUID DRIPPING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ONTO THE TIRE. THE WHEEL COVER WAS VERY HOT. WHILE MOVING TO OUR CAMPSITE, THE BRAKES WERE VERY SPONGY, ALTHOUGH THEY DID STOP THE VEHICLE. I CALLED THE WORKHORSE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND WAS REFERRED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER IN THE AREA. I CALLED THEM AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT THE NEXT MORNING. THEY WERE ABLE TO EXAM THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AND FOUND BOTH RIGHT SIDE ROTORS SCORED, WITH EVIDENCE THAT THE BRAKE CALIPERS HAD SEIZED. THE FLUID ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS DISCOVERED TO BE GEAR OIL, MOST LIKELY FROM THE HUB OVERHEATING. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER PROCEEDED TO REFACE THE RIGHT SIDE ROTORS AND REPLACE THE BRAKE CALIPERS WITH THE ONLY TWO NEW CALIPERS HE HAD AVAILABLE. BRAKE PADS AND OTHER SEALS, GASKETS, ETC WERE REPLACED AS REQUIRED. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT I SHOULD HAVE THE TWO LEFT SIDE CALIPERS REPLACED ALSO, AS THEY WOULD PROBABLY FAIL SHORTLY. UNFORTUNATELY, PARTS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS WERE ON BACKORDER. HE ALSO INDICATED THERE WASN'T ANYTHING I COULD DO TO PREVENT FAILURE, OTHER THAN WATCHING THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ROTORS ARE NOT DESTROYED IF AND WHEN THE CALIPERS DO SEIZE. UPON RETURNING HOME AND DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT WORKHORSE HAS A HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE CALIPERS. THIS GOES ALONG WITH THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALER, WHO INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THEM ALL THE TIME. HE SHOWED ME A LARGE PILE OF CALIPER CASTINGS WAITING TO BE RETURNED FOR CORE CREDIT. *TR

MY CLASS A MOTORHOME WAS RECALLED FOR A DEFECTIVE CRUISE CONTROL. THE FORD DEALERS I CONTACTED TOLD ME IT WOULD TAKE UP TO 5 MONTHS FOR THEM TO RECEIVE THE REPLACEMENT CORRECTIVE PART. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THEY HAVE HAD MONTHS TO MAKE THE PARTS AVAILABLE. NOW I HAVE TO GET ALONG WITHOUT ANY CRUISE CONTROL ON A 34' 17,000 LB. VEHICLE WITH GASOLINE COSTING OVER $3 A GALLON. *TR

THIS WAS THE THIRD TURBO FAILURE SINCE OUR PURCHASE OF THIS RV VEHICLE: 2006 ITASCA NAVION, WITH THE DODGE/MERCEDES BENZ SPRINTER. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS IN SEPT. , '05, ABOUT 1 1/2 MONTHS AFTER OUR PURCHASE. THE SECOND WAS IN AUGUST, '06. EACH TIME, IT LOST POWER SUDDENLY, WHILE WE WERE ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, DECREASING OUR SPEED IMMEDIATELY TO APPROXIMATELY 30-35 MPH IF ON A DOWNHILL OR STRAIGHT ROAD. IT HAD NO POWER TO CLIMB EVEN A SLIGHT INCLINE. EACH TIME, THE RESONATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. WE HAVE MET OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. ALL HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MECHANICS THAT THIS MOTOR WAS A POOR DESIGN; THAT WE COULD PURCHASE AND CARRY A SPARE RESONATOR WITH US FOR FUTURE FAILURES. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND WILL CERTAINLY NOT KEEP US SAFE ON THE ROADS. *TR

CRACKED TURBO RESONATOR TUBE RESULTS IN LOSS OF POWER. VEHICLE GOES INTO "LIMP HOME MODE" RESULTING IN VEHICLE SLOW DOWN AND SPEED BELOW POSTED MINIMUMS, PARTICULARLY ON UPHILL EXPRESSWAY GRADES. *TR

CRACKED TURBO RESONATOR TUBE RESULTS IN LOSS OF POWER. VEHICLE GOES INTO "LIMP HOME MODE" RESULTING IN VEHICLE SLOW DOWN AND SPEED BELOW POSTED MINIMUM ON UPHILL EXPRESSWAY GRADES. *TR

PROBLEM WITH THE LEFT REAR BRAKE HANGING UP AND GETTING RED HOT. HOT ENOUGH FOR 20 LB. PRESSURE GAIN. THIS IS ON A 2003 ITASCA SUNRISE 36' MOTORHOME ON A WORKHORSE CHASSIS. CHECKED BY A GARAGE BUT LIGHT REMAINS ON. CANNOT FIND WORKHORSE CHASSIS AUTHORIZED DEALER IN THIS AREA. *JB

WINNEBAGO MOTOR HOME WITH RECALLED SAMSUNG MICROWAVE CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE MICROWAVE CAN CAUSE A FIRE**CC THE CONSUMER STATED HE RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THEIR SAMSUNG MICROWAVE AND THE MICROWAVE BECAME INOPERABLE, SO THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AS PER INSTRUCTED AND TOOK THE MICROWAVE TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INFORMED BY THE SHOP THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX THE DEFECT DUE TO THE FACT SAMSUNG COULD NOT GET THE KEYPAD TO WORK. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS BEEN BACK AND FORTH WITH THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE MICROWAVE WHICH SAMSUNG HAS POSSESSED FOR TWO MONTHS. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WOULD LIKE THE SITUATION INVESTIGATED. *TR

THE TURBO RESONATOR/MANIFOLD OF MY ITASCA NAVION MOTORHOME FAILED CAUSING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER AND INABILITY TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION. THIS FAILURE IS CAUSED BY A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC RESONATOR PART. WHEN THEFAILURE OCCURS (RANDOMLY) THE IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER MAY PLACE THE MOVING VEHICLE IN DANGER OF BEING REAR ENDED OR HEAD ON COLLISION IF IN THE ACT PF PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE ARE MANY CASES OF THIS FAILURE REPORTED ON THE INTERNET AT "TOPIX" AND "DODGE FORUM". I AM UNABLE TO GET ANY SUPPORT OR HELP FROM THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER (WINNEBAGO ITASCA) OR FROM DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE. THE FAILURE IS EPIDEMIC AND BECOMING A HAZARD UNLESS A FIX IS DESIGNED TO RETROFIT THIS FAILING PART. PLEASE ADVISE AS TO WHAT ACTIONS I CAN TAKE AS A CONSUMER AND WHAT ACTIONS IF ANY THAT THE NHTSA CAN TAKE. THANKYOU *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ITASCA NAVION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS REMAIN ILLUMINATED, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER'S BEHIND HIM TO SEE HIS BRAKE LIGHTS DURING THE DAY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WILL NOT CHANGE THE VEHICLE'S DESIGN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 08/31/07 *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY IN MY 2007 ITASCA NAVION, THE TURBO RESONATOR FAILED. THAT CAUSED THE SPEED TO DROP QUICKLY TO 40 MPH. I NEARLY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT WITH A TRUCK THAT WAS BEHIND ME. THE PART IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND IS IN A HOT ENVIRONMENT. THE SEAMS SEPARATE AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO LIMP HOME MODE. THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED WIDELY IN SEVERAL INTERNET FORUMS. THE PART WAS REPLACED BY A DODGE SPRINTER DEALER AND THE PARTS MAN SAID THAT THEY HAVE REPLACED MANY OF THEM. *TR