ITASCA Complaints

1) THE MANUFACTURE, WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, EQUIPPED THE DRIVER "COCKPIT" OF THE VEHICLE WITH THERMOPANE WINDOWS WITH AN IDENTIFIED WEAKNESS. THE SEALS IN THE WINDOWS ARE INADEQUATE TO MAINTAIN SEAL INTEGRITY, THUS ALLOWING AIR INFILTRATION. SAID AIR INFILTRATION CAUSED FOGGING OF THE GLASS, AND AN ACCUMULATION OF CONDENSATION WITHIN THE GLASS. 2) THE FOGGING AND ASSOCIATED CONDENSATION CAUSED SIGNIFICANT VISUAL IMPAIRMENT FOR THE OPERATOR. BOTH DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE VISIBILITY IS GREATLY HAMPERED, WHICH IN A MOTORHOME IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. 3) THE ONLY KNOWN SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE EFFECTED WINDOWS. *JB

DODGE SPRINTER IT IS A WINNEBAGO NAVION (MOTOR HOME) THE TURBO RESONATOR FAILED AND I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE AND I LOST A LOT OF POWER ON A HILL IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF LOSS OF POWER. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A SMELL OF SOMETHING OVERHEATING IN A RECLINING COUCH WITHIN THE COACH. THE VEHICLE HAD A SWITCH USED TO DISCONNECT THE POWER TO THE LIVING AREA OF THE MOTOR HOME. THE SWITCH WAS TRIPPED, AND THE CONTACT REACHED IN TO THE MOTOR AREA OF THE SEAT. THE MOTOR WAS EXCEEDINGLY HOT, SO THE CONTACT ALLOWED IT TO COOL. 2 MONTHS LATER, THE MOTOR WAS REMOVED AND EXAMINED TO FIND MELTED WIRING AND MELTED BRUSHES. A SERVICE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE FRAME OF THE COUCH WAS MANUFACTURED BY SHROCK MANUFACTURING INCORPORATED. UPDATED 2/12/2007 - THE PROBLEM WAS TRACED TO STICKING SWITCH INSTALLED BY WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES. THE SWITCH OCCASIONALLY BECAME STUCK IN THE RETRACT POSITION. SHROCK, MANUFACTURER OF THE COACH FRAME, REPLACED MOTOR BUT CAUTIONED THAT THE SWITCH IS A PROBLEM. *NM

(1) ON 12TH OF AUGUST, PROCEEDING ON FREEWAY, MY WIFE AND I WERE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. ONCE TRAFFIC STARTED I PROCEEDED TO DEPRESSED GAS PEDAL AND CABINET TELEVISION FELL OUT ONTO MY WIFE'S HEAD AND SHOULDERS AND THEN STRUCK AREA BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT, THEN BROKE THE TOP OF THE DOG BARRIER GATE SEPARATING THE DRIVERS' COMPARTMENT FROM THE COACH AND DAMAGED BENCH AND TABLE BEHIND DRIVER. I PLACED MY RIGHT ARM UNDER THE TV AND HELD IT UP AS BEST AS I COULD, SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES WHILE I CHECKED WITH MY WIFE TO DETERMINE IF SHE WAS OK. THE REMAINING WIRES CONNECTED TO THE BACK OF THE TELEVISION BROKE; MY WIFE EXTRICATED HERSELF FROM BENEATH THE TELEVISION. (2) SUBSEQUENT BRUISING WAS SEVERE ON MY WIFE'S SHOULDER AND FOREARM, WITH MINOR SWELLING OF HER FOREHEAD. MY WIFE HAD A FOLLOW UP VISIT WITH OUR FAMILY DOCTOR AND WAS GIVEN PRESCRIPTION FOR PAIN AND SORENESS. (3) I IMMEDIATELY CALLED BOTH MY SALES REPRESENTATIVE AND WATTS RV TO EXPLAIN WHAT OCCURRED AND WAS REQUESTED TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN ON MONDAY. I CALLED WINNEBAGO OWNER RELATIONS DEPT. AND INFORMED THEM OF THE INCIDENT AND THAT I WAS RETURNING THE VEHICLE TO WATTS RV FOR REPAIR. I WAS ASKED TO HAVE THEM CALL OWNER RELATIONS WITH THE PROBLEM. I INFORMED THE SERVICE DEPT. THAT I WANTED WINNEBAGO THE LOOK AT THE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN OF THE TELEVISION CABINET TO DESIGN A SAFE SOLUTION TO THIS MATTER. I WAS INFORMED THAT WATTS RV WILL DECIDE THE BEST SOLUTION FOR A PERMANENT FIX. I PERSONALLY EXPRESSED MY SURPRISE THAT THE TELEVISION WAS NOT ANCHORED TO THE CHASSIS COACH; IT IS ONLY HELD IN BY A METAL BAND THAT IS BOLTED TO THE CABINET FRAMEWORK. THIS TO ME IS INADEQUATE AND I REALLY FEEL THAT WINNEBAGO HAS TO REENGINEER THE DESIGN FOR THIS PROBLEM. REGARDLESS, WATTS RV HAS ORDERED REPLACEMENT CABINET PARTS, TABLE ETC. AND HAS DETERMINED THAT THEY WILL ADD ADDITIONAL EXTERIOR CABINET FRAMING PIECES TO PREVENT THE TELEVISION FROM FALLING OUT OF ITS PLACE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE MOTOR HOME STALLED SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE MOTOR HOME COULD NOT BE TOWED DUE TO THE SIZE. AFTER CONTACTING WORKHORSE, THE CONTACT WAS TOLD TO AGITATE THE WIRES ON THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE STARTED LONG ENOUGH TO GET THE CONTACT TO THE CAMP GROUNDS. WHILE LEAVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. PREVIOUSLY THE MOTOR HOME WAS DIFFICULT TO START BUT, PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED TO THE POINT WERE IT WAS SHUTTING DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE HAVE BEEN A TOTAL OF 25 IGNITION FUSES REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED.

PURCHASED NEW 2006 WINNEBAGO ITASCA SUNRISE 38J MOTOR HOME (MH). I DON'T KNOW IF WORKHORSE AUTO PARK BRAKE ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE WHICH CAUSED THE ALLISON TRANSMISSION TO BLOW OR VICE VERSA. I KNOW OUR MH WAS ON FIRE AS WE WERE DRIVING, A MAN WAS INJURED & THERE WAS A CRASH. I KNOW THIS MH IS NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD. IT IS IMPERATIVE YOUR ORGANIZATION PERFORM AN UNBIASED, CONSUMER SAFETY ORIENTED EVALUATION. WINNEBAGO, WORKHORSE & ALLISON ARE POINTING FINGERS AT EACH OTHER. LESS THAN 2000 MILES ON MH, DRIVING APX 57 MPH, HEARD HUGE EXPLOSION, DASH WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING & CHIMES STARTED DINGING. DROVE LESS THAN ONE MILE TO GAS STATION. PULLED UNDER GAS PUMP CANOPY. MANAGER RAN OUT YELLING AT US TO MOVE MH AWAY FROM PUMPS. WE WERE ON FIRE. PULLED MH UP APX 30 FEET, TURNED ENGINE OFF. PUT FIRE OUT. MH BROUGHT TO WORKHORSE AUTH DEALER IN FAYETTEVILLE, NC. SERVICE MANAGER TOLD US SOMETHING IN AUTO PARK BRAKE ASSEMBLY HAD MALFUNCTIONED & HEATED UP INSIDE ASSEMBLY CANISTER CAUSING EXPLOSION & THE FLUIDS THEN SPILLED ONTO MANIFOLD CAUSING FIRE. AUTO PARK BRAKE ASSEMBLY REPLACED. ORIGINAL PART SENT TO WORKHORSE FOR EVALUATION. WE WERE SHOWN THE METAL CANISTER HAD HEATED UP SO MUCH THE METAL TURNED RAINBOW BLUE. WE WERE TOLD MH WAS REPAIRED & SAFE TO DRIVE. NOTICED TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON DASH. HAD SERVICE MANAGER TAKE FOR TEST DRIVE SINCE WE DID NOT FEEL THE MH WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. HE DROVE IT & FELT TRANSMISSION WAS BLOWN. HE TOOK IT TO ALLISON TRANSMISSION AUTH REPAIR SHOP FOR EVALUATION. TECH FOR ALLISON WAS UNDER MH TRYING TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM, SOMETHING INTERNALLY SLIPPED CAUSING MH TO ROLL DOWN AN INCLINE. THE TECH WAS DRAGGED FOR A DISTANCE AND PULLED OUT FROM UNDER MH BEFORE IT RAN OVER HIM. HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. MH CRASHED INTO ANOTHER TRUCK WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BACK QUARTER OF MH. MH AT ALLISON TRANS DEALER BODY SHOP. TRANSMISSION IN MH. ESTIMATE MIN 4 WEEKS FOR REPAIRS. *JB

THE 100LB OUTSIDE STORAGE CONTAINER LOCATED OM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY ITASCA NAVION, H MODEL HAS SLID OUT TO THE OPEN POSITION TWICE WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT REQUIRES A FIX BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *JB

I HAVE DISCOVERED A SEVERED WIRE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY OF THE FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS ON WHICH OUR 2006 ITASCA MERIDIAN MOTORCOACH IS BUILT. PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE SHOWING THE BROKEN WIRE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY UNDER THE FLOOR. APPARENTLY THE GREASE FITTING ON THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT WAS THE MECHANISM THAT SNAGGED THE WIRE. THE BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY AND THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT ARE IN "VERY" CLOSE PROXIMITY AND THERE IS NO SHIELDING OR PROTECTION FOR THE WIRING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY. FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM CHASSIS CUSTOMER SUPPORT INDICATED THAT HAD BOTH WIRES BEEN SEVERED THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE LOST BRAKING. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AUTO PARK BUTTON DOES NOT ENGAGE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE MOTOR HOME, THE COLUMN SHIFT LEVER WAS MANEUVERED TO THE PARK POSITION, HOWEVER THE AUTO PARK WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD. THE CONTACT QUICKLY DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTERWARDS, WHILE STOPPED AND IN DRIVE THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THIS TIME THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS. ONCE AGAIN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN ALERTED.

2006 ITASCA NAVION UNDERCARRIAGE STORAGE BIN LATCH DID NOT HOLD WHILE DRIVING. BIN SLID OPEN AND HIT TREE, SHEARING OFF THE STORAGE BIN AND LOWER SIDE PANELS. *NM