ITASCA Complaints

2005 WINNEBAGO ITASCO SUNOVA HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE CHASSIS, IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE PAST 55M PH RV IS REACTIVE TO SLIGHT WIND GUST FROM SMALL TO LARGE VEHICLES. *TS THE CONSUMER HAD OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE RV SUCH AS AN INOPERATIVE STOVE TOP O RING, SLIDE OUT FASCIA RIGHT SIDE, DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER FENDER BLEW OUT, THE WATER HEATER FAILED, DRIVER SIDE MIRROR HAD BLOWN OFF WHILE DRIVING, A SLIDE OUT LEAK, A TOILET SPRAY LEAK, BATHROOM CAULK CRACKING/SEPARATING, SHOWER CAULK/ SEPARATION, THE KITCHEN WAS DELAMINATING AND THE WALL PAPER WAS BUBBLING

NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR UNIT BURN OUT, SEEMS TO BE THE SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEM AS THE PUBLISHED RECALLS: GROUP CODE: 70821 MODEL NR - 9162 S/N - 457156E COOLING UNIT S/N: 807168 [NOT PRESENTLY UNDER RECALL] THE RV WAS PARKED AT A CAMP SITE AT BANFF CANADA FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THE NORCOLD REFRIGERATION UNIT WAS IN USE, POWERED BY ON SITE ELECTRICAL DROP. IT WAS MID MORNING ABOUT 1100 HRS THAT AN ODOR OF SMOKE WAS NOTICED. CHECKING THE RIG FOUND THAT THE NORCOLD UNIT WAS WARM AND THE WALL NEXT TO IT VERY MUCH WARMER, SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE AMBIENT TEMP. I REMOVED THE UNIT FROM THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND OTHER POWER SOURCES. TRACKING DOWN THE BURNING SMELL LEAD TO THE OUTSIDE ACCESS PANEL. INSIDE THE PANEL I DISCOVERED SOOT, SIGNS OF HEAT AND SMOKE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE APPARATUS, SIGNS THAT A SMALL EXPLOSION HAD OCCURRED WITHIN A VERTICAL METAL CYLINDER ON THE RIGHT DEFORMED AND EXPOSING WHAT APPEARS TO BE INSULATION PACKING, PRESENTLY BLACK. NO FURTHER HEAT OR PROBLEMS FROM HEAT WERE DISCOVERED. CORRECTIVE ACTION: PRESENTLY UNIT IS BEING EVALUATED FOR REPAIRS. I EXPECT REPAIRS TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH. OLD PART WILL BE RETAINED. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SETTING UP THE CAMPER ON MOTOR HOME HE NOTICED A GREEN WIRE. UPON INSPECTION HE FOUND THAT IT WAS THE GROUND WIRE TO THE PROPANE TANK. THE BOLTS WERE MISSING THAT SECURED THE PROPANE TANK TO THE MOTOR HOME. HE REPLACED THE BOLTS AND MOUNTED THE GROUND WIRE BACK IN PLACE. THIS SEEMED TO HAVE CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *AK

THERE IS NO VISUAL INDICATION WHETHER THE EXTERIOR "COOLER" STORAGE AREA IS LATCHED OR UNLATCHED. IF UNLATCHED, STORAGE AREA CAN EXTEND WHILE DRIVING, ENDANGERING PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, OR CAUSING PROPERTY DAMAGE. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 WINNEBAGO ITASCA HORIZON 40FD. THE MOTOR HOME HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE HOT AIR EXCHANGE THAT GOES TO THE FURNACE; THE PIPES ARE NOT HOOKED UP AND IT IS SENDING ALL OF THE HOT AIR INTO THE VEHICLE. THIS IS NOT ONLY A PROBLEM WITH CARBON MONOXIDE BUT ALSO A FIRE HAZARD. HE HAS CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHO CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY WERE GOING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THEY HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THESE MOTOR HOMES. HE FELT THAT THEY SHOULD FIX ALL MODELS OF THESE MOTOR HOMES BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE THE SECOND DAY OF PURCHASE. *AK *MR *JB

FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT WORKING WHEN WE TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE. FOUND OUT AFTER PURCHASE THAT THE WIRING HARNESS AND FUEL LINES WERE CRUSHED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR FIVE MORE REPAIR ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT ELECTRICAL FAILURES IN THE VEHICLE AND AT THIS TIME IT IS NOT CORRECTED. AT THIS TIME, WHILE WE ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRONICS STARTS SHUTTING DOWN. WE HAVE OTHER ELECTRICAL FAILURES THROUGHOUT THE COACH AS WELL. ORIGINALLY THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BEING SPLICED WHEN THEY FOUND SECTIONS THAT HAD MELTED TOGETHER. THE LAST REPAIR THERE WAS A NEW WIRING HARNESS INSTALLED, BUT IT HAD TO BE SPLICED AS WELL BECAUSE THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT REACH THE ENTIRE WIRING DUE TO IT BEING COVERED. THE FUEL LINES HAD A RECALL AND THEY WERE FIXED. THE SECOND SAFETY ITEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE REPAIRED IS THE ENGINE COVER INSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT COMES LOOSE WHEN YOU HIT A SOUTHERN WIND FLOW AND SHIFTS TOWARDS THE DRIVER. THE PASSENGER HAS TO SIT SIDEWAYS IN THERE SEAT AND HOLD THE COVER IN PLACE WITH THERE FEET OR FIND SOMETHING SMALL AND HEAVY TO PLACE ON THIS COVER TO PREVENT IT FROM COMING LOOSE. WINNEBAGO AND WORKHORSE WANTS TO KEEP REPAIRING THIS VEHICLE INSTEAD OF TAKING IT OFF THE ROAD. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 ITASCA SUNOVA 29R. THERE WAS 3700 MILES ON THE MOTOR HOME. REAR BRAKES WERE SMOKING. THE BRAKES HAD BEEN SQUEALING EVERY SINCE HE PURCHASED VEHICLE. ITASCA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS REPRESENTATIVE SAID CONSUME R MUST HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT HARD. THIS WAS ON FLAT LAND AND VEHICLE WAS SMOKING . COULD SMELL THE BRAKES. THE MOTOR HOME WAS NOT EVEN FULLY LOADED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID BRAKE PADS WHERE BURNT, AND WERE NOT CHECKING ON IT. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT COVER ANYTHING THAN BLEEDING OF THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE JOB WOULD BE $1280 AT FIRST, AND CURREENTLY WAS UP TO ALMOST $2000. 2002-2004 MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. *AK

DT: WITHOUT WARNING IN NORMAL WEATHER THE TREADS CAME OFF TIRE AND DID SOME DAMAGE TO MOTOR HOME. IT HAPPENED TWICE TO BOTH REAR TIRES. HAD ONE TIRE REPLACED, AND USED SPARE FOR THE OTHER, THEN HE REPLACED SPARE TIRE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK AS OF JUNE 6, 2005, FIRESTONE HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND TIRES ARE ON THE WAY TO THE MANUFACTURER.*SB

DT: WINNEBAGO WHICH WAS RECENTLY BOUGHT WAS MISSING A SEAT BELT. MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPLACE THIS. WINNEBAGO HAS 3 SEAT POSITIONS, BUT ONLY 2 SEAT BELTS. THE THIRD SEAT HAS A PLACE FOR THE SEAT BELT, BUT NO SEAT BELT FOUND THERE.*AK

2003 ITASCA SUNCRUISER MOTORHOME EXPERIENCES STALLING AND ENGINE SHUT DOWN.*MR THE VEHICLE CAN ONLY BE DRIVE 200 MILES BEFORE IT STALLS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO SEVERAL DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE CRANK SENSORS REPLACED. *NM