ITASCA Complaints

THIS REGARDS THE MERCEDES BENZ SPRINTER 3500 MODEL CHASSIS, NOT THE WINNEBAGO COACH. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS HAVE FAILED AND THIS TIME DROVE THE CRUISE CONTROL PAST SET LIMIT OF 60 MPH TO > 70 MPH WITHOUT ANY DRIVER INTERACTION. THESE SENSOR FAILURES DEMONSTRATE A CLEAR SAFETY DEFECT AND LIKELY MB PRODUCING DEFECTIVE PARTS. ALL SUCH SPRINTER VEHICLES WITH THESE SENSORS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED TO HAVE THEIR WHEEL SPEED SENSORS REPLACED. THIS NOT A MAINTENANCE ISSUE BUT HAS NOW BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY FROM THIS LAST INCIDENT WE EXPERIENCED AS NOTED ABOVE. WE NOTED MULTIPLE CONSUMER BLOG ENTRIES OF SIMILAR INCIDENCES WITH THIS VERY CHASSIS AND PARTICULARLY POWERING MOTOR HOMES THAT ARE HAVING IDENTICAL ISSUES, EVEN TO THE POINT OF PLACING THE VEHICLE INTO 'LIMP MODE' WHICH COULD DESTROY THE TRANSMISSION, SEEING THIS MODE DROPS THE TRANS INTO FIRST-GEAR UNTIL THE DRIVER CAN PULL OFF TO STOP. AGAIN, HAPPENED TO US ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DURING THE FIRST FAILURE ENCOUNTERED WITH THESE SENSORS WHICH THEN AFFECTS CRUISE CONTROL, THEN DISABLES THE ABS FEATURE OF CHASSIS ALSO.*DT CONSUMER STATED THERE HAS BEEN MULTIPLE FAILURES.*JB

ALL FOUR ABS WHEEL SENSORS FAILED WITHIN SEVEN DAYS, THE COST TO REPLACE OVER $1100.00. THE TRANSMISSION WENT INTO LIMP MODE HAD TO DRIVE 15 MPH FOR OVER AN HOUR TO GET HOME. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED FROM WINDFALL, IN TO INDIANAPOLIS, IN

THIS MAY BE TOO OLD FOR YOU TO CARE. BUT RECENTLY I WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD WRITE YOU. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO ATTACH A PICTURE OF A 1/0 WIRE WITH ABOUT 4 INCHES OF IT INSULATION MELTED AWAY OR BURNT. THE WIRE IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE ENGINE STARTING BATTERIES. THE RIG IS A FRONT ENGINE DIESEL CHASSIS (FRED). WHEN WINNEBAGO MANUFACTURED MY RIG THEY BASICALLY COBBLED IT FROM THEIR DESIGN ON A FORD GASOLINE CHASSIS. THE FRED L NEEDS ENGINE STARTING BATTERIES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHILE THE FORD COULD START WITH THE BATTERIES UNDER ENTRANCE STEPS, NEXT TO THE HOUSE BATTERIES. TO MAKE THIS ADJUSTMENT WINNEBAGO RAN THE AFOREMENTIONED 1/0 WIRE BETWEEN THE NEW LOCATION FOR THE ENGINE STARTING BATTERIES TO THE HOUSE BATTERIES. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY RAN THE WIRED BETWEEN A 3 INCH GAP BETWEEN THE EXHAUST AND THE FRAME. PERHAPS THEY THOUGHT THEY TOOK CARE OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM BY WRAPPING THE EXHAUST WITH SOME KIND OF INSULATION. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF PURCHASING THE RIG NEW, I CALLED THE DEALER TO COMPLAIN THAT THE ENGINE BATTERY DRAINED TOO LOW TO START THE ENGINE WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF SITTING. THEY PROCLAIMED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL DUE TO PARASITIC LOAD AND I SHOULD START AND RUN IT FOR A FEW MINUTES EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS. I THOUGHT THAT WAS CRAZY BUT I AHD A NEWER COVET THAT COULD NOT SIT IDLE FOR MORE THAN A MONTH. ABOUT A YEAR LATER THE BATTERIES DID NOT LAST FOR JUST TWO DAYS. I DECIDED TO MEASURE THIS 'PARASITIC' LOAD. IN SO DOING I BLEW THE FUSE IN MY 10 AMP BETTER. AFTER CONSIDERABLE EFFORT I FOUND THE MELTED WIRE. I RAN A NEW ONE, AWAY FROM THE EXHAUST, AND THE RIG CAN NOW SIT FOR OVER TWO MONTHS AND STILL START. I SUSPECT THAT THE INSULATION ON THE EXHAUST PIPE CREATED A HIGH IMPEDANCE FAULT THAT WITH TIME GOT WORSE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2019 ITASCA SUNSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED HER HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 70 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SWING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE CONTACT HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL BACK TO NORMAL AFTER PASSING LARGE DIESEL TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER LA MESA RV CENTER ALBUQUERQUE LOCATED AT 401 CORDERO MESA DR, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87120, IT WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. SAFETY-TLUS, MOUNT RACKED WHERE IT CAME TO A TOTAL OF $1,162.48 FOR THE REPAIRS. THE RV WAS REPAIRED BUT FAILED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE RV WAS THEN DRIVEN TO STATKUS ENGINES (1917 7TH ST NW, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87102) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS REALIGNED AND SAFETY-TLUS WAS REMOUNTED HOWEVER THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300,700.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD F-550 EQUIPPED WITH AN 1994 WINNEBAGO ITASCA SUN CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, HOWEVER, TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR WHILE THE BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE RV WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE LEAKING AND HAD EXTREME CORROSION. THE RV REPAIR WAS PENDING. NO DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE RV WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE APPROXIMATELY 48,923.

WE HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE 6 WHEEL SENSORS ON THIS MERCEDES SPRINTER-BASED RV THAT WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE 2015 (SO IT IS NOT QUITE 4 YEARS OLD) AND HAS ONLY ~40600 MILES ON IT. IT IS APPARENTLY A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SPRINTER BASED RVS, BUT NOT WITH SPRINTER VANS. WHENEVER A SENSOR FAILS (WHICH VIRTUALLY ALWAYS OCCURS WHEN WE ARE ON A LONG DISTANCE TRIP WITH THE RV), ANTILOCK BRAKES, STABILITY CONTROL, AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE LOST, SO THIS PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN. DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE, A MERCEDES DEALERSHIP MAY OR MAY NOT BE NEARBY. FURTHERMORE, NOT ALL MERCEDES DEALERSHIPS SERVICE SPRINTER BASED VEHICLES. THERE IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW WITH THESE SENSORS, AS MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM, THOUGH MOST NOT AS OFTEN AS WE HAVE. SO FAR, THE ONES WE HAVE HAD REPLACED HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THIS MAY NOT CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, MERCEDES NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACING THESE SENSORS FOR AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE IS IN SERVICE; PERHAPS THIS WILL PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO DEVELOP A BETTER WHEEL SENSOR FOR USE IN SPRINTER BASED RVS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 ITASCA SUNOVA EQUIPPED WITH A KIDDE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V782000 (EQUIPMENT); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. *TT CONSUMER STATED FIRST CONTACTED ON 2/12/2018 HAVE CONTACTED KIDDS 6 MORE TIMES SINCE. USUAL RESPOND "YOU SHOULD GET REPLACEMENT EXTINGUISHERS IN ABOUT 3WEEKS." NO EXTINGUISHERS YET. UPDATED 10/16/18*JB

PLACED PRNDL IN PARK, ENGAGED MANUAL EMERGENCY BRAKE. LEFT VEHICLE IN STATIONARY STATE TO PUNCH IN A GATE CODE AT A STORAGE LOT. VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD UNTIL BRAKE WAS APPLIED. CHECKED PRNDL, WHICH WAS STILL IN PARK, AND CHECKED EMERGENCY BRAKE, STILL APPLIED.

WHILE DRIVING MY 2007 ITASCA SUNRISE FORD CHASSIS AT SPEEDS OF 60 MPH I FELT AN INTERMITTENT SHIMMY IN THE STEERING COLUMN. I HEARD A SMALL SQUEAL SOUND THAT WENT AWAY. AFTER DRIVING I NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT WHEEL WAS RATHER WARM. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKE GRABBING THE ROTOR. I TOOK THE RV TO THE CLOSEST RV REPAIR SHOP. ONCE ON THE RV LIFT, THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT I WAS LUCKY TO BE ALIVE AS THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE WHEEL ON WAS THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN TOOK OFF THE WHEEL TO DISCOVER THE WHEEL BEARING WAS VERY LOOSE. HE REMOVED THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY, THEN REMOVED THE HUB COVER, COTTER PIN AND CASTELLATED NUT TO DISCOVER THE OUTER RACE HAD NO GREASE ON IT DUE TO AN OVERSIGHT OF THE MANUFACTURER. THE INNER RACE HAD GREASE AND WAS INTACT. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT I WAS LUCK TO BE ALIVE AND THAT THE BEARING HAD WELDED ITSELF TO THE SPINDLE AT ODOMETER READING OF 22,529 MILES. THIS WAS HIGHLY UNUSUAL ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN. PICTURES WERE TAKEN. WHEN CALLING FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY DID NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE LEVEL AFTER REPEATED CHAT AND PHONE CALL ATTEMPTS. I ASKED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR AN EMAIL TO SEND THE PICTURES TO THEM AND THEY STATED THEY HAD NO EMAIL. I ASKED FOR THE SAFETY DEPARTMENT NUMBER AND THE CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE STATED THEY HAD NO SAFETY DEPARTMENT!

I RESPONDED TO A RECALL NOTICE (S91) ABS BRAKE LIGHT INDICATOR LIGHT MALFUNCTION. I WAS ADVISED THAT THIS IS DONE AS A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO THE COMPUTER ON MY SPRINTER MOTOR HOME. THE WORK WAS DONE BY ARRIGO DODGE.. HOWEVER, THE NEXT TIME I USED THE MOTOR HOME, THE ABS BREAK SYSTEM FAILED (WHILE EVACUATING HURRICANE IRMA) THUS CAUSING THE MOTOR HOME TO GET STUCK IN 2ND GEAR WITH NO ABS BRAKES.. THE TOTAL BILL FOR PARTS AND LABOR WAS $5,054.26. THE GRAND TOTAL WAS $7678.49 AFTER ALL OTHER EXPENSES. AT THIS TIME, THE MOTOR HOME DOES NOT HAVE A WORKING ABS BRAKE SYSTEM WHICH IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE REPAIR PEOPLE ADVISED ME THAT IF I PUT THE UPDATED SOFTWARE INTO THE NEW COMPUTER, THERE IS A 1 IN 3 CHANCE IT WOULD BLOW OUT THE COMPUTER AGAIN. MY MECHANIC STATED, IN WRITING, THAT THE REPAIR WAS DIRECTLY CAUSED BY UPDATE. AFTER SPEAKING TO JOHN ARRIGO AND ADVISING HIM OF PROBLEM, MR. ARRIGO DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. HE REFUSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM OR MAKE GOOD. MR. ARRIGO STATED HE DID NOT WRITE THE FAULTY SOFTWARE AND THEREFORE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE. THIS ATTITUDE PRESENTS AS UNPROFESSIONAL AND IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DANGER FOR CUSTOMERS AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC. ALL OTHER COMPANY'S CONTACTED REFUSED RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDING DEALERS AND ALL PARTS MANUFACTURES OF THE MOTORHOME.