ITASCA Complaints

I HAVE A 2006, 39 FOOT ITASCA COACH THAT CAME WITH A VALLEY INDUSTRIES TRAILER HITCH. THIS HITCH IS RATED FOR A MAXIMUM PULL OF 5000 POUNDS AND A MAXIMUM TONGUE WEIGHT OF 500 POUNDS. WHILE THE HITCH IS NOW FOUR YEARS OLD, IT ONLY HAS BEEN USED FOR APPROXIMATELY 17,000 MILES TO HAUL MY GMC ENVOY. THE ENVOY WEIGHS APPROXIMATELY 4700 POUNDS AND THE TONGUE WEIGHT, WHICH IS THE WEIGHT OF MY BLUE OX TOW BAR, IS APPROXIMATELY 35 POUNDS. MOST OF THE MILEAGE USED WAS TRIPS BETWEEN MICHIGAN AND FLORIDA. NONE OF THE TOWING INVOLVED STEEP GRADES, SUDDEN STOPS OR TRAFFIC CRASHES. I ALSO HAVE ANY ACTIVE TOW VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM. PARTS OF MY HITCH ARE ACTUALLY MISSING. RATHER THAN BENDING, THE METAL SIMPLY BROKE APART. FYI, WINNEBAGO/ITASCA REPORTEDLY NO LONGER USES VALLEY INDUSTRY HITCHES. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURES INCLUDED IN THIS E-MAIL, THIS VALLEY INDUSTRY HITCH SIMPLY FELL APART. WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES ADVISED THAT THE DEFECTIVE HITCH IS OUT OF THEIR WARRANTY. IN TALKING WITH VALLEY INDUSTRY FROM ROCHESTER HILLS MICHIGAN, THEY CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS HITCH FAILURE IN THAT THEY PRODUCED IT FOR WINNEBAGO. WHILE VALLEY INDUSTRY HITCHES ARE SOLD WITH A LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY, THEY CLAIM THAT SINCE THEY SOLD MY HITCH TO WINNEBAGO/ITASCA, THEY ARE NOT PREPARED TO STAND BEHIND IT. THE INDIVIDUAL THAT I SPOKE WITH WAS NOT EVEN INTERESTED IN SEEING THE STATE OF THE FAILURE OF THIS HITCH, NOR DID HE APPEAR TO BE INTERESTED IN THE CONSEQUENCES OF A BREAKAWAY TOW VEHICLE. SEE PICTURES OF FAILED VALLEY INDUSTRIES HITCH AT: HTTP://PICASAWEB.GOOGLE.COM/DRBRYDE/VALLEYINDUSTRIES#. *TR

DRIVER'S FRONT STEER TIRE BLOWOUT. THE BLOWOUT OCCURRED ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL, NOT VISIBLE TO INSPECTION. TIRE IS PART OF ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A NEW 2008 ITASCA, LATITUDE (MANUFACTURER WINNEBAGO) 40 FOOT DIESEL MOTOR HOME PURCHASED 2/29/2008.. MOTOR HOME HAS BEEN DRIVEN LESS THAN 8200 MILES. WE WERE TRAVELING ON I-95 FROM EXIT 29 IN GA TO EXIT 8 IN SC. DRIVING AT SPEED LIMIT, 65 AND 70 MPH IN HEAVY TRUCK TRAFFIC. THIS IS LESS THAN A 2 HOUR TRIP. APPROX. 1 PM ON 11/8/2010 I HAD JUST PULLED OFF OF I-95 AT EXIT 8 IN SC AND WAS PULLING INTO THE BP TRUCK STOP ON SC 278. FORTUNATELY, I HAD JUST SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 1MPH WHEN THE TIRE SUDDENLY EXPLODED. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE COACH WITHOUT INCIDENT AND THE TIRE WAS INTACT EXCEPT OF THE STAR PATTERNED HOLE ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE MOTOR HOME WAS NOT DAMAGED DUE TO THE SLOW SPEED. THE ISSUE IS THAT MY FAMILY AND I NARROWLY ESCAPED A CERTAIN TRAGIC ACCIDENT, POSSIBLY DEADLY, THAT WOULD HAVE BADLY INJURED ME, MY HUSBAND AND MOST LIKELY HAVE KILLED MY DOGS. AS THE DRIVER, I AM A 60 YEAR OLD WOMAN AND I DOUBT THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AT HIGH SPEED ONCE THE TIRE BLEW OUT. I HAVE HAD THE TIRE EXAMINED BY A QUALIFIED MICHELIN DEALER, SOS RADIAL TIRE SERVICE IN GARDEN CITY, GA 32418, AND THEY HAVE DEEMED IT TO BE A BLOWOUT NOT DUE TO UNDER-INFLATION, EXTERIOR DAMAGE OR PUNCTURE. THE TIRE WAS INFLATED TO 105 PSI AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. MAX RECOMMENDED INFLATION IS 110 PSI. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN PROTECTED FROM SUN WHEN PARKED AND HAVE BEEN DRIVEN AT LEAST EVERY 90 DAYS. I HAVE 7 OF THIS EXACT TIRE REMAINING ON THE COACH. *TR

DRIVING ON ROUTE 281 FROM BROWNSVILLE TX. TO SAN ANTONIO TX. IN MY 2005 ITASCA SUNCRUISER. AT ABOUT 65 MPH MY VEHICLE STARTED TO DRIFT ON THE ROAD. TRYING TO CORRECT IT I FOUND I HAD NO STEERING...I PUT ON MY BRAKES AND FOUND I HAD NO BRAKES. I WAS SCARED AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. THE DASH INSTRUMENTS SHOWED ALTERNATOR PROBLEMS. ENGINE PROBLEMS..ETC...I FELT DEATH WAS NEAR...I TOOK MY FOOT OF THE GAS TO LET IT SLOW DOWN AND STOP...PRAYING NOTHING WOULD GET IN FRONT OF ME AS I HAD NO CONTROL...WATER AND STEAM BLEW OUT OVER THE WINDOW AND THINGS SEEMED TO BE GETTING WORSE. I STOPPED AFTER AN ETERNITY. I HAD THE RV TOWED OFF THE ROAD AND WAS TOLD THAT MY ENGINE BELT BROKE....I AM AMAZED THAT THE RV HAD NO BACK UP SYSTEM FOR STEERING OR BRAKING OR ANYTHING...I AM HAPPY THAT I KILLED NO ONE OR CAUSED A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. A NEW BELT WAS PUT ON THE ENGINE AND I WAS TOLD IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN..I ASK ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY 2005 ITASCA SUNCRUISER ( 30000 LBS GW ) AND WAS AMAZED NO ONE THOUGHT ANYTHING OF IT....NO ONE KILLED OR MAIMED SO WHO CARES...MAYBE WHEN SOMEONE IS INJURED SOMEONE WILL DO SOMETHING. UPDATED IVOQ 12/01/10 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ITASCA SUNRISE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE BRAKES SUDDENLY LOCKED UP AND THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY MOVE AT A VERY LOW SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND PARKED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL 09V110000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) BUT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER, HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH A REPRESENTATIVE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE PARTS FOR REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 14,000.

BRAKE FAILURE, HAPPENED TWO TIMES SO FAR. IT IS CONNECTED TO THE SAFETY RECALL 50901-C. WORKHORSE BRAKE CALIBER HANG UP. COMPANY FAILING TO ACT TO REPAIR W-20, W-22 CHASSIS. WORKHORSE CLAIMS THE HAVE NOTED THE PROBLEM, AND HAVE STARTED TO PRODUCE CALIBERS, THIS WAS STARTED BACK IN 2009. IF THIS COMPANY IS STILL BUILDING THESE CHASSIS'S HOW CAN THE SAY THAT THERE ARE NO PARTS AVAILABLE? *TR

THE TURBO RESONATORS ON 2002-2007, 2.7 MERCEDES BENZ DIESEL ENGINES ARE DEFECTIVE! I AM ON MY THIRD ONE, AND I ONLY HAVE 15,000 MILES ON MY ENGINE, WHICH IS IN A 2007 ITASCA NAVION MOTOR HOME. WHEN THEY GO OUT ON THE INTERSTATE, YOU ARE PUT IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE YOU CANNOT GO OVER 45 MPH, AND YOU'RE LIFE IS PUT IN DANGER. I HAVE EMAILED MERCEDES BENZ/DODGE/WINNEBAGO AND THEY SAY THEY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM, BUT THEY DO!! I HAVE GONE ONLINE SEARCHING OUT THIS DEFECT AND COULD NOT BELIEVE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION, DUE TO THEIR TURBO RESONATOR GOING BAD. IT SEEMS THAT THIS WARRANTS A RECALL, TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND WE NEED YOUR INTERVENTION.. THERE IS A COMPANY THAT MAKES A REPLACEMENT TURBO RESONATOR AND GUARANTEES IT FOR THE LIFE OF THE ENGINE, BUT MERCEDES BENZ NOR DODGE WILL PUT IT ON, INSTEAD THEY KEEP REPLACING IT WITH ONE THAT WILL NOT WITHSTAND THE VIBRATION AND HEAT OF THE TURBO.SO, IN ABOUT 4000 MILES, WHEN IT GOES OUT AGAIN, I PRAY I CAN GET OFF THE ROAD SAFELY, THEN HOPE THERE'S A DODGE DEALER CLOSE BY TO REPAIR IT QUICKLY. PLEASE HELP US BEFORE WE MIGHT BECOME A HIGHWAY STATISTIC. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I HAVE A 2007 ITASCA NAVION WITH A 2.7 MERCEDES BENZ DIESEL ENGINE ON A DODGE SPRINTER CHASSIS. THIS PAST SATURDAY, MAY 29, 2010, I HAD TO TAKE MY RV INTO KINGS DODGE TO HAVE MY THIRD RESONATOR REPLACED BECAUSE WHEN ONE GOES OUT, YOU CANNOT GO OVER 45 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, AND THIS IS DANGEROUS. MY RV ONLY HAS 15,649 MILES ON IT!, SO I THINK THAT A RECALL NEEDS TO BE MADE, BY YOU, SO MERCEDES BENZ CORRECTS THIS RESONATOR PROBLEM. I GOT ONLINE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND COULD NOT BELIEVE THE NUMBER OF RESONATOR COMPLAINTS THERE WERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.. *TR

THE SIDE WINDOWS(DOUBLE PANE) IN OUR 2001 WINNEBAGO ITASCA ARE FOGGYED UP, IT IS HARD TO SEE OUT THE REAR VIEW MIRRORS. I THANK THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM, AS WE HAVE HEARD OF MANY OTHER MAKES OF RV"S THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THEM OURSELF, AT A COST OF OVER $2000.00. INSURANCE SAID IT IS WIRE & TORE ON THEM AND ARE NOT COVERED. I KNOW THE WINDOWS IN ?. ARE SE-G1 WINDOW. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED WITH THE NHTSA. PLEASE LOOK INTO THAT THANK YOU

I HAVE A 2003 ITASCA SUNCRUISER WITH THE WORKHORSE CHASSIS THAT IS UNDER RECALL FOR THE BRAKE CALIPER PROBLEMS. I ENCOUNTERED THE PROBLEM LAST SUMMER AND TOOK IT TO PARKVIEW RV IN SMYRNA, DE. THEY REBUILT THE FRONT AND BACK BRAKES, SEALS, CALIPERS, PADS AND SENSORS WHICH HAD MELTED. AT THE TIME THEY TOLD ME WORKHORSE WOULD NOT PAY FOR ANY OF THE WORK. LAST WEEK I TOOK THE REPAIRED UNIT TO FLORIDA AND IN TAMPA HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES SMOKING AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. I AM TAKING IT BACK TO PARKVIEW SO THEY CAN DOCUMENT THE NEW PROBLEMS. I HAVE SPENT OVER $1,000. FOR REPAIRS AND NOW IT APPEARS IT WILL ALL HAVE TO BE DONE AGAIN. I ONLY DROVE FOR 2,000 MILES AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS BAD AGAIN. I NEED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE INITIAL REPAIR AND A MORE PERMANENT FIX NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THE UNIT. I HAVE A $85,000 RV I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE. PLEASE HELP ME IF YOU CAN. THE WORKHORSE HELP LINE DIRECTS YOU TO A MAILBOX THAT IS FULL. I CAN NOT GET ANYONE ON THE LINE. IF NECESSARY I WILL SPEND REPAIR MONEY ON AN ATTORNEY TO GET THIS RESOLVED. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO WILL BE APPRECIATED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 ITASCA SUNOVA RV WITH GOODYEAR TIRES DOT# MJ93-MAHW, SIZE 245/70/ R19. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH SHE HEARD A PECULIAR NOISE FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. UPON VEHICLE INSPECTION SHE NOTICED THAT THE INSIDE OF DRIVER-SIDE REAR TIRE HAD EXPLODED. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INNER MESH LINING OF THE TIRE HAD CORRODED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 19500. UPDATED 12/07/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER HAD EXPERIENCED 4 TIRE BLOWOUTS. GOODYEAR DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. UPDATED 12/08/09