2019 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR Complaints

The Shaw DEF head failed. Started engine and received MIL light - Emissions. Checked codes and saw "SPN 3031 FMI 9-Abnorm. Update Rate" - "Aftertreatment 1 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Tank Temperature". It should be noted that the motorhome was in my enclosed shop, no excessive temperature. It was started in the morning after setting overnight. Knowing that this could potentially derate engine, I contacted Spartan & a local repair facility. Was able to get DEF Head replaced. I am the original owner of the motorhome. Fortunately this happened while preparing for 3-week trip (at home) and not on road.

The seats that are installed on the front passenger side have I’ll positioned seatbelts. There is no adjustment for it. I’ve reported it to the dealership and they said they hear it all the time but there is nothing they can do. The seatbelt crosses the chest such that the seatbelt anchors at the top of the seat crossing the neck. Should an accident occur, the seatbelt will be across the neck. This could result in a devastating injury. If I were short, I could understand the positioning but I am 5’8”. I took photos and are attached.

WHILE DRIVING MOTORHOME GOT FLASHING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND DEF WARNING MESSAGE. STOPPED VEHICLE AND CALLED SPARTAN (THE CHASSIS MANUFACTURE) WAS TOLD TO NOT DRIVE VEHICLE AS THE DEF HEAD HAD FAILED AND A REPLACEMENT WAS NEEDED. SCHEDULED REPLACEMENT WORK. VEHICLE HAD 3,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE LIMITED TO 5MPH IS I ATTEMPT TO DRIVE IT FURTHER.

MY VEHICLE IS BUILD ON A FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS AND HAS AN OPTIVIEW DIGITAL DASH. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE DASH DISPLAY LIGHTS CANNOT BE DIMMED.

WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MOMENTS LATER, ANOTHER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEF GAUGE WENT FROM F TO E AND TURNED RED WITH AN ALARM. WE WERE ABOUT 5 MILES FROM OUR DESTINATION. I CALLED NEWMAR WHO PUT SPARTAN ON THE PHONE. IT WAS THE DEF SENSOR. I WAS ASKED TO DRIVE ONE HOUR AWAY ON A TWO LANE ROAD TO A DEALER. I REFUSED. WE EXTENDED OUR STAY BY ONE WEEK UNTIL THE PART CAME IN (BACK ORDERED). MOBILE TECHNICIANS CAME AND INSTALLED THE PART. I ASKED IF I SHOULD HAVE A SPARE SENSOR... JUST IN CASE...AND WAS TOLD NO. THE.CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT AND IT APPEARS TO BE FIXED.

WE EXPERIENCED A WINDOW FLY OFF OUR COACH WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 40 NEAR WEATHERFORD OK. IT NARROWLY MISSED A SUV BEHIND OUR COACH. WE HAVE HAD TWO OTHER WINDOWS THAT THE OUTER PANE HAS SEPARATED FROM THE INNER PANE. THE HALF BATH WINDOW AND WINDOW ABOVE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. IN COMMUNICATING WITH OTHER OWNERS, THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. MANY OTHERS HAVE CAUGHT IT BEFORE THERE WAS A COMPLETE SEPARATION. IT IS OBVIOUS THE ADHESIVE THAT LIPPERT (WINDOW MANUFACTURER) IS DEFECTIVE. JAYCO HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM: JAYCO, INC. (JAYCO) IS RECALLING CERTAIN 2020 MOTORIZED ALANTE, GREYHAWK, MELBOURNE, PRECEPT, REDHAWK, SENECA, ACCOLADE, EMBLEM, ESTEEM, ODYSSEY, QWEST, AND VISION RVS. THE ADHESIVE BOND BETWEEN THE GLASS AND THE METAL HINGE FRAME OF THE FRAMELESS CRANK OUT VENT AND EGRESS WINDOWS MAY FAIL WHICH WOULD THEN ALLOW THE GLASS TO DETACH AND FALL OUT. *TR

LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL WAY TO BRIGHT AT NIGHT..I HAVE TO COVER TO SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT DUE TO THE GLARE. HEAD LIGHTS PUT OUT VERY LITTLE LIGHT. *TR

I HAVE A 2019 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR DIESEL POWERED MOTOR HOME ON A FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS. IN 2019, THEY WENT TO A DIGITAL DASH. THE DASH DOES NOT DIM DOWN LOW ENOUGH AT NIGHT, WHILE DRIVING. CONSEQUENTLY IT CAN BE BLINDING. SOME HAVE HAD TO BUY A TINTED PANEL TO REDUCE THE BRIGHTNESS WHILE OTHERS ARE COVERING IT WITH A TOWEL. I'VE SUBMITTED A PHOTO OF THE ACTUAL DASH, BUT I DO NOT HAVE ONE SHOWING IT AT NIGHT, AS THE VEHICLE IS IN STORAGE.

THE INSTRUMENT LIGHT PANEL (OPTIVIEW) DOES NOT DIM ENOUGH AND IS TOO BRIGHT AT NIGHT MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. ON A DARK RAINY NIGHT THE GLARE FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAKES FOR DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. MY COMPLAINT TO NEWMAR IN APRIL 2019 WAS DEFERRED TO FREIGHTLINER. NOVEMBER OF 2019 FREIGHTLINER SENT TWO TECHNICIANS TO MY HOME WHO SPENT A COUPLE OF HOURS DIAGNOSING AND TAKING PICTURES OF THE PROBLEM. THEY CONCLUDED THE BRIGHTNESS LEVEL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DID DIM IN RESPONSE TO THE SWITCH BUT MAY NOT BE CALIBRATED CORRECTLY. THEY CONCLUDED THAT PROBLEM WAS WITH THE SOFTWARE FROM THE OPTIVIEW VENDOR AND THAT THEY WOULD RESEARCH A SOFTWARE UPDATE WITH THEM AND GET BACK TO ME. THEY NEVER GOT BACK TO ME, WOULD NOT RETURN MY CALLS AND SUBSEQUENT COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE BRIGHTNESS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN OFF AS " THIS IS NORMAL". MY SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN TO AVOID NIGHT DRIVING AND WHEN I MUST DRIVE AT NIGHT I COVER THE PANEL WITH A PAPER TOWEL OR SUN SCREEN. I BELIEVE A SIMPLE SOFTWARE UPDATE WOULD ALLEVIATE THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION. *TR

LOCKED ENTRY DOOR POPS OPEN WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENS ON SMOOTH ROADS, DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A BUMPY ROAD. RV IS AT KNOXVILLE DEALER NOW AND THEY SAY THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH DOOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES; WE TIE THE DOOR SHUT NOW.