NEWMAR Complaints

THIS IS A CLASS A MOTORHOME ON A FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS. WHEN RUNNING AT NIGHT WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE ENTIRE DASH LIGHTS FLICKER AND GO OUT COMPLETELY LEAVING A DARK DASH WITH NO INSTRUMENTATION INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER. AFTER TALKING WITH NEWMAR CORP. THEY SAY IT IS A KNOWN SOFTWARE PROBLEM AND IS FREIGHTLINER'S RESPONSIBILITY. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AND IT IS GOING ON A YEAR. WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT THE COACH IS COMPLETELY DARK AND YOU CANNOT TELL SPEED ON ANYTHING ELSE. THIS CAUSES A MAJOR PROBLEM AT NIGHT.

THIS 2014 CLASS A DIESEL PUSHER RV HAS GIVEN PROBLEMS FROM DAY ONE. (PURCHASED USED). THE RV HAS BEEN TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOPS ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE ELECTRIC DAY AND NIGHT SHADE DO NOT WORK PROPERLY AND ARE HELD UP WITH CLOTHES PINS. THE REFRIGERATOR DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY DOESN'T GET COLD ENOUGH. THE ELECTRIC OASIS WATER HEATER AND HEAT FOR THE RIG DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. THE STOVE DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. THE MIRRORS VIBRATE SO MUCH THAT AT TIMES YOU CAN NOT SEE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE WHEN CHANGING LANES OR MAKING A TURN. THE DRAWER CATCHES HAVE BROKEN DOWN AND SLIDE OPEN AT WILL.YOU WOULD THINK THAT A VEHICLE ONLY THREE YEARS OLD WOULD FUNCTION BETTER AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THESE AND OTHER ISSUES. BUT I CONTINUE TO HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS WHICH GIVE US PROBLEMS AGAIN.

THE VEHICLE HAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH A SEVERE STAGGER ON TAKE OFF FROM A DEAD STOP. THE PROBLEM OCCURS FAIRLY INFREQUENTLY, BUT WHEN IT DOES OCCUR IT CAN PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING FOR UP TO A BLOCK IN DISTANCE. DURING THIS TIME THE VEHICLE ACTS AS THOUGH IT IS GOING TO DIE AND WILL ONLY TRAVEL 2 - 5 MILES PER HOUR. EVENTUALLY, IT WILL RESUME ACCELERATION AND DRIVE NORMALLY. HOWEVER, IT IS A SEVERE DANGER TO THE VEHICLE'S OCCUPANTS SINCE THIS CAN OCCUR WHEN PULLING OUT TO TURN RIGHT OR LEFT OR EVEN GO THROUGH AN INTERSECTION ON A GREEN LIGHT, WHICH MIGHT TURN RED BY THE TIME THE VEHICLE DECIDES TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE FORD DEALER IN DALLAS, OREGON, TWICE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THEY HAVE RUN DIAGNOSTICS ON THE FLIGHT RECORDER AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DETECT THE PROBLEM. SINCE IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THIS IS NOT BEYOND THE SCOPE OF REASON. I HAVE TALKED WITH A NUMBER OF MECHANICS OUTSIDE OF THE FORD ORGANIZATION, AND MOST OF THEM HAVE STATED THAT THEY BELIEVE THE PROBLEM TO BE THE THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR. I HAVE SUGGESTIVE THIS TO FORD AND ITS DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY STATE THAT THEY CANNOT REPLACE THE SENSOR WITHOUT FIRST HAVING THE FLIGHT RECORDER DETECT THE EXACT PROBLEM. I HAVE OFFERED TO PAY THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE PART AND LABOR, EVEN THOUGH I AM STILL IN WARRANTY, BUT THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE IT. IN THE MEANTIME MY WIFE AND I ARE EXPOSED TO AN EXTREME RISK WHILE OPERATING OUR NEW MOTORHOME. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS US TO DRIVE THE 150 MILES FROM OUR HOME AND LEAVE THE VEHICLE WITH THEM TO TEST IT AT THEIR CONVENIENCE WHILE THEIR MECHANICS HAVE A LULL IN THEIR DAILY SCHEDULE. TO DO THIS WITHOUT A SCHEDULED TIME WITH AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS COULD TAKE MONTHS. I HAVE ASKED FORD TO SUPPLY US WITH THE LOAN OF A FORD FLIGHT RECORDER TO USE UNTIL THE PROBLEM CAN BE DETECTED, BUT THEY HAVE REFUSED TO DO SO.

EXHAUST PIPE COMPLETELY SHEERED OFF AT TURBO, BLOWING THE HOT FLUE GASES BACK TOWARDS THE BEDROOM AND ENGINE ELECTRONICS. AMASSED THAT NOTHING STARTED ON FIRE, PROBLEM FOUND WHEN COACH WENT IN FOR ITS ANNUAL INSPECTION AND OIL CHANGE

THIS MODEL IS BUILT ON A FREIGHTLINER PASSIVE STEER CHASSIS. FREIGHTLINER (FCCC) HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THEIR PRODUCTION MOUNTING THE TAG AXLE OFF CENTER WITH POOR ALIGNMENT FOR THE TAG AND/OR STEER AXLES. THIS PROBLEM WAS KNOWN BY FCCC SINCE ITS EARLY PRODUCTION(4/1/2015). A REPORT BY FCCC ENGINEER, ERIC PANCEROFF, WAS PUBLISHED ON NEWMAR CORPS WARRANTY SITE. I HAD WRITTEN A LETTER TO FCCC AND DAIMLER TRUCKING (DTNA), THE PARENT COMPANY FOR FCCC, RAISING CONCERN OVER THE CONTINUED PRODUCTION OF THIS DEFECTIVE CHASSIS. SINCE MY LETTER, FCCC HAS REMOVED THEIR OWN ENGINEER'S REPORT AND IS NOT MAKING ANY EFFORT TO ADVISE THEIR CUSTOMER OF THIS VERY POTENTIALLY SERIOUS DEFECT. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND ARE NOT AWARE. THE POOR ALIGNMENT WILL CAUSE TIRE WEAR AND EVENTUALLY TIRE BLOWOUTS. JUST TODAY, I DISCOVERED THE SIDE WALL ON THE LEFT FRONT OF MY UNIT IS STARTING TO SEPARATE FROM THE TIRE SURFACE. THIS IS AFTER SIX ATTEMPTS ON ALIGNMENT AND 8 TIRES REPLACED SOFAR. ON A 45 FT LONG RV WITH MORE THAN 40,000 POUND WEIGHT, A TIRE FAILURE CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS IS A SERIOUS TIME BOMB FOR MANY RV OWNERS WHO UNKNOWINGLY DRIVING THEIR UNITS WITH THIS POTENTIAL DEFECT. THIS FCCC ATTEMPT TO HIDE THE PROBLEM CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE SERIOUS HARM TO INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO MAY END UP IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT DUE TO NEGLIGENCE ON PART OF FCCC AND DTNA.

CALIPERS ON FRONT AND REAR WHEELS HAVE LOCKED UP AFTER SITTING OVER WINTER. BRAKES OVER HEATED WHEN VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN SHORT DISTANCE IN CITY. WILL NEED SERVICE AT MY LOCATION AS I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE CENTER

DRIVING NORTH ON I-15 IN BAKER, CA, AT JUST UNDER 60 MPH WHEN THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT CAUSING THE MOTOR HOME TO LEAVE THE PAVEMENT TO THE RIGHT. WE STOPPED SAFELY. WE HAVE A TPMS THAT WAS WORKING PROPERLY ON ALL TIRES. NO ALARM WARNING SOUNDED. HAD FILLED TIRE TO 115 PSI THE MORNING BEFORE AND TPMS REFLECTED THAT PRESSURE. I HAD CHECKED ALL TIRES FOR TEMPERATURE ABOUT 45 MILES PRIOR TO THE BLOW OUT AND ALSO READ THE PRESSURE INDICATED ON THE TPMS. AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 106 F. THE TIRE WAS A HERCULES H902 225-70-22.5 ON AN ALCOA ALUMINUM RIM. TIRE DOT STAMP 5379 SL3612 AND SERIAL # 234130568. CURRENT VEHICLE MILEAGE 123343. TIRE PURCHASED ON 12/10/2012 AT 111100 MILES. I CONTACTED HERCULES TIRES REPRESENTATIVE AND WAS TOLD THAT WITH NO TIRE CARCASS TO SEND THEM THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE AT ALL FOR ANY DAMAGES. PICTURES WILL NOT SUFFICE.

IN THE SPRING OF 2016, WE HAD TAKEN A TRIP FROM HOME TO LAKE WRIGHT-PATMAN ABOUT 80 MILES AWAY. UPON ARRIVING AT OUR CAMPING SPACE, WE NOTICED THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELDS WERE BULGING OUT FROM THE ROOF. WE COVERED THE ROOF AND TOP OF THE WINDSHIELDS WITH A TARP TO PREVENT RAIN FROM COMING INTO THE BUS. WE CONTACTED NEWMAR'S CUSTOMER SUPPORT VIA EMAIL AND TELEPHONE TO DETERMINE WHAT COULD BE DONE TO REPAIR THE WINDSHIELDS. WE CONTACTED PACE GLASS IN TEXARKANA, TX TO MAKE THE REPAIRS USING SCHEMATICS PROVIDED TO US BY NEWMAR. IN REMOVING THE WINDSHIELDS TO REPAIR THE RUBBER GASKET AT THE ROOF, ONE WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN. BOTH THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD AND RUBBER GASKET WERE PURCHASED FROM NEWMAR. WE DROVE HOME WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBLEMS. ON APRIL 15, 2017 WE MADE THE SAME TRIP TO LAKE WRIGHT-PATMAN AND RETURNED ON APRIL 30, 2017. WE STOPPED IN NORTH SHREVEPORT ON THE WAY HOME TO GET SOME DINNER AND DISCOVERED THE WINDSHIELDS WERE BOTH BULGING OUT AGAIN AS BEFORE. THE BUS HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVEN ABOUT 200 MILES SINCE THE WINDSHIELDS HAD BEEN REPLACED AND REPAIRED. THE BUS IS STORED IN A GARAGE OUT OF THE WEATHER WHEN NOT IN USE. SERIOUS DAMAGE AND INJURY TO US OR OTHERS MAY HAVE RESULTED IF THE WINDSHIELDS HAD FALLEN ALL OF THE WAY OUT WHIR THE BUS WAS IN MOTION.

NORCOLD 1200 RECALL, BACK OF REFRIDGE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE ON GAS SETTING IN DRIVEWAY AT MY HOME AFTER A RETURN TRIP TO FLA.

I HAVE A 2016 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR MOTOR HOME MODEL 4018. IT'S A 40 FT LONG DIESEL PUSHER ON A FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS WITH TOYAL WEIGHT OF 39600 LBS. THE PROBLEM IS POTENTIAL OVERLOADING OF THE FRONT TIRES DUE TO WEIGHT. THE MOTOR HOME WAS JUST WEIGHED AT THE NEWMAR CORP. FACTORY AND THE WEIGHT ON THE FRONT LEFT TIRE WITHOUT PASSENGERS WAS 7355 LBS. THE FRONT TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE ARE MICHELIN 305/70R22.5 LRL SERIES XRV. THEY HAVE A MAXIMUM LOAD RATING OF 7830 LBS.. ADDING THE WEIGHT OF A PASSENGER AND I SITTING IN THE TWO FRONT SEATS I ESTIMATE 7651 LBS. ON THE FL TIRE. THAT IS ONLY 179 LBS AWAY FROM THE MAXIMUM TIRE RATING WITHOUT ANY PASSENGERS SITTING ON THE SEAT BELT EQUIPPED SOFA. IT ALSO DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ROUGHLY 1000 LBS OF ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT I HAVE BEEN WAITING TO INSTALL. WITH EQUIPMENT, PASSENGERS AND THEIR LUGGAGE, THE FL TIRE WEIGHT WOULD INCREASE TO 7976 LBS. OR 146 LBS OVER THE MAXIMUM LEFT TIRE LOAD RATING. NEWMAR ADJUSTED THE SIDE TO SIDE FRONT WEIGHT TO BALANCE WEIGHTS BETWEEN FRONT TIRES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BY FINELY ADJUSTING THE CHASSIS RIDE HEIGHT ON EACH SIDE. UNFORTUNATELY, THESE ADJUSTMENTS CHANGE AND I EARLIER HAD TO GET ONE LINKAGE RE-TIGHTENED. IF THE ADJUSTMENTS CHANGE, THE WEIGHT ON THE FRONT LEFT TIRE COULD INCREASE BY AT LEAST SEVERAL HUNDRED POUNDS EXCEEDING THE MAXIMUM TIRE RATING EVEN WITHOUT ADDING ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT OR PASSENGERS ON THE SOFA. THIS CURRENTLY APPEARS TO BE A DANGEROUS CONDITION IF I CARRY PASSENGERS AND WILL ONLY GET WORSE IF I INSTALL THE ADDITIONAL PLANNED EQUIPMENT. NEWMAR REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THEY HAVE UPGRADED THE TIRE SIZE AND CAPACITY ON THE 2017 MODEL. AT THE PRESENT TIME, I AM FEELING UNSAFE ABOUT DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH PASSENGERS AND I ALSO AM AFRAID TO ADD THE PLANNED ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT. *TR