NEWMAR Complaints

OWNER REPORTS THAT THE WHEEL MOUNTING STUDS APPEAR TO BE TOO SHORT FOR THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY. REPORTEDLY, THE SERVICING MECHANIC PERFORMING ROUTINE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE OBSERVED THAT INSTALATION REQUIRED ONLY 5 TO 5-1/2 NUT TURNS TO FULLY SEAT THE NUT. THE NUT IS CLOSE-ENDED SO THE STUD CANNOT BE SEEN BY THE INSTALLER AND CANNOT PROTRUDE THROUGH THE NUT. OWNER CONNTCATED DEXTER AXLE WHO ADVISED THE OWNER THAT 10 NUT TURNS SEEMED MORE APPROPRIATE. OWNER CONATCTED NEWMAY WHO ADVISED THAT REPLACING THE INSTALLED STUDS WITH LONGER STUDS. UPDATED 01/13/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER SUPPLIED REPLACEMENT RIMS. UPDATED 04/01/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NEWMAR MOUNTAIN AIRE ON A W22 WORKHORSE CHASSIS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKES BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE SHORTER STOPPING DISTANCE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE BRAKES AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKES, CALIPERS, AND ROTORS UNDER THE SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC RECALL ( 09V217000). AFTER THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSE. THE DEALER INFORM THE CONTACT THE ABS SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ABS SENSORS BUT WAS UNAWARE THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT APART OF THE RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS SENSOR SHOULD BE APART OF THE SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC RECALL SINCE THE ABS SENSOR IS APART OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,242.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NEWMAR VENTANA DIESEL PUSHER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, BACK UP CAMERA, EXHAUST BRAKES AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THREE AUTHORIZED DEALERS BEFORE THE STEERING CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED BY THE THIRD DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,600 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,000.

2005 NEMAR MOUNTAIN AIRE MOTORHOME. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING LOOSE STEERING *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE STEERING WHEEL MOVEMENT. THE REPAIRS ONLY LASTED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NEWMAR MOUNTAIN AIRE RV. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE TECHNICIAN OBSERVED DURING THE INSPECTION THAT ALL FOUR ROTORS EXHIBITED CRACKS. THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED. THE BRAKES LOCKED UP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SMOKE WHICH REMAINED STATIONARY SO THAT IT COULD COOL DOWN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SIX MONTHS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND RECOMMENDED THAT FORCE BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKES WITH A SCREWDRIVER. ADDITIONALLY, PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DEFECTIVE ROTORS WERE SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON A SECOND OCCASION. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE, AND THE EXCESSIVELY HEATED FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER REIMBURSED THE CONTACT FOR THE SECOND REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

RUNAWAY MOTORHOME ON A 1997 FORD CHASSIS IN 2009 ON INTERSTATE 85. WHEN I REALIZED THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING I TRIED TO BRAKE BUT TO NO AVAIL. I TOOK AN APPROACHING EXIT AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. THE MOTORHOME WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE MECHANIC LUBRICATED THE LINKAGE. WHEN THE PROBLEM CONTINUED I CALLED FORD AND THEY AUTHORIZED A FIX FOR A RECALL PROBLEM INVOLVING THE BRAKE IN WHICH A FIRE COULD START. THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OCCURRED AT LEAST 2 MORE TIMES IN THE SAME YEAR ON A TRIP FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO CALIFORNIA. I REALIZED THAT THE ACCELERATION SEEMED TO OCCUR IF THE CRUISE CONTROL CAUSED THE GEAR TO DOWNSHIFT DUE TO HIGHWAY INCLINE. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET IT APPEARS FORD HAS HAD OTHER UNINTENDED ACCELERATION PROBLEM. SOME DATES AND FIGURES ARE ONLY ESTIMATES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NEWMAR DUTCHSTAR RV. THE RV HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL NUMBER NDR1062. THE CONTACT NOTICED A YELLOW RESIDUE LEAKING FROM THE REFRIGERATOR AND SMELLED AMMONIA. IN ADDITION, SMOKE EXPELLED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE RV WAS TAKEN TO TWO INDEPENDENT DEALERS WHO STATED THE REFRIGERATOR WAS UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTIONS AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A NEW REFRIGERATOR UNAWARE OF THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08E032000 (EQUIPMENT). DOMETIC REFUSED TO REIMBURSE FOR THE REFRIGERATOR. UPDATED 04/20/10

I LOST MY BRAKES WHILE DRIVING WESTBOUND ON HIGHWAY 98 FROM PENSACOLA FLA. PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD CALLED A MECHANIC WHO ARRIVED AND BLED THE BRAKES AND INSPECTED FOR AND UNUSUAL ITEMS. I WAS DRIVING A 2005 W22 WORKHORSE CHASSIS MOTORHOME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR RV TRAILER. HE REPLACED THE TIE ROD PARTS 16 TIMES THE BALL JOINT COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED 8 TIMES IN A NINE YEARS WHICH ARE ALL A PART OF THE STEERING FRONT SUSPENSION. THE CONTACT WAS ONLY REQUIRED TO PAY FOR LABOR. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS ARE WERE REPLACED DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND WERE NOT DEFECTIVE. THE PARTS ARE NOT RELATED TO A RECALL OR WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 64,000. UPDATED 12/10/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE DISCOVERED THE TIE ROD ENDS AND BALL JOINT ON THE RV HAD NOT PROTECTIVE RUBBER OR VERY LITTLE RUBBER LEFT. THE RUBBER WAS FOR SAFETY, IT KEEPS THE GREASE IN AND DIRT, SAND AND WATER FROM WEARING DOWN THE TIE ROD ENDS AND BALL JOINTS. THE CONSUMER STATED IN FOUR YEARS THE PROBLEM RESURFACED. UPDATED 12/10/09

THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE BEGAN TO TURN WITHOUT THE IGNITION KEY IN PLACE. THE STARTER WAS RUINED BEFORE ATTEMPTS TO DISENGAGE POWER TO THE STARTER WERE SUCCESSFUL. THE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE STARTER BELIEVES THE CAUSE WAS WATER INFILTRATION OF BUSSMAN BOX WHERE ENGINE STARTER FUSES AND RELAYS ARE LOCATED. A BUSSMAN BOX HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF OTHER SAFETY RECALLS ON NEWMAR BRAND DIESEL PUSHERS. WHEN CONTACTED, BOTH THE CHASSIS MANUFACTURER (SPARTAN) AND THE COACH MANUFACTURER (NEWMAR) DENY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. NO REMEDY HAS BEEN OFFERED BY EITHER MANUFACTURER. *TR