NEWMAR Complaints

A BURNING SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKES WERE BEGINNING TO GRAB AND NOT RELEASE. AFTER SITTING FOR AN HOUR THE BRAKES COOLED ENOUGH TO DRIVE TO CUMMINS-BRIDGEWAY, WHO ARE THE LOCAL WORKHORSE SERVICE GARAGE. THEY EXAMINED THE BRAKES, SAID THEY HAD OVERHEATED BUT THEY WERE OK TO DRIVE ON VACATION AND CHARGED $70.70 FOR THE INSPECTION. ON JUNE 26, IN LANCASTER, PA THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. KNOWING THE DIAGNOSIS WE JUST CANCELLED VACATION AND BROUGHT THE MOTORHOME BACK HOME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NEWMAR MOUNTAIN AIRE RV. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. WHEN A GREAT AMOUNT OF FORCE WAS EXERTED DURING APPLICATION, HE WAS ABLE TO DECELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE CALIPER AT AN EXPENSE OF $500.00. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,300.

INNER FENDER WALLS ON THE NEWMAR 2008 GRANDSTAR 3750 ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE REAR INSIDE DUAL TIRE, CAUSING BOLT RUBBING ON SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE, CAUSING THE BOLT TO WEAR INTO TIRE SIDEWALL SHEARING OFF THE RUBBER, COMPROMISING THE TIRE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR RV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH ON A STEEP MOUNTAIN, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO LOCK INTO GEAR WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL. AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED MULTIPLE TIMES, THE RV SLOWED DOWN. THE BRAKES WERE FUNCTIONAL UNTIL HE REACHED HIS DESTINATION. THE RV WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS BURNING. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 57,000. UPDATED 9/17/09 *CN THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD SHUT OFF BY ITSELF AFTER DRIVING FOR AN HOUR. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RE-SET THE CRUISE CONTROL, HE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR A HALF HOUR. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE TRANSMISSION THAT WAS USED IN HIS RV WAS NO LONGER BEING USED FOR HIS PARTICULAR RV DUE TO ITS SHORTCOMINGS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THERE WAS NO REMEDY.

DURING OUR PRETRIP INSPECTION WE ALWAYS CHECK ALL LIGHTS PRIOR TO DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE CENTER HIGH MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHT LED ELEMENTS RANDOMLY FAIL TO LIGHT. SOMETIMES THE ENTIRE CENTER HIGH MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHT HAS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NEWMAR SCOTTSDALE RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE FAILING. RECALL NUMBER 50901-C AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V217000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) STATE THAT THE BRAKES WILL LOCK UP AND NOT RELEASE UNTIL THEY COOL OFF. THE BRAKES ARE LOCATED ON A 2003 WORKHORSE CHASSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO CENTER AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CALIPER FAILED. THE MECHANIC HAS BEEN WAITING ON THE MANUFACTURER TO PROVIDE THE PARTS FOR THE REPAIR, BUT THE CONTACT HAS BEEN WAITING OVER TWO WEEKS. WORKHORSE IS NOT CALLING THE AUTO CENTER OR THE CONTACT BACK WITH A REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,186.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NEWMAR BAY STAR RV. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OR IF THE RV IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO ANOTHER LARGE VEHICLE, IT WILL SWAY AND ROCK FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND BECOME DIFFICULT TO HANDLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LACKS STABILITY. HE SPOKE TO A DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT HE SHOULD SLOW DOWN TO 45 MPH WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS, WHICH SHOULD CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS AN INSUFFICIENT ANSWER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,500. UPDATED 07/17/09 *BF UPDATED 07/17/09.*JB

DURING A SERVICE AT A FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS CENTER, THEIR SAFETY INSPECTION REVEALED BOTH INNER TIRES ON THE REAR DUALS ARE COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE COACH FRAME. AT 5K MILES, ONE TIRE NEAR FAILURE, THE OTHER LESS SO. VISUAL INSPECTION SHOWS A TOO CLOSE GAP BETWEEN THE TIRE TREAD AND COACH BODY WHEN VEHICLE IS UNLOADED. APPROXIMATE 1/4" GAP ON LEFT, 1/2" ON RIGHT AT THE TREAD. AS THE SUSPENSION COMPRESSES OR THE VEHICLE IS LOADED, THE SIDEWALL , AS IT WIDENS TOWARDS THE WHEEL, IS IN CONSTANT, INCREASING CONTACT WITH A PIECE OF ANGLE IRON THAT IS BOLTED TO THE COACH FRAME ON BOTH SIDES. THE TIRE SIDEWALL IS THEN SLOWLY SHAVED OFF AND FRICTION CAUSES SIGNIFICANT HEAT INCREASES. DEFECT IS SO OBVIOUS IT IS DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND IT PASSING SAFETY AND QUALITY CONTROL, AND ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE FACTORY. NEWMAR SAYS THE FIX IS TO RE-WORK THE COACH BODY TO ACCOMMODATE ROOM FOR THE TIRES. MAY INVOLVE REPLACEMENT OF A HOLDING TANK, CUTTING OF THE FLOOR, ECT. VEHICLE AT THIS TIME COULD NOT PASS A MN DOT INSPECTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NEWMAR MOUNTAIN AIRE RV. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR ROUTINE INSPECTION AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS, CALIPERS, AND HUBS FAILED ABNORMALLY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S PRODUCTION YEAR WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY. AS OF MARCH 11, 2009, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29862. UPDATED 3/25/09 *CN ALL 4 ROTORS HAD HEAT CRACKS AND THE FRONT CLEAR HUB INDICATORS WERE WHITE CAUSED BY HEAT. THE BRAKES WERE NOT RELEASING AS DESIGNED. UPDATED 03/26/09. *JB

ON DECEMBER 29, 2008 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE NEWMAR CORP. CONCERNING MY DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR IN MY 2002 NEWMAR KOUNTRY STAR 5TH WHEEL CAMPER. I CONTACTED DOMETIC THE SAME DAY AND THEY SCHEDULE A LOCAL RV SERVICE COMPANY TO LOOK AT PERFORMING THIS RECALL AND INSTALLING A PART TO PREVENT FIRES. YESTERDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2009 I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE RV DEALER SERVICE MANAGER AND HE ADVISED ME THAT MY DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR COOLING UNIT HAS FAILED AND I NEED TO REPLACE IT AT A COST OF $700 TO AS HIGH AS $1000.00. I CONTACTED DOMETIC THIS MORNING (FEBRUARY 13, 2009) VIA TELEPHONE AND THEY ARE REFUSING TO REPAIR/REPLACE THIS COOLING UNIT THAT IS NOT WORKING. DOMETIC HAS IN THE RECENT PAST REPLACED THESE COOLING UNITS IN CAMPERS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I FEEL DOMETIC KNOWS THEY HAVE A HUGE LIABILITY AND ARE NOW REFUSING TO FIX OR REPLACE THESE COOLING UNIT FAILURES BECAUSE OF THE COST INVOLVED. THEY ARE JUST FIXING THE UNITS WITH A SAFETY RECALL, BUT THOSE UNITS THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED A FAILURE THEY ARE WASHING THEIR HANDS OF THIS PROBLEM AND PASSING THE COST ONTO THE CONSUMER. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER AND WHERE THERE HAS BEEN COOLING UNIT FAILURES BECAUSE OF THIS RECALL DOMETIC BE REQUIRED TO BEAR THE COST OF THE COOLING UNIT REPLACEMENT. DOMETIC STATES THAT THE FAILURES ARE LESS THAN 1% OF THE TOTAL. BUT IN MY CAMPGROUND AT SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE, VA WE HAVE ALREADY HAD 2 CAMPERS HAVE THIS TYPE OF COOLING UNIT FAILURE AND JUST YESTERDAY ANOTHER NEIGHBOR OF MINE ALSO HAD HIS COOLING UNIT FAIL. THERE ARE ONLY 83 CAMPSITES AT THE LAKE AND WE NOW HAVE FOUR (4) IDENTICAL FAILURES OF THESE DOMETIC COOLING UNITS.... I AM REQUESTING THAT DOMETIC BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS FAILURE TO MAKE A RELIABLE PRODUCT FOR THE CONSUMERS AND NOT ALLOW THEM TO HIDE BEHIND A WARRANTY PROGRAM WHEN THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW THEY HAVE A POTENTIAL PROBLEM FOR THE COOLING UNIT FAILURES OR WORST CASE OF A FIRE INSIDE ONE OF THESE CAMPERS. *TR