RIALTA Complaints

WATER SYSTEM LINE FAILURE DUE TO INCORRECT ROUTING OF VARIOUS LINES IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT LED TO LOSS OF COOLANT. LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALER UNABLE TO FIX PROBLEM. RETURNED TO MN AND AFTER TWO TRIES FINALLY HAD PROBLEM FIXED. STARTER POSITIVE SIDE ELECTRICAL WAS RUBBED THROUGH AND SHORTED OUT CAUSING THE CABLE TO WELD ITSELF TO THE CASE RUINING THE STARTER AND THE SOLENOID. THE FAILURE HAPPENED WHEN PARKED BUT COULD HAVE OCCURRED ON I35 THE EVENING BEFORE AT 65 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. MFG. VOLKSWAGEN BOTH DENY ANY PROBLEM EXIST. *TS *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***761427

TREAD OR PLY SEPARATION ON ALL FOUR ORIGINAL TIRES. (DOT NUMBER: 457 (1997) TIRESIZE: 215/70R15C)

THE ABS SYSTEM AND THE EDL(ELECTRONIC DIFFERENTIAL LOCK) WERE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE BEING PURCHASED, WINNEBAGO STATED THAT VW WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ABS AND EDL OMISSION, THE REMOVAL OF THESE TWO SYSTEMS MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THE VEHICLE TO MANUVER A SLIGHT UPHILL GRADE ON WET GRASS. NLM

ON SIX DIFFERENT OCCASIONS ELECTRICAL DOOR LOCKS HAVE FAILED TO WORK WHICH TRAPPED OCCUPANTS INSIDE VEHICLE. HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS; BUT, PROBLEM CONTINUED TO REOCCUR. *AK THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS AS THE RESULT OF PRIOR POOR SEVICING. *YH

THERE HAVE BEEN 3 TIRE FAILURES; 2 FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATIONS, AND 1 REAR BLOWOUT . ALL 3 TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY DEALER, AND TREAD SEPARATION IS REOCCURRING. *AK TIRES ARE CONTINENTAL CONTRANS, SIZE P195/70R15, DOT # LM8VETFK467. *SLC

THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS ARE DESIGNED VERY CLOSE TOGETHER AND HAVE BEEN ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGED AT THE SAME TIME. *MJS

TWO INTERIOR PLASTIC PLUMBING FITTINGS CRACKED, PROBABLY FROM FATIGUE FROM TRAVEL OVER BUMPY ROADS, ONE FITTING, THEN LATER A SECOND FITTING. BOTH EPISODES LEAKED WATER IN THE INTERIOR CABINETRY, SATURATING CARPET AND CONTENTS. THE SECOND BREAK SHOWERED WATER ON INTERIOR ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT (INTERIOR USE ONLY, NOT WATERPROOF). AN ELECTRICAL HAZARD. LOCAL DEALER SAYS "THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE."

ORIGINAL TIRES RECALLED AND REPLACED AT 5300 MILES. BELT SEPARATION ON BOTH REPLACEMENT REAR TIRES AFTER 16,000 MILES. WINNEBAGO NOTIFIED JULY AND OCT 1998 OF OUR CONCERNS WITH REPLACEMENT TIRES. WE SUGGESTED ENGINEERING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE. THEY RESPONDED THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE WHEELS ALIGNED. CONTINENTAL HAS REPLACED THE CONTRANS TIRES WITH THEIR VANCO TIRES. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT OTHERS ARE STILL DRIVING WITH THE DANGEROUS CONTRANS TIRES. WINNEBAGO SEEMS TOTALLY UNCONCERNED ABOUT THIS SAFETY MATTER. THE BELT SEPARATION ON OUT TIRES WAS DISCOVERED BY ACCIDENT WHILE HAVING OUR VEHICLE SERVICED ON AN EXTENTED TRIP. THE MECHANICS AND TIRE SERVICE REPS ALL AGREED THAT WE ARE LUCKY WE DID NOT HAVE A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS MATTER BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE HAS THAT ACCIDENT. (DOT NUMBER: LM8X 4574 TIRESIZE: 215/70R15C)

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55-60 MPH TREAD ON LEFT FRONT TIRE CAME OFF. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL MOTORHOME, A WINNEBAGO, RIALTA, 1994. TIRE SIZE 19570R15C. OWNER HAS EXPERIENCED 12 OTHER SERIOUS BLOWOUTS WITH THESE TIRES. TIRES STARTED BLOWING ONE AFTER ANOTHER IN 1995. THERE WAS ONLY 6 OR 7 THOUSAND MILES ON THE MOTORHOME WHEN THIS STARTED. CURRENT MILEAGE ON THE MOTORHOME IS 56,134. *AK THE CONSUMER FEELS TO CONTINUE USING THIS TIRE IS DANGEROUS. *YH

THE MOTOR HOME DOES NOT COME WITH THE ABS SYSTEM, IN REMOVING THE ABS SYSTEM THEY DISABLED THE ELECTRONIC DIFFERNETIAL LOCK (EDL) AS IT IS OPERATED FROM THE ABS SYSTEM, THE EDL SYSTEM IS CRITICAL FOR THE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, THIS DESIGN IS POOR FOR OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. *MJS