2001 WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER Complaints

THIS MOTORHOME WAS PURCHASED NEW IN MAR OF 2001. IN APR OF THAT YEAR THE PARKING BRAKES WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. IT WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE FACILITY AND REMAINED THERE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS BECAUSE OF PARTS SHORTAGE. OVER THE YEARS THE PARKING BRAKES HAVE LOCKED EITHER WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION (62 MPH) OR WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PLACE IT IN MOTION: 20 APR 2005, 13 OCT 2006, 19 OCT 2006, 5 SEP 2008,2 FEB 2011. NOW THE PARKING BRAKES INTERMITTENTLY DO NOT ENGAGE: 13 MAR 2012, 5 JUN 2012, 11 DEC 2012, 11 JAN 2013, 15 MAY 2013. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKES WERE OVERHEATED AND CAUSING THE CALIPERS TO STICK AND BOIL THE BRAKE FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH, THE AUTO PARK BRAKE ACTIVATED ON THE P32 WORKHORSE CHASSIS. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL, PUMPED THE BRAKE, AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. HE THEN TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND RELEASED THE BRAKE. TWENTY FIVE MILES DOWN THE ROAD, THE AUTO PARK LOCKED UP AGAIN. THE CONTACT CALLED EMERGENCY ROADSIDE SERVICE TO DISCONNECT THE BRAKE LINE. CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO PARKING BRAKE ON THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,450. UPDATED 04-29-09 *BF UPDATED 04/30/09.*JB

I OWN A 2001 WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER MODEL 35U. IT IS ON A WORKHORSE CHASSIS. IN 2005 ONE OF THE TWO STRAPS SUPPORTING THE 75 GALLON GAS TANK BROKE. IN JULY OF 2008 THE OTHER STRAP BROKE. IN OCTOBER OF 2008 THE FIRST REPLACEMENT STRAP BROKE. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH WORKHORSE AND THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE TO SAY IS "WE HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM". THE TANK IS ALSO FASTENED TO THE FRAME, BUT ALL THREE STRAPS BROKE IN THE SAME SPOT. IT WAS NOT DUE TO RUST. I WOULD GUESS THAT THE STRAPS ARE SUPPORTING SOME OF THE WEIGHT OF THE GAS TANK. I HAVE THE MOST RECENT BROKEN STRAP. ONE END IS GROUND DOWN DUE TO DRAGGING ON THE ROAD. WHEN THE FIRST STRAP BROKE, A MOTORIST FLAGGED ME DOWN TO LET ME KNOW THAT I HAD A SHOWER OF SPARKS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE MOTORHOME. *TR

LEFT FRONT AND RIGHT FRONT DOUBLE PANED SIDE WINDOWS ARE SO FOGGED UP THAT I CANNOT SEE THE MIRRORS VERY WELL. WINDOWS MADE BY ATWOOD. *TR

DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE DOUBLE PANE GLASS WINDOWS FOG UP INSIDE THE GLASS PERMANENTLY PREVENTING OPERATOR FROM VIEWING MIRRORS WHICH COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT! *TR

I HAVE A FAILURE IN PROGRESS THAT SEEMS TO BE AFFECTING OTHER OWNERS OF WINNEBAGO MOTORHOMES AND NOT JUST MINE. DUE TO LIGHT GAUGE METALS USED IN THE STEP MOUNTING AREAS AND IMPROPER ATTACHEMENT PROCEEDURES USED DURING MANUFACTURE THE ENTRY STEP MOUNTING PLATE IS CRACKING AND THE STEP IS AT THE POINT OF FAILURE OF ITS MOUNTS. THIS FAILURE HAS BEEN NOTED ON SEVERAL OTHER WINNEBAGO\ITASCA MOTORE HOMES THAT I AM AWARE OF AND IS NOT LIMITED TO ONE UNIT BUT SEEMS TO BE A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM. WINNEBAGO'S RESPONCE IS THAT IT IS A KNOWN FAILURE BUT THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO PUT OUT A TSB OR RECALL. THEY ARE ALSO REFUSING TO HELP WITH THE COST OF THESE REPAIRS AND ARE LEAVING THE FULL BURDEN UPON THE OWNERS. IF THE STEPS FAIL WHILE SOMEONE IS ENTERING OR EXITING THE COACH MORBIDITY COULD BE A VERY REAL CONSEQUENCE FOR THOSE USING THE STEPS. I HAVE TAKEN THE STEP OUT OF SERVICE UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT CORRECTIVE ACTION CAN BE TAKEN. *JB

WE GOT OUR 3RD. BLOW OUT IN LESS THEN 1 YR. ON GOODYEAR TIRES. FIRST TIME AUG.04 SECOND TIME FEB.05 3RD.TIME JULY 05. 1ST. & 2ND. TIME DAMAGE TO THE MOTORHOME COMBINED ABOUT $7-$8,000.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE. FINALLY GOODYEAR REPLACED ALL 7 TIRES 4/30/05. FIRST TIME OUT FOR 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND WE GOT ANOTHER BLOW OUT. THERE WAS ABOUT 450 MILES ON THE NEW SET OF TIRES. THE TIRE SPLIT ON THE SIDE OF THE INSIDE REAR PASSANGERS SIDE. CALLED AAA AND THEY SENT SOMEONE OUT TO CHANGE TIRE HE SAID IT BLOW FROM HAVING TO MUCH AIR IN TIRE. THEY SPARE HAD 110 LBS. AND THE REQUIRED AMOUNT IS 70 LBS. HE LET OUT AIR AND PUT ON. WE THEN TOOK BLOWN OUT TIRE TO MOUNTAIN VEIW TIRE WHERE THYE WHERE PUT ON. ROBERT CALLED GOODYEAR AND SAID IT WAS FROM RUNNING OVER SOMETHING. THE THREAD WAS NOT DAMAGED AT ALL ONLY THE SIDE WHERE IT BLOW. GOODYEAR WOULD REPLACE TIRE AND ONLY CHARGE US HALF AROUND $179.00. THIS DAMAGE WAS NOT FROM RUNNING OVER ANYTHING JUST FROM HAVING TO MUCH AIR. WE FEEL THAT GOODYEAR SHOULD REPLACE TIRE AND THEIR EXPENSE NO OURS.

ON MARCH 18TH 2004 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:30 PM, A FEMALE ADULT (OCCUPANT) AGE 49, OPENED THE ENTRY DOOR AND STEPPED OFF THE RV. THE ELECTRIC DOUBLE-DOOR (EDD) STEP WAS NOT EXTENDED AT THE TIME AND THE OCCUPANT FELL TO GRADE, APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET VERTICALLY, SERIOUSLY INJURING THE OCCUPANT AND FRACTURING HER RIGHT LOWER LEG. THE EDD STEP ON THE 2001 WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER V32 IS DESIGNED TO AUTOMATICALLY EXTEND WHEN THE ENTRY DOOR IS OPENED AND RETRACT WHEN THE ENTRY DOOR IS CLOSED. THE EDD STEP CAN ALSO BE CONTROLLED BY AN ON-OFF SWITCH THAT DISABLES THE EDD STEP IN ITS LAST POSITION. THIS ON-OFF SWITCH ENABLES ONE TO DISABLE THE STAIRWAY IN THE EXTENDED POSITION FOR CONVENIENCE AT A CAMPSITE WHERE ENTRY AND EXIT WOULD OCCUR FREQUENTLY. IF THE EDD STEP IS SO DISABLED, TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH WILL OVERRIDE THE ON-OFF SWITCH AND RETRACT THE EDD STEP IF THE ENTRY DOOR IS CLOSED. FELL TO GRADE SEVERELY INJURING HERSELF. DESIGN/SAFETY DEFICIENCIES: THE ON-OFF SWITCH FOR THE EDD STEP IS LOCATED IN THE SAME AREA AS THE PORCH LIGHT SWITCH AND THE INTERIOR LIGHT SWITCH. IT IS ALSO THE SAME STYLE OF TOGGLE SWITCH WITH THE IDENTICAL SIZE, COLOR, AND OPERATING FEEL OF THE LIGHT SWITCHES. THERE ARE NO WARNING SIGNS OR INSTRUCTIONS POSTED TO DESCRIBE THE OPERATION OF THE EDD STEP AND THE FUNCTION OF THE STEP SWITCH AND THE POTENTIAL FALL HAZARD. *NM

WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *AK