WINNEBAGO Complaints

Awning self deployed while parked (thankfully) On inspection of the motor parts found that the housing tabs had broken allowing the awning to self deploy. The motor also acts as the ‘brake’ for the awning

2021 Winnebago Revel - When starting the engine, the Carefree awning automatically deployed and the awning motor never turned off, violently extending awning arms. I had to turn the engine off to disengage the awning motor from trying to extend. I was able to manually reel in the awning and zip tie it together. After being instructed to do this by a carefree awning customer service representative, I was able to do so, and make an appointment to my local Winnebago dealer for repair.

While driving down the highway we noticed a noise. The noise got louder. I was a passenger and looked in the mirror and I could see that our awning manufactured by Carefree had deployed. We hurriedly pulled over to the shoulder. It was not a very wide shoulder and it was very dangerous. We were obviously very anxious about this. We could not get the awning to pull back in. We limped to the next exit where it would be safer to work on it. We were then able to get the awning to retract but it was ripped. We drove carefully to the next rest stop and applied four zip ties to the awning and pulled the DC fuse. We did not want this to happen again. For our safety and for the safety of others. This is a brand new vehicle and our first road trip. There was no warning other than the sound. There have been no problems prior to this incident. The awning had been used one time at a campground with no problem. It is our understanding that this awning is not supposed to deploy when the engine is running no matter what. Obviously that system failed. We immediately reported to the dealer. According to them they had never known anyone that this is happened to you before, yet following the incident I have found multiple reports of this happening. This is extremely dangerous.

Note: this 2022 vehicle has a 2021 Ford F53 Chassis. Beginning in early 2022, with about 4,000 miles on the RV, the “Service Advance Trac” warning light comes on suddenly and intermittently, but it is on the vast majority of the time, which disables the Traction Control, Hill Assist, and Cruise Control functions. In 2022 Ford issued Bulletin “SSM 50767 - 2020-2022 F-53 Motorhome – Illuminated Electronic Stability Control Indicator With DTC C0051 And Inoperable Cruise Control,” which stated that its engineering department was working on a solution, which they expected to be available in the third quarter of 2022. In October 2022 were advised that they had issued a fix and had that installed on October 24 at an authorized Ford repair shop. However, the fix immediately failed. It appears this problem exists with many other motorhomes having the F-53 chassis.

As I was traveling down the road, my awning unexpectedly extended and ripped completely off the RV. The awning was too big to load into the RV so I had to leave it along side the road in the borrow ditch. The safety of the vehicles behind me was at risk as the awning could have impaled their vehicle/windshield and seriously hurt or killed someone. The awning was not inspected by anyone because I had to leave it along side the road. There was no warning prior to the awning deployment. I took the RV to a service repair shop and they have ordered a new awning and other repair parts. Insurance has paid for the loss.

A pinion sheared off in the differential housing and tore up the inside of the housing. The vehicle has 42,000 miles on it.

Passenger side awning deployed without notice or action taken. No advance warning or owner input. Awning fails to respond to any commands by the awning switch.

First time I used the Carefree automatic Awning, it would not fully retract. With Winnebago customer service on my phone I did everything they suggested and it still would not fully retract. While awaiting road side service to arrive at my camp site it suddenly retracted all by itself as I sat outdoors waiting. I was alone with nobody inside the RV. After it operated without anyone at the controls I was concerned it might open while driving so I removed the fuse and have not used it again.

The contact owns a 2020 Winnebago Revel RV built on a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 chassis. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the retractable awning erroneously extended and detached from the RV. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not notified. The contact was concerned that the failure could have occurred while driving on a freeway. The failure mileage was 6,000. The contact stated that they are currently waiting for the necessary parts to repair the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2022 Winnebago View. The contact stated that while the RV was parked, the powered awning erroneously extended out and was damaged during a rain storm. The contact indicated that during the failure, the coach area was powered on but no one was present inside the RV at the time the failure occurred. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 2,000. The VIN was invalid.