WINNEBAGO Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 WINNEBAGO VISTA 30T. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OVER 50 MPH IT WOULD DRIFT FROM SIDE TO SIDE. MODIFICATIONS WERE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE WHICH INCLUDED ADDING EXTRA TORSION BARS TO THE REAR AND FRONT SUSPENSION WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A DEFECT TO THE VEHICLE. NOR DID THEY OFFER ANY SOLUTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.

WHILE MOVING SLOWLY, APPROXIMATELY 3 MPH, THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL, HUB, AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY BECAME COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. CLOSE INSPECTION SHOWS A FAILURE OF THE REAR AXLE END PIECE WHICH SUPPORTS THE REAR AXLE BEARING. IN ADDITION TO THE LOSS OF THE WHEEL, TEARING AWAY OF BRAKE LINES LED TO A COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY, INCLUDING EMERGENCY BRAKE. DISCUSSION WITH OTHER RIALTA OWNERS HAS IDENTIFIED NUMEROUS OTHER INSTANCES OF AXLE END-PIECE CRACKING OR DETACHMENT. UPDATED 2/12/14*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 WINNEBAGO ITASCA HORIZON RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A PROPANE SMELL WAS BEING EMITTED FROM THE PROPANE TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,800.

WHILE OPERATING THE DRIVER FRONT SLIDE, THE HARNESS THAT ENCASES ELECTRICAL WIRES IN A PLASTIC CHAIN, DID NOT FLOW BACK INTO THE BOX DESIGNED FOR IT. THE PLASTIC CHAIN FAILED AND THE HARNESS BACKED UP AND GOT WEDGED BETWEEN THE AREA IT SLIDES INTO AND THE EXTERIOR OF THE SLIDE OUTSIDE THE MOTOR HOME SQUASHED THE HARNESS AND ELECTRICAL WIRES. AND OF COURSE, BECAUSE YOU ARE INSIDE THE RV CLOSING THE SLIDE, YOU DON'T SEE THE DAMAGES UNTIL ITS TOO LATE. THAT HARNESS ALSO IS ATTACHED TO A METAL BRACKET WHICH IS IN RETURN ATTACHED TO THE MOVING SLIDE. WITH 50 AMP SERVICE PLUGGED INTO THE RV, I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A SEVERE ELECTRICAL HAZARD. THE PLASTIC CHAIN HARNESS ALSO BECAME DETACHED FROM THE REAR OF THE "BOX" IT SLIDES INTO WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO THE RV. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE DAMAGES WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO MY COACH. I HAVE ALSO REVIEWED INTERNET FORUMS. THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THIS DESIGN. IT'S MY OPINION THAT ELECTRICAL HAZARDS LIKE THIS COULD CAUSE BODILY INJURY OR START FIRES. I AM SURPRISED THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN, NOR GOTTEN, ANY RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE. I HAVE HEARD OTHERS SAY THAT THIS WAS A BAD DESIGN, AND YET WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES KNOWS THIS, WILL NOT ELABORATE ON THEIR TECHNICAL FIX, OR A PUT OUT A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM SO THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN TO US OR OTHERS. WITHOUT RECALL, AND THIS HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE, THEY MIGHT NOT BE SO LUCK TO RECTIFY THIS ON THE ROAD BECAUSE THE DAMAGES COULD BE MORE SEVERE UPDATED 11/14/13*CN

THE FULL WALL SLIDE ON MY MOTOR HOME RETRACTED WITHOUT ANY INPUT. I PUSHED THE EXTEND BUTTON AND IT FULLY EXTENDED. AFTER ABOUT 2 MINUTES IT FULLY RETRACTED WITHOUT ANY HUMAN INPUT. THEN AFTER SITTING WITH THE SYSTEM TURNED OFF FOR A FEW DAYS, I TURNED IT ON AND WAITED TO SEE IF IT WOULD RETRACT. NOTHING HAPPENED SO AFTER WAITING 20 MINUTES I PRESSED THE RETRACT BUTTON AND NOTHING HAPPENED. AFTER 3 MINUTES WHILE LEANING ON THE GALLEY CABINET IT AGAIN BEGAN TO RETRACT ON ITS OWN. THIS SLIDE IS OVER 27 FEET LONG AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE BODILY HARM AS IT RETRACTS INTO THE MAIN CABIN. THERE IS A WARNING LABEL ON THE CONTROL PANEL STATING THAT FACT. TO HAVE THIS SYSTEM MALFUNCTION IN THIS MANNER REALLY IS DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED TO INSURE NO ONE GET HURT. *TR UPDATED 03/25/14*LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 WINNEBAGO BRAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE CALIBER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

ON 09/13/13 I NOTICED AN ODOR OF GAS NEAR DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRES. I SLID UNDER MOTORHOME AND NOTICED WET AREA ON GAS TANK. I INSPECTED THE GAS TANK AND FOUND GAS LEAKING FROM A SPOT WELD FOR THE INTERNAL BAFFLE IN THE GAS TANK. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE, GENERATOR IS CLOSE BY. LEAK COULD ALSO BE IGNITED FROM A SPARK FROM A CAMPFIRE WHILE PARKED AT A CAMPGROUND. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 WINNEBAGO VISTA WFE30T MOTOR HOME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

IN 2010 THE FRONT HOOD, REAR ENGINE ACCESS DOOR AND PART OF THE REAR BUMPER PANEL WERE FOUND TO BE LOOSE FROM THE METAL FRAMES THAT THEY ARE MOUNTED ON. THESE WERE REATTACHED AT WINNEBAGO'S FACTORY SERVICE CENTER IN FOREST CITY, IOWA. IN 2012 THE FRONT HOOD WAS AGAIN FOUND LOOSE FROM THE FRAME AND I REPAIRED IT. ON AUG. 28, 2013, MILEAGE 79,500, WHEN WE STOPPED FOR THE NIGHT I FOUND THAT 7 OF THE 8 ATTACHED POINTS FOR THE REAR BUMPER PANEL HAD COME DETACHED FROM THE BODY OF THE COACH AND THE LEFT SIDE WAS SWINGING FREE ABOUT 10 INCHES FROM THE COACH. THE BUMPER PANEL WAS ONLY STILL ON THE COACH BECAUSE MY BIKE RACK KEPT IT FROM SWINGING FURTHER OUT. CLOSER CHECKING REVEALED THAT THE REAR ENGINE ACCESS DOOR AND SEVERAL LOWER SIDE BODY PANELS WERE COMING LOOSE FROM THEIR FRAMES. ALL OF THE ABOVE ATTACH POINTS ARE CONNECTED BY SOME TYPE OF EPOXY. THE 2013 PROBLEMS WERE REPAIRED AT WINNEBAGO FACTORY IN SEPT. 2013. THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THESE DETACHED PANELS WERE A COMMON PROBLEM. WHILE IN THE FOREST CITY AREA IN SEPT. 2013 I SAW 3 OTHER 2004 TO 2007 JOURNEYS WITH THE SAME LOOSE PANELS. MY CONCERN IS THAT ONE OF THESE 8.5 FT. BY 20 INCH BUMPER PANELS IS GOING TO COME OFF AND LAND ON ANOTHER VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD. *TR

6/20/2012- WHILE DRIVING ON HWY 101 I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND OUR 2011 WINNEBAGO VIEW 24J ACTED LIKE WE HIT A LARGE BUMP IN THE ROAD. I THOUGHT IT WAS A BLOW OUT. WHEN I PULLED OVER, I RAN AROUND TO THE PASSENGER SIDE TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I COULD HEAR AIR LEAKING FROM THE TIRES. A CHP OFFICER PULLED UP BEHIND US TO SEE IF WE WERE OKAY. HE ASKED IF THAT WAS OUR EXHAUST SYSTEM LAYING IN THE MIDDLE OF 101. I SAID I DON'T THINK SO, BUT WHEN I LOOKED TO SEE MY TAILPIPE STICKING OUT IN FRONT OF THE PASSENGER REAR TIRES, I REALIZED THAT IT WAS GONE. OUR ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS GONE. FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BACK, EVERYTHING WAS MISSING. SOMEHOW, OUR EXHAUST SYSTEM DROPPED IN FRONT OF OUR REAR TIRES. IN THE DROPPED POSITION, THE TIRES STRUCK THE EXHAUST AND PULLED IT UNDER THEM. THIS PULLED THE ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM UNDER THE TIRES AND RIPPED IT FROM THE ENGINE. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM IS HEAVY AND LARGE. IT COULD EASILY DAMAGE ONCOMING VEHICLES. AS THE EXHAUST EXITED OUR VEHICLE, IT CUT ONE OF THE REAR TIRES CAUSING IRREPARABLE DAMAGE. UPDATE: 8/29/2013 TOTAL COST OF ALL REPAIRS WAS OVER $10K. AFTER HEARING ABOUT ANOTHER WINNEBAGO VIEW OWNER THAT HAD NEARLY THE EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE I DECIDED TO POST THIS ON NHTSA. I BELIEVE THE ENTIRE INCIDENT WAS DUE TO A FAILED EXHAUST HANGER AND LACK OF SECONDARY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR THE EXHAUST. I CONSIDER THIS A DESIGN FAILURE BY THE MANUFACTURER WINNEBAGO. *TT