WINNEBAGO Complaints

2006 WINNEBAGO VIEW BUILT ON A DODGE SPRINTER 3500. CURRENT MILEAGE 7655.. TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED THREE TIMES WHEN CLIMBING STEEP HILLS; VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS, IN ONE INSTANCE CAUSING CONSIDERABLE BODY DAMAGE. FIRST FAILURE AND REPAIR ON 6/23/2006; TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED. SECOND FAILURE AND REPAIR 9/15/06; TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED. THIRD FAILURE 11/1/2006; SAME PROBLEM. *AK *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH, THE PARKING BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE AUTOMATIC PARKING BRAKE FAILED, LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. THE BRAKE WAS ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.

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

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE CLIMBING THE LADDER OF THE NEWLY PURCHASED RECREATIONAL VEHICLE, THE LADDER FRACTURED SEVERELY INJURING THE CONTACT. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND ORDERED THE PART TO BE REPLACED. THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE AWAITED REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE PART. UPDATED 11/30/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER CAUSING ENGINE SPEED TO REDUCE TO 40 MPH. THE PROBLEM HAD HAPPENED 4 TIMES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR SERVICE. EACH TIME THE RESIGNATOR (PART # 5137154AA) WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SIDE MIRRORS WERE NOT WIDE ENOUGH TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT VIEWING OF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THIS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO MOVE OVER INTO ANOTHER LANE AND WAS MORE DIFFICULT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE MEDALLION INSTRUMENTATION CENTER WAS NOT READABLE DUE TO IMPROPER BACK LIGHTING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST BECAUSE THE PART WAS NOT MADE BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER. UPDATED 9/13/2006 - THE CONSUMER HAS ORDER A UPDATED READ OUT UNIT FROM MEDALLION AND WILL PAY EXTRA TO HAVE IT INSTALLED. THE CONSUMER MENTIONED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AT LEAST A YEAR AGO. *NM

MOTORHOME TIRE TREAD PROBLEMS: I HAVE 2000 29 FT. MINNIE WINNIE MOTORHOME. WE HAVE HAD SEVEN TIRE TREAD FAILURES. TWICE DOING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MOTORHOME. NO INJURIES TO PASSENGERS. AFTER OUR MOST RECENT FAILURE WE FEEL THIS HAS BECOME A SAFETY FACTOR. TWO TIRES WERE FIRESTONE STEEL RADIAL R4S LT225/75R16(LESS THAN 27,000 MI.) THREE COOPER C120 LT225/75R16(LESS THAN 30,000MI.)TWO MASTERCRAFT COURSER RD LT225/75R16(10,000 MI.) ALL TIRES WERE LOAD RANGE E. *JB

DRIVER SIDE WINDOWS ON MY 2003 WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER HAVE FOGGED UP, LIMITING VISIBILITY AND BEGUN TO LEAK. THESE WINDOWS WERE THERMO-PANED GLASS. *JB

JUNE 2005 MY WIFE AND I WERE LEAVING ROSWELL NM IN OUR 1999 WINNEBAGO MOTOR HOME WHEN WE EXPERIENCED A LOUD POPPING NOISE. I CALLED OUR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CARRIER AND WAS DIRECTED TO A REPAIR FACILITY A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY. AFTER LISTENING TO THE NOISE AND LOOKING UNDER THE VEHICLE THEY DETERMINED IT MUST BE AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAK. THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKET LOCALLY AND HAD TO ORDER ONE. WE LEFT THE MOTOR HOME WITH THEM AND PROCEEDED TO CARLSBAD NM IN OUR TOWED VEHICLE. UPON OUR RETURN A COUPLE DAYS LATER THE MECHANIC WAS JUST COMPLETING THE GASKET REPLACEMENT. WHEN HE FINISHED, HE STARTED THE ENGINE ONLY TO DISCOVER THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE #4 SPARK PLUG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD BLOWN OUT AND ALSO BROKE THE COIL. THEY WERE ABLE TO GET A NEW SPARK PLUG AND COIL FROM THE LOCAL FORD DEALER. AFTER REPLACING THESE PARTS WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO COLORADO. ON JULY 6, 2006 WE WERE AGAIN LEAVING TOWN WHEN APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES FROM HOME WE HEARD THE FAMILIAR POPPING NOISE. I RETURNED HOME AND DISCOVERED THE SAME #4 SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT AGAIN BREAKING THE COIL. I WENT TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND PURCHASED ANOTHER SPARK PLUG AND COIL THINKING ALL I NEEDED TO DO WAS REPLACE IT. I ASKED THE PARTS PERSONNEL WHAT CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HADN'T HEARD OF THIS BEFORE AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT REPLACING THE SPARK PLUG I CALLED A MOBILE REPAIR SERVICE TO SEE IF THEY COULD ASSIST ME. THE PERSON I TALKED WITH TOLD ME ABOUT THE TRITON V-10 BLOWING SPARK PLUGS AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER HEADS AT A COST OF $2,000. I THEN CALLED A LOCAL GARAGE AND EXPLAINED MY PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY COULD TRY AND PUT A HELICOIL IN THE HEAD TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR AROUND $220. I TOOK THE MOTOR HOME TO THEM AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THE HELICOIL FOR $220 PLUS THE SPARK PLUG AND COIL THAT I FURNISHED. THIS SECOND SPARK OCCURRED AT 29,600 MILES. *NM