WINNEBAGO Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S FAN BELT FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

ON MY 1996 WINNEBAGO MOTOR HOME (34 FEET) (16,000 GVW) I LOST THE "SERPENTINE FAN BELT" WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 81 IN VIRGINIA. THIS CAUSED A LOSS OF MY POWER STEERING , AND I LOST MY POWER BRAKES! IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE BUT IT WAS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I AM OVER 6 FEET TALL AND WEIGH MORE THAN 200 POUNDS BUT NO MATTER HOW HARD I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IT STILL TOOK OVER 500 FEET TO FINALLY STOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, NO DAMAGES. *LA

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 03E044000 SUBJECT: MICROWAVE OVENS/CIRCUIT SHORT. THE CONSUMER DID NOT LIKE THAT THE MANUFACTURER OF THE MICROWAVE WAS SENDING THE REPLACEMENT PARTS TO THE INDIVIDUAL CONSUMERS AND MAKING THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR FINDING A DEALER TO INSTALL THE PARTS. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS DISPLEASED WITH THE PHONE NUMBER PROVIDED TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RECALL.*AK

DRIVER'S SIDE WALL IS NOT ATTACHED TO THE CHASSIS PLATFORM. THE WALL IS STEADILY SLIDING DOWN TO THE SIDE OF VEHICLE. THERE IS A COVER OVER THE REAR DUAL WHEELS THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO FILL THE GAS TANK. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. *AK THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT WARRANT THAT THE LONG TERM RELIABILITY OF THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN COMPROMISED. *NLM

WHILE PERFORMING REPAIRS FOR RECALL 02E019000 CONCERNING THE REFRIGERATOR COOLING UNIT FIRES, THE MECHANIC BROKE THE GAS LINE AND CHARGED THE CONSUMER TO REPAIR THE GAS LINE. *AK *LA *JB

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH TREAD SEPARATED ON THE OUTSIDE DUAL TIRE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK

THERE IS AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF VIBRATION THAT CAUSES THE DASHBOARD TO BOUNCE ENOUGH TO MAKE IT HARD TO READ THE GAUGES. THIS VIBRATION IS FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL AS WELL AS THE FLOOR. THE VIBRATION IS VERY FATIGUING ON OUR HANDS. *AK ALSO THE UNIT HAS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH SWAY IN TURNS AND PASSING OTHER TRUCKS AND CARS. OUR COMMENTS-LET'S TAKE IT FROM THE TOP. FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE HEARD MANY OF YOUR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS OF THE WINNEBAGO SIGHTSEER, SO THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD. THE MOST COMMON COMPLAINT REGARDING THIS MODEL IS POOR HANDLING IN THE WIND AND WE WOULD SUGGEST BOTH SWAY BAR AND SHOCK UPGRADES. THAT WILL TAME SOME OF THE WANDER. YOU ALSO WILL WANT TO GET YOUR COACH WEIGHED TO BE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH WEIGHT ON THE FRONT AXLE. REMEMBER, 1/3 OF THE GW ON THE FRONT AXLE, 2/3S ON THE BACK AXLE. OKAY, NOW ONTO THE VIBRATION. BALANCING AND ALIGNMENT DO NO GOOD IF THE WHEELS ARE OUT OF ROUND, AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE FORD CHASSIS, OR ALSO A POSSIBILITY, THE TIRES ARE OUT OF ROUND. SOMEONE NEEDS TO CHECK THE RUN-OUT ON THE TIRES. FOR THE RECORD, WE HAVE DRIVEN THE FORD CHASSIS SEVERAL TIMES IN TYPE AS AND VIBRATION IS NOT NORMALLY PART OF THE MENU. YOUR CD PLAYER IS ALMOST SURELY SKIPPING DUE TO VIBRATION, IF IT IS AS BAD AS YOU DESCRIBE. UNLESS YOUR DEALER IS A CERTIFIED FORD SERVICE CENTER, WE WOULD TRY WORKING WITH A FORD DEALER THAT ROUTINELY DEALS WITH MOTORHOMES. SOME NOISE FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BE NORMAL. IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH. ARE YOU HAVING ANY PROBLEM WITH IT? AGAIN, WHY NOT HAVE FORD CHECK IT RATHER THAN YOU DEALER? AS A FINAL NOTE, YOUR CHASSIS IS WARRANTED BY FORD, WHY DO YOU CARE WHAT YOUR DEALER WANTS? IF THEY CAN'T FIX IT, GET TO SOMEONE THAT CAN!! VIBRATION OF THIS MAGNITUDE MAY BE DANGEROUS. FILE A REPORT WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. THANKS FOR WRITING THE STAFF @ MRO

I HAVE A 1995 WINNEBAGO CLASS A MOTORHOME WITH A P-30 CHASSIS. I STOPPED TO GAS UP AND MY AUTO PARK BRAKE SYSTEM LOCKED UP. I HAD TO DISABLE THE SYSTEM BY DISCONNECTING THE CABLE TO AUTO BRAKE SYSTEM. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL . I WAS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF MISSOURI. GM SHOULD MAKE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF IT WOULD HAVE LOCKED UP ON THE HIGHWAY. *LA

AUTOMATIC PARK BRAKE LIGHT ON, AUTOMATIC PARK BRAKE STAYS ON WHEN IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. THIS IS ON WINNABAGO ADVENTURE 1995 P-30 CHEV. CHASSIS.*AK

VEHICLE COMES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE, THAT ENGAGES WHEN VEHICLE IS PUT INTO PARK. WHEN PARKING BRAKES GO OUT OF ADJUSTMENT IT DOESN'T HOLD AND VEHICLE ROLLS FORWARD.*AK CONSUMER PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK TO SET THE BRAKE. WHEN HE AND HIS WIFE STARTED TO EXIT HE VEHICLE, IT STARTED TO ROLL. THE CONSUMER HAD TO GATHER ROCK TO HOLD THE VEHICLE IN PLACE. THE BRAKE SHOES WERE REPLACED AND THE BRAKES WERE ADJUSTED AT AN INDEPENDENT TRUCK SHOP ($200.). CONSUMER AGAIN EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT IN AUGUST OF 2003. ANOTHER INDEPENDENT TRUCK CO. ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST THE BRAKES JUST SO THE CONSUMER COULD GET BY ($144.). LATER HE FOUND A GM TRUCK DEALER WHO REPLACED THE BRAKE SHOES AND TWO BRAKE CABLES (OVER $700.) THE REPAIRMAN STATED THE CABLE WAS TO CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM RESULTING IN FAILURE. THE CABLE WASN'T RELEASING THE BRAKE SHOES CAUSING THEM TO BURN OUT AND FAIL. THERE WAS NO WARNING ON THE DASH TO INDICATE ANY TYPE OF BRAKE FAILURE. *PH *NLM