WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING MY 1999-2002 ULTIMATE ADVANTAGE, ULTIMATE FREEDOM

Jun 13, 2008 — Recall Campaign #08V265000

WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING MY 1999-2002 ULTIMATE ADVANTAGE, ULTIMATE FREEDOM, MY 1999-2001 CHIEFTAIN, MY 2000-2001 BRAVE, MY 2001 JOURNEY MY 2000 MINNIE WINNIE, MY 2000-2002 ITASCA HORIZON, MY 1999 SUNCRUISER, MY 2001 SUNFLYER, AND MY 2000 SUNRISE MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. A FATIGUE FAILURE IN THE SECTION OF THE COOLING UNIT WHICH CONTAINS THE REFRIGERANT COULD ALLOW THE LIQUID SOLUTION TO SLOWLY LEAK.

The recall was influenced by the manufacturer with about 930 units affected.

See recall notice

NHTSA Safety Recall Notice

08V265000

Manufacturer:	Winnebago Industries, Inc.
Recall date:	June 13, 2008
NHTSA Campaign #:	08V265000
Units affected:	930

Description:: WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING MY 1999-2002 ULTIMATE ADVANTAGE, ULTIMATE FREEDOM, MY 1999-2001 CHIEFTAIN, MY 2000-2001 BRAVE, MY 2001 JOURNEY MY 2000 MINNIE WINNIE, MY 2000-2002 ITASCA HORIZON, MY 1999 SUNCRUISER, MY 2001 SUNFLYER, AND MY 2000 SUNRISE MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. A FATIGUE FAILURE IN THE SECTION OF THE COOLING UNIT WHICH CONTAINS THE REFRIGERANT COULD ALLOW THE LIQUID SOLUTION TO SLOWLY LEAK.
Consequeces:: EXTENDED OPERATION OF A LEAKING COOLING UNIT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE FROM GAS WHICH MIGHT ESCAPE.
Corrective action:: WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH NORCOLD TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS. NORCOLD WILL PROVIDE THERMAL SWITCH KITS TO OWNERS ALONG WITH THE NECESSARY FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED AN OWNER NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD AT 1-800-767-9101 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-3535.
Notes:: CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Affects the following:

1999 ITASCA SUNCRUISER Complaints
REPEATED HEATER CORE PROBLEMS: OUR 1999 37 FT. ITASCA SUNCRUISER BLEW ITS HEATER CORE IN JUNE 2000 CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO BLOW ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AS WE WERE UNABLE TO SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD. IT WAS REPLACED ON 6/9/2000. IT BLEW AGAIN IN SEPT. 2001 AND IT WAS REPLACED ON 10/1/2001. IT HAS NOW AGAIN BLOWN ON JUNE 24, 2004 WHILE TRAVELLING TO ALASKA. WE HAD TO BYPASS IT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE OUR TRAVELS AND WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING IT REPAIRED HERE IN LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA WHERE WE RESIDE. IT SEEMS TO US THAT THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM WITH THE HEATER CORE TO CAUSE IT TO CONTIUALLY BLOW. WE HAVE THE REPAIR ORDERS FROM THE PREVIOUS TWO INCIDENTS AND HAVE CALLED ROD SCHLINGMANN, OWNER RELATIONS AT WINNEBAGO 641-585-6939 AND WAS INFORMED THEY COULD DO NOTHING AND TO JUST TURN IT IN TO OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY INSURANCE. *AK;
2000 WINNEBAGO MINNIE WINNIE Complaints
MY WIFE AND I OWN A 2000 MINNIE WINNIE MOTOR HOME WHICH HAS 21,000 MILES ON IT AND LEFT FOR OUR SONS HOCKEY TOURNAMENT IN VIRGINIA BEACH. WE LEFT AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00AM AUG 1, 2007 AND EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR OUTER TIRE. WHEN THEY PULLED THE TIRE OFF, THEY NOTICED THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATED WHERE THE BLOWOUT WAS. THE INNER TIRE TREAD APPEARED AS THOUGHT THE TREAD WAS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE SO THEY REPLACED IT ALSO AND INSPECTED THE REMAINING FOUR WITH NO PROBLEMS. ON AUGUST 5, 2007 WE WERE RETURNING HOME WHEN I FELT A SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE ENTIRE MOTORHOME. THE TWO FRONT TIRES AS WELL AS THE TWO DRIVERS SIDE REAR APPEARED AS THOUGH THE TREAD WAS LIFTING. I CALLED JUST ABOUT EVERY PLACE IN THE PHONE BOOK TO FIND THAT NO ONE COULD HELP US WITH THE SIZE AND QUANITY NEEDED. THE VIBRATION WAS SO BAD I HAD A SEVICE TECH PUT THE SPARE TIRE ON THE FRONT RIGHT WHICH WAS THE WORSE OF THE 4. THE TECH ADVISED ME THAT THE NEXT SERVICE STATION SHOULD HAVE THE TIRES NEEDED. THEY REPLACED THREE TIRES WHICH ALSO ALL SHOWED SIGNS OF THE TREAD SEPARATING. WE CONTACTED OUR FIRESTONE REP AS WE WERE TOLD BY FIRESTONE AND THEY STATED THAT THE E RATED TIRES ARE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. WE EXPERIENCED 6 TIRES FAIL IN THE SAME MANNER WITHIN A 6 DAY PERIOD WITH NO ADVERSE ROAD CONDITIONS AT ALL. THE MOTORHOME WE HAVE IS A YEAR 2000 WITH 21,000 MILES AND THE TREAD LOOKS BRAND NEW. THE TIRES WE HAD ON WERE THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL R4S E RATED TIRES 225 75R 16 M/S. WE FEEL THAT THE TIRES STATED ABOVE NEED TO BE ADDED TO THE RECALL LIST AND WE SHOULD ALSO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE MONEY SPENT TO HAVE THE TIRES FIXED. I HAVE ALL RECEIPTS IN WHICH WE SPENT APPROXIMATELY $200.00 PER TIRE. MY WINNEBAGO MOTORHOME HAS 7 TIRES TO INCLUDE THE SPARE. IF YOU REQUIRE A PHOTO OF THE TREAD SEPARATING OR ANY OTHER INFO PLEASE ADVISE. *TR;
2001 ITASCA SUNFLYER Complaints
THE SIDE WINDOWS(DOUBLE PANE) IN OUR 2001 WINNEBAGO ITASCA ARE FOGGYED UP, IT IS HARD TO SEE OUT THE REAR VIEW MIRRORS. I THANK THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM, AS WE HAVE HEARD OF MANY OTHER MAKES OF RV"S THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THEM OURSELF, AT A COST OF OVER $2000.00. INSURANCE SAID IT IS WIRE & TORE ON THEM AND ARE NOT COVERED. I KNOW THE WINDOWS IN ?. ARE SE-G1 WINDOW. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED WITH THE NHTSA. PLEASE LOOK INTO THAT THANK YOU;
2001 WINNEBAGO BRAVE Complaints
DT: THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL ON MOTOR HOME AND THE STEERING WHEEL ROCKED BACK AND FORTH RAPIDLY AND HEAVILY. THE CONTACT NOTICED THIS ON 8-30-05. IT WAS SO VIOLENT THAT IT WAS CAUSING THE MOTOR HOME TO SHUDDER. IT HAPPENED THREE MORE TIMES BEFORE HE GOT HOME. THIS OCCURRED AT RELATIVELY ANY SPEED. THE TALKED TO THE MANUFACTURER OF THE CHASSIS, AND HE GOT AN INSPECTION ON IT ON 9-13-05. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE MOTOR HOME WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. WHEN THE CONTACT REALEST THE BRAKES THE STEERING WAS FINE. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE CHASSIS IS WORKHORSE CUSTOM CHASSIS, MODEL # P32. *AK;