Newmar DUTCH STAR problems and owner complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR RV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH ON A STEEP MOUNTAIN, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO LOCK INTO GEAR WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL. AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED MULTIPLE TIMES, THE RV SLOWED DOWN. THE BRAKES WERE FUNCTIONAL UNTIL HE REACHED HIS DESTINATION. THE RV WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS BURNING. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTI…

Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10280374 at NHTSA ↗

RUNAWAY MOTORHOME ON A 1997 FORD CHASSIS IN 2009 ON INTERSTATE 85. WHEN I REALIZED THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING I TRIED TO BRAKE BUT TO NO AVAIL. I TOOK AN APPROACHING EXIT AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. THE MOTORHOME WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE MECHANIC LUBRICATED THE LINKAGE. WHEN THE PROBLEM CONTINUED I CALLED FORD AND THEY AUTHORIZED A FIX FOR A RECALL PROBLEM INVOLVING THE BRAKE IN WHICH A FIRE COULD START. THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OCCURRED AT LEAST 2 MORE TIMES IN THE SAME YEAR ON A TRIP FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO CALIFORNIA. …

Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10318048 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE ON A DOWNGRADE WITH THE ENGINE BRAKE ENGAGED AND IN 4TH GEAR, AT ABOUT 1900 RPM, THE SIDE MOUNTED FAN EXPLODED SENDING PLASTIC AND METAL PARTS OUT THE REAR OF THE MOTORHOME SHOWERING THE VEHICLE BEING TOWED AND ANOTHER VEHICLE FOLLOWING BEHIND. UPON INSPECTION THE FAN, WHICH IS DRIVEN BY A HYDRAULIC PUMP, WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ATTACHED BY TWO BOLTS TO A CROSS BAR BETWEEN THE RADIATOR AND THE ENGINE. THE BOLT HOLES IN THE HYDRAULIC PUMP WERE ELONGATED AND BOTH BOLTS HAD SHEARED OFF ALLOWING THE PUMP TO FALL DOWN WHICH RESULTED IN THE FAN BLAD…

Owner-reported narrative. 82,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11233258 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING LONG DISTANCE VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY, LOSING ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKES, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSEDA CRASH. TOOK TO DEALER. DEALER SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE FUEL FILTER. HOWEVER, THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED 12 TIMES, AND REPLACED FUEL FILTER 10 TIMES, BUT PROBLEM WAS REOCCURRING. *AK THE MOTOR STOPS RUNNING WHILE UNDER MOTION WHEN WATER GETS IN THE FUEL FILTER CAUSING BRAKE AND STEERING LOSS. IT TAKES ONLY A TEASPOON OF WATER TO CLOG THIS FILTER. *YH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 874375 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVING ON I-90 IN SOME RAINY WEATHER, ERROR CODE LIGHT CAME ON. I STOPPED CHECKED ALL FLUID LEVELS & CONTINUED ON. A FEW HOURS LATER THE ENGINE BEGAN TO INCREASE IN SPEED ON ITS OWN .RPM'S WERE AT 2000 & THE COACH WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP. THE CHASSIS CONNECTOR ( CONNECTS COACH TO ENGINE AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE) FILLED WITH WATER AND CAUSED SHORTS,CROSSES,AND GROUNDS IN THE WIRING AND CAUSED THE MOTORHOME TO INCREASE IN SPEED ON ITS OWN. THE BRAKES WERE HOT AND SMOKING WHEN WE FINALLY GOT STOPPED. TECHNICIAN PULLED CON…

Owner-reported narrative. 69,199 miles reported. Look up ODI 10138940 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE CENTER FOR REGULAR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, AND ALSO BECAUSE HE NOTICED THE SHUT OFF SWITCH FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THE SERVICE CENTER STATED THAT A FIRE PREVIOUSLY OCCURRED BECAUSE THE WIRING MELTED. THE CONTACT DID NOT SMELL ANYTHING BURNING NOR DID HE SEE ANY FLAMES. HE DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 70,000. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE DAMAGE WAS LOCATED AT THE REAR COMPARTMENT. UPDATE…

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10189367 at NHTSA ↗

CONVERTER IN TRANSMISSION IS SO LOOSE THAT WHEN YOU LET OFF THE THROTTLE IT IS JUST LIKE PUTTING IT IN NEUTRAL, TRANSMISSION WITH LOCK-UP CONVERTERS AND OR WITH LESS SLIP.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 9004792 at NHTSA ↗

HAD BAD FUEL LEAK CAUSED BY USE OF ULTRA LOW SULFER DIESEL FUEL.(ULDF). REPLACED FUEL TRANSFER (LIFT) PUMP P/N 4935007 OLD PUMPWAS AVAILABLE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 47,305 miles reported. Look up ODI 10192968 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH COMING DOWN A MOUNTAIN ENGINE SHUTOFF WITH NO WARNING DUE TO FUEL PUMP FAILING. BRAKES AND STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO FUNCTION WHEN SHUTTING OFF. WORKHORSE AND NEWMAR WERE NEGLECTING FAULT BASED ON MOTORHOME BUILT BY ABOVE TWO MANUFACTURERS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8018403 at NHTSA ↗