2006 Damon CHALLENGER: complaints, problems and recalls

WE PURCHASED NEW 2006 DAMON CHALLENGER MODEL 355 ON SEP. 6, 2006. THE BODY OR FRAME HAS BEEN TORQUED OR BENT , WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO FRACTURE AND POP OUT LEAVING GLASS SHARDS ON DASH, THE SLIDE OUTS DO NOT COMPLETELY RETRACT, ENTRY STEP IS BINDING GOING IN AND OUT. DRIVERS DOOR NOT SHUT COMPLETELY, HYDRAULIC JACKS OPERATE ERRATICALLY, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PARTS NOT TO FIT PROPERLY, DOES NOT DRIVE CORRECTLY ON HIGHWAY. THE DEALER AND PARTICULARLY THE MFR. HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING EXCEPT OFFER A LOANER FOR A WEEKEND, THE MFR. MAY TAKE T…

Owner-reported narrative. 480 miles reported. Look up ODI 10169456 at NHTSA ↗

PURCHASED 2006 CLASS A MOTOR HOME WITH 4285 MILES ON IT FROM DICK GORE'S RV IN JACKSONVILLE. WAS TOLD THEY REPLACED THE TIRES WITH NEW BECAUSE OLD TIRES HAD DRY ROT. I TOLD THE DEALER WE WERE GOING ON A 3,000 MILE TRIP AND WAS ASSURED THEY WERE NEW! PLUS EXPLAINED I WOULD BE TOWING A CAR ! MY WIFE IS DISABLED AND I JUST HAD BACK SURGERY. I WANTED TO BE SAFE FOR OUR TRIP. HAD BLOW OUT IN SC WITH ONLY 1917 MILES SINCE WE BOUGHT THE RV. ROAD SERVICE SUPPLIED AND MECHANIC EXPLAINED THE TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED AND COATED WITH WAX AND ARMORAL TO COVER…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,202 miles reported. Look up ODI 10417109 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DAMON CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT NOTICED A WARNING LIGHT BLINKING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATING ONE OF THE FOUR JACKS HAD RELEASED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND CONFIRMED THAT NONE OF THE JACKS WERE RELEASED. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PUSH THE JACK DOWN IT WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE HYDRAULIC HOSE THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE JACK HAD FRACTURED AND WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION HYDRAULIC FLUID. THE FAILURE ALSO CAUSED THE WIRES ON THE HOSE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10430042 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2006-06-30 (June 30, 2006)

CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES BUILT ON WORKHORSE CHASSIS MAY HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH INCORRECT STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS. THE SPLINE CAN STRIP WHILE THE STEERING WHEEL IS BEING TURNED.

Consequence: THIS STEERING CONDITION COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: WORKHORSE IS CONDUCTING THIS RECALL (PLEASE SEE 06V148000) AND WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WORKHORSE AT 1-877-294-6773 OR DAMON AT 574-264-2900.

Reported: 2006-09-12 (September 12, 2006)

ON CERTAIN CLASS A MOTOR HOMES, SOME HYDRAULIC LINES FOR THE LEVELING JACK SYSTEM MAY BE IMPROPERLY SECURED OR ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO A DRIVE TRAIN HEAT SOURCE.

Consequence: THIS MAY CAUSE MELTING OF THE HYDRAULIC LINE RESULTING IN LEAKAGE OF HYDRAULIC FLUID, WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE.

Remedy: DAMON WILL INSPECT AND SECURE THE CLEARANCE OF THE HYDRAULIC LEVELING HOSE THAT MAY BE TOO CLOSE TO HEAT SOURCES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAMON AT 1-800-860-3812.

Reported: 2006-11-28 (November 28, 2006)

ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES BUILT ON WORKHORSE CHASSIS AND EQUIPPED WITH GM 8.1L V8 ENGINES, IMPROPER HARDENING DURING THE HEAT TREATMENT PROCESS CAN CAUSE THE FUEL RAIL PULSE DAMPER RETAINER CLIP TO FRACTURE, RESULTING IN INADEQUATE RETENTION OF THE DAMPER. IF THE DAMPER BECOMES LOOSE, FUEL COULD BE PUMPED BY THE FUEL PUMP INTO THE UNDER HOOD AREA.

Consequence: IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD RESULT.

Remedy: CHEVROLET AND WORKHORSE ARE HANDLING THE OWNER NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN (PLEASE SEE 06V225 AND 06V289). DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL RAIL PULSE DAMPER RETAINER CLIPS ON THESE ENGINES FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, WORKHORSE AT 877-294-6773, OR DAMON AT 1-574-264-5517.

Reported: 2007-01-30 (January 30, 2007)

CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE MOTOR HOMES WERE BUILT WITHOUT THE RED REAR REFLEX REFLECTORS AND SOME MOTOR HOMES WERE BUILT WITHOUT THE SIDE REAR RED REFLEX REFLECTORS.

Consequence: DURING NIGHT DRIVING CONDITIONS OR WHILE THE MOTOR HOME IS PARKED, THE REAR AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY REFLEX REFLECTION TO MARK THE VEHICLE'S LOCATION IN THE DARK INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DAMON WILL PROVIDE THE OWNERS WITH A KIT CONTAINING THE MISSING REFLECTORS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLYING THEM TO THEIR VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CHOOSE TO HAVE THEIR DEALERS DO THE REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 9, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAMON AT 1-800-860-3812.

Reported: 2008-10-09 (October 9, 2008)

DAMON IS RECALLING 4,677 MY 2004-2006 CHALLENGER, DAYBREAK, INTRUDER, MY 2004-2005 ESCAPER, ULTRASPORT, AND MY 2005 ASTORIA AND ASTORIA WALDORF MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION. THE REFRIGERATOR MAY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE BOILER TUBE. PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION COULD BE RELEASED INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.

Consequence: RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DAMON WILL BE WORKING WITH DOMETIC IN ORDER TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 08E032). DOMETIC WILL REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS BY INSTALLING A SECONDARY BURN HOUSING, A THERMAL FUSE, AND A MELT FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. DOMETIC HAS RETAINED STERICYCLE INC. TO MANAGE THIS CAMPAIGN. STERICYCLE WILL ASSIST THE OWNER IN LOCATING DEALERSHIPS OR SERVICE CENTERS AND WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC/STERICYCLE AT 1-888-446-5157 OR DAMON AT

Reported: 2009-06-16 (June 16, 2009)

DAMON IS RECALLING 2,415 MOTORHOMES EQUIPPED WITH AXLES THAT INCLUDE BOSCH ZOPS OR ZOHT PIN SLIDE HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES. WHEN COMBINED WITH OCCASIONAL OR SEASONAL VEHICLE OPERATION MAY EXPERIENCE CALIPERS STICKING IN THE APPLIED POSITION. THIS CAN RESULT IN ABNORMAL HEAT GENERATION AT THE WHEEL END CAUSING BRAKE DRAG.

Consequence: THE DRIVER WOULD NORMALLY DETECT THE BRAKE DRAG BUT IF UNDETECTED THE TEMPERATURE INCREASE AT THE WHEEL END CAN EVENTUALLY LEAD TO SOFT PEDAL CONDITIONS DUE TO BRAKE FLUID BOIL, AND POSSIBLE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE NECESSARY COMPONENTS FREE OF CHARGE. WORKHORSE IS HANDLING THE REMEDY AND OWNER NOTIFICATION FOR THIS CAMPAIGN PLEASE SEE 09V-110. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WORKHORSE AT 1-877-246-7731.