2003 Holiday Rambler AMBASSADOR: complaints, problems and recalls

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED ABS AND SERVICE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD, THEN THE BRAKES LOCK UP. DRIVER HAS TO PUMP THE PEDAL TO DISENGAGE THE BRAKES. BRAKING SYSTEM COMPONENTS BURNED 5 TIMES AFTER THIS HAD OCCURRED. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ENTIRE BREAKING SYSTEM SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1 miles reported. Look up ODI 10040235 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 04V 038 000 CONCERNING I-BEAM IMITATOR IN FRONT AXLE SUSPENSION CRACK IN MARCH, 2004. PARTS WERE ORDERED ON 3-15-04. AS OF TODAY, PARTS WERE STILL UNAVAILABLE. MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE, AND THERE WAS NO DATE OF AVAILABILITY. HOWEVER, CONSUMER WAS THIRTEENTH ON THE LIST FOR REPAIRS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10066921 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2003 HOLIDAY RAMBLER AMBASSADOR HAD THE SPACER PLATE UNDER THE TRAILING ARM AND HAD A TRANSVERSE WELD AND THE REAR SUSPENSION BROKE IN HALF. THE OWNER WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN THE REAR SUSPENSION GAVE WAY AND NEARLY CAUSED THE FAMILY IN THE MOTOR HOME TO CRASH. THE DRIVER WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THE MOTOR HOME TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. WHEN THE OWNER HAD GOTTEN THE MOTOR HOME TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THEN THE AIR BAG SUSPENSION BLEW UP. THE OWNER FINALLY WAS ABLE TO GET THE MOTOR HOME TO COME TO A…

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10133359 at NHTSA ↗

DT: WHILE DRIVING MOTOR HOME THE TRAILING ARM IN THE REAR END SNAPPED IN HALF. THE CALLER WAS GOING 65 MPH, VEHICLE JERKED THE REAR END TO RIGHT, BUT THE CALLER WAS ABLE TO GET VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. THE CALLER SAID THERE WAS RECALL05V053000 ON MODEL BUILT AT A DIFFERENT PLANT BUT NOT THIS MODEL. DEALER WAS OUT OF BUSINESS. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WOULD PAY FOR ALL COSTS AND REPAIRS. CALLER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT REPLACEMENT PARTS BEING THE SAME AS ORIGINAL PARTS. CALLER SAID POLICE WOULD NOT STOP TO OFFER HELP. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10133504 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HOLIDAY RAMBLER AMBASSADOR. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE DROPPED LOW ON THE RIGHT SIDE ALMOST AS IF HE HAD A FLAT TIRE. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AND NOTICED THAT THE TRAILER ARM WAS BROKEN, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE WAS SHIFTED BACKWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A CERTIFIED MONACO REPAIR SHOP, WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE TRAILER ARM BROKE AND DAMAGED THE BEAUTY RING BY RUBBING THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL OF THE REAR SUSPENSION. THE INNER TIRE WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TA…

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10188832 at NHTSA ↗

ABS SENSOR KEEPS ON BURNING OUT. HAVE REPLACED LEFT REAR 2 TIMES, FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT. WAS TOLD THAT HOUSING UNIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY MANUFACTURER, CALLED MANUFACTURER AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE HAD NO RECALLS ON THE UNIT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 3,992 miles reported. Look up ODI 10205181 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HOLIDAY RAMBLER AMBASSADOR. WHILE 55 MPH, THE CALIPERS WOULD LOCK THE BRAKES, WHICH CAUSED THE WHEELS TO OVERHEAT. IN ADDITION, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL BEARINGS, SEALS, BRAKE PADS ALSO FAILED. THE DEALER MADE THE REPAIR HOWEVER; THE ABS WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10222129 at NHTSA ↗

AS OWNERS OF 2003 HOLIDAY RAMBLER AMBASSADOR, WHILE TRAVELING IN NOVA SCOTIA CANADA ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 MILES PER HOUR THE PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL -ARM BROKE CAUSING THE AIR BAG TO BLOW, AND THE FRAME OF THE MOTORHOME SAT DOWN ON THE AXLE AND THE AXLE MOVED BACK SWERVING THE MOTORHOME CAUSING PARTIAL LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE RIG. WE HAD IT TOWED TO ANRV REPAIR/DEALERSHIP IN BEDFORD, NS. UPON INSPECTION BY HEAVY DUTY MECHANICS, IT WAS FOUND THE CONTROL ARM WAS BROKEN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, AND THE DRIVERS SIDE CONTROL ARM WAS CRACKED. WITH THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10239956 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2002-10-22 (October 22, 2002)

ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES, THE BRAKE ASSEMBLIES EXHIBIT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES THAT CAN LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC DETERIORATION OF THE WHEEL END COMPONENTS SUCH AS BEARINGS, RACES, SPINDLES, KNUCKLES, SEALS, HUBS, ROTORS, PATCH BOLTS, CALIPERS, BRAKE PADS, AND ABS SENSORS.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL, AND/OR THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE CALIPERS FOR CORROSION AND REPLACE OR REBUILD THE CALIPERS AS NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MONACO AT 1-800-685-6545.

Reported: 2003-07-28 (July 28, 2003)

ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES, THE BATTERY CABLE THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE CIRCUIT BREAKER IS ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO THE FRAME OF THE COACH.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN THE CABLE BECOMING WORN AND CREATING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE 12-VOLT SYSTEM THAT COULD DAMAGE THE BATTERY AND/OR CIRCUIT BREAKER.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL ROTATE THE EYELET ON THE CIRCUIT BREAKER TO ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE CABLE RUBBING ON THE FRAME. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 22, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MONACO AT 1-800-685-6545.

Reported: 2004-01-28 (January 28, 2004)

ON CERTAIN MOTORHOMES, THE I-BEAM LEAF IMITATOR IN THE FRONT AXLE SUSPENSION COULD CRACK AND BREAK DUE TO AN INADEQUATE WELDING PROCESS.

Consequence: THE I-BEAMS ON THE FRONT AXLE AND THE PANARD BRACKET ON THE REAR AXLE COULD CRACK AND BREAK CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ORIGINAL I-BEAM. ALSO, DEALERS WILL WELD THE STIFFENERS FROM THE PANARD BAR BRACKET TO THE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL OF THE REAR AXLE HOUSING. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 1, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MONACO AT 1-877-466-6226.

Reported: 2005-02-14 (February 14, 2005)

ON CERTAIN CLASS A MOTOR HOMES, THE SPACER PLATE UNDER THE TRAILING ARMS HAD A TRANSVERSE WELD WHICH CREATES A HEAT RISER AND CAUSE THE TRAILING ARMS TO CRACK.

Consequence: THIS COULD CREATE ROUGH DRIVING CONDITIONS AND DAMAGE TO REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE DRIVER COULD LOOSE CONTROL OF THE MOTORHOME AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REPLACE THE TRAILING ARMS FOR CRACKS AND REPLACING THE TRAILING ARMS AND U-BOLTS IN THE REAR SUSPENSION OF THE MOTORHOMES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 29, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MONACO AT 1-800-685-6545.

Reported: 2008-06-05 (June 5, 2008)

MONACO IS RECALLING CERTAIN 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.

Consequence: EXTENDED OPERATION OF A LEAKING COOLING UNIT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE FROM GAS WHICH MIGHT ESCAPE.

Remedy: MONACO IS WORKING WITH NORCOLD TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS. NORCOLD WILL PROVIDE THERMAL SWITCH KITS TO OWNERS ALONG WITH THE NECESSARY FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 29, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD AT 1-800-767-9101 OR MONACO AT 1-800-685-6545.