2005 Itasca SUNCRUISER: complaints, problems and recalls

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A SMELL OF SOMETHING OVERHEATING IN A RECLINING COUCH WITHIN THE COACH. THE VEHICLE HAD A SWITCH USED TO DISCONNECT THE POWER TO THE LIVING AREA OF THE MOTOR HOME. THE SWITCH WAS TRIPPED, AND THE CONTACT REACHED IN TO THE MOTOR AREA OF THE SEAT. THE MOTOR WAS EXCEEDINGLY HOT, SO THE CONTACT ALLOWED IT TO COOL. 2 MONTHS LATER, THE MOTOR WAS REMOVED AND EXAMINED TO FIND MELTED WIRING AND MELTED BRUSHES. A SERVICE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE FRAME OF THE COUCH WAS MANUF…

Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175568 at NHTSA ↗

GAS TANK LEAKING. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 10,790 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175601 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVING ON ROUTE 281 FROM BROWNSVILLE TX. TO SAN ANTONIO TX. IN MY 2005 ITASCA SUNCRUISER. AT ABOUT 65 MPH MY VEHICLE STARTED TO DRIFT ON THE ROAD. TRYING TO CORRECT IT I FOUND I HAD NO STEERING...I PUT ON MY BRAKES AND FOUND I HAD NO BRAKES. I WAS SCARED AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. THE DASH INSTRUMENTS SHOWED ALTERNATOR PROBLEMS. ENGINE PROBLEMS..ETC...I FELT DEATH WAS NEAR...I TOOK MY FOOT OF THE GAS TO LET IT SLOW DOWN AND STOP...PRAYING NOTHING WOULD GET IN FRONT OF ME AS I HAD NO CONTROL...WATER AND STEAM BLEW OUT OVER THE WINDOW AND …

Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10360307 at NHTSA ↗

ON NOVEMBER 10, 2011 I WAS HAVING RECALL #51101-C COMPLETED ON MY MOTOR HOME. THE MECHANIC HAD THE BRAKES APART TO REPLACE THE BOSCH BRAKE CALIPERS AND HE DISCOVERED ALL FOUR ROTORS HAD 2 -3 CRACKS ON THE OUTSIDE PLATE. THE CRACKS STARTED ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE AND RADIATED IN ABOUT 2 INCHES. THE CRACKS WERE COMPLETELY THROUGH THE PLATE. WORKHORSE REFUSED TO ADMIT THE CRACKED ROTORS MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE BAD CALIPERS OR A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THEY SUGGESTED THE CRACKS WERE CAUSED BY DRIVER ERROR. FOR EXAMPLE, RIDING THE BRAK…

Owner-reported narrative. 41,049 miles reported. Look up ODI 10438166 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING MY ITASCA SUNCRUISER MOTORHOME TO COBB & SON RV REPAIR I NOTICED I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN NORMAL SPEED. ARRIVED AT COBB AND EXPLAINED TO RITCHIE COBB THE PROBLEM I WAS HAVING. RITCHIE HAD A TECH MEASURE THE HEAT AT THE BRAKES AND THEY WERE AT 900 DEGREES. INFORMED RECALL FROM WORKHORSE REGARDING A BRAKE ISSUE AND THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE DRIVEN TO AN AUTHORIZED WORKHORSE DEALER FOR REPAIR (100 MILES AWAY). RITCHIE EXPLAINED THIS COULD NOT BE DONE AS THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THERE WOULD BE SERIOUS RISK OF INJURY…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10463952 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-12-18 (December 18, 2004)

CERTAIN SEAT BELT BUCKLES ON SOME MOTOR HOMES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE LOAD REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."

Consequence: THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE MAY UNLATCH IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BUCKLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 12, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT AMSAFE AT 1-574-266-8330 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-800-537-1885.

Reported: 2004-12-22 (December 22, 2004)

ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES BUILT ON A 20,700 GVWR OR GREATER WORKHORSE CHASSIS, THERE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE IN THE AREA WHERE THE FUEL LINE CROSSES THE FRAME CROSS MEMBER.

Consequence: WITHOUT CLEARANCE, A CONDITION COULD DEVELOP WHERE THE CROSS MEMBER MAY WEAR INTO THE FUEL LINE AND A FUEL LEAK MAY DEVELOP. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THESE MOTOR HOMES BY PROVIDING CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE FUEL LINE AND FRAME CROSS MEMBER. THE FUEL LINE WILL BE INSPECTED AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACED. THE RECALL BEGAN JANUARY 7, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 1-800-537-1885.

Reported: 2005-03-02 (March 2, 2005)

CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES BUILT ON 24,000-LB GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR)WORKHORSE CHASSIS WITH 235/80R22.5G XRV TIRES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, 'TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS.' THE MOTOR HOMES WERE INADVERTENTLY EQUIPPED WITH AN INCORRECT LOAD RANGE TIRE LABEL.

Consequence: FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER VEHICLE LOADING SPECIFICATIONS AND TIRE INFLATION RECOMMENDATIONS CAN RESULT IN TIRE DAMAGE AND VEHICLE INSTABILITY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE MAILED SUPPLEMENTARY TIRE LABELS CONTAINING THE CORRECT TIRE INFLATION INFORMATION. IF AN OWNER DESIRES, THEIR DEALER CAN INSTALL THE LABEL FOR THEM. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 24, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 641-585-6939.

Reported: 2005-09-14 (September 14, 2005)

ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES, THE ROOF VENT FOR THE OPTIONAL 4-DOOR REFRIGERATOR WAS INCORRECTLY LOCATED.

Consequence: THIS CAN ALLOW EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IGNITE SURROUNDING MATERIALS, RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY AND/OI VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL RELOCATE THE ROOF VENT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-6939.

Reported: 2009-04-08 (April 8, 2009)

WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING 2,331 MY 2002-2004 BRAVE AND ITASCA SUNRISE MY 2005 2006 WINNEBAGO VOYAGE, ADVENTURER, ITASCA SUNRISE AND SUNCRUISER MOTOR HOMES. THE PROPANE TANK MOUNTING BRACKET MAY HAVE AN INCOMPLETE OR IMPROPER WELD.

Consequence: SHOULD THE WELD FAIL, THE PROPANE TANK CAN TIP OR FALL, POSSIBLY RELEASING PROPANE WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IGNITEA FIRE, RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND PROPERLY WELD THE BRACKET FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 800-537-1885.

Reported: 2010-10-26 (October 26, 2010)

WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING CERTAIN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1200-SERIES NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. THE POPULATION OF REFRIGERATORS BEING ADDRESSED CONTAINS EITHER A SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A POTENTIAL FIRE. THE RESPONSE TIMES OF THE SENSOR ALGORITHM AND THERMAL SWITCH DEVICES TO STOP POWER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT.

Consequence: THE SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH INSTALLED TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED DUE TO A POSSIBLE HYDROGEN GAS LEAK MAY NOT SHUT OFF IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO PREVENT A FIRE.

Remedy: WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH NORCOLD TO IDENTIFY AND NOTIFY ANY AFFECTED OWNERS. OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT NORCOLD DEALERS TO RECEIVE THE REMEDY FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE SEE NORCOLD'S DEFECT REPORT 10E-049 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING DECEMBER 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD AT 1-800-767-9101 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-3535.