2006 Itasca SUNOVA: complaints, problems and recalls

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 ITASCA SUNOVA RV WITH GOODYEAR TIRES DOT# MJ93-MAHW, SIZE 245/70/ R19. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH SHE HEARD A PECULIAR NOISE FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. UPON VEHICLE INSPECTION SHE NOTICED THAT THE INSIDE OF DRIVER-SIDE REAR TIRE HAD EXPLODED. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INNER MESH LINING OF THE TIRE HAD CORRODED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 19500. UPDATED 12/07/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER HAD EXPERIENCED 4 TIRE BLOWOUTS. GOODYEAR DID…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10290819 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON I-15 BETWEEN HESPERIA AND BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA, THE FIBERGLASS SKIN ON THE ROOF OF OUR RV STARTED BLOWING OFF. BY THE TIME WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY, 80% OF THE ROOF SKIN HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME AND LARGE PARTS WERE FLYING THROUGH THE AIR. FORTUNATELY THE WIND WAS BLOWING TOWARDS THE SHOULDER AND MOST OF THE FLYING DEBRIS LANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS WE WERE IN THE LANE CLOSEST TO THE SHOULDER. THE DEBRIS INCLUDED THE LAVATORY EXHAUST FAN, FIBERGLASS STYREFOAM, WOOD PANELING AND POSS…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,113 miles reported. Look up ODI 10659757 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-11-09 (November 9, 2005)

ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES WITH THE OPTIONAL GALLEY UPGRADE PACKAGE, KNIVES STORED IN THE GALLEY KNIFE HOLDER MAY INTERFERE WITH THE PROPANE GAS LINE TO THE STOVE.

Consequence: THE KNIVES COULD DAMAGE THE PROPANE GAS LINE ALLOWING PROPANE GAS TO ESCAPE, WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IGNITE, RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY OR VEHICLE PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL PROPERLY ROUTE THE PROPANE GAS LINE AND INSTALL A KNIFE SHIELD. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 11, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 641-585-6939.

Reported: 2005-12-28 (December 28, 2005)

ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH KWIKEE BRAND ELECTRIC STEPS, THE STEPS MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH DEFECTIVE STEP CONTROL UNITS.

Consequence: THE DEFECTIVE CONTROL UNITS COULD DEVELOP AN ELECTRICAL SHORT ALLOWING FOR THE POTENTIAL OF THE PLASTIC CASE TO IGNITE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE KWIKEE STEP AND REPLACE THE STEP CONTROL UNIT, IF NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 23, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 1-800-537-1885.

Reported: 2006-05-16 (May 16, 2006)

ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES, THE FLAME ON THE COOKING RANGE MAY BE FORCED DOWNWARD OVER THE BURNER OR FLAME OUTAGE MAY OCCUR WHEN THE COOKING RANGE AND FURNACE ARE OPERATED AT THE SAME TIME. THIS CONDITION IS DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF A MISSING CABINET PANEL THAT ISOLATES THE FURNACE RETURN AIR.

Consequence: IF THE FURNACE IS OPERATED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE STOVE AND THE CABINET PANEL IS MISSING, THE STOVE FLAME MAY GO OUT AND THE PROPANE GAS WILL CONTINUE TO FLOW, WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IGNITE RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY OR VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CABINET ASSEMBLY FOR A CABINET PANEL AND INSTALL ONE IF NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON JUNE 2, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 641-585-6939.

Reported: 2006-07-05 (July 5, 2006)

CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES BUILT ON WORKHORSE CHASSIS MAY HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH INCORRECT STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS. THE STEERING COULD BECOME LOOSE AT THE STEERING BOX DURING TIGHT STEERING MANEUVERS.

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 1-877-294-6883 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-3535.

Reported: 2008-10-29 (October 29, 2008)

WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING 717 MY 2006-2009 SIGHTSEER AND VISTA, ITASCA SUNOVA AND SUNSTAR MOTOR HOMES BUILT ON WORKHORSE CHASSIS. THE CASTLE NUT THAT RETAINS THE STEERING DRAG LINK TO THE PITMAN ARM MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY TORQUED DURING ASSEMBLY. THE IMPROPER TORQUE MAY HAVE DAMAGED THE CASTLE NUT AND COMPROMISED THE INTEGRITY OF THE CONNECTION.

Consequence: IF THE DRAG LINK WERE TO SEPARATE FROM THE PITMAN ARM, THE DRIVER WOULD NOT HAVE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE POSSIBLY CAUSING A CRASH.

Remedy: WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH WORKHORSE TO REPLACE AND PROPERLY TIGHTEN THE CASTLE NUT THAT RETAINS THE STEERING DRAG LINK TO THE PITMAN ARM (PLEASE SEE 08V442). OWNERS MAY CONTACT WORKHORSE AT 1-877-946-7731 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-3535.

Reported: 2010-10-05 (October 5, 2010)

WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2009 WINNEBAGO SIGHTSEER AND ITASCA SUNOVA MOTOR HOMES BECAUSE THE DINETTE AREA SEAT BELT RESTRAINTS ON THOSE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES." IN A COLLISION, THE GENERATED CRASH FORCES CAN CAUSE THE RESTRAINT'S ATTACHMENT TO TEAR AND ALLOW THE ANCHOR TO SEPARATE FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE.

Consequence: IF THE RESTRAINT SEPARATES FROM THE VEHICLE DURING A CRASH, THE BELT WILL NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE SEAT OCCUPANT, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH TO THE OCCUPANT.

Remedy: WINNEBAGO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS A DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 10, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 1-800-537-1885.

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.