2008 Winnebago SIGHTSEER: complaints, problems and recalls

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2008 WINNEBAGO SIGHTSEER WITH A WORKHORSE W18 CHASSIS WHICH WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2009. ON 4/11/12, I HAD AN ABS WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD THAT DISPLAYED AN INDICATION TO "CHECK ABS!" AND TOOK IT TO CHILHOWEE RV ON 4/14/12. AFTER INSPECTION OF THE CHASSIS AND FRONT WHEELS, CHILHOWEE DETERMINED THAT THE ABS SENSOR ON THE DRIVER FRONT WHEEL HAD BURNED OUT DUE TO OVERHEATING OF THE WHEEL. THE FRONT BRAKES HAD EXCESSIVELY WORN PADS AND A SCORCHED ROTOR, CALIPERS WOULDN'T RELEASE, AND BRAKE LINE WAS NOT RELEASING FLUID CAUSED…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10460395 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2008-08-12 (August 12, 2008)

WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING 31 MY 2006-2008 ITASCA CAMBRIA, HORIZON, WINNEBAGO ACCESS, ADVENTURER, JOURNEY, MINNIE WINNIE, SIGNTSEER, TOUR, VECTRA, AND VOYAGE MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE LIFTS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 403, "PLATFORM LIFT SYSTEMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES." THE ANTI-STOW INTERLOCK MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY AID USER. THE PRESSURE SENSING SWITCH THAT DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF WEIGHT ON THE PLATFORM WAS NOT ADJUSTED TO THE NECESSARY SENSITIVITY LEVEL. THE LIFT COULD STOW EVEN THOUGH SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IS STILL ON THE LIFT.

Consequence: A LIFT OCCUPANT CAN BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT BEGIN TO STOW UNINTENTIONALLY.

Remedy: WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH RICON TO CORRECT THE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS (PLEASE SEE 07E097). OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-800-322-2884 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: 2009-05-28 (May 28, 2009)

WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AXLES THAT INCLUDE BOSH 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. THE DRIVER WOULD NORMALLY HAVE WARNING OF THE BRAKE DRAG IF UNDETECTED BY THE DRIVER.

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 FOR THIS CAMPAIGN PLEASE SEE 09V-110. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED AN OWNER NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WORKHORSE AT 1-877-246-7731 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-3535.

Reported: 2009-09-01 (September 1, 2009)

WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 ACCESS, ASPECT, SIGHTEER AND VISTA, MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 ITASCA IMPULSE, CAMBRIA, SUNOVA, AND SUNSTAR, MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 WINNEBAGO ACCESS, SIGHTSEER AND VISTA, MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 ITASCA IMPULSE, SUNOVA, AND SUNSTAR MOTOR HOMES. THESE MOTOR HOMES MAY HAVE A MISSING STOVE PARTITION THAT ISOLATES THE FURNACE AIR.

Consequence: IF THE FURNACE IS OPERATED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE STOVE AND PARTITION 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 AND/OR VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL CORRECT THIS SITUATION BY INSTALLING A STOVE PARTITION THAT ISOLATES THE STOVE FROM THE FURNACE RETURN AIR AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 1-800-537-1885.

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.