MaxxForce 7 Continuing Problems

[TheArnolds]

I now have 3000 miles and 1200 since I purchased our 2010 Serrano 31V and it has left me stuck on the side of the road twice. The day we picked it up from Camping World (Akron Ohio) and on our way home to Cincinnati the engine just shut down...no indication as to why? We were able to get it started and took it back to the dealer. They kept it for two weeks but could not find anything wrong. We picked it up and got it half way home and it shut down again wiht no error message as to cause. This time we had it towed to an International Service Center. They could not find anything wrong but they changed all of the filters and fluids in case there was a water in the fuel problem...almost $500 that was not covered under any warranty.
We picked up the RV and finely got it home. We used it for some close weekend trips to test everything and then our big long weekend away came with our grandkids. We got 25 miles from our home and the large hose from/to our Turbocharger blow off...no power...on the side of the road again! I spent the balance of the day trying to reinstall the hose only to have it blow off again...3 installations. I limped it back home @25 MPH with disappointed Grandkids in the rear! Had it towed to Richmond IN (Selking International) for repair. The repairman told me that he has seen this before on school busses with the same engine. He had problems getting it to stay on himself...two installations until he repositioned some brackets ($210 and you guessed it, no warranty!). BTW, Selking was wonderful and I will use them again...wish they we closer to my home!
Bottom line to this story, I have little trust in this engine and I am sure that it will leave me on the side of the road again!

[rapturequick]

call Navistar in Springfield, MO, ask for Steve in Service Dept. He is as knowledgeagble as anyone on this stuff and will probably help you over phone for free.--be sure to tell him that he was recommended and that you live in another state. If he can't help you; ask him who you can call--he'll know.
call 1-417-869-1551

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by talk2mehd If he can't help you; ask him who you can call--he'll know.

As of the yesterday, I believe that TheArnolds is hooked up with a person at the MaxxForce Engine Group that will work through and hopefully resolve this issue.

[rg neumann]

Any thoughts as to how wide spread this problem is with the Max Force engine? Has a recall been issued for the engine?

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rg neumann Has a recall been issued for the engine?

I am not aware of a recall on the MaxxForce 7.

[TheArnolds]

We have been in contact with Navistar and they were very helpful! Navistar sent a kit of parts to my local repair shop and I am scheduled to drop it off on the 6th of September. Thanks to Navistar and to all for assisting with our problem!

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheArnolds We have been in contact with Navistar and they were very helpful! Navistar sent a kit of parts to my local repair shop and I am scheduled to drop it off on the 6th of September. Thanks to Navistar and to all for assisting with our problem!

You're welcome!

[dbear]

Any updates on this as to cause and resolution?

[Mekanic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheArnolds We have been in contact with Navistar and they were very helpful! Navistar sent a kit of parts to my local repair shop and I am scheduled to drop it off on the 6th of September. Thanks to Navistar and to all for assisting with our problem!

I'd be asking for all/some of YOUR money back for your repairs.
Then I'd say thanks to them.
I'd be royaly [moderator edited] at them till then.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbear Any updates on this as to cause and resolution?

OP wrote: I am scheduled to drop it off on the 6th of September

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mekanic I'd be asking for all/some of YOUR money back for your repairs. Then I'd say thanks to them.

I believe that this may have already happened by now.

[TheArnolds]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriVer I believe that this may have already happened by now.

Navistar sent us a check, received Saturday. Navistar has been very responsive and we are extremely pleased with their customer service! Thanks also to "DriVer" for his assistance getting us hooked up with the right person at Navistar!

[anotherone]

Since I just bought one really would like to know how the unit is now. Please!

[TheArnolds]

We delivered the coach to the repair shop that was recommended by Navistar (International). They changed the turbo hose and did a good check out of everything else on the engine. We have not driven the coach too far to fully check out if this turbo hose remains in place but I have a 1200 mile trip scheduled for next month (RTJ Golf Trail) so let hope that I do not disappoint my golf buddies!
As for the shutting down problem…we do not have an exact cause but the best that we can determine was a “Low Coolant” situation. The coolant never got below the low coolant line, always midway between low and high fill lines. The engine shut down numbers of times without any corresponding notification on the dash except for the last time when I observed “low coolant” in the display. I checked the coolant tank but it was midway between the lines. I added a couple of pints of coolant and marked the tank with a black marker to track the new level and the shutdown problem has not reoccurred. The repair shop agreed that a low cooling situation will cause the engine to shut down to prevent damage. In this case I think that the tank sensor may be placed too high in the tank so when the system pressurizes the level drops to expose the sensor If the level is at or below the midpoint between high and low level lines in the tank…who knows?