Community Forums

fallmeadow · 11-25-2020, 05:13 PM

I'll try to make this short. New Reatta. 2nd trip to Fort Wilderness. Arrived w/no problems from Dallas. Yellow, then red check engine came on. Bottom line, today, Wednesday, Spartan said they had to tow it to a service center. Also said they were in contact with Coach-Net and b/c of Thanksgiving, could not get it towed to a Spartan service center until Monday. Obviously a bad ending, BUT WAIT! I called Coach-Net myself. They were not sure what Spartan's deal was, but they were on it. Coach got towed to the Orlando authorized service center this afternoon.

Bottom line: Coach-Net was very, very responsive. Spartan guy seemed not totally up front about anything.

brobox · 11-25-2020, 06:03 PM

What was the check engine light for? I was brushed off by a Spartan rep last week on a DEF sensor issue.

dave&ginny · 11-27-2020, 12:41 PM

When I went shopping for a coach, I thought Spartan was a upgrade and was thrilled to see that Entegra used Spartan chassis. Now I've seen a real decline on their reputation and not sure I'd consider them any better than their competition. What a shame

chrislis · 11-27-2020, 01:21 PM

I'm reading this as a personnel issue more than anything else, unfortunately. I'm assuming Spartan doesn't keep track of Coachnet's working hours or holiday hours which is understandable in a sense because they're not the same company. The personnel issue is that someone on the other line made an assumption rather than a verification which is unfortunately going to fall onto the company's reputation in which they represent. I wouldn't jump to "this makes Spartan bad," just that it's unfortunate you got some bad information. Let us all know the findings of the issue when you find out!

tom chelbana · 11-27-2020, 03:38 PM

The DEF head issue isn't just a Spartan problem. FL the other chassis builder is having the same problems along with the other HD diesel rigs.

Gary.Jones · 11-28-2020, 09:31 AM

If you haven't discovered this yet, you are sure going to learn this fact quickly.

Just by calling a company's customer service line, does not mean that the information you are receiving is correct or makes any sense. There are great customer service people and there are beginners and simply dumb/very poorly trained customer service people. I have had incorrect and completely wrong information told to me by Entegra customer service people, Spartan customer service people, Good Sams roadside service customer service people, absolutely HORDES of DUMB and ill-trained customer service people at DIRECTV every time I ever called them (which was a lot until I figured out how to shield myself from dumb DIRECTV customer service people (drop the company and go with DISH-DIRECT))...... and on and on.

You need to assume that what you are hearing may or may not be correct or accurate, and then verify everything important with at least one other source. One of those sources is often people here on iRV2 simply because we have already been through it. You can get some really dumb help up here also!! Sometimes it is another customer service person at the same company a day later, etc. You get the idea...... don't trust and verify!!

Gary

MRUSA14 · 11-28-2020, 09:33 AM

People want to blame Spartan, but I think the DEF situation is a CUMMINS issue.

brobox · 11-28-2020, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRUSA14

People want to blame Spartan, but I think the DEF situation is a CUMMINS issue.

Mark, the entire DEF issue has become a buck passer. Cummins specs the DEF sensors as required by EPA. Spartan is responsible for the part and manufacturing for the DEF tanks and sensors to fit their chassis. All manufactures are fighting this problem in the MH industry as it has been explained to me. JMO, but EPA is the one that should be on the responsibility end.

I know Spartan is as frustrated as the clients, but when trying to ask why this keeps happening I was hoping for a better answer than "your DEF sensor is being shipped." A little of Joyce's empathy would go a long way when there is a DEF sensor problem that has just ruined a trip, or happened more than once. Upper management was kind enough, and greatly appreciated, to return my call after hours. The finger has now been pointed to the DEF sensor manufacture.

MRUSA14 · 11-28-2020, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

Mark, the entire DEF issue has become a buck passer. Cummins specs the DEF sensors as required by EPA. Spartan is responsible for the part and manufacturing for the DEF tanks and sensors to fit their chassis. All manufactures are fighting this problem in the MH industry as it has been explained to me. JMO, but EPA is the one that should be on the responsibility end.

I know Spartan is as frustrated as the clients, but when trying to ask why this keeps happening I was hoping for a better answer than "your DEF sensor is being shipped." A little of Joyce's empathy would go a long way when there is a DEF sensor problem that has just ruined a trip, or happened more than once. Upper management was kind enough, and greatly appreciated, to return my call after hours. The finger has now been pointed to the DEF sensor manufacture.

Chuck, I understand your comments but it seems like complying with EPA rules and getting EPA certification would have to be done by the engine manufacturer, not the chassis manufacturer. After all, suppose Spartan decided to use a Detroit engine instead of a Cummins. Do you think the DEF system would be the same? I find that unlikely. Prevost’s with their Detroit engines don’t seem to be having this problem. I could be wrong but I think that most likely it is Cummins who specified and sourced the DEF components.

brobox · 11-28-2020, 06:28 PM

Marc, I'll know more when I'm allowed to speak with someone at Shaw, the DEF sensor manufacture. I don't know how far I am going to get, it's just the next company in line that I have to get the answers from. I will be asking that question.

Prairie Dog · 11-28-2020, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

Marc, I'll know more when I'm allowed to speak with someone at Shaw, the DEF sensor manufacture. I don't know how far I am going to get, it's just the next company in line that I have to get the answers from. I will be asking that question.

Best of luck, looking fwd to hearing about it Chuck [emoji1303]

fallmeadow · 11-30-2020, 09:56 AM

I agree it is a "personnel issue." However you slice it, though, the Spartan rep flat out lied to me and he works for Spartan and I can only assume that their company culture tolerates such behavior.

DeWat · 11-30-2020, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRUSA14

...
Prevost’s with their Detroit engines don’t seem to be having this problem.
...

We have a good friend with a 2019 Millennium Prevost conversion/Volvo engine who was sidelined in TX due to DEF problem just before covid. The difference was that $$$Millennium$$$ took care of the customer, and if I'm not mistaken, they have issued a TSB.

Turbojack · 11-30-2020, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRUSA14

Chuck, I understand your comments but it seems like complying with EPA rules and getting EPA certification would have to be done by the engine manufacturer, not the chassis manufacturer. After all, suppose Spartan decided to use a Detroit engine instead of a Cummins. Do you think the DEF system would be the same? I find that unlikely. Prevost’s with their Detroit engines don’t seem to be having this problem. I could be wrong but I think that most likely it is Cummins who specified and sourced the DEF components.

I was told the reason that Foretravel stopped making there own chassis for the IH45 was the cost of getting the chassis and engine EPA certified was getting cost prohibited and it was going to be cheaper for them to have Spartan make the chassis for them. So the way I took what they were saying was the chassis manufacture has to take the complete chassis (frame, engine, and all of its parts, and transmission) to get EPA certified. Any change that is make to the package and they have to go back and get the new package certified again.