Limited warranty issuees

[snapper23]

Hello All,
Seeking your opinion on a warranty issue. Recently purchased a new travel trailer at the end of last year. I had the opportunity to perform a 3 day shake down to make sure everything was working properly prior to winter prep and storage. 2 months ago I took the trailer out for a 4 day trip and discovered that the residential fridge popped up a leak in the system which needed service. I dropped off the unit over a month ago and was given no confirmed time when the trailer would be repaired. My concern is with the standard warranty time frame. When your trailer is in for service and you have no ability to use your unit your warranty clock still runs and the bank is still looking for your money. I really don't approve of your warranty clock still ticking away since you don't have the ability to use your trailer. Its bad enough that your payment is still required. I know some of you have had your trailer in captivity for much longer and it seems that we are at the mercy of the service dept. What are your thoughts about this issue. By the time my unit comes back I will only have full access to use my trailer for a total of 6 months before the warranty expires. I hope nothing goes wrong within that time because my trailer will require another visit to the dealer for additional waiting time for repairs, leaving me with less time for use. Your thoughts.

[Spoonsize]

IMHO, best to look for repair manuals and load up a YouTube App. There will be repairs to be made, best done by yourself. If it can be fixed there is most likely a how to video. Pretty much nothing to do about the warrantee time expiration.

[charliez]

How do you know that the fridge had a leak? Did you see some yellow residue somewhere? Was it condensation leaking?


The fridge runs on ammonia, not like a regular fridge. it has to be level to make it run right. Some fridges are more sensitive to that than others.



Have you been on contact with whoever is suppose to be fixing it regularly to get updates? RV shops are known for taking forever. Most of the time they just sit on their lot, waiting.

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by snapper23

My concern is with the standard warranty time frame. When your trailer is in for service and you have no ability to use your unit your warranty clock still runs and the bank is still looking for your money. I really don't approve of your warranty clock still ticking away since you don't have the ability to use your trailer.

Research the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act (P.L. 93-637). Passed in 1975, one of the key provisions is that if a product is unusable for it's intended purpose during the warranty period (sitting at the dealership awaiting repair or parts qualifies), then the warranty period is extended for the time period that it was unusable.

That's what the law says . . . but getting a manufacturer to HONOR the law may be a little more difficult. Best results would be had by writing a nice letter to the dealership, with a copy to the manufacturer stating a hard timeline since purchase. Note when dealership was notified of a warranty issue precluding use of the trailer. For a fridge, they may argue that it was still usable, just not FULLY usable, so the time between informing them and actually dropping it off for repair might be be harder to get, but once it was in their physical possession, it's pretty easy to say you couldn't use it!

Anyway, clearly define the sale date, the date that the warranty would normally run out, and then total up all the days that it was unusable to you because it was in for repairs. Request (in writing, certified mail) that that number of days be added to your warranty period, as well as any additional days that it may be in for warranty work. Request that they respond (in writing again) to your request.

If they balk, open a case with your state Office of the Attorney General, it's free and easy to do. Most states allow you to start the initial complaint on line with documentation to follow. The on line application should provide you with a case #. Request in writing that they respond to your request, and provide them with the AG complaint case #, requesting that they also cc the AG's office in any response.

Really not a lot of legwork involved on your part except the documentation, and a few certified letters. I've had excellent results using this method.

Good luck, and remember, manufacturers, warranty companies (and insurance companies, but that's another thread!) will get away with just as much as YOU ALLOW them to get away with. Stick to your guns and Good Luck!

[snapper23]

Thanks so much for the detailed information!!

[charliez]

There;s a guy in YouTube that explains rv's very well. Bigrigrv something like that. He compares them to cars. Cars are metal and built in a factory mostly b y robots that are very accurate and very repeatable,using stable material, like steel and plastic. Rv's are made mostly by hand, with workers using jigs and fixtures. Mistakes happen. Nails and screws are missed. Nail guns run out of staples and some blanks get shot into panels. The wood constantly varies. The boss of both are constantly hurrying the workers. They make more money by being faster. Making robots go faster is very different than making people go faster. It's just the rv world.



You'll need to fix things yourself. If you take it to the dealer for every little thing be prepared for it to spend alot of time there.

[Catalina240]

Glorified tool sheds with lipstick is basically what new RVs are. As another posted, stuff not built by robots is subject to poor quality, lack of detail, lack of caring. I bought a 17 yr old RV for 10k. Even if I end up putting another 6k or so to bring to back close to,new, ill still be ahead rather than paying 55k for a new rig.

[mtofell]

It's a good question and a good point but you are unlikely to get anywhere. First off, it sounds like it's only been in the shop for 30 days. Your having it in storage for months while the warranty is in effect isn't the manufacturers problem.

Keep in mind many of the components are warrantied individually longer than the 1-year. Things like the A/C, furnace, and other appliances. Also, you could look into an extended warranty but most people (myself included) don't don't really agree with the economics. As others have said, these RVs are cheaply made and will have problems. Being able to perform some repairs yourself is hugely beneficial.

[keymastr]

If it is indeed a residential fridge then you should be talking to the dealer about having the repairman for that brand come to the trailer to fix it under the manufacturers warranty. The dealer does not fix residential refrigerators.

[charliez]

Sounds like it's the fridge that came with it so it would be a take it to the dealer thing.

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by keymastr

If it is indeed a residential fridge then you should be talking to the dealer about having the repairman for that brand come to the trailer to fix it under the manufacturers warranty. The dealer does not fix residential refrigerators.

Unless the manufacturers warranty is void if the residential fridge is installed in a vehicle.

[keymastr]

Good point.

[snapper23]

Hello everyone, it’s been a little over a year since my first post and question about this issue I had to deal with. Since that time I had 2 more issues with the same residential fridge. The solution with the original visit was in fact a confirmed leak. The dealership had to remove the kitchen slide wall to remove the fridge and repair the leak and then place the unit back together. The next issue was after winter storage and the first trip out the next season the fridge would not activate the compressor. Solution was a relay that operates the compressor. All of the repairs were performed at the dealership, the refrigerator manufacture repair center were the actual service people who came to the dealership and worked hand and hand with the RV service Dept. This required me to contact the refrigerator company and schedule the repair with the dealerships service schedule. This stated repair did not require the removal
Of the exterior slide wall, thank God for that.

Fast forward to August 2020. Prior to August the fridge leaked again and this time the fridge had to be replaced due to the leak location, which was internal and unable to be fixed due to access. I received no help from the refrigerator manufacture at this time. The RV dealership however helped me tremendously by making contact with the trailer manufacturer and explained the continuous issues and problems with the unit. The trailer manufacture authorized a complete replacement refrigerator plus all the labor costs to make things right. They let me decide what refrigerator I wanted to choose in particular the brand and also a unit that fit in the same dimensions of the broken one, My trailer was now out of warranty by 8 months now and I was facing a repair over 2500 dollars to fix the trailer.

In response to previous comments above, taking on repairs by yourself in your trailer during ownership would be a must and I am in total agreement. This repair is in no way a do it yourself job. The time and type of equipment needed to remove an entire wall slide is not in anyone’s toolbox. My opinion like others on this forum is the same. You have to be somewhat mechanically inclined if you own an RV. Fixing the little or moderate repairs will be necessary to save your pocket book and sanity over the years. Leave the big jobs to the dealership and the money you save from the smaller repairs put in a envelope for the big repairs. One last remark, dealing with the right RV dealership makes the whole RV ownership experience much more enjoyable. I was fortunate to have my original dealership stand up for me and make this repair happen and I am grateful for their service. I will always remember their great service and will be a customer for the long haul. Happy camping everyone and stay safe.

[RobbieH]

I learned many of these lessons with my first RV. We bought brand new, and after 172 days in the shop over the first 11 months, I'll never buy new again.

Now, many years later, I've learned that if there is something I want fixed that I can't do myself, I have a good mobile RV service that comes to me. They can typically get to me in less than a week, and are much more fair on prices than RV shops/stores. To find your local person, go to some nearby RV parks - not state parks, but private parks. Look in their card bin and ask the manager about who they hear good and bad things about.

I will never step foot in a dealership again for any repair, period.