Community Forums

Sunny · 06-23-2008, 06:10 PM

Gus
You do not have a Dometic or your has not failed. On this poll so far they have a 21% failure rate in the first four years with a 3 year warranty. Would you buy a car with a 26% major failure rate in the first 6 years that would cost 1/2 or more of the original cost to repair it.

Tom

Bob (WA0MQE) · 06-24-2008, 02:14 AM

I think you should be model specific in your poll. There are a lot of Dometic's out there that haven't had any issues regarding the known cooling unit problem.

NYMoose "Lenny" · 06-24-2008, 02:45 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Madame Boomer:
Sunny -

I would think with as many fires that have been started because of this PROBLEM that Dometic would come up with a plan to FIX it rather than issuing recalls for bandaids. But...that's the way it goes. To me, it speaks highly of their lack of concern for safety.

I suppose enough lawsuits hit deep enough in their pockets will cause them to rethink.

Just an opinion from an opinion-ated woman!
'nuff said!

Sandy </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Sandy,
I dont work for Dometic, but have done their recalls for many through my business. You say there are so many fires? Where are you gettig your information from? I am just curious?

As far as there lack of concern of safety, if they didnt care I dont think they would have said anything, and would have replaced the ones that were proved to be a product failure.(like there competitor did many years ago) I have replaced cooling units before, on both Dometic and Norcold, sometimes they do just fail.
In Dometics case they found that they ousourced their cooling unit production, and got poor quality. Some failed, I am aware of less then 5 ( I actually heard of 2) that resulted in the coach having fire damage. You are making it sound liek everyone is a ticking time bomb?

If I am incorrect with my statistics, I would like to see where you have gotten your facts from.

PS As far as the recall kits go, many dealers stock them, and it should not be long for you ro get one, they are ordered automated and your dealer should have them within a couple days.

RustyJC · 06-24-2008, 03:35 AM

Lenny,

I'll take the liberty to respond for Sandy. We are personally aware of two (2) rigs burned due to Dometic cooling unit failures. One, a fellow Mobile Suites owner, had their rig burn to the ground while in storage. The other, a member of our Texas Boomers RV group, had possibly $100K in fire damage to their motorhome (the estimators are still working their case) due to a fridge fire. To us, after our own cooling unit failure while in storage (plugged into AC, fortunately), there's statistically significant evidence of a problem. YMMV...

Rusty

NYMoose "Lenny" · 06-24-2008, 12:18 PM

Rusty,
Did you have a fire? Have you had the recall kit before the failure. The recall it by no means is a new cooling unit. The reason behind the kit is to prevent extensive damage and loss of property in case of a failure. The thermoswitches are designed to shut off the gas in case of a fire and the box is supposed to contain it if it does occur.

How exactly did your unit fail, and I am not picking on you in any way, but I have heard of a couple, but the way the post makes it like there are hundreds of coached burning everyday? I am trying to educate myself to see how these are failing to look for problems on other customer coaches(RV's). I have seen one cooling unit failure where it actually leaked, (yellow powder checmical etc) and another that was blocked which were both warrantied.

RustyJC · 06-24-2008, 12:25 PM

Our unit failed while in storage running on AC power. We were preparing to leave on a trip and found the fridge was not cooling when we went to the RV to load the perishable items in the fridge. We did not have a fire, and the recall kit had not been installed - our fridge was not involved in the first Dometic recall as it was too new and had a higher serial number than those included in the original recall. The cooling unit was replaced by our selling dealer after almost a week of testing in consultation between the dealer service department and Dometic.

As I said, we have personal knowledge of two rigs that have burned. To us, that indicates a problem. If you choose not to think so, that's certainly your perogative.

Rusty

Sunny · 06-24-2008, 02:01 PM

Lenny
My cooling unit failured where it actually leaked, (yellow powder checmical) and so did my son in law's both units were on electric when they failed what if they were on gas maybe

a new RV. Mine had the recall done his had not. I still think Dometic should replace the cooling units, they should last more than 6 years. Oh by the way the poll shows a 26% failure in the first 6 years. Just look at the poll again 29%

Tom

NYMoose "Lenny" · 06-24-2008, 04:46 PM

Sunny,
The units that leak are at a higher risk of a fire and coach damage. How many units of your poll actually had the failure that you are stating? I am not going to go back and forth with this, it is a issue, no doubt but not as wide spread as you think. With all the people on this forum, I would think you would have more responses.

Sorry for your trouble with your fridge, I am glad they they were taken care of for you.

Sunny · 06-25-2008, 07:22 AM

Lenny

"but not as wide spread as you think" when a family has 2 RV and both have a Failure of the same kind then to me it is wide spread, one was an 2001 and the other an 2004.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Sorry for your trouble with your fridge, I am glad they they were taken care of for you. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yeh they took care of me with a We are Sorry.
My Son-in-law's was 6 month out of warranty and he got the same help I did. Oh we are Sorry.
I fixed mine for $545.00 plus my labor.

I think it is about time for a class action .

Tom

DadD45 · 06-25-2008, 04:44 PM

Just to add more info...ours failed last fall (2004 Coachmen) and had the yellow powder all over the reefer inspection area....same reply to me.."sorry, out of warranty"...true but it was on the recall for the "bandaid" which wouldn't have prevented the failure...I tend to agree that Dometic should be responsible for a unit that's only 3 1/2 years old...I wouldn't repeat buy ANY product that had a "life expectancy" that short for service that is only used approximately half of each year...IMHO, of course

Sunny · 06-30-2008, 12:30 PM

OK I give up I was hopeing for a least 100 respond. There are two majory brands of Refrigertors so I figure about 50% of them being Dometic that means half of ya'll have Dometic Refrigertors so someone please tell why only 43 people will fill a survey. Now the Montana LLC got more responds and it only affects the people that are trying to cheat on their taxs. Ok flame me.

drfife · 06-30-2008, 12:36 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Sunny:
...I think it is about time for a class action... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Only attorneys benefit from class action law suits.

Sunny · 07-11-2008, 06:46 PM

Jeff_in_The_Dalles · 07-12-2008, 02:51 AM

Well, I just had the recall done on mine. When I initially checked, mine wasn't included, but it is now.

Was this a government mandated recall? I was a bit surprised that neither Dometic or the RV company contacted me. Though I'm not the original owner, one would think for a safety recall DMV could have provided owner info for the involved RV's.

Anyhow the recall was more than the tin sheets. There is now an overtemp safety switch in the shroud over the boiler, and a flame sensor just outside the burner box. If either trip, it kills power to the board to shut the unit down.

Mine has not failed, but my GF's parents have one that is not cooling. It is about 4 years old.

Though out of warranty, if something like that fails well short of it's expected service life, due to a known defect, I would consider it a nice good will gesture if the company were to take care of those customers...