Community Forums

robbyk · 10-03-2016, 01:42 PM

Two weeks after the dealer service department inspected the rubber roof of our 2 year old 5th wheel and declared it A-OK and then applied a UV Protectant. I uploaded a photo to Member Photos - robbyk.

http://www.irv2.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=31091

Has anyone ever seen this before? This is not just a spot but the entire roof has this. What does anyone think and who is responsible. At first blush, it appears that the entire roof will need to be replaced, BIG BUCKS...

Patti Brown · 10-03-2016, 01:51 PM

When was the last time you looked at the roof before having it cleaned?

robbyk · 10-03-2016, 02:10 PM

Did not look. The trailer was taken to the dealer/service organization for its annual inspection and some small electrical repairs. The very first item on their annual checklist was the roof. It was checked off as being A-OK.

pointrow · 10-03-2016, 04:23 PM

I would take it back to the dealer asap. They used something that reacted with the roof material and should own up to it and do what is right.
If they won't time for a lawyer. But give them a chance.

good luck

pointrow

cwit · 10-03-2016, 04:45 PM

That looks awful. Looks like it will leak all over.

FIRE UP · 10-03-2016, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pointrow

I would take it back to the dealer asap. They used something that reacted with the roof material and should own up to it and do what is right.
If they won't time for a lawyer. But give them a chance.

good luck

pointrow

Well,
The very first thing is, you'd HAVE TO PROVE, that whatever they did or, whatever product they used, ACTUALLY caused that problem. And, the fact that it's been two weeks, isn't helping matters in terms of any products they used, causing a reaction and the damage, in that time frame. Usually chemical reactions take place a lot sooner but, I'm no chemist so, maybe, it's possible that whatever product they used, did cause the damage.

But, I'm sure they've used that product or, series of products on other rubber roofs so, all this remains to be seen. So, we'll see what the OP finds out.
Scott

robbyk · 10-04-2016, 09:52 AM

Scott, The only PROOF I would have is that the trailer was brought in for its annual checkup. The roof condition was included in that process and checked off. Then the service department was asked to apply a UV Protectant to the roof. Which they did and then the trailer was picked up and returned to its normal parking place.

The only way this was discovered when it was is because one of the A?C units had an issue. Another friend in the RV maintenance business came over to look at the A/C unit and went up on the roof and discovered the entire roof damage. This was 2 weeks after the trailer was returned.

We are an older couple and the last thing we would want to do is to climb up on our roof. The trailer is only 2 years old. We have no motivation to make it anything other than it is.

If you were to ask a dealer of your rig to clean and then apply a UV protectant on the roof of your RV and then 2 weeks after it was returned and your roof looked like this... would the very first thing that came into your head be having to PROVE that you did not cause it? What would have been your motivation? What would your next action be?

This is not a scratch in the paint or an electrical outlet that does not work. This is the whole roof. Maybe a cost of $8,000 to $12,000 plus the expense of moving out of the RV and finding a place to live while the work is being done. Plus the whole inconvenience of the issue. We only wanted our roof cleaned and protected...

BrianGlenn · 10-04-2016, 10:09 AM

I agree with your thought process - the annual maintenance was signed off by the dealer, and they worked on the roof and applied a sealer/protector. They would not have signed off the work if the roof looked like that.......

Take it back and make a case. Document everything; through emails, letters etc..... Pictures as well. Even document where you have been each day over the last two weeks. Hopefully the dealer comes through.

Obviously the roof membrane has reacted with something. I suspect a petroleum based product was used, possibly the technician mixed up the products.

I have replaced a roof membrane before - I spent about $4,500 on a smaller trailer. Possibly your insurance may cover the costs. Labor to remove all external roof fixtures and old membrane is the most time consuming. Laying down new glue and membrane goes pretty fast.

Let us know how it goes...

Brian

Mike and Cha · 10-04-2016, 10:29 AM

If the roof is only two years old, check with the manufacturer. The roof may be under warranty, and it may have been that way before the treatment or even with the treatment should not have done that. Many of the manufacturers warranty the roof for 10-12 years.

FIRE UP · 10-04-2016, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbyk

Scott, The only PROOF I would have is that the trailer was brought in for its annual checkup. The roof condition was included in that process and checked off. Then the service department was asked to apply a UV Protectant to the roof. Which they did and then the trailer was picked up and returned to its normal parking place.

The only way this was discovered when it was is because one of the A?C units had an issue. Another friend in the RV maintenance business came over to look at the A/C unit and went up on the roof and discovered the entire roof damage. This was 2 weeks after the trailer was returned.

We are an older couple and the last thing we would want to do is to climb up on our roof. The trailer is only 2 years old. We have no motivation to make it anything other than it is.

If you were to ask a dealer of your rig to clean and then apply a UV protectant on the roof of your RV and then 2 weeks after it was returned and your roof looked like this... would the very first thing that came into your head be having to PROVE that you did not cause it? What would have been your motivation? What would your next action be?

This is not a scratch in the paint or an electrical outlet that does not work. This is the whole roof. Maybe a cost of $8,000 to $12,000 plus the expense of moving out of the RV and finding a place to live while the work is being done. Plus the whole inconvenience of the issue. We only wanted our roof cleaned and protected...

robbyK,
I don't know how much you read any RV magazines or, watch the news on things like this but, the main reason I suggested or, commented on "proof" of anything in this situation is, companies, being larger than an "older couple", rarely simply bow down and accept responsibility in many, many cases like this. Regardless of the fact that, they might have been the last ones on the roof and, had done anything with it, much less apply any sort of UV protection. Companies do this, regularly. They fight it (either a warranty situation or repair of a repair), until their hand is forced.

On really rare occasions, a company will accept the responsibility and, just do what's needed to make a customer happy. But it doesn't happen very often. Like I stated, this stuff is in the RV mags and news sections of "Watchdog" reporters constantly. When a company is put into the spot light, in front of millions of viewers about not handling a repair, warranty, issue that is more than likely their responsibility, they quite often back down and do what's right but, not until forced to.

So, of course we'd all like to see your RV fixed and you happily using it. And, I hope for your case that when the problem is presented to the company, they simply do what's right, repair or replace the roof and, you drive away a happy customer. Good luck.
Scott

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike and Cha

If the roof is only two years old, check with the manufacturer. The roof may be under warranty, and it may have been that way before the treatment or even with the treatment should not have done that. Many of the manufacturers warranty the roof for 10-12 years.

The rubber, (EDPM and other types) roofs usually are under "warranty" for around 10 years. Now, if it were me, and I owned the company that the OP brought his RV to for service and, a roof inspection and treatment of UV suppression, I or any employee or tech, would have stopped instantly at the beginning of an inspection and, notified the customer, IF, that condition was present, before any thoughts of the UV conditioner was to be applied.

I kind-a doubt any company would apply any conditioner of any sort, over a roof that looked like that. At least that's what common sense would dictate. This will be interesting in what the OP finds out was the cause of this condition. Using logic, I'd suspect that, the company would not have applied their product if, there was any potential of a reaction of chemical-to-product.

Maybe it was a "new product" on the market, who knows? In that case, it should be the designer, creator and marketer of such a product, that should or would, take responsibility of the reaction, based on some sort of PROOF that it was in fact, their product that did this condition. We all know that liability is the name of the game these days.

Again, it would be nice if, when the OP brings his RV back to them and, there is simply no argument, no pleading, nothing, and the company says, "We'll handle it, we must have caused this, and we'll make it right for you". That's the ultimate happy ending.
Scott