Flying microwave!

bobkatmsu wrote:
Do they say why they are not cooperating. Obviously you are upset and have a right to be, I would just be interested in hearing their side of the story.

Generic answers so far. They are in the 'considering' mode. We do not give up. Why make payments on something to be in 'storage'. I am simply asking for the broken parts to be replaced....due to their poor work. Simple, huh.

getgoin wrote:
Hi All,
We did our second journey in 'Wanda the wandering Winnebago'this past weekend. All was fine, enjoyed nature had fun with the DW and the fuzzy kids. Nothing could go wrong.....that is until that right turn, near home, into the gas station....CRASH! The microwave jumped to its death....yes, it hit the floor, the door was separated. Well we filled up for the next 'adventure'. And headed home. Upon my doing an 'autopsy' I find the self tapping screws had no purpose whatsoever, they were too short to reach the metal brackets and self tappers DO NOT hold in wood. Also the right under the sink door has a dent so deep that the inside is cracked. This is a 2016 26HE.....my retirement gift! I have found so many stripped self tappers due to rapid, agressive installation. We enjoy the rig very much but it seems I am always fixing something. Oh, I do know my hardware and proper construction methods....40+ years as a prototype, maintenance and repair machinist, (never production) built the house we live in. A bit disappointed.... maybe I should head to IA and teach?

Mike
Mikestatland@gmail.com

Similar to an experience we had about 2 months ago in our new 2016 Winnebago Adventurer 38Q. While approaching the dealership for warranty work on a failed slide after 10 days of ownership, I turned left and heard a massive crash. My wife screamed- I puckered- the residential french double door fridge fell out of its slot across the motorhome, and on to the microwave on the opposite wall- severely damaging both. Ripped up a good bit of molding and woodwork in the process. Seems they "missed" the anchoring straps for the fridge during production and drilled the self tapping screws into "air". They fixed it all and replaced the appliances, but what a surprise- and a very scary experience.

getgoin wrote:
Only 4 screws hold, held, the microwave in. The fact that bracketing is held by numerous screws directly to frame members in not relevant.....weakest link is what we are speaking of here.

Now Winnebago wants us to go to the warranty shop.....sure I want to let them have it for months, we are well aware of this nonsense, while the warranty evaporates. Not me! Replace the damaged parts and I will fix it in a way FAR SUPERIOR to your poor 'craftsmanship'.

WINNEBAGO,READ THIS AND KNOW YOUR COMPANY NEEDS TO LEARN FROM MISTAKES RATHER THAN IGNORE CUSTOMERS COMPLAINTS....ALSO, SEND A REPLACEMENT MICROWAVE AND DAMAGED DOOR....AFTER ALL IT IS YOUR LACKING THAT LED TO THIS.

MIKESTATLAND@GMAIL.COM

Where would you expect Winnebago to repair the damage? They should be willing to correct the problem, but I doubt they would let anyone other than a dealer or authorized repair contractor to do the job. If you don't like or trust the dealership ask Winnebago if they have other authorized repair stations in the area.

We had an air conditioning problem with our 2001 Adventurer. Rather than drive 250 miles to the nearest dealer, just to have them farm it out to a contractor we asked if there was anyone in our area that could handle the problem. It turned out they did, and our problem was resolved within a week rather that taking a month or more.

You may have the skills and tools to do the job, but Winnebago doesn't know that. They won't trust someone outside their network to perform the repairs for a variety of reasons including liability.

Car and truck manufacturers only perform warranty repairs at an authorized repair station or dealership. This is no different. They want to see what happened and why it failed. If it's a problem with the design they need to know it so it can be changed. If someone took a shortcut and didn't install the unit properly they also need to know that.

You'd think they'd be all over this - talk about a MAJOR safety issue. Tell Winnie they can have it just as soon as you get done with your report to NTHSA and they may take a different tune.

Sadly though this type of **** is nothing new. The TV fell out of my parents Tiffin. A few plywood wedges won't hold in a TV, I don't care how hard the pushed them in.

I hope you'll consider Hikerdogs suggestion, getgoin. To me that's the most reasonable approach. I understand your anger, and I would be too, but Hikerdogs makes some good points. I personally, would want to talk to the techs, and talk to everyone at Winnie about the potential for other issues. It's unlikely that's the only shoddy area of construction.

Make sure you take lots of pictures of the damage, and inferior workmanship uncovered all ready. You may have to revisit your documents again someday.

Fingers crossed that this is the only issue.

Okay.....agreement has been reached. My wife has climbed up the Winnebago phone ladder, no easy feat. With her insistence and valid points Winnebago has agreed to send a new microwave and replacement cabinet door pending photos and letter, (e-mail). They, rightly so, assume no responsibility that my installation will no fail.....I do. Yes,they initially insisted on 'back to the dealer' rhetoric....'we will increase the warranty as needed', DW 'what about the driveline warranty?' Undeniable point! Team player...glad shes on my side....has been for 38+ years. Aint love grand. :)

So Jumbo Jet, our 8 digit MH will be whole.....msrp :)

'Hikerdog' I do understand and can appreciate your stance on this issue however for a less than 3 month '(old?)' coach to sit at an 'approved repair facility' while payments, insurance, warranty and non use be endured is not logical to me. I have a through understanding of proper metalworking, construction and engineering techniques. I cannot imagine yeilding to a repeat of poor workmanship. Certainly Winnebago has no way of knowing this but my word. They are not being asked to be liable for anything but their workmanship, they did so. Now it is me that cannot and will not fail. We have fallen prey to cooperate less than quality for far too long, it is long overdue that true accountability, first time, be demanded.

On blowout damage....I had a '95 Dodge CTD tow vehicle....got a right front blowout that took most the door 'skin' off and whipped the bumper plastic into the windshield, cracked it..all this in a nano second!..so in conclusion a blowout can do thousands in damage on any vehicle. Oh those were commercial t/a radials, 4 years old, properly inflated on a 1 ton dually....lost a rear inside dual a year of so after....that fiberglass explodes....even with an inside dual blowout. S""" happens

getgoin wrote:
.so in conclusion a blowout can do thousands in damage on any vehicle.

Not true.
I had at least 5 high speed blow ups on my vehicles and the biggest damage was bend tailpipe on F250. That was famous Firestone tire.
When I had blown inner tire on 27' Pace Arrow, it was the Oregon trooper who pulled me over to inform me about it.
My conversion had at least 2 blow ups in its life. How do I know ? > 2 inner fenders had the metal shiner than the rest. Those were 180lb wheels
I just had situation on the road 5 days ago. Driving car at 80 mph suddenly had to do emergency braking when 2 semis in front of me did emergency maneuvers. Second later on left side of the left lane I drove via pile of rubber chunks and white objects.
2 seconds later, driving already much slower I notice a ClassA rolling to the stop on right shoulder with huge hole where his left front fender used to be.
He was the lucky guy. He did not loose control, semis did not rear end him and he was able to safely pull over.
I can only wonder if he worry at the time in case his microwave broke the hold.
Note to OP, don't assume that microwave is the only thing that can break loose on its own in your coach.
Unfortunately such build is industry standard and buyers don't know to demand better.
My latest high-end camper is stapled together, but I feel safe driving inside truck cabin that has DOT ratings.

Yet more data showing that buying used could be safer. We bought an 8-year-old Georgetown from the original owner and the only problem we had was that I didn't notice the living room slide topper was completely rotted out - no vinyl left, just the netting.

As we're in the Pacific NW it didn't take long to find the problem. It turned out, the sellers hadn't used the rig for the last two seasons due to medical issues. It had been parked on their lakefront lot with the slide extended all the time, and the living room side of the rig faced south.

That was the only problem we had in four years of ownership.