Forum Discussion

hootgipper's avatar
hootgipper
Explorer
Feb 14, 2019

Hard baseball sized "bump" outside RV

Have a 2018 Winnebago Intent 26M, purchased Aug 31, 2018. We've only used it a couple of times. It has spent almost a total of 2 months "waiting" or getting warranty work done. An area near the tailgate pkg has a place about baseball size, that protrudes from the camper. the local Winnebago dealer and service center looked at it and said they couldn't fix it...didn't really know what was causing it. I am afraid it is delamination! I recently contacted the factory and sent pictures to them. They want my service tech to call THEIR tech for guidelines on repair. I am not wild about this. I think I need to keep their nose to the grindstone and get more than a patch job. If it is delamination I don't want to keep the unit but want them to replace it with a new RV. Repairing this one from delamination will lower its value.
Class A
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Feb 14, 2019
    What's on the inside of the RV, oposite of that bump?

    On my TT the manufacuter (while replacing the roof...) drove a long screw through the roof and almost through the side of the wall resulting in a bump the size of a 50c piece.

    In my case they cut out a small piece of the siding, fixing the "outy" and patched it.
    Yes, it looks like krap.
  • Chainwright's avatar
    Chainwright
    Explorer
    Feb 14, 2019
    Was it there when you took it in to get it worked on? was it there when you bought it? IF this happened while it was in someone else's care you have legal recourse. Or you can file an insurance claim.
  • guidry's avatar
    guidry
    Explorer
    Feb 14, 2019
    Good luck trying to get a new RV for a baseball size issue. I really do hope you succeed but in reality I've seen people with major issues not get a new rig. At best, you could try to get a mobile repair guy to do it under warranty. Dealers just don't (normally) do warranty work in a timely or satisfactory manner.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Feb 14, 2019
    guidry wrote:
    Good luck trying to get a new RV for a baseball size issue. I really do hope you succeed but in reality I've seen people with major issues not get a new rig. At best, you could try to get a mobile repair guy to do it under warranty. Dealers just don't (normally) do warranty work in a timely or satisfactory manner.


    Thii is the reality.
    Even with a substantial issue (we had a major structural roof issue) you still don't have the law behind you to force a buy back when it comes to RV's.
    The best you can do is to get something for your trouble. We ended up getting a second AC installed.
  • hootgipper's avatar
    hootgipper
    Explorer
    Feb 14, 2019
    Just wondered if anyone could shed some light/insight on units that have experienced delamination. I am thinking MOST delamination is due to water leaks which are hard to find. We bought this unit new and it came from the dealer lot with this flaw. Couldn't see it during the initial walk around as the light wasn't shining on it making it that visible, but did see it when we picked it up. On the first "warranty" visit the dealer claimed they couldn't fix it. Don't know what is behind the bulge.
  • Big_Katuna's avatar
    Big_Katuna
    Explorer II
    Feb 15, 2019
    Not always caused by water leaks. I have a third of a baseball size bump that showed up around mo 6. Two dealers told me Fleetwood would not fix it as it was non-structural and simply a minor bond failure. It has never grown in 12 years. I don’t like it but there are a lot of things I don’t like.
  • Dale_Traveling's avatar
    Dale_Traveling
    Explorer II
    Feb 15, 2019
    Delamination due to water intrusion will normally, but not always, show up as a soft bubble. Larger areas you might be able to push on it. Also if you tap of the suspected area and compare the sound to known good it will have a hollow sound due to the separation of the fiberglass from the backing board. Considering the Winnebago Intent has a flat rear panel rather than the more common molded rear cap, such as what the front of your coach has, replacing the entire panel is possible. Expensive for labor costs but certainly possible. Stay on top of this with both the dealer and Winnebago.

    Fixing delamination isn't difficult. I'm just finishing repairing several square feet in my coach due to a seal failure I didn't catch in time around the stove exhaust fan. Did the repair from the inside.

  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Feb 15, 2019
    Bubble like the OP has is NOT always caused by water intrusion on a NEW unit. It is just a defect in the filon and the adhesive. We see this numerous times each year on trailers and motorhomes. The fix is simple for a Body specialist. You cut out or grind out the affected area, Once that is done you will know if there is water intrusion. You then fill the cavity in with fiberglass and sand and then paint blending it in with the surrounding area. Winne will pay for this. Getting a new motorhome for this type problem? NEVER. The warranty states that The OEM is allowed to repair or replace items that are determined to be defective. Doug
  • tarnold's avatar
    tarnold
    Explorer
    Feb 15, 2019
    Could you heat the area with a hair dryer, inject some epoxy through a small pin hole then apply extended pressure till the epoxy sets?

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