Forum Discussion

Homestead_or_Bu's avatar
Aug 08, 2016

HELP -mechanic damage & de-winterization

Hey everybody. This gal could really use your support.
While in the shop, had them dewinterize the unit. This was on the invoice and I was told they also cleaned minerals out of the hot water heater.

Once home, and moving about in the RV, I found that the monitor panel showed that the grey water and holding tanks were half full, and, I found pink tinted water coming out of my kitchen faucet. It would appear that it was not completed properly.

Next, and here's the biggie- I see that some body damage to the cabover was done to it while in the shop. Cracks in fiberglass , a dent that looks like delamination and a split piece of wood in the interior- on one of the horizontal bars ( near the center) that is where the front under curve begins. I know this because I had the vinyl panel off prior, and had been cleaning up there from a small past water leak, planning to replace that knee bump panel just to freshen it. So I was very familiar with what was going on up there. In addition, to assess, I put that same panel back, it now sticks out about an inch or more, from the wood that got pressed into the cab. No longer flush fit. !!!

The past water damage was minimal. 2 months ago I drove it over 1000 miles, and none of these things were there when I took off the vinyl knee panel. only when it came back from the shop.

This was not admitted to then, so I imagine they won't admit it now that I am off their lot.
Any advice? It is HUGELY expensive if the repair is done properly- already got it video and photo estimated.
I have video and photos.


So disheartened. Oh humanity. Why can't people just do the right thing?

8 Replies

  • Hemi RT wrote:
    Can you post a few pictures of the damage?


    Yes! I'll have to figure out how to do that here. I have jpgs. Also videos which I have stored on youtube

    I'll be back a little later. Have to run out, but SO appreciate your interest and help! Please do come back and check. Thank you.
  • DownTheAvenue wrote:
    1. They probably just ran water through the system during de-winterization and you are seeing the residue with pink colored water. They obviously did a poor job. I am not sure why you would pay someone to connect your RV to a water source and turn on the faucets. You basically perform "de-winterization" functions every time you use the RV and its water system.
    2. They probably did not damage your RV. If you see delamination, that is from water damage, not collision damage. If they had a collision in your RV strong enough to split a piece of interior wood, you would see crushed exterior damage. The area you say they damaged is probably rendered structurally unsound from water damage that you have admitted is in that area. Driving the RV on the highway has put stresses on that weakened area and things have shifted a bit causing what you see now.


    Thanks Down the Avenue. I sure would like to think they didn't damage it, Though please help me understand a little more-
    The past water damage was minimal. 2 months ago I drove it over 1000 miles, and none of these things were there when I took off the vinyl knee panel. The cracks in the exterior fiberglass were not there when i took it in ( i had been inspecting seals in that area just before hand). Those cracks correspond with the spot where wood was pushed in on the interior , which made the vinyl knee panel no longer fit flush when i reinstalled it. It had fit flush before I took it in. The wood that had no water contact at all- 6 inches of split wood at the center -was not there, and would make sense if there had been impact or pressure enough to push the wood in at the front corner. None of those things were there when i took it in, and the shop is only 20 minutes from me. And I have not driven it since, except home. So while I would like to be completely reassured by your words, I'm left puzzled, and needing to resolve this new issue.
  • Delamination is from water getting in behind the outer fiberglass panel, it destroys the bonding in the luan (usually used behind the fiberglass)and allows the fiberglass to delaminate, it is NOT caused by an impact. Fiberglass gets crazing cracks all over the place and there isn't really anything you can do to prevent it, polishing the fiberglass helps some but will not fully stop it.
  • Homestead or Bust wrote:
    Still shouldn't the tanks be empty after a "dewinterization"? I need to call them and approach them for these things.
    Yes, but that would have been done during the winterization.
  • Thanks Down the Avenue. I sure would like to think they didn't damage it, Though please help me understand a little more-
    The past water damage was minimal. 2 months ago I drove it over 1000 miles, and none of these things were there when I took off the vinyl knee panel. The cracks in the exterior fiberglass were not there when i took it in ( i had been inspecting seals in that area just before hand). Those cracks correspond with the spot where wood was pushed in on the interior , which made the vinyl knee panel no longer fit flush when i reinstalled it. It had fit flush before I took it in. The wood that had no water contact at all- 6 inches of split wood at the center -was not there, and would make sense if there had been impact or pressure enough to push the wood in at the corner. None of those things were there when i took it in, and the shop is only 20 minutes from me. And I have not driven it since, except home. So while I would like to be completely reassured by your words, I'm left puzzled, and needing to resolve this new issue.

    Oh, and I can understand that sanitizing is not included. Still shouldn't the tanks be empty after a "dewinterization"? I need to call them and approach them for these things.
  • Homestead or Bust wrote:
    Also, shouldn't a de-winterization include sanitizing?
    no
  • 1. They probably just ran water through the system during de-winterization and you are seeing the residue with pink colored water. They obviously did a poor job. I am not sure why you would pay someone to connect your RV to a water source and turn on the faucets. You basically perform "de-winterization" functions every time you use the RV and its water system.
    2. They probably did not damage your RV. If you see delamination, that is from water damage, not collision damage. If they had a collision in your RV strong enough to split a piece of interior wood, you would see crushed exterior damage. The area you say they damaged is probably rendered structurally unsound from water damage that you have admitted is in that area. Driving the RV on the highway has put stresses on that weakened area and things have shifted a bit causing what you see now.