New Dometic Recall Initiated March 11, 2008

[MELM]

Thanks to the members who have provided info on this new one.

Dometic has a new recall for refrigerators made between June 1, 2003 through September 30, 2006. Many of these are the same models as were in the older recall (Recall number 06E076000). (Technically, Dometic’s letter indicates an extension of the original, but NHTSA assigned a new Recall Number and the information is under that new number.)

Since it has a new NHTSA number, I’m starting a new thread on this one; but the actual work appears to be the same as in the first recall.

Text from the NHTSA website Recall 08E03200.

Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
DOMETIC / NDR1062 9999
DOMETIC / RM2652 9999
DOMETIC / RM2662 9999
DOMETIC / RM2852 9999
DOMETIC / RM2862 9999
DOMETIC / RM3662 9999
DOMETIC / RM3663 9999
DOMETIC / RM3862 9999
Recall Number: 08E032000
Summary:
DOMETIC HAS REPORTED A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT COVERING 745,574 TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATORS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JUNE 1, 2003 AND SEPTEMBER 30, 2006, WITH SERIAL NOS. 320XXXXX THROUGH 352XXXXX; 401XXXXX THROUGH 452XXXXX; 501XXXXX THROUGH 552XXXXX; AND 601XXXXX THROUGH 639XXXXX, INSTALLED IN CERTAIN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT. A FATIGUE CRACK MAY DEVELOP IN THE BOILER TUBE WHICH MAY RELEASE A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.
Consequence:
THE RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy:
THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES THAT HAD THE REFRIGERATORS INSTALLED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND DOMETIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF THE AFTERMARKET REFRIGERATORS. DOMETIC WILL INSTALL A SECONDARY BURNER HOUSING FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL/MAY 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC AT 888-446-5157.
Notes:
CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Some more links:

Dometic Recall Site

Dometic letter of April 11, 2008

NHTSA Response letter of April 21, 2008.

And here is a link to the original recall thread: Dometic Refer Recall - Possible Fire Hazard -Update 2/13/07

Edited to add a link to the original thread.

[Chris_Bryant]

The build year is in the serial number- the first number is the year, the second two numbers are the week, so a serial number of 42600015 is the 15th refrigerator built in the 26th week of 2004.

[Stan47]

TYSPapa - Don't hold your breath waiting for Dometic to reimburse you peripheral costs, or to extend the warranty. I am still waiting for a reply from them re my inquiry about travel costs.

In the meantime, I have more present worries. Had a spring bar come loose and get turned around. It took a mile to get stopped, as we were on a bridge. I ground off about half the trunnion on the bar, and need to get something brazed on to it before we can contine. Luckily, we landed right at a great park right on the shore of the Missouri River.

[TYSPapa]

squaredancer wrote:
TYSpapa, if you're eligible due to serial and model #s, then all you should have to do is to arrange for warranty repair thru your local service point. Be aware, the parts are free, the install will cost you.

That is another issue. Who is gpoing to cover traveling costs for fuel and possible overnight lodging and lost wages.
There is a ANS # that is 221.19b-1995. Would that be the build year?:?

[squaredancer]

TYSpapa, if you're eligible due to serial and model #s, then all you should have to do is to arrange for warranty repair thru your local service point. Be aware, the parts are free, the install will cost you.

[TYSPapa]

Admiral wrote:

sdagro wrote:
Hi guys. I guess I've been under a rock or something. A fellow camper brought this new recall to my attention a few weeks ago and my refer is on the list. What do I do now? Do I contact Dometic? I bought my 5th wheel from an individual. However I received the first recall notice and it did not apply to me. Never got the expanded recall. I await someones reply. Steve A. Dagro

You can start by clicking here

Hi everyone.
I just found out about this recall through the local news staion. According to the serial and moel # I am eligible but due to warranty and manufacture date I may fall through the cracks. How do you find the manufacture date? I have never recieved a recall notice then or now.

[Admiral]

sdagro wrote:
Hi guys. I guess I've been under a rock or something. A fellow camper brought this new recall to my attention a few weeks ago and my refer is on the list. What do I do now? Do I contact Dometic? I bought my 5th wheel from an individual. However I received the first recall notice and it did not apply to me. Never got the expanded recall. I await someones reply. Steve A. Dagro

You can start by clicking here

[sdagro]

Hi guys. I guess I've been under a rock or something. A fellow camper brought this new recall to my attention a few weeks ago and my refer is on the list. What do I do now? Do I contact Dometic? I bought my 5th wheel from an individual. However I received the first recall notice and it did not apply to me. Never got the expanded recall. I await someones reply. Steve A. Dagro

[mikebNJ]

B. C. S. wrote:
I've taken mine in this past couple of weeks too. My refrig is documented/verified as being one affected by the recall.

Dometic was "by good faith, repairing and/or replacing the refrigerators." After April 1st, they no longer are replacing the entire refrigerator! The recall is ONLY for the Secondary burner housing.

After numerous calls to my RV dealership and Dometic, they still will not cover any of the charges.
B.

If you don't like the way dometic decided to change their policy, let your thoughts be know. Here is the email address of their CEO.

fredrik.moller@dometic.se

I sent something to him expressing my dismay at their change in policy and got something from someone in the US. If enough of us complain, maybe they will change their policy.

[Stan47]

Absolutely right. When Sunline went out of business everyone who owned some other brand said it was because their product was too expensive. Never mind whether it was better built.

We've had our Sunline TT for 4-1/2 years now, and there have been no problems attributable to the way it was designed and assembled. Components? Different story. Damage by a clumsy driver? Likewise.

Although as I'd mentioned here, I am disappointed that the paint on the frame and A-frame has not been so durable. But that seems to be universal. I would be willing to pay the extra cost of an under-frame that had been properly prepped, primered and coated with a durable epoxy enamel. No one offers that choice.

[JTMO]

$$$$
You see it all the time here in this forum. Everyone wants the $14000 trailer, not the $25000 one I bought. Yet, they will buy a $50000 BMW, go figure.

[Stan47]

I have no direct experience with Airstream's products, but you never seem to hear complaints about them. Do you suppose they use different components altogether?

With furniture, as far as I know Flexsteel is the only OEM. There are a few choices of manufacturers of furnaces, air conditioners, ranges, a/c converters, plumbing fixtures, even slide-room mechanisms. But relatively fewer in the realm of water heaters, water pumps, etcetera. And in refrigerators it's Dometic, Norcold, or an ice chest.

Every TT I have owned has had grossly inadequate paint on its frame, as though that doesn't matter. All the water pumps have been monstrosities that make too much noise. I notice that you can buy upgraded pumps that are quieter--why not just install them in the first place?

Windows and doors? Don't get me started.

And my real pet peeve is that every manufacturer will sell you their biggest, glitziest travel trailer equipped with nothing more than a hand-cranked tongue jack. The electric ones are very reliable, and not all that expensive.

[Phantom59]

You are correct most of the furniture they use is cheap******that falls appart and is not comfortable. I have found that even the high end coaches use the same******and a lot of them spend a lot of time at the truck shop for little stupid crap. But to the defense of some of the problems try putting the best house you know of on wheels and shaking it 50,000 down the highway. Once when I told someone what I did fro a living they sayd oh you rebuild engines and transmissions and when I sayd no they looked at me puzzled adn ask what else is there to fix on an RV. It was clear they never owned one.
But as for the quality they have been shaking these things down the highway long enough the products should be bullit proof by now. And when you look at the prices $2000 for a new fridge and this isn't even the top line is crazy.

[Stan47]

Phantom59 wrote:
....one of the main problems in the fact that the person building or installing this equipment doesn't have to service it. ... But in the RV industry the cheapest product and the quickest and easiest way is the way of choice and to heck with the poor slob that has to live with it or service it.

This is true to an extent in the automobile industry. Time was, you could repair things on a car or truck. Now, about all you can do is replace expensive "modules." The main brake lights went out on my Suburban, and I quickly traced the problem to the turn signal switch, since the center high-mounted light still worked. (The turn sig switch is the only place that could possibly happen.) There's nothing to be done except replace the "multi-function switch," a $400 part. And for anyone but a mechanic with the factory training, pulling a steering wheel that has an air bag would be suicidal. Add to the parts cost two hours' labor, which at the local dealers amounts to $300. And the 'burb is one of the better vehicles out there!

If I had the time, space and energy to devote to another RV, it would be a bus conversion. At least you'd be starting with a sturdy platform, where the drive train was not being stretched to its limits. And you'd have the choice of equipping it with stuff that actually worked, and stayed in working order.

I look at the sofa/gaucho in my TT, or the swivel rocker, and they are just cheesey. The rocker pokes you in the ass when you sit in it, because the springs aren't designed right, and about the second trip out, it started making a threatening boing whenever you sat down. Four years later, I'm expecting it to disintegrate without warning, and the replacement will cost more than a decent quality piece of home furniture.

:M :M :M :M :M

[mikebNJ]

norcold was replacing cooling units that failed as part of their recall. Dometic stopped covering on thiers. I want a company that will stand behind their product, come up with a half ass way of preventing the defect from burning down the RV.

If dometic had replaced my cooling unit, they would have had a customer for life. Instead I will go out of my way to avoid giving them any business.

[Phantom59]

Like I said before Norcold has a similar recall. Also they had a potential fire hazard several years ago.
We have discused the fact of quality in the shop and we believe that one of the main problems in the fact that the person building or installing this equipment doesn't have to service it. In the real world when a company finds a product that is hard to work on, get parts for or generaly junk they won't install it. But in the RV industry the cheapest product and the quickest and easiest way is the way of choice and to heck with the poor slob that has to live with it or service it.