Trailer Issue, Don't Know Where a To Start

[tomich99224]

I purchased a new Coleman travel trailer at the end of the season last year. As it had already been winterized there was not much I could do with it however I took it home to check out what I could. Within a day the furnace failed to ignite when the thermostat was turned up. The RV dealership had a mobile service at that time and came out and supposedly fixed it. At that point I put the trailer into storage.

This spring I bring the trailer home to De-winterize and the same problem. What happens is I can get the furnace to ignite one time, it reaches temperature and shuts off. When the temperature drops the furnace will not reactivate. I have to turn the heat/cool toggle switch to the off position, sometimes multiple times before the furnace will ignite. On many occasions the blower will come on and I can hear it trying to ignite but it won't. After approximately a minute the blower shuts off.

I took the trailer back to the dealer about a month ago and supposedly they fixed it. I got the trailer home over the weekend to prepare for a trip. The last two evenings I have left the thermostat set at 66° Saturday night there was no problem. This morning I went into the trailer and the inside temperature was down to 59° I turn the thermostat dial up, and nothing. Once again I had to toggle the selector switch in order to get the furnace to ignite.

I talked to the service manager at the dealer and he tells me they cannot duplicate the problem when I bring it in, therefore all they can do is replace parts and hope that fixes it. I have yet to be able to use the trailer, yet I have towed my vehicle 250 miles to the dealership for service and have not had the problem resolved.

This is not the only problem I've had and cumulatively the issues I'm dealing with are leading to a very high level of frustration and dissatisfaction with my trailer. Additionally, the TV did not work when I got it. This spring when de-winterizing, there was a major leak behind the hot water heater. Also I have two skylights. One was leaking from a crack and the other one was also cracked. The underbelly support bar underneath the freshwater holding tank broke off when I filled the holding tank. I have a unit I can't use because it doesn't function the way it supposed to, and the dealership can't fix it because of the randomness of the problem. I know there are no lemon laws pertaining to travel trailers, at least in my state, but I wish there were

I'm at the point now of trying to legally find a way to void the sale. I have a trailer that I purchased and can't really use because it's not working the way it should, and I have a problem that allegedly can't be fixed because they can't duplicate the problem. I really don't know what else to do at this point. I welcome any recommendations that anyone can offer.

[Nvr2loud]

westend wrote:
The furnace issue could be as simple as a spider web or bees nest in the furnace's intake tube.

If it was mine, I'd call Dutchman again and have them pick it up for transport to the farther service center. If I had to pull it, it would be a one way trip back to the seller for refund.

+1

And will typically show up as a failure to attempt to ignite. Blower runs for awhile, but no spark or propane delivery to burner.

[retiredcamper20]

Here is what my current copy of Trailer Life says for RV Resolutions: RV Resolutions is a forum for the settlement of conflicts between consumers and RV dealers and manufacturers, accessory suppliers and service providers. After exhausting all other resources without success, please send a typed letter to RV Resolutions, 2750 Park View Court, Suite 240, Oxnard, Ca. 93036 Include copies of appropriate bills and correspondence as well as a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

[westend]

The furnace issue could be as simple as a spider web or bees nest in the furnace's intake tube.

If it was mine, I'd call Dutchman again and have them pick it up for transport to the farther service center. If I had to pull it, it would be a one way trip back to the seller for refund.

[powderman426]

Are you by any chance using the battery while at home and then using shore power at the dealers? It kinda sounds like a power problem. Jawag

[tomich99224]

Does anybody have a link to Trailer Life Action Line??

[tomich99224]

Thanks for the suggestions. I contacted Dutchman an they suggested taking it to another authorized repair center. Problem is, nothing within 300 miles. Big help they were. My dealership is 25 miles away, so 10 trips back and forth so far = 250 miles. So I'm very reluctant to go 300 miles, one way, to possibly end up with same situation. I'm going to try to get dealership to have Dutchman authorize total replacement of ALL furnace components, including all electrical and thermostat. If they can't do that and the problem persists, it's lawyer time. The underbelly of my trailer is enclosed and the furnace is an integral part of keeping the plumbing from freezing, so the way things are now just ain't gonna fly.

[wmoses]

The OP bought a new trailer with many issues. He has not even used the trailer yet for camping. He should not have to do all of this "stuff".

OP - my suggestion is that you once again contact the manufacturer and tell them that driving 300 miles is no solution especially given the track record of their so-called dealer representative, and that they need to provide a real and reasonable solution. I would send this by certified letter and then follow up with a phone call. Still no joy? Write to Trailer Life Magazine Action Line for their assistance. Document everything with photos. Still no joy - get a lawyer and start legal action. Keep all receipts since you'll want to claim your costs in time and money.

We in this game take to much nonsense from the manufacturers and dealers. It is only after they get threatened with loss of revenue that they react, which is a sad reality.

[Nvr2loud]

You need to determine the following to help them troubleshoot....

1) When it 'trys' to ignite, and you visually see a flame and then after a moment it goes out. If that is the problem, you have an issue with the sensor or the gas valve it connects to. Try to reposition the sensor to sit better in the flame

2) When it 'trys' to ignite, and you can not see a flame, do you smell propane in the furnace area? That is a spark issue, adjust the spark rod or plug to a large or smaller gap and try again

3) When it 'trys' to ignite, but appears to do absolutely nothing except start the blower (no spark, no propane) then you are looking at an air pressure / vacuum switch or sail switch. It isn't sensing enough air flow to allow the burner to actually ignite, therefore shuts down after a predetermined amount of time running the blower.

You might be able to repair yourself with the above suggestions, but at the very least you can tell them exactly what stage it is failing at.

To sum it up... you need to know if the failure is...

-flame present but not detected by sensor
-flame not achieved, problem with spark or gas valve
-flame not attempted, problem with air flow sensing / verification.

[tomich99224]

Thanks for the suggestions. I contacted Dutchman an they suggested taking it to another authorized repair center. Problem is, nothing within 300 miles. Big help they were. My dealership is 25 miles away, so 10 trips back and forth so far = 250 miles. So I'm very reluctant to go 300 miles, one way, to possibly end up with same situation. I'm going to try to get dealership to have Dutchman authorize total replacement of ALL furnace components, including all electrical and thermostat. If they can't do that and the problem persists, it's lawyer time. The underbelly of my trailer is enclosed and the furnace is an integral part of keeping the plumbing from freezing, so the way things are now just ain't gonna fly.

[Crawfordville]

I agree about contacting the manufacturer. They can be quite helpful, at times. I would also start keeping a log of all issues> number of occurrences of specific problem, times went to dealer, etc, etc. Having it written down and dated makes a huge difference when discussing your case. That way you are speaking in facts rather than from memory.

[kodiakcanuck]

AirForceAngler wrote:
Contact the manufacturer with your list of items and the dealer you bought it from.

x2, I agree with this approach as a first step. You might be surprised how much the manufacturer is willing to help. When I had problems with another Kodiak unit, Dutchmen was more than willing to help and even waved fees the dealer was trying to charge me when the dealer couldn't fix the problem.

Good luck 😉

[prfssr]

#1 - is this a brand new w/warranty camper?

#2 - if it is, I would do my best to recreate the problem your having with the heater at their lot. Turn it on and let it get to temperature and then raise / lower the thermometer to see if it kicks back on. Make sure you have ample supply of propane for your furnace.

#3 - Force your dealer to do the right thing. Traveling that far to get warranty, or any other work completed and then have not work is indeed frustrating. If they completed the project, tell them to show you and to perform their test of why it is fixed.

Good luck and happy camping 😉

[AirForceAngler]

Contact the manufacturer with your list of items and the dealer you bought it from.