1997 Coachmen Santara Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1997 Coachmen Santara, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Body & structure133.3%
- Electrical133.3%
- Tires & wheels133.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING FROM NEVADA TO ILLINOIS, ALL THE WINDOW SEALS (EXCEPT IN BEDROOM) BLEW OUT, THEN THE DASHBOARD SEPARATED FROM WALLS OF UNIT, ALSO THE WALLS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE RELEASED FROM THE FLOOR LENGTHWISE ABOUT 20 FEET. YOU CAN SEE ROAD, THE SEPARATION IS SO BIG. THE SEPARATION IS ALSO ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BUT NOT AS LONG. WE JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE SEALS AND WINDOWS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE BEFORE WE BOUGHT COACH IN 2001. WINDOWS IN UNIT ARE MANUFACTURED BY CREATIVE. AFTER TALKING WITH A COACHMEN DEALER, THEY SUSPECT THAT THE WINDOWS HAVE BEEN LEAKING FOR YEARS BEFORE WE BOUGHT IN 9/01 (WE ARE ALSO THE FIRST TITLED OWNER). THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE UNIT. NOTHING HAS BEEN REPLACED AS OF JULY 2004. SUGGESTIONS? 1997 COACHMEN, SANTARA, 31FT, FORD 460. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
A DEFECTIVE WIRE HARNESS STARTED THE FIRE AS DETERMINED BY THE TECHNICIANS WHO REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. A LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS REQUIRED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE COMPLETELY. VEHICLE HAD BEEN STOPPED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHEN FIRE BROKE OUT. I HAVE MUCH MORE DOCUMENTATION ON THE INCIDENT AVAILABLE TO ANYONE. A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS MADE AND IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS WELL AS ALL INSURANCE COMPANY INFORMATION, REPAIR FACILITY INFORMATION, LETTERS TO THE MANUFACTURER, DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FIRE EVENT, ETC.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRES P225/75R16 DOT VD1L1XD187 HAVE FAILED 5 TIMES, ALL TIRES HAVE HAD CRACKS FORMING IN THE SIDEWALL, ON ONE OCCASION, CONSUMER TEMPORARILY LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE MOTORHOME. *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .