1999 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 1999 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
- Brakes240.0%
- Driver assistance120.0%
- Steering120.0%
- Tires & wheels120.0%
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
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKE LINE CHAFFING AGAINST CAB HOOD HINGE CAUSED BRAKE LINE FAILURE, ALL BRAKE FLUID LEAKED OUT OF MASTER CYLINDER RESULTING IN NO BRAKES
UPON PULLING OUT OF THE CAMP GROUND AND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE BRAKE FAILED TO STOP THE MOTOR HOME. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE ENGAGED TO STOP THE MOTOR HOME. DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE BRAKE LINES UNDER THE MOTOR HOME WERE RUSTED, AND HAD A PIN SIZE HOLE IN IT. THIS WAS NOT DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE MOTOR HOME WAS MOUNTED ON A FORD, E450 SUPER DUTY CHASSIS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 COACHMEN SANTARA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007. THE DEALER ADVISED HIM TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE AND THEY DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART SHOULD ARRIVE WITHIN A WEEK AND THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. IT IS CURRENTLY MARCH OF 2008 AND THE PARTS ARE STILL UNAVAILABLE. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS 05S28. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 03-18-08 *BF
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
MOTORHOME ON FORD E450 CHASSIS FORD VIN # [XXX]. POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE INSTALLED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE EDGE OF THE BRACKET THAT ATTACHES THE STEERING DAMPENER TO THE STEERING CONTROL ARM RUBBED THE HOSE CAUSING IT TO SUDDENLY RUPTURE RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND HYDRA BOOST TO BRAKING SYSTEM. FORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED AS I BACKED THE MOTORHOME OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY RATHER THAN ON THE INTERSTATE OR A MOUNTAIN ROAD. IF THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE INSTALLED IN THIS MANNER THEN FORD MAY HAVE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM BREWING. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. I FEEL THAT RUNNING POWERSTEERING AND BRAKE BOOST OFF THE SAME HYDRAULIC PUMP IS DANGEROUS. A HOSE , BELT OR PUMP FAILURE CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND BRAKES AT THE SAME TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
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
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE FRONT LEFT TIRE BLEW OUT. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE REAR RIGHT INSIDE TIRE. ON BOTH TIRES THE SIDEWALL RUPTURED, CAUSING THE BLOW OUT. *AK *JB
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 .