RoadVitals

2011 Damon Avanti

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2
Latest Nov 12, 2015
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Nov 10, 2015
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Damon Avanti, most frequently naming the brakes and electrical categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes150.0%
  • Electrical150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER

Nov 10, 2015
12,656 units potentially affected
The defect: Thor Motor Coach (Thor) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Thor Challenger, Thor Citation, Thor Hurricane, Thor Tuscany, Thor Windsport, 2011-2012 Thor Astoria, Thor Avanti, Thor Chateau, 2011-2014 Thor Daybreak, 2011-2015 Thor Outlaw, Thor Siesta, 2014-2015 Thor Miramar, 2012 Thor Four Winds, 2008-2011 Damon Astoria, Damon Daybreak, Damon Outlaw, Damon Tuscany, 2008-2012, Damon Challenger, 2008-2010 Damon Essence, 2009-2011 Damon Avanti, Four Winds Chateau, Four Winds Citation, Four Winds Four Winds, Four Winds Hurricane, Four Winds Siesta, Four Winds Windsport, 2009-2010 Four Winds Dorado, Four Winds Dutchmen, Four Winds Magellan, Four Winds Mandalay and 2009 Four Winds Fun Mover, and Four Winds Presidio motorhomes. The affected vehicles are equipped with certain Lippert-brand Coachstep Double and Triple Electric Steps. These steps use a bolt to attach the fan gear assembly to the steps. This bolt may fracture allowing the fan gear to disengage from the steps. As a result, the steps may not remain in the expected position and may be unstable.
The risk: Unstable entry and exit steps increase the risk of injury.
The remedy: Thor will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer bracket to reinforce the operating mechanism and replace all of the affected bolts, free of charge. The recall began on January 6, 2016. Owners may contact Thor customer service at 1-877-855-2867. Thor's number for this recall is RC000111.
Thor Motor CoachManufacturer number RC000111View on NHTSA.gov

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

Apr 21, 2011
68 units potentially affected
The defect: THOR MOTOR COACH (TMC) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 OUTLAW AND MODEL YEAR 2011 AVANTI MOTOR HOMES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 2007, THROUGH NOVEMBER 2010. THE STOP LAMPS MAY BE INTERMITTENT DURING LIGHT BRAKE APPLICATIONS.
The risk: THE STOP LAMPS MAY NOT PROPERLY INDICATE THAT THE SERVICE BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHICH MAY LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The remedy: TMC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY DAMILER TRUCKS (DTNA) DEALERSHIPS FREE OF CHARGE. (SEE DTNA'S RECALL CAMPAIGN 10V-178.) NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS BY DTNA IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DTNA AT 1-800-547-0712.
THOR MOTOR COACHView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Brakes
Filed Nov 12, 2015

SEE NHTSA RECALL11V-248 EXTERIOR LIGHTING, TAIL LIGHTS. THIS RECALL WAS FOR 2011 DAMON AVANTI ON FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS (DAIMLER TRUCKS); HOWEVER, 2011 DAMON AVANTI MOTORHOMES WERE ALSO BUILT ON WORKHORSE CHASSIS (NAVISTAR). MY MOTORHOME HAS BEEN HAVING THE SAME TAIL LIGHT PROBLEMS (FRIENDS TRAVELING BEHIND STATING MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING). WHILE TRAVELING IN CANADA LAST YEAR, AFTER I WAS TOLD THEY WERE NOT WORKING I CONTACTED THOR MOTOR COACH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND A REP TOLD ME TO TURN A NUT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL; I DID THIS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON BUT ALSO THE AMBER LIGHTS. THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE CONTINUED TO NOT WORK INTERMITTENTLY (AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY ARE NOT WORKING). THOR MOTOR COACH CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT HELP.

NHTSA ID
10789908
Incident
Nov 10, 2015
Mileage
2,500 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 2, 2014

THE MOTOR COACH JACK LEVELING SYSTEM ACTIVATED ITSELF AS I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY 94 IN WISCONSIN. THE SYSTEM WAS NOT ACTIVATED BY ANYONE. THIS SYSTEM ACTIVATED AND BECAUSE OF THE ALARM, THE FLASHING LIGHTS, I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO FEAR. THIS JACK LEVELING SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH IT. HAVING SAID THAT, I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE AS I CANNOT TRUST THAT THE LEVELING SYSTEM WILL NOT ACTIVATE ITSELF AGAIN, AND MAYBE THIS TIME THE JACKS WILL DROP AND STRIKE THE ROAD SURFACE AND CAUSE ME TO LOSE STEERING AND BRAKING CONTROL. I HAVE ASKED THE MANUFACTURER FOR ASSISTANCE ONLY TO BE TOLD TI TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER'S NAME IS LIPPERT CONTROLS INC. THE NAME OF THE JACK LEVELING SYSTEM THE "ULTRA LEVEL SYSTEM". *TR

NHTSA ID
10641025
Incident
Aug 15, 2014
Mileage
30,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

LTR 110317

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This letter stated that there was one (1) Service Notification issued for the month of October, 2017.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Damon Avanti by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2011Viewing220
2010010
2009210

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.