2008 Dutchmen Denali 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 2008 Dutchmen Denali, 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
- Suspension266.7%
- Powertrain (other)133.3%
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
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
AFTER PARKING THE TRAILER, I OBSERVED THE REAR AXLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE U BOLTS SECURING THE AXLES TO THE LEAF SPRINGS WERE LOOSE. ONE NUT WAS COMPLETELY MISSING. WE HAD JUST TRAVELED 400+ MILES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT WAS MERE LUCK THAT THE AXLES DID NOT FAIL ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING INJURY AND DEATH. I SAW NO SIGN OF THREAD LOCKING COMPOUND ON ANY OF THE COMPONENTS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DUTCHMEN DENALI TRAILER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE U BOLTS ON THE REAR AXLE, LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE CAMPER, BECAME LOOSE. THE AXLE TWISTED SIDEWAYS, WHICH CAUSED THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TO BLOW OUT. THE CONTACT GOT UNDERNEATH THE CAMPER AND NOTICED THAT ALL OF THE U BOLTS WERE LOOSE. IF THE BOLTS HAD BROKEN OFF, A LOT MORE DAMAGE COULD HAVE OCCURRED. HE MANAGED TO TIGHTEN ALL OF THE U BOLTS AND DID NOT NEED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT PLACING THE BOLTS ON CORRECTLY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 400. UPDATED 5/26/09 *CN THE U-BOLTS ON BOTH AXLES WERE N EVER TIGHTENED TO FACTORY SPECS. THE CONSUMER HAD THE REAR AXLE AND LEAF SPRINGS REPLACED AS WELL AS THE TIGHTENING OF THE U-BOLTS ON THE FRONT AXLE. UPDATED 05/28/09.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DUTCHMEN DENALI TRAILER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE U BOLTS ON THE REAR AXLE, LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE CAMPER, BECAME LOOSE. THE AXLE TWISTED SIDEWAYS, WHICH CAUSED THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TO BLOW OUT. THE CONTACT GOT UNDERNEATH THE CAMPER AND NOTICED THAT ALL OF THE U BOLTS WERE LOOSE. IF THE BOLTS HAD BROKEN OFF, A LOT MORE DAMAGE COULD HAVE OCCURRED. HE MANAGED TO TIGHTEN ALL OF THE U BOLTS AND DID NOT NEED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT PLACING THE BOLTS ON CORRECTLY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 400. UPDATED 5/26/09 *CN THE U-BOLTS ON BOTH AXLES WERE N EVER TIGHTENED TO FACTORY SPECS. THE CONSUMER HAD THE REAR AXLE AND LEAF SPRINGS REPLACED AS WELL AS THE TIGHTENING OF THE U-BOLTS ON THE FRONT AXLE. UPDATED 05/28/09.*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 .