2017 Jayco Precept Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2017 Jayco Precept built on a 2016 Ford Motorhome Chassis. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, there was smoke coming from the rear of the RV. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway and stopped the RV. The RV was towed to the local repair center, where it was diagnosed and determined that hydraulic fluid had leaked onto the exhaust pipes, causing the smoke. The contact was informed that several support welds had fractured and caused the hydraulic fluid lines to fail and leak hydraulic fluid. Additionally, the mechanic informed the contact that several support welds located at the rear of the RV had sheared off, causing the body of the RV to lower. The RV was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 29,000.

NHTSA ID

11678183

Incident

Jul 26, 2025

Mileage

29,000 mi

I recently purchased a used Jayco Precept 31 UL motorhome that is on a Ford F53 chassis. After the purchase I found that the vehicle handled very dangerously when being passed by a large trucks, or when there were crosswinds or medium strength winds. The problem was bad enough the I narrowly avoided accidents caused by being pushed around by passing 18 wheel trucks or crosswinds, or both. After doing some research on this vehicle, and others on the Ford F53 chassis I found that these handling issues are the number one problem with these units. I subsequently had to invest over $6K to correct these handling problems as they were the result of the ineffective stock suspension configuration from the factory. I had to install a steering stabilizer (Safe-T-Plus), a rear track bar (SuperSteer), front radius rods (SuperSteer), new special damping shocks (Koni FSD shocks) and an adjustable drag link (unsure of the manufacturer). All these modifications collectively changed the handling of the RV from a huge safety hazard to a well heeled and safe handling vehicle. These changes should have been included as standard safety equipment directly from the factory. It is incomprehensible to me that a vehicle of this size should be allowed to be leave the factory and be on the road with such dangerous handling issues. If you do the research you will find many owners of these units who struggle with the same issues and who have had many near misses or accidents on the road as a result. Recreation Vehicles built on the Ford F53 chassis need to be highly regulated and inspected to ensure that they leave the factory with the safest configuration of suspension, chassis and steering equipment available. These vehicles should all be placed under a recall to have the manufacturer(s) install, at their expense, the handling modification I outlined above.

NHTSA ID

11446611

Incident

Jan 7, 2022

I purchased a 2017 Jayco Precept 36T on 9/16/2017 and have had issues with it, most that have been handled by Jayco, including a slideout. However, the Windshield Wipers have been a problem for the last 3 years that I have owned it. The Driver's Side Wiper, when being operated, goes too far to the side and goes off the vehicle, flopping off to the side. Camping World has tried to repair it several times, supposedly with Jayco's help, and has failed every time. Open Roads tried to repair it and failed on their first attempt. I am taking it back to them and verifying that they contact Jayco for help in repairing it correctly.

NHTSA ID

11422875

Incident

Jul 1, 2019

The exhaust is melting the rear wheel liner and damaging the rear wheel

NHTSA ID

11420963

Incident

May 19, 2021

DRIVERS WINDSHIELD WIPER FLOPS ALL THE WAY TO THE FAR LEFT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND PAST THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD, CATCHING AND MARRING THE WINDOW AND FLIPPING THE WIPER ARM MAKING IT USELESS. CANNOT USE THE WIPER.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11386598

Incident

Dec 31, 2020

Mileage

15,750 mi

TL *THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 JAYCO PRECEPT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN USE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS HEATED UP TO AN EXTENT WHERE A PLASTIC STORAGE BIN ABOVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER STARTED TO MELT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ODOR OF MELTED PLASTIC WHICH ALERTED HIM TO THE ISSUE. RICHARDSON'S RV CENTER LOCATED AT 26776 ENCANTO DR, SUN CITY, CA 92585, (866)864-9810 WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE RV WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED VIA EMAIL AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000. *DT*JB VIN NOT AVAILABLE. CONSUMER STATED THE LATEST IS PART OF THE OVERHEATING MAY BE DUE TO THE SOCK ON THE AIR INTAKE. IT WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE USED ON THE INTAKE WHEN THE COMPLETED FRAME WAS SITTING OUTSIDE, WAITING FOR THE BUILD. IT WAS ON THERE TO KEEP THE BUGS, BIRDS AND CRITTERS OUT. NOT SURE OF THE TRUTH ON THIS, BUT I REMOVED THE YELLOW INTAKE SOCK OFF OF MY MOTORHOME INTAKE TODAY.*JB *DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11242053

Incident

Aug 5, 2019

Mileage

12,000 mi

WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED'WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON HIGH SPEED, THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER BLADE AN ARM LIFT AWAY FROM THE WINDSHIELD, SLAMMING BACK DOWN WHEN IT REACHES THE FAR LEFT END OF ITS TRAVEL. THE WIPER ARM LIFTING FROM THE WINDSHIELD RESULTS IN RESTRICTED VISIBILITY AS THERE IS NO CLEARING OF THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID

11133083

Incident

Aug 18, 2018

Mileage

3,900 mi