Upon attempting to leave campground at approximately 10am on April 19, 2025, unplugged electrical from RV and switched over to gas. The Norcold refrigerator caught fire within minutes of the switch over (apparently in the amount of time it took the gas to travel from the tanks to the fridge). Fortunately, I was able to disconnect the gas hoses from the tanks immediately upon noticing the flames and we were able to douse the fire with extinguishers. However, the RV has suffered some damage to the vents, and the fridge is fried. There was also a strong stench of ammonia, and we evacuated the area momentarily until it dissipated. I have made multiple attempts to include emails and completing online forms through Norcold / Thetford (as they cannot be reached directly via telephone) and they have yet to respond, and it has been 3 1/2 weeks! I do not feel that I should have to file a claim with my RV insurance carrier, pay deductibles, and have my premiums raised due to a defect. I purchased this RV on 9/15/2021 and have never received any recall information and only discovered there had been recalls on Norcold Polar Max refrigerators after entering a google search. If we had been asleep, the chances of having fatal injuries due to this defect would have been high. If we had been traveling, the risks of losing the entire rig, vehicle, our lives, and the lives of others on the highway would have been much higher. Any help in getting this immediately resolved will be greatly appreciated as we have had to cancel any future use of the rig until a resolution has been concluded with the manufacturer of the refrigerator. There were witnesses to this incident in the campground and I have contact information, if needed.
- NHTSA ID
- 11660348
- Incident
- Apr 19, 2025