RoadVitals

2003 Newmar Dutch Star Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

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.
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Latest Nov 4, 2018
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
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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.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2003 Newmar Dutch Star, 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

  • Electrical120.0%
  • Engine120.0%
  • Other / unspecified120.0%
  • Steering120.0%
  • Suspension120.0%

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

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THIS FALL AS IN PAST FALLS I PLACED MY MOTOR COACH IN WINTER STORAGE. AT THAT TIME I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE BATTERIES AS WELL AS THE HOUSE BATTERIES. APPROXIMATELY FOUR WEEKS LATER DEC 6TH 2015 I WAS CALLED BY AN OBSERVER THAT MY LEFT SUPER SLIDE WAS EXTENDING AND RETRACTING ALL BY ITSELF. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE COACH IT WAS OVERWHELMING TO SEE THAT THE SLIDE EVEN THOUGH THERE NO POWER BEING SUPPLIED TO IT HAS ATTEMPTING TO GO IN AND OUT BENDING THE HEAVY STEEL LOCK LITERALLY IN TWO. I CALLED NEWMAR CORP AND THEY ADVISED ME TO TAKE MY COACH TO A US AUTHORIZED DEALER IN MOUNT CLEMENTS MIC WHICH WAS LITERALLY 500 MILES CLOSER THAN MY CDN DEALER. AFTER WEEK THE THE DEALER RV GENERAL CALLED ME TO INFORM ME MY COACH HAD BEEN REPAIRED.I PICKED UP THE COACH AND PAID THE INVOICE OF $775.00 IN US CURRENCY. ON DEC 27 2015 I HEADED OFF TO FLORIDA, MY FIRST AND SECOND NIGHT ON THE ROAD THE SIDE DID NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. ON DEC 229TH 2015 I WAS ON I 95 SOUTH BOUND NEAR THE ORANGE FLORIDA CUT OFF WHEN THE SLIDE DEPLOYED ITSELF AS WE DROVE DOWN THE FREE WAY. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND TAKE THE EXIT THERE WITH A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFICULTY. I DISCONNECTED THE FUSES AND HAND CRANKED IN THE SLIDE AND WENT TO MY DESTINATION. I CONTACT NEWMAR AND THEY WERE QUICK TO POINT OUT YET AGAIN THIS ISSUE IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. TO WHICH HAS SHOCKED ME NOW THREE TIMES, AS MY CONCERNS WAS THE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT THIS COULD PRESENT INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF LIFE. I WAS ALSO SURPRISED THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH NEWMAR AS THERE ARE NUMEROUS BLOGS ON THE NET ABOUT IT. I TRIED TO RESOLVE THIS WITH NEWMAR BUT THEY SIMPLY KEPT REFERRING TO WARRANTY AND NOT SAFETY. THUS I SUBMIT THIS COMPLAINT.

NHTSA ID 10819363 · filed Jan 11, 2016

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE VALVE ATTACHED TO THE COOLING SYSTEM LEAKED WATER. THE PART WAS CAMOUFLAGED WITH BUBBLE GUM. *JB

NHTSA ID 10011834 · filed Mar 14, 2003

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Other / unspecified

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

OUR DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR FOR OUR RV MODEL#NDR1062 S/N24200040 LEAKED ALL OF ITS COOLANT FROM A FAILURE IN THE COOLING TUBES AND DOMETIC REFUSES TO REPAIR THE LEAK - DID NOT ADMIT ON PHONE THAT THERE WAS ANY FATIGUE IN THE WELD AND NOW WE FIND THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS REFRIGERATOR DUE TO WELD FATIGUE BUT THEY FAIL TO REPAIR OUR REFRIGERATOR AT THEIR COST. *TR

NHTSA ID 10236928 · filed Aug 4, 2008

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

I WAS BACKING MY COACH AND TRAILER UP WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP. I STOPPED TO INSPECT OVERHEAD BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HIT A LIMB. FINDING NO DAMAGE I GOT BACK IN AND WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL IT FREESPUN AND I HAD NO STEERING. I LOOKED UNDERNEATH TO SEE THE DRAG LINK DANGLING FROM THE STEERING BOX AND DISCOVERED A BROKEN CASTING. THE CASTING THAT BROKE IS CALLED THE BELL CRANK. IN MY CASE IT WAS THE FRONT LOBE THAT BROKE. THE PART THAT ATTACHES THE DRAG LINK TO THE STEERING BOX LEAVING ME WITH A STEERING WHEEL THAT JUST SPUN AROUND AND NO CONNECTION TO THE ACTUAL STEERING CONTROLS. THANKFULLY WE WERE IN A PARKING LOT WHEN IT HAPPENED. 10 MINUTES EARLIER AND WE WOULD'VE BEEN ON A MOUNTAIN INTERSTATE WITH NO CONTROL. THIS IS NOT THE SAME COMPONENT THAT IS LISTED IN THE RECALL. WHEN I SPOKE TO SPARTAN THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER ENCOUNTERED ANYTHING LIKE IT.

NHTSA ID 11145237 · filed Nov 4, 2018

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

I WAS BACKING MY COACH AND TRAILER UP WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP. I STOPPED TO INSPECT OVERHEAD BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HIT A LIMB. FINDING NO DAMAGE I GOT BACK IN AND WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL IT FREESPUN AND I HAD NO STEERING. I LOOKED UNDERNEATH TO SEE THE DRAG LINK DANGLING FROM THE STEERING BOX AND DISCOVERED A BROKEN CASTING. THE CASTING THAT BROKE IS CALLED THE BELL CRANK. IN MY CASE IT WAS THE FRONT LOBE THAT BROKE. THE PART THAT ATTACHES THE DRAG LINK TO THE STEERING BOX LEAVING ME WITH A STEERING WHEEL THAT JUST SPUN AROUND AND NO CONNECTION TO THE ACTUAL STEERING CONTROLS. THANKFULLY WE WERE IN A PARKING LOT WHEN IT HAPPENED. 10 MINUTES EARLIER AND WE WOULD'VE BEEN ON A MOUNTAIN INTERSTATE WITH NO CONTROL. THIS IS NOT THE SAME COMPONENT THAT IS LISTED IN THE RECALL. WHEN I SPOKE TO SPARTAN THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER ENCOUNTERED ANYTHING LIKE IT.

NHTSA ID 11145237 · filed Nov 4, 2018

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

Data on this page last refreshed .