2019 Newmar Dutch Star Exterior lighting Problems

The Freightliner chassis under this motorhome uses a Power Distribution Module (PDM) that is a fuse panel "block" that powers several coach items, from taillights, brake lights, engine cooling, air conditioning and several other components. The PDM intermittently fails as it can't support the amount of power it must distribute without overheating and shutting off several components as you drive. Especially dangerous is the lost of rear brake and taillights. The PDM was recalled by Freightliner and was replaced with the same item. I'm only guessing that they thought they had a bad batch and replacing it with another would solve the issue. The replacements failed and they recalled the product again. This time, they left the failed PDM in place and removed several circuits from the unit and ran them outside of the PDM with their own fuses. Again, I think the idea was to reduce how much amperage the unit had to handle. This bypass repair is still failing on some coaches, and Freightliner is refusing to cover the repair under the initial recall.

NHTSA ID

11620605

Incident

Oct 18, 2021

MY VEHICLE IS BUILD ON A FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS AND HAS AN OPTIVIEW DIGITAL DASH. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE DASH DISPLAY LIGHTS CANNOT BE DIMMED.

NHTSA ID

11355180

Incident

Aug 30, 2018

Mileage

300 mi

LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL WAY TO BRIGHT AT NIGHT..I HAVE TO COVER TO SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT DUE TO THE GLARE. HEAD LIGHTS PUT OUT VERY LITTLE LIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

11323519

Incident

May 1, 2020

I HAVE A 2019 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR DIESEL POWERED MOTOR HOME ON A FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS. IN 2019, THEY WENT TO A DIGITAL DASH. THE DASH DOES NOT DIM DOWN LOW ENOUGH AT NIGHT, WHILE DRIVING. CONSEQUENTLY IT CAN BE BLINDING. SOME HAVE HAD TO BUY A TINTED PANEL TO REDUCE THE BRIGHTNESS WHILE OTHERS ARE COVERING IT WITH A TOWEL. I'VE SUBMITTED A PHOTO OF THE ACTUAL DASH, BUT I DO NOT HAVE ONE SHOWING IT AT NIGHT, AS THE VEHICLE IS IN STORAGE.

NHTSA ID

11322249

Incident

Nov 6, 2019

THE INSTRUMENT LIGHT PANEL (OPTIVIEW) DOES NOT DIM ENOUGH AND IS TOO BRIGHT AT NIGHT MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. ON A DARK RAINY NIGHT THE GLARE FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAKES FOR DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. MY COMPLAINT TO NEWMAR IN APRIL 2019 WAS DEFERRED TO FREIGHTLINER. NOVEMBER OF 2019 FREIGHTLINER SENT TWO TECHNICIANS TO MY HOME WHO SPENT A COUPLE OF HOURS DIAGNOSING AND TAKING PICTURES OF THE PROBLEM. THEY CONCLUDED THE BRIGHTNESS LEVEL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DID DIM IN RESPONSE TO THE SWITCH BUT MAY NOT BE CALIBRATED CORRECTLY. THEY CONCLUDED THAT PROBLEM WAS WITH THE SOFTWARE FROM THE OPTIVIEW VENDOR AND THAT THEY WOULD RESEARCH A SOFTWARE UPDATE WITH THEM AND GET BACK TO ME. THEY NEVER GOT BACK TO ME, WOULD NOT RETURN MY CALLS AND SUBSEQUENT COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE BRIGHTNESS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN OFF AS " THIS IS NORMAL". MY SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN TO AVOID NIGHT DRIVING AND WHEN I MUST DRIVE AT NIGHT I COVER THE PANEL WITH A PAPER TOWEL OR SUN SCREEN. I BELIEVE A SIMPLE SOFTWARE UPDATE WOULD ALLEVIATE THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

11321477

Incident

Dec 8, 2018

THE FREIGHTLINER OPTIVIEW INSTRUMENT PANEL ON THIS VEHICLE IS BLINDING WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND WILL NOT DIM DOWN TO A SATISFACTORY LEVEL TO SEE OUT. EVEN WHEN ADJUSTING THE DIM SWITCH ALL THE WAY TO THE LOWEST SETTING, THE GLARE IS SUCH YOU ARE UNABLE TO SEE OUT TO DRIVE SAFELY. LIGHT COMING OFF DASH IS BLINDING YOU! THE ONLY WAY YOU ARE ABLE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT IS COVER THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WITH MULTIPLE SHEETS OF PAPER TO DIM THE GLARE. FREIGHTLINER NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND MAKE THE DASH ABLE TO DIM DOWN TO AN ACCEPTABLE VIEWING LEVEL. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I DROVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT AND WILL BE THE LAST UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. IT IS NOT SAFE.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11206966

Incident

Apr 15, 2019

Mileage

1,000 mi

THE DIGITAL DASH IN MY MOTORHOME IS TOO BRIGHT AT NIGHT. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DIM THE PANEL SUFFICIENTLY TO REDUCE GLARE AND REFLECTION FROM THE DASHBOARD ONTO THE WINDSHIELD AND SIDE WINDOWS. THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL SAFETY HAZARD AS IT PREVENTS BEING ABLE TO SEE ADEQUATELY OUTSIDE THE RV AT DUSK AND AT NIGHT. THIS AFFECTS LANE CHANGES, THE ABILITY TO SEE THE MIRRORS WHILE BACKING AND OTHER OPERATIONAL FACETS. EVEN WHILE STANDING STILL THE VISIBILITY TO OUTSIDE IS POOR. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHOULD BE ABLE TO DIM ALL THE WAY TO DARK OR AT LEAST VERY CLOSE TO DARK. THE DISTRACTION FROM THE BRIGHT LIGHT WILL EVENTUALLY BE A PRIMARY COLLISION FACTOR OR BE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO A COLLISION. CONSIDERING THIS IS A 51,000 POUND VEHICLE WITH GCWR RATING OF 66,000 POUNDS, THE CONSEQUENCES OF A COLLISION DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY FROM THE BRIGHT DASH COULD BE EXTREMELY SEVERE.

NHTSA ID

11155746

Incident

Oct 4, 2018

Mileage

800 mi

THE DIGITAL DASH IS TOO BRIGHT FOR NIGHT TIME DRIVING. THE SCREEN HAS THE ABILITY TO BE LOWERED, BUT EVEN AT ITS LOWEST SETTING, IT IS FAR TOO BRIGHT. IT CAUSES LOSS OF NIGHT VISION, AND THE INABILITY TO SAFELY DRIVE. THE ONLY CORRECTION THAT CAN BE MADE IS TO COVER THE SCREEN, LOSING ALL ABILITY TO SEE IMPORTANT GAUGES.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11155595

Incident

Nov 16, 2018

Mileage

2,200 mi