2004 Newmar Kountry Star Owner Complaints

BALL JOINTS ON THE SPARTAN CHASSIS SUPPLIED BY TUTHILL ARE DEFECTIVE. THESE COMPANIES ARE AWARE OF THIS. I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 30K MILES ON MY 2004 KOUNTRY STAR DIESEL MOTOR HOME AND ALL UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS(RUBBER CUPS) ARE DEFECTIVE AND SPLITTING. I CONTACTED BOTH SPARTAN AND TUTHILL AND WAS TOLD, THERE ARE ONLY A "HAND" FULL OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THAT I AM NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS ARE SAFETY ISSUE THAT THESE COMPANIES ARE FULLY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAVE ELECTED TO DISREGARD IT. THE DEFECTS ARE NOT NOTICED UNTIL THE WARRANTIES ARE NO LONGER IN EFFECT. MANY RV OWNERS DON'T KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10358764

Incident

Sep 28, 2010

Mileage

30,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NEWMAR KOUNTRY STAR RV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED SMOKE AND FLAMES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE ENGULFED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S STORAGE FACILITY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 38,000. UPDATED 12/02/08. *LJ UPDATED 12/03/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10248621

Incident

May 31, 2008

Mileage

38,000 mi

MY 2004 KOUNTRY STAR HAS A DOMETIC REF RECALL ACCORDING TO MODEL AND SERIAL #. NEWMAR SAID MY 04 WAS NOT AFFECTED. THE NEWMAR RECALL NHSTA ID 07V075000 IS ONLY FOR 1997-2003. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE BECAUSE MY MODEL IS A 2004.

NHTSA ID

10185937

Incident

Mar 22, 2007

2004 NEWMAR KOUNTRY STAR IS NOT LISTED UNDER THE NHSTA RECALL #03V-488. I HAVE TRIED TO OBTAIN THE RECALL RECORDS FROM NEWMAR, AND THE DEALER SINCE THE MH WAS ALREADY AT A DEALERSHIP WHEN NOTIFICATION WERE SUPPOSED TO BE SENT OUT. BUT I AM GETTING CONFLICTING INFO CONCERNING THE RECALL RECORDS, SINCE THERE IS NO RECORD THAT THE NOTICES WERE SENT OUT. FINALLY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CORRECTED THE RECALL AT NO COST TO ME ON 02/06. BUT I AM HAVING ADDITONAL PROBLEMS WHICH I BELIEVE IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE RECALL AND THEREFORE MY MH REMAINS IN THE SAME UNSAFE CONDITION AS WHEN THE RECALL WAS MADE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10185851

Incident

May 7, 2005

MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT TO ODI # 10126325, I DID NOT KNOW THAT A NHTSA SAFETY RECALL # 03V-488 HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR MY MOTORHOME. I CONTACTED NEWMAR IN MAY, 2005 THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY MOTORHOME AS EXPLAINED IN PREVIOUS COMPLAINT. ALTHOUGH, I HAVE HAD MY MOTORHOME CHECKED REPEATEDLY, NO ONE EVER CHECKED TO DETERMINE IF THE RECALL HAD BEEN DONE. I HAVE NO STICKERS ON MY MOTORHOME THAT WOULD SHOW THAT THE WORK HAD BEEN DONE. BUT THE PAPERWORK FROM FREIGHTLINER SAYS THAT THE WORK HAD BEEN DONE. A MECHANIC IN DEL RIO TEXAS, SHOWED ME THE STEERING STOP BOLTS WERE MISSING THE NODULE AND WERE HITTING THE AXLE AND THE STEERING WAS DECREASED. I UNDERSTAND THIS IN RETURN EFFECTS THE STEERING GEAR BOX. ALSO OTHER STEERING COMPONENTS CAN BE EFFECTED. I BELIEVE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE RECALLED WAS 12/03 AND WAS SUPPOSE TO BE CORRECTED 01/04 BEFORE THE MOTORHOME WAS SOLD IN FLORIDA TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I SPOKE WITH NEWMAR CUSTOMER RELATIONS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE RECALL. SINCE I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH RECALL PROCEDURE, I DO NOT KNOW WHO THE RECALL WOULD GO TO IF THE MOTORHOME WAS SETTING ON THE LOT OF INDEPENDENCE RV DEALER IN FLORIDA. *NM

NHTSA ID

10155286

Incident

May 6, 2005

RECREATIONAL VEHICLE'S REAR SEATS ARE NOT PROPERLY ATTACHED TO THE CHASSIS. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT IN AN EVENT OF A COLLISION OR ROLL OVER THE SEATS WOULD NOT STAY IN POSITION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10089998

Incident

Aug 29, 2004

Mileage

1,700 mi