2019 Newmar Mountain Aire

My motorhome is currently in a Freighliner shop to replace the 2nd defective DEF head in less than 19,000 miles since New. The defective DEF head causes a derate of power and total shut down and can leave you stranded on the highway or coming down a mountain pass with no power defeating the air compressor therefore no air brakes with a 45 foot, 58,000 GVW vehicle. In my case I was able to get off the highway before total shutdown only because I was aware of the built in shutdown design of the emissions system.

NHTSA ID

11425599

Incident

Jul 14, 2021

THE ON-GUARD SYSTEM WILL ACTIVATE ON GHOSTS AND FREQUENTLY DOES NOT RELEASE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN-MOTION. IT CAN BE ACTIVATED BY GUARD RAILS ALONG HIGHWAY, BRIDGE BUTTRESSES, CONCRETE BARRIERS, VEHICLES THAT ARE PULLED OFF THE ROAD. ONCE ACTIVATED THE SYSTEM MAY KEEP APPLYING THE BRAKES UNTIL YOU HAVE ALMOST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. TWICE WHEN RUNNING ON A INTERSTATE, I HAVE HAD TO PULL OFF ON THE SHOULDER TO AVOID BE REAR ENDED BY A BIG TRUCK, 80,000# TRACTOR TRAILER. IT HAS BEEN TO SERVICE CENTERS MULTIPLE TIMES AND THE ISSUE REMAINS. I ASKED TO HAVE IT UNPLUGGED AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE.

NHTSA ID

11383087

Incident

Jun 12, 2019

Mileage

5,000 mi

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRIGHTNESS CANNOT BE ADJUSTED, CAUSING GLARE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER IT IS IN-MOTION OR STATIONARY. AS SUCH, THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 101, "CONTROL AND DISPLAYS." THE ONLY WAY I CAN DRIVE AT NIGHT IS TO COVER THE GLASS DISPLAY SO THAT I DO NOT GET THE GLARE REFLECTING FROM THE SIDE WINDOWS AND WINDSHIELD. WHEN THE GLASS DASH IS COVERED YOU LOSE CRITICAL INFORMATION INCLUDING VEHICLE SPEED. THE GLARE OBSCURES SEEING OUT THE WINDSHIELD, SIDE WINDOWS, OR MIRRORS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY AND LIMITS OPERATION TO DAYTIME ONLY.

NHTSA ID

11383084

Incident

Apr 19, 2019

Mileage

3,000 mi

ON JUNE 4TH AT 11:16 AM, TRAVELING WEST BOUND ON I-40 AT 70 MPH MY BRAKES WERE SLAMMED ON MOMENTARILY AND ABILITY TO ACCELERATE WAS CANCELLED FOR A FEW SECONDS. THERE WAS NOTHING IN FRONT OF ME EXCEPT FOR THE OVER PASS FOR PETRIFIED FOREST NP. BIG RIG TRUCKER WAS JUST BEGINNING TO CHANGE LANES AND PASS ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED. TRUCKER WAS CHALLENGED IN HIS EFFORTS TO AVOID REAR ENDING ME AND HE WAS OBVIOUSLY FURIOUS WITH ME AS HE PASSED ME. THIS WAS THE 5TH TIME THE COACH HAS FALSE ALARMED IN ABOUT 7,000 MILES. ZF WABCO, ON GUARD CMS IS THE REASON FOR THIS NEAR MISS AND THEY ARE NOW TELLING ME THE SYSTEM IS OPERATING AS EXPECTED. DURING A CONF. CALL THEY CLAIM THEY CAN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAFFIC BEHIND ME. CMS HAS BEEN CHECKED BY MASSEY DIESEL, NEWMAR MFG, AND SPARTAN MOTORS. SPARTAN CONFIRMED THE RADAR HEAD WAS PROPERLY ALIGNED AND SECURE AND UPLOADED THE MOST RECENT SOFTWARE. SYSTEM IS STILL MALFUNCTIONING. I KNOW THERE ARE AT LEAST 6 OTHER COACH OWNERS HAVING THE SAME MALFUNCTION. THESE EVENTS ARE TERRIFYING.

NHTSA ID

11339919

Incident

Jun 4, 2020

Mileage

10,000 mi

Newmar Corporation has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in specific motorhomes built on Freightliner and Ford Chassis. On certain Newmar Class A motorhomes, the wiring under the seats may be incorrectly secured, which may lead to a pinched wire in the seat/slide adjustment mechanism.

The Shyft Group Inc. (Spartan Chassis) has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in specific motorhomes built on Spartan chassis (NHTSA #21V 589). In response, Newmar Corporation is issuing recall NHTSA # 21V 700 and TC # 2021-551. On certain motorhomes, under certain conditions, the instrument cluster may intermittently go blank for a brief period of time while the vehicle is in motion. Gauge data or indicators may appear to be delayed or slow to update prior to the instrument cluster going blank. Without the instrument cluster displaying important information such as the vehicle's speed, there may be an increased risk of a crash.

Newmar Corporation has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in specific motorhomes. Lippert (Newmar’s window supplier) is recalling Hehr 6400 series window vents (Lippert recall 21E 047) built between 10/01/2018 and 08/13/2020, which were used on various coach models during the affected period. The adhesive that bonds the vented portion of the window may fail. Adhesive failure may cause the vent portion of the window to detach, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Daimler Trucks North America has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in specific motorhomes built on Freightliner chassis (NHTSA #21V 326) based on Cummins recall (NHTSA # 21E 032). In response, Newmar Corporation is issuing recall NHTSA # 21V 506 and TC # 2021-427. On certain motorhomes, as described in Cummins recall 21E-032, the fuel rail assembly on the engine may develop leaks, which may result in an undetected prolonged diesel fuel spray. A leak involving spraying/misting fuel in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

The Shyft Group Inc. (Spartan Chassis) has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in specific motorhomes built on Spartan chassis (NHTSA #21V 319) based on Cummins recall (NHTSA # 21E 032). In response, Newmar Corporation is issuing recall NHTSA # 21V 372 and TC # 2021-303. On certain motorhomes, as described in Cummins recall 21E-032, the fuel rail assembly on the engine may develop leaks, which may result in an undetected prolonged diesel fuel spray. A leak involving spraying/misting fuel in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

Daimler Trucks North America LLC, has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in specific motorhomes built on Freightliner chassis (NHTSA # 20V 485). In response, Newmar Corporation is issuing NHTSA Recall # 20V 509, TC # 2020-393.