2015 Shasta Airflyte Problems

The entire front panel of my Shasta Airflyte travel trailer is separating from the pine bracing where the dinette is, creating a 2” gap at the floor where rodents and water could get in. It appears the screws meant to attach the panel to the bracing are sheared off or improperly installed. The separating front panel is resting on the propane tank which could create a safety hazard. I believe there is a technical service bulletin issued from the manufacturer to address this defect, but it should be noted that this is still an ongoing problem. The trailer is available for inspection, but hasn’t yet been seen by a dealer or insurance agent.

The Shasta Airflyte trailer is clad in aluminum metal sheathing called a skin. The metal skins on the doors are held by a rubber spline molding but no screws or fasteners. The trailer door needs a decent amount of force to open/close which creates some flex so the metal skin gets loose and had popped out over the spline in a couple places. I noticed it a couple months ago but shoved it back under the spline as intended, and that seemed to fix it. The spline molding seemed to be in normal working condition, there weren’t obvious signs of wear or failure, I just think it’s a bad design and inadequate manufacturing. While I was driving down the road at maybe 40-50 mph, the bottom aluminum skin on the door ripped clear off and landed on the road. That panel is roughly 24”x30”. The upper panel skin also came loose and was flapping in the wind against the trailer until I was able to make an emergency stop and remove it. This put myself and the drivers around me at risk of flying metal obstructions on the road. I did some research and this problem has happened to other Shasta Airflyte owners but no recall has been made. The door and upper panel are available for inspection. I didn’t file a police report but might make an insurance claim, so it has not yet been inspected. There was no prior warning that the skin was loose and not securely attached. I was not driving in extreme conditions.

THE TONGUE OF OF THE TRAILER IS NOT WELDED PROPERLY TO THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER COMPROMISED THE INTEGRITY OF THE FRAME BY NOTCHING THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER WITHOUT ADDING SUPPORT OR WELDING THE TONGUE IN PLACE WHICH HAS WEAKENED THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE CAUSING INTERNAL DAMAGE AND PLACING THE OWNER AT RISK WHEN TOWING. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD AND MUST BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

THE TONGUE IS NOT PROPERLY WELDED TO THE FRAME CAUSING THE INSIDE BENCH AREA TO COME LOOSE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAMPER.THERE ARE NOTCHES IN THE FRAME WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WELDED TO THE FRAME. IF THIS COMES APART ON THE ROAD IT WILL DETACH FROM THE TONGUE AND WILL CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS CAMPER HAS HAD NUMEROUS RECALLS AND JUST FOUND THIS ONE!

CONCERNED THAT THE CHASSIS, FLOOR AND FRONT WALL MAY HAVE BEEN INCONSISTENTLY FASTENED TOGETHER. TSB: 53-0597 IN PLACE WITH 2 "KITS" RECOMMENDED. WITH RECOMMEND FIX I AM WORRIED ABOUT ALL THE WEIGHT AND TORQUE THAT WOULD BE APPLIED TO A BOLT ON FIX. SHASTA/FOREST RIVER SAID THAT A FLEXING FRAME IS OK AND GAPS ARE NORMAL. CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND SAFETY OF OTHERS WHEN WE TOW. INFORMED OF PROBLEM APPROXIMATELY OCT. 2017. *BF *BF *TR

WE WERE AT THE MERCY OF A DEFECT AXEL ON OUR SHASTA CAMPER UNTIL THE RECALL TOOK PLACE. THANK YOU NHTSA FOR TAKING A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE SAFETY! WE TOOK OUR CAMPER TO OUR DEALER IN OCTOBER 2015 FOR REPAIR AS THE AXEL WAS CREATING ISSUES WITH ROAD HANDLING. IT TOOK ABOUT 6 MONTHS FOR THEM TO COMPLETE THE WARRANTY & RECALL REPAIRS. (I.E. AXEL RECALL) WE INSPECTED OUR TIRES WHEN WE PICKED UP THE CAMPER AND IT APPEARED LOW. THE DEALER AGENT SAID IT WAS OK. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION AFTER LEAVING THE LOCATION WE DISCOVERED THAT THE VALVE STEM IN FACT FAULTY. WE HAD LOW PSI AND WE WERE LOSING AIR DUE TO THE DAMAGE. A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH A SINGLE AXEL CAMPER. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUALITY AND OVERSIGHT OF THE RECALL. WE WERE NOT PROVIDED INFORMATION ON THE NEW AXEL BY THE DEALER (I.E. THE NEW AXEL MANUAL IS NOT SHIPPING OUT) OR WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE/WHAT TO DO VIA THE PETITION (NHTSA). I DISCOVERED FROM THE MANUFACTURER LIPPERT THAT THE AXEL MANUAL HAS IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT CONSUMERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF REGARDING SAFETY INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE NEED OF TOOLS TO TIGHTEN LUG NUTS AT SPECIFIC INTERVALS AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER AND SPECIFIC WAYS TO BREAK. THE TIRE VALVE WAS EITHER FAULTY OR PUSHED IN DURING THE RECALL REPAIR WORK CAUSING A NEW SAFETY ISSUE FOR US. WE CAN'T BE SURE. UNFORTUNATELY THE DEALER KEPT THE CAMPER TO THE DAY THAT THE WARRANTY & EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE INCLUDED WITH THE FIRST YEAR EXPIRED SO I HAD TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR OUT OF POCKET. I AM INCLUDING PICTURES AND DOCUMENTATION FOR YOUR REVIEW. PLEASE KINDLY CONSIDER COMMUNICATING TO THE OWNERS WHAT THE AXEL REPAIR SHOULD LOOK LIKE AND PROVIDE OVERSIGHT TO THE RECALL THAT OWNERS SHOULD RECEIVE PROPER MANUALS/SAFETY DOCUMENTATION RELATED TO THE TIRE RECALL. I AM AWARE OF 2 OTHER SHASTA OWNERS WITH VALVE STEM ISSUES. PICTURES SHOW DAMAGED AND CORRECT STEM. *TR

SEAMS ON THE EXTERIOR HAVE LEAKED ALLOWING WATER TO GET IN FROM DAY ONE. ELECTRICAL IN WALLS IS A POTENTIAL DANGER. SHASTA CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY AND WILL NOT REPAIR ANY WATER DAMAGE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SHASTA AIRFLYTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER OVERHEATED AND CAUSED THE FAILURE IN THE UNIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CABINET WHERE THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WAS LOCATED WAS HOT TO THE TOUCH AFTER THE FAILURE. THE RV WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A SAFETY SWITCH WAS ADDED TO THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT TO PREVENT OVERHEATING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TRAVEL TRAILER EXPERIENCED FAILURES WITH WATER LEAKS COMING FROM THE SHOWER AND TOILET. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LEAKS WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REFRIGERATOR DID NOT COOL PROPERLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENCLOSURE WAS HOT TO THE TOUCH. THE CONTACT MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT ANY PHONE CALLS. THERE WAS NO FAILURE MILEAGE AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SHASTA AIRFLYTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER OVERHEATED AND CAUSED THE FAILURE IN THE UNIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CABINET WHERE THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WAS LOCATED WAS HOT TO THE TOUCH AFTER THE FAILURE. THE RV WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A SAFETY SWITCH WAS ADDED TO THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT TO PREVENT OVERHEATING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TRAVEL TRAILER EXPERIENCED FAILURES WITH WATER LEAKS COMING FROM THE SHOWER AND TOILET. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LEAKS WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REFRIGERATOR DID NOT COOL PROPERLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENCLOSURE WAS HOT TO THE TOUCH. THE CONTACT MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT ANY PHONE CALLS. THERE WAS NO FAILURE MILEAGE AVAILABLE.

SEAMS ON THE EXTERIOR HAVE LEAKED ALLOWING WATER TO GET IN FROM DAY ONE. ELECTRICAL IN WALLS IS A POTENTIAL DANGER. SHASTA CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY AND WILL NOT REPAIR ANY WATER DAMAGE.