2008 Tiffin Phaeton

Based on two Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) alleging windshield wiper failures at the pivot assembly on Phaeton model Motorhomes, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE).During the investigation Tiffin made ODI aware of 66 warranty claims for wiper failures and also informed ODI of a design change to the wiper motor. Based on the VOQ received by ODI, the vehicles subject to this investigation were 2008 MY Tiffin Phaeton Motorhomes.During the investigation Tiffin identified additional models that used the same subject windshield wiper components.The additional models include 2007-2011 MY Allegro, Allegro Bus, Phaeton, and Zephyr, 2007-2010 MY Allegro Bay and 2010-2011 MY Allegro Breeze motorhomes.As part of the investigation, fleet operators, professional drivers, law enforcement personal, engineers from the Vehicle Research Test Center and complainants were interviewed.ODI leveraged these interviews to demonstrate that the wiper failures represented a safety defect.Tiffin concurred and during the PE process decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall (16V-532).Tiffin found that if the windshield wiper arms break, the driver's visibility may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.The Tiffin recall was received prior to the required response date of an Information Request (IR) letter ODI had sent them.As a result, there is no manufacturer IR response on record.This investigation is closed with Safety Recall (16V-532).The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID using the following complaint identification numbers: 10522553, 10478772.

During annual maintenance of subject vehicle it was noted that the passenger side rear (behind rear axle) appeared to be sagging. Upon further inspection it was found that a welded bracket that holds the body to the chassis had broken the weld and/or the bracket steel had failed which left the body in the affected area unattached to the chassis. Additional failure in this area could cause the area to fall lower and drop on the rear wheels causing loss of control of the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11607991

Incident

Aug 12, 2024

DRIVERS SIDE WIDOW FOGGED BETWEEN THE PANES OF GLASS. THIS SEVERELY LIMITS THE DRIVERS ABILITY TO SEE CROSS TRAFFIC, OR VEHICLES ALONG SIDE.

NHTSA ID

11122017

Incident

Aug 20, 2018

Mileage

66,000 mi

WE HAVE FOUND CRACKS AND/OR FRACTURES ON THE ROOF OF OUR 2008 TIFFIN PHAETON QSH MOTOR HOME. THESE CRACKS ARE MOSTLY ALONG THE CURVED EDGE OF THE FIBERGLASS ROOF. THIS DEFECT SEEMS TO BE CAUSED BY POOR QUALITY MATERIALS AND POOR DESIGN BY TIFFIN MOTOR HOMES LEADING TO CRACKS DUE TO "FLEXING" OF THE VEHICLE STRUCTURAL FRAME DURING TRAVEL. THIS VEHICLE DEFECT HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED TO TIFFIN BY MANY OWNERS OF THEIR PRODUCTS BEGINNING IN 2007 (AND PERHAPS BEFORE) THROUGH 2011 MODELS BASED ON INFORMATION FROM DEALERS AND OTHER MOTOR HOME OWNERS. THESE CRACKS LEAD TO MOISTURE SEEPING THROUGH TO INTERIOR WALLS AND COULD CREATE AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE DUE TO MOLD WITHIN THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BEHIND THE INTERIOR WALLS. TIFFIN MOTOR HOMES HAS NOT NOTIFIED ANY VEHICLE OWNERS OF THIS DEFECT; THEREFORE, CAUSING MANY OF THESE VEHICLES TO BE SOLD BY CURRENT OWNERS TO OTHER CONSUMERS THAT ARE NOT AWARE OF THE DEFECT AND POTENTIAL MOLD ISSUES. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT TIFFIN IS "REPAIRING" THIS DEFECT THAT INVOLVES MOST ALL OF THEIR DIESEL PUSHER MODELS, BUT ONLY IF THE OWNER BRINGS THE RV TO THEIR RED BAY, AL, SERVICE FACILITY, WITH SERVICE APPOINTMENTS SEVERAL MONTHS OUT AT THIS TIME. THIS PUTS UNDUE HARDSHIP AND EXPENSE ON MOST OWNERS AND WILL, MOST LIKELY, LEAD TO A LOW RATE OF REPAIR OF THIS DEFECT ON MANY VEHICLES. TIFFIN MOTOR HOMES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND REPORT THIS STRUCTURAL DEFECT TO ALL CURRENT OWNERS OF MODELS IMPACTED AND PROVIDE QUALIFIED SERVICE FACILITIES NATIONWIDE TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT, INCLUDING CERTIFIED MOLD REMEDIATION. TIFFIN SHOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO REPORT HOW THIS MAJOR STRUCTURAL DEFECT HAS BEEN CORRECTED, IF IT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN CORRECTED, BY ENGINEERING AND DESIGN CHANGES IN CURRENT MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10451138

Incident

Dec 1, 2011

THE WET BAY FLOOR HOLDING THE FRESH WATER, GRAY WATER, AND BLACK WATER TANKS HAS ROTTED UNDERNEATH THE MOTORCOACH DUE TO THE POOR DESIGN/ENGINEERING BY TIFFIN MOTOR HOMES, AS WELL AS VERY POOR QUALITY MATERIALS USED. THERE IS VERY LITTLE STRUCTURAL SUPPORT FOR THE TANKS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. ALL OF THE TANKS AND WET BAY AREA HAVE TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THE FULL EXTENT OF THE ROTTING AND MOLD IN THIS AREA. THE INTERIOR FLOOR OF THE MOTOR HOME HAS ALSO BEGUN TO DROP LIKELY DUE TO THIS ROTTING. TIFFIN MOTOR HOMES IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS MAJOR DEFECT IN VEHICLES DATING BACK TO 2006 OR BEFORE ON MOST DIESEL PUSHER MODELS INVOLVING HUNDREDS TO SEVERAL THOUSAND VEHICLES. BASED ON REPORTS FROM OTHER TIFFIN OWNERS THERE HAS BEEN MINIMAL OR NO ENGINEERING OR MATERIAL CHANGES MADE TO SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. THE COMPANY IS "REPLACING OR REPAIRING" THIS MAJOR DEFECT, BUT ONLY IF THE MOTOR HOME IS BROUGHT TO THEIR RED BAY, AL, SERVICE FACILITY AND SERVICE APPOINTMENTS ARE CURRENTLY 12 TO 18 MONTHS OUT. THIS REQUIRES AN ALMOST 2000 MILE DRIVE FOR US TO HAVE A MAJOR SAFETY DEFECT REPAIRED. BUT WE MUST GET TO THE REPAIR FACILITY WITHOUT OUR TANKS FALLING OFF THE MOTOR HOME ONTO THE ROADWAY CAUSING A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM FOR US AND OTHER DRIVERS AS WELL AS A POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE BECAUSE THESE TANKS ARE HOLDING TANKS FOR SEWAGE AND HAVE BEEN TREATED WITH CHEMICALS. OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED HAVING TO WELD ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BEAMS UNDER THEIR RV THEMSELVES IN ORDER TO DRIVE AND GET IT IN FOR REPAIR. A ROTTING UNDERCARRIAGE OF AN RV IS DANGEROUS ON HIGHWAYS AND TIFFIN SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY, AT QUALIFIED SERVICE FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, AT THEIR COST. THERE SHOULD BE A FULL INVESTIGATION INTO WHY TIFFIN HAS KNOWINGLY FAILED TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT FOR YEARS CREATING SAFETY ISSUES AND EXPENSE FOR OWNERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10451009

Incident

Dec 1, 2011

Mileage

13,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TIFFIN PHAETON 40 QS8 RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A RECALL FOR HIS NORCOLD 1210 REFRIGERATOR STATING THAT THE FAILURE COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR THE REPAIR, BUT THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WOULD BE A 2 TO 3 WEEK WAIT FOR THE PART TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10368696

Incident

Nov 10, 2010

WE TOOK DELIVERY ON A TIFFIN PHAETON 2008 MOTORHOME (VIN LAST DIGITS 8CZ81559)NOV. 9, 2007. WE FIRST DROVE IT ON THE ROAD NOV. 23, 2007 AND WITHIN 30 MILES HAD OVERHEATING, LOW COOLANT, ENGINE SHUTDOWN PROBLEMS. FREIGHTLINER SAID TO KEEP DRIVING AS LONG AS IT WOULD GO. WE HAD MULTIPLE INCIDENTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND KEPT GETTING THE SAME ANSWERS. ON JUNE 25, 2008, WE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF A BUSY FOUR LANE 50 MILES SOUTH OF KANSAS CITY AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO CUMMINS SINCE FREIGHTLINER HAD 6 TECH'S OFF TO SCHOOL. WHEN DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM, CUMMINS SAID FREIGHTLINER HAD A FIELD SAFETY CAMPAIGN 388A-F ISSUE AND THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED HAD OCCURRED. THE HORTON FAN, FAN HUB, BELTS, WIRING, CAC, ETC. HAD ALL BEEN TORN OFF WITH THE SHEAR OF THE FAN BOLT AND WOBBLE AND FINAL BREAKAGE. IT TOOK 6 DAYS TO GET PARTS AND FIX. WE LEFT JULY 1ST AND MADE IT AS FAR AS DENVER WHEN ON JULY 4TH, IT OCCURRED AGAIN. DENVER FREIGHTLINER SAID IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND ALL NEW PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED AND REPLACED. IT TOOK 7 DAYS THIS TIME. WE HAD NO NOTICE TO THE RECALL AND HAD TO LOSE TIME AND MONEY TWICE WITHIN TWO WEEKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10235343

Incident

Jun 25, 2008

Mileage

5,500 mi

This was a letter to our dealers we sent out when we first heard of the Kidde fire extinguisher recall, even though it was still unofficial. We knew our coaches on the dealers' lots contained Kidde and could not be sold unreplaced.

TIFFIN MOTORHOMES: TSB CONTAINS NOTIFICATION OF OWNER LETTER. SELECT DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON BELOW. TWO SCREWS WAS NOT INSTALLED ON THE AIR CONDITION UNITS ON THE ROOF. *TA UPDATED 11/24/15. *PE

RV: INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO INSTALL THE CHARGE SOLENOID WIRING IN A RV OR VEHICLE. *TA

TIFFIN MOTORHOMES: TSB CONTAINS NOTIFICATION OF OWNER LETTER. SELECT DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON BELOW. ALL TIFFIN MOTORHOMES WILL BE INSTALLING 2 BACK SCREWS OF THE C85 AND C86 A/C'S TO THE ROOF OF ALL TIFFIN MOTORHOMES. *TA.

TIFFIN MOTORHOMES: EXHAUST TIP AND PIPES TO THE MUFFLER ON PHAETON MODELS NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED. *TA

TIFFIN MOTORHOMES: TSB CONTAINS NOTIFICATION OF OWNER LETTER. SELECT DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON BELOW. SOME TIFFIN MOTORHOMES NEED DRIVER/PASSENGER SEATBELTS TIGHTENED ON THE MOUNTING BRACKETS LOCATED ON THE DRIVER/PASSENGER SIDEWALL. *TA