2021 Tiffin Phaeton Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2021 Tiffin Phaeton, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Body & structure125.0%
- Electrical125.0%
- Interior & seats125.0%
- Visibility125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
The electric step on our coach broken on the road with the gear box issue and get loose , it is very dangerous to run with the electric step open to get people injured and also for the people that disembarked from the motor home, we feel that electrical step should have a safety when it is close .
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2021 Tiffin Phaeton Motorhome. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the instrument cluster went black and was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with loose wiring. The dealer repaired the vehicle on six separate occasions; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
UPON PURCHASING THIS 2021 TIFFIN PHAETON RV, I REALIZED THE "A PILLARS" CAUSED MIRROR AND VISUAL OBSTRUCTION. INITIALLY BELIEVING IT WAS A MIRROR ADJUSTMENT, I LEARNED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT WAS NOT CENTERED ON THE STEERING WHEEL / DASHBOARD AND IT WAS POSITIONED TO THE LEFT APPROX. 2"-3". NOT ONLY DOES THIS PREVENT A CLEAR VIEW TO THE MIRRORS, BUT IT CAUSES "PEDAL CONFUSION" AND COULD RESULT IN A CATASTROPHIC COLLISION RESULTING IN A FATAL(S) THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS ARE APPROX. 3". HAVING THE DRIVER NOT CENTERED ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND STEERING COLUMN CREATES SEVERAL SAFETY ISSUES. WHEN SPEAKING WITH TIFFIN REPRESENTATIVE (JEREMY NEWELL), HE STATED THE DRIVER SEAT POSITION WAS AN ISSUE IN 2020 AND THEY MANUFACTURED A BASE PLATE TO SHIFT THE SEAT OVER TO CENTER IT ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND DASHBOARD. THIS ALSO POSITIONED THE DRIVER SEAT CORRECTLY OVER THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS THUS PREVENTING "PEDAL CONFUSION". GREG DEES (REGIONAL DIRECTOR) AT TIFFIN ADVISED NHTSA HAS APPROVED THIS SEATED POSITION AND THAT THE "LEGAL TEAM" AT TIFFIN ADVISED THEY SHOULD NOT MANUFACTURE A NEW SEAT BASEPLATE TO CORRECT THE ISSUE BECAUSE IT COULD COMPROMISE THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVER. I ADVISED DEES THEY DID THIS FOR 2020 RV'S AND ASKED WHY WOULDN'T THEY CORRECT THE ISSUE IN MANUFACTURING FOR THE 2021 RV'S? DEES ADMITTED THEY HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES, BUT FOR SOME REASON WON'T ADDRESS THE 2021 RV BECAUSE THEY USED A NEW MANUFACTURE FOR THE SEAT POST ("VILLA") INSTEAD OF FREIGHTLINER. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS WITH TIFFIN WITHOUT ANY SATISFACTION AND AM NOW SEEKING THE ASSISTANCE FROM NHTSA AS WELL AS THE FTC. IT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD EVEN MAKE IT THROUGH AN INSPECTION UPON COMING OFF THE MANUFACTURE LINE. I AM ALSO CONCERNED FOR EVERY OTHER 2021 TIFFIN OWNER. I HAVE INCLUDED 5 PHOTOS USING A STEEL RULER.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
UPON PURCHASING THIS 2021 TIFFIN PHAETON RV, I REALIZED THE "A PILLARS" CAUSED MIRROR AND VISUAL OBSTRUCTION. INITIALLY BELIEVING IT WAS A MIRROR ADJUSTMENT, I LEARNED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT WAS NOT CENTERED ON THE STEERING WHEEL / DASHBOARD AND IT WAS POSITIONED TO THE LEFT APPROX. 2"-3". NOT ONLY DOES THIS PREVENT A CLEAR VIEW TO THE MIRRORS, BUT IT CAUSES "PEDAL CONFUSION" AND COULD RESULT IN A CATASTROPHIC COLLISION RESULTING IN A FATAL(S) THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS ARE APPROX. 3". HAVING THE DRIVER NOT CENTERED ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND STEERING COLUMN CREATES SEVERAL SAFETY ISSUES. WHEN SPEAKING WITH TIFFIN REPRESENTATIVE (JEREMY NEWELL), HE STATED THE DRIVER SEAT POSITION WAS AN ISSUE IN 2020 AND THEY MANUFACTURED A BASE PLATE TO SHIFT THE SEAT OVER TO CENTER IT ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND DASHBOARD. THIS ALSO POSITIONED THE DRIVER SEAT CORRECTLY OVER THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS THUS PREVENTING "PEDAL CONFUSION". GREG DEES (REGIONAL DIRECTOR) AT TIFFIN ADVISED NHTSA HAS APPROVED THIS SEATED POSITION AND THAT THE "LEGAL TEAM" AT TIFFIN ADVISED THEY SHOULD NOT MANUFACTURE A NEW SEAT BASEPLATE TO CORRECT THE ISSUE BECAUSE IT COULD COMPROMISE THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVER. I ADVISED DEES THEY DID THIS FOR 2020 RV'S AND ASKED WHY WOULDN'T THEY CORRECT THE ISSUE IN MANUFACTURING FOR THE 2021 RV'S? DEES ADMITTED THEY HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES, BUT FOR SOME REASON WON'T ADDRESS THE 2021 RV BECAUSE THEY USED A NEW MANUFACTURE FOR THE SEAT POST ("VILLA") INSTEAD OF FREIGHTLINER. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS WITH TIFFIN WITHOUT ANY SATISFACTION AND AM NOW SEEKING THE ASSISTANCE FROM NHTSA AS WELL AS THE FTC. IT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD EVEN MAKE IT THROUGH AN INSPECTION UPON COMING OFF THE MANUFACTURE LINE. I AM ALSO CONCERNED FOR EVERY OTHER 2021 TIFFIN OWNER. I HAVE INCLUDED 5 PHOTOS USING A STEEL RULER.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .