1996 Winnebago Adventurer 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 1996 Winnebago Adventurer, 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
- Engine430.8%
- Brakes323.1%
- Suspension215.4%
- Transmission215.4%
- Heating & air conditioning17.7%
- Fuel system17.7%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S FAN BELT FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
ON MY 1996 WINNEBAGO MOTOR HOME (34 FEET) (16,000 GVW) I LOST THE "SERPENTINE FAN BELT" WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 81 IN VIRGINIA. THIS CAUSED A LOSS OF MY POWER STEERING , AND I LOST MY POWER BRAKES! IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE BUT IT WAS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I AM OVER 6 FEET TALL AND WEIGH MORE THAN 200 POUNDS BUT NO MATTER HOW HARD I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IT STILL TOOK OVER 500 FEET TO FINALLY STOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, NO DAMAGES. *LA
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
WE PURCHASED AN RV FROM ARIZONA RV OUTLET 5 WEEKS AGO THAT HAD SOME TERRIBLE BRAKE ISSUES, THERE WAS A MINOR FIRE FROM BRAKE ISSUES. THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE VEHICLE WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB.*AK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THEY HAVE REFUSED TO HELP US AND EVEN FURTHER, WE PAID FOR A 4 YEAR BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY THROUGH THEM AND THEY NEVER SUBMITTED THE PAYMENT OR INFORMATION TO THE SERVICE COMPANY SO WE CAN GET ANY REPAIRS PAID FOR. WE HAD A TIRE BLOW NOT 60 MILES FROM THEIR LOT THAT BROKE A LEVELER AND THEY OFFERED NO HELP ON THAT EITHER.
THE DRIVER SAID, "THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF HOT BRAKE FLUID". HE COULD HEAR THE BRAKE FLUID BOILING WHILE INSIDE OF MOTOR HOME". AS A RESULT, THE BRAKES HAD TO BE PUMPED IN ORDER TO STOP. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE VERY UNSTABLE WHEN BOTH TANKS (WATER AND GAS) ARE FILLED DUE TO DESIGN FLAW.
SUSPENSION SYSTEM PROBLEMS OCCUR WHEN WATER AND GAS TANKS ARE FULL CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN STEERING/CONTROL.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THERE WAS NO REVERSE WHILE SHIFTING THE GEAR. *AK WHEN ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. THE PROBLEM RECURRED AFTER THE REPAIR. (THE VEHICLE COOLED FOR 30 MINUTES, THEN THE REVERSE FUNCTIONED) *SCC *JB
I PURCHASED A 1996 WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER RV WITH 16,209 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE SECOND TIME THAT I USED THE VEHICLE, THE REVERSE DID NOT WORK AFTER IT HAD BEEN RUNNING. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR FACILITY AND THERE IS A TEK TIP, FROM TOLEDO TRANS-KIT, WHICH ILLUSTRATES THE PROBLEM. "TRANSMISSION HAS GOOD REVERSE UNTIL THE UNIT REACHES FULL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. PRIMARILY AFTER SUBSTAINED HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CAUSE HAS BEEN TRACED TO THE USE OF SHORT LIP SEALS ON THE DIRECT DRUM PISTON CAUSING THE DIRECT CLUTCH NOT TO APPLY WHEN REVERSE IS SELECTED. THIS IS FOR THE THM 4L80-E/4L80-EHD TRANSMISSION BUILT BY CHEVROLET. I WROTE TO WINNEBAGO AND THEY REFERRED ME TO CHEVROLET. CHEVROLET SAID THE WARRANTY WAS NOT VALID ANYMORE AND THEY DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE ((JIM SLAIN-25 MARCH 2003).
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
VENT ON HOT WATER HEATER WAS INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN, CAUSING HEAT TO TRAVEL UPWARDS INSIDE OF WALLS INSTEAD OF DOWNWARDS, THIS CAUSED WALLS TO RIPPLE AND A HOT SPOT IN THE INSULATION. WAS ALSO A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK AND FUMES DUE TO A HOLE IN THE FUEL LINE. FORD WAS CONTACTED AND WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. WINNEBEGO WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS MADE TO FIND THE PROBLEM WITHIN 1 YEAR TIME FRAME. *AK
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 .