PDI on 3171DS

[Pixey]

I'm flying out next week to do a PDI on a 2016 3171DS. I've been reading various PDI checklists to get some ideas on what I should be looking for. (This is our first RV.) Is there anything model-specific or Forester-specific to pay special attention to? Thanks!

[bachert77]

Curious to see the replies as well...

[rsscully]

Fire up the furnace and make sure you get air flow out of all the floor level vents. Do the same with the a/c and make sure no ducts are blocked.

[JLeising]

Thoroughly exercise the slide outs several cycles. Check out all radio and tv functions- speaker alternatives, tv sound through radio, DVDs playing options, GPS, am and fm reception, etc.

[6inthefamily]

I bought a new 3170DS in April, here are a couple suggestions and what issues we found with ours.
1. Complete the PDI before buying. See that they document all the issues and get a copy for yourself before buying.
2. make sure you have all the remotes and they work (mine came with 7 remotes)
3. toilet didn't hold water in the bowl (adjusted by dealer)
4. one of the slide covers had a minor rip (dealer ordered new one)
5. bedroom door was chipped (dealer ordered new)
6. get a demo of the auto leveling and make sure it is auto adjusting correctly. (having a zeroed out leveling app on your phone helps to put on the kitchen table)
7. have them walk though how to winterize the RV. My dealer threw in a hose and adapter to DIY at home.
8. make sure the appliances work
9. Drive it! we found the shower door latch was missing as it banged down the road (dealer fixed, took one off another RV one on the lot). Does it sound alright, alignment good, run/brake correctly?
10. my dealer included full propane and full tank of fuel. If you don't know, call ahead and ensure that is thrown in.
11. make sure it comes with the water filter wrench, side rods (that we don't use) and curtain for the cab area.
12. check air bags and tire pressures (make sure air bags hold air)
13. learn the difference between the black water flush and city connection. For some reason they don't label the black water flush.
14. check the LED light built in the awning. I have heard those sometimes don't work.
15. our outside tv was cracked from the cold (dealer replaced)


that's all I can think of off the top of my head. Enjoy it, after 5,000 miles in 7 months our has worked flawlessly and we love it.

[Pixey]

Thank you very much for the suggestions!

[Garrette]

The dealer will do a surface cleaning but not the hidden Construction trash. Take a bright LED and poke your nose everywhere. Look under the couch, run your fingers along the bottom of the slides,. Look for screws, nuts and bolts. Check all trim for looseness. Give a gentle tug. Take a lot of pictures for future reference. Check the front bunk area for leaks. Get up there and pull the mattress back.
Before you leave, check, engine oil and fluids. jacks up, tank dump valves closed and cap on, witness a tire psi check as well as the airbags.
Run genny, check fridge coolness and AC.
Ask dealer for A DEAL ON any upgrades before PDI. FREE labor is always good. Vents, bath fan replacement, etc.
All I got. Enjoy and have fun.



Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums

[KJcachers]

Dammit I forgot to have them show me where the water heater bypass is located on my 3051S. I'm assuming behind a plate directly under the fridge and on the rear of the heater. I'll pull those 6 screw tomorrow to confirm.

One question I'm not sure about and don't believe I have one is an inverter. Are these units optioned with these or are they a no go on 30 amp rigs? Have no real use for one since we never boondock and have the generator to take care of things when we would need power while unplugged.

[Sagecoachdriver]

Originally Posted by KJcachers

Dammit I forgot to have them show me where the water heater bypass is located on my 3051S. I'm assuming behind a plate directly under the fridge and on the rear of the heater. I'll pull those 6 screw tomorrow to confirm.

One question I'm not sure about and don't believe I have one is an inverter. Are these units optioned with these or are they a no go on 30 amp rigs? Have no real use for one since we never boondock and have the generator to take care of things when we would need power while unplugged.

KJcachers, I haven't seen an inverter as an option on the Foresters. As for the water heater bypass, you're correct, it's under the fridge where you just remove the 6 screws.
I think the FR class C manual that your dealer should have given you list the winterizing details.

[sgtlm17]

Nope inverter still not an option on the foresters. That will have to be a weekend mod. 😁

[KJcachers]

No biggie, like I said we camp with hookups and then generator can get me to and from. BTW, is that an automatic switchover? Believe I read that somewhere.

[Creativepart]

Yes, when the gen is running you can plug in to shore power and it will switch over automatically. Just wait a few seconds until you hear the gen sound like there is no more load on it and turn it off.

[papap]

Make sure oven works. My pilot lite will not stay on.

[KJcachers]

No oven in ours! Just the 3 burner cook too and that works fine.

[Sagecoachdriver]

Originally Posted by KJcachers

No oven in ours! Just the 3 burner cook too and that works fine.

KJ, do you have a hood vent to the outside or will you be testing the smoke alarm every time you cook? Reason I ask is my old Winnebago didn't have a hood vent and during the winter trips with everything closed up the alarm would aways go off. I had a roof vent nearby and added a big MAXX 3 speed in or out fan to help.

[Rocket City Gary]

My wife has cooked a lot on the 3 burner propane stove in our 3051 the last 2 years and has never set off the smoke alarm. It is vented to the interior. I can't imagine what she could cook on the stove or in the microwave that would set it off (other than burning a bag of popcorn).

[Creativepart]

We have never cooked anything on our stove in our 3051 that it didn't set off our smoke detector. Not once. In fact, we take the battery out before lighting the stove.

[Sagecoachdriver]

The DW doesn't cook, I do all the cooking.

When it's burnt I know it's done!

[Rocket City Gary]

Wow, I didn't mean to hijack this thread, but someone's smoke alarm is not functioning right. Maybe I need to start a thread titled cooking and smoke alarm. I'm going to go to storage lot and check my alarm today.

[KJcachers]

Toasters seem to have an affect on smoke detectors too. 😄