Need XLR Warranty help! won't return our calls - slides wont open or close

[katss]

We have two independent slides, one on a pulley system, and one on a hydraulics system, and both failed over the weekend. It took us over an hour to manually crank in each slide.

We have tried multiple times talking to someone at Forest River but no one will return our calls. Last time we had any issues we were told not to have ANY dealer do repair work until warranty had approved this.

Does anyone here have any advice.... we would like to use our trailer this summer again...

[fonzie]

For people to help, we need to know what do you have: mauafacturer, model number and year.....

[BarryD0706]

Monday is a holiday in the US. Many people seem to have taken Friday off to make it a 4 day weekend.

[katss]

We have a 2013 XLR Thunderbolt toyhauler. We actually initially tried contacting them almost a week ago.

The living room slide can be cranked in once the hydraulics are unattached from the motor. So its likely a motor issue.

The kitchen slide is on a pully system.. and we really have no idea why it went out but would not come back in without what felt like an hour of cranking..

[BarryD0706]

My only other guess is that they expect you go thru they a dealer for warranty issues, but failing to call you back, even if only to tell you that, is inexcusable.

Are you calling just one person you were told to contact (who might be on vacation), or have you called the "main number" for your manufacturer?

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by katss

We have a 2013 XLR Thunderbolt toyhauler. We actually initially tried contacting them almost a week ago.

The living room slide can be cranked in once the hydraulics are unattached from the motor. So its likely a motor issue.

The kitchen slide is on a pully system.. and we really have no idea why it went out but would not come back in without what felt like an hour of cranking..

Wonder if both problems due to lack of a common power source? Loads this large will be fused directly from the battery with a fuse, resettable fuse or circuit breaker with button reset. Check arund the batter, on the trailer tongue for larger red leads with junction boxes, bolted elec devices etc. If they both failed same time this may be cause.

[dezolen]

Dumb question. Did you have the battery iso switch off?

[katss]

We called the main number.. our dealer unfortunately is in Ohio... and we are in Alberta.. so that's why we have to go through the manufacturer

As for a common power source problem.. I agree that seems the most likely.. but we couldn't find any kind of fuse or reset button coming off the battery or the junction box

[Mmaillet]

I am from alberta as well and bought a fifth wheel last year in Montana, I had problem with my stereo and same thing couldn't get ahold of the manufacturer for warranty, I then called the company that I bought the fifth wheel off of and he had me a stereo on its way the next day. Any dealership here in alberta that sells your model of trailer has to do warranty work. The guy I bought my trailer off of said that he has been selling to Canadians for over 30 years and has not once been able to find someone here to complete warranty work, I would suggest calling the dealer here and making a appointment, tell them the year and make and tell them that it is under warranty, don't even give them the option of telling you any different.

[ridersfan]

Why should a local dealer service it? If someone bypassed them to save the almighty dollar then they should be prepared to go back to where they purchased from for warranty. There is value in shopping local and a trailer dealer has no obligation to have to service a US bought trailer. Pick up a forest river brochure and read it... it mentions shop local right in it. I just bought a new camper myself from where I want service from. I checked it out, would have bought for 3 grand cheaper in the US... but would have spent half that going to get it anyways. I had no problem spending a little more to keep my own local economy going.

[Mmaillet]

Why should a local dealer service it??? What's it matter to them, they charge by the hour no matter who is paying for it!!That's the same thing as saying if you buy a newer trailer on a private sale,, where are you supposed to take it for warranty work then?? Sorry but I disagree!!! I saved a lot more than 3 grand and I was there and back in 8 hrs. Highly recommend going down over the line to buy one!!

[KyDan]

Bump--

XLR factory rep are you listening

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by katss

We called the main number.. our dealer unfortunately is in Ohio... and we are in Alberta.. so that's why we have to go through the manufacturer

As for a common power source problem.. I agree that seems the most likely.. but we couldn't find any kind of fuse or reset button coming off the battery or the junction box

They must be protected by codes. TURBS-can you insert your pic of inline brkrs and fuses here???

[katss]

Originally Posted by ridersfan

Why should a local dealer service it? If someone bypassed them to save the almighty dollar then they should be prepared to go back to where they purchased from for warranty. There is value in shopping local and a trailer dealer has no obligation to have to service a US bought trailer. Pick up a forest river brochure and read it... it mentions shop local right in it. I just bought a new camper myself from where I want service from. I checked it out, would have bought for 3 grand cheaper in the US... but would have spent half that going to get it anyways. I had no problem spending a little more to keep my own local economy going.

Any warranty approved dealer should be happy to have the work. They get paid for the work and get customers. The majority of an RV dealers sales is not from selling RV's its from its parts/service. We are loyal to a dealership and they have been happy to service us. They did not carry our brand of RV.

Also Forest River is made in the US so all trailers come from the same place. Regardless of whether you eat the difference or whether the dealer gets the difference.

We saved over 13k by going south. Sorry but to me that's bad personal money management to not save ourselves that money to get the same product. Our local dealer is happy to do the work, the issue is that Forest River wont return calls.

[RodeoGeorge]

Originally Posted by katss

Any warranty approved dealer should be happy to have the work. They get paid for the work and get customers. The majority of an RV dealers sales is not from selling RV's its from its parts/service. We are loyal to a dealership and they have been happy to service us. They did not carry our brand of RV.

Believe me, 90% of the time warranty work is at best break even for most repair facilities. Most manufacturers, and many aftermarket warranty companies, have flat rate schedules that never cover the actual work required. For example, many do not reimburse for diagnostic time, and also many do not reimburse for removal and replacement time. Pulling a fridge to replace a defective cooling fan will often pay .5 hours for the fan replacement, and to do a good job you cannot pull the fridge, replace the fan, and reinstall the fridge in .5 hours.

Then there is also the administrative time on the phone getting approval to begin the work, communicating the symptoms and recommended solution, obtaining authorization, and documenting completion. The person at the repair facility does not donate their time, and if the repairman performs these tasks it is time away from doing actual repairs. And OBTW, very few pay by credit card, so you also wind up waiting for payment up to 90 days.

Warranty work is also normally predicated upon the work being done at the repairing company's facilities and do not pay for "service calls/trip charges".

That's why it's very important to read the fine print in any Service/Warranty Contract.

Just some insight into why many repair facilities shy away from warranty work.

RodeoGeorge

( Over 10 years RV Parts & Service Company Manager)

[Mmaillet]

I agree, the dealerships don't do that we'll off, but when the warranty is over they know that they will see your unit again. They still make money doing warranty work, just not as much as if it wasn't under warranty. This is why you should get good service no matter where you buy it.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by katss

Any warranty approved dealer should be happy to have the work. They get paid for the work and get customers. The majority of an RV dealers sales is not from selling RV's its from its parts/service. We are loyal to a dealership and they have been happy to service us. They did not carry our brand of RV.

Also Forest River is made in the US so all trailers come from the same place. Regardless of whether you eat the difference or whether the dealer gets the difference.

We saved over 13k by going south. Sorry but to me that's bad personal money management to not save ourselves that money to get the same product. Our local dealer is happy to do the work, the issue is that Forest River wont return calls.

Here's what you are looking for or similar. Two slides maybe 60 amps? Maybe in a box or panel.

30055
10 Amp to 50 Amp

Cycles On-Off when load is excessive.
Stud Terminals
Breaker Type Type I
Voltage 6-12V DC
Amperes 10-50 Amp
Terminals Two threaded studs with nuts.
Terminal Size 10-32 Thread
Housing Style Plated steel case
With bracket Mounting.

Your Cost
6 Amp to 40 Amp
Cost $6.75 ea.
50 Amp
Cost $8.50 ea.

30056
6 Amp to 50 Amp

Cycles On- Off when load is excessive.
Stud Terminals
Breaker Type Type I
Voltage 6-12V DC
Amperes 6 - 50 Amp
Terminals Threaded Studs(2) With Nut Terminal Size 10-32 Thread
Housing Style Plated steel case
No bracket Mounting Method
Snaps into 30090 Series
Mounting Bracket

Your Cost
6 Amp to 40 Amp
Cost $6.75 ea.
50 Amp
Cost $8.55 ea.

30171
10 Amp to 30 Amp
24 Volt Type I Circuit Breaker
Cycles On-Off when load is excessive.
Stud Terminals
Breaker Type Type I
Continuous Auto Reset
Voltage 6-24V DC
Amperes 10-30 Amp
Terminals Two threaded studs with nuts.
Terminal Size 10-32 Thread
Housing Style Plated steel case
With Out bracket Mounting.





Your Cost
10 Amp to 30 Amp
Cost $7.75 ea.


30172
15 Amp to 30 Amp
24 Volt Type I Circuit Breaker
Cycles On-Off when load is excessive.
Stud Terminals
Breaker Type Type I
Continuous Auto Reset
Voltage 6-24V DC
Amperes 15-30 Amp
Terminals Two threaded studs with nuts.
Terminal Size 10-32 Thread
Housing Style Plated steel case
With bracket Mounting.






Your Cost
15 Amp to 30 Amp
Cost $8.75 ea.


30407
15 Amp to 50 Amp
6-

[ridersfan]

Any dealership of any type has customers prioritized.
1-Customers who purchased there, front of the line service
2-Transient people not from there, but who are broken down
3-Any retail (customer pay) work
4-Local people who purchased elsewhere

Notice who's #1 and who's last place? There's a reason for that.

Above all else, the typical warranty claim consists of the dealer doing the repair, then waiting to be reimbursed from the manufacturer. If the work is already done and gone, and the manufacturer decides something's not 100%, the dealer is the 1 left unpaid. Why would a dealer want to do free work for no pay for someone who isn't good enough to spend any actual money there? If all you goto a dealer for is what you can get for nothing, don't expect to be welcomed with open arms.

And, for the poster that said they only traveled 8 hours to save big bucks... then travel 8 hours for warranty work... kinda makes sense to me.

I'm in a dealership (not RV, new vehicle franchise dealership) and I see this sort of thing all the time... someone who values the almighty dollar more than local and then are mad when local won't bend over backwards for them.

[Mmaillet]

Lol, I like how everyone likes to diss supporting the locals!! First of all the locals here dropped 40k on a 100k fifth wheel for a friend of mine. 40k!!!! I would drive the 8 hours if I had to but I don't. Same goes for a car, buy one in the states and you can still get warranty work done in Canada, I've been there!! No difference, fact is if the local dealers weren't doing good then they wouldn't still be there, if you feel that spending a extra 20k just to buy local then your a good person with too much money as far as I can guess. But that's just how I am.

[ridersfan]

My uncles, neighbor's, barber's dog groomer said he saved.... and that's what drives people to think they need to go to the US and save.

It's marginal money until you're in the really high end stuff... I looked in the states... for an 18 hour drive each direction, I could have save $3000. Big deal, I'd have spent half that on the trip at least.

If you want a BMW car, yes, it's probably cheaper in the US... if you want a mid range Taurus or Impala... it's just not worth it... same goes for RV's