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Old 10-02-2019, 06:15 AM   #1
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Dealer says water inside motorhome is not a problem to worry about.

Still a newbie, so be gentle if the jargon is not up to speed. I read a lot here to get great information but still struggle to understand at times.

On my first real trip with a new motorhome 2020 FR Forester, I discovered water dripping from the window valence onto the table. I went up on the roof and saw water sitting along the seam on the passenger side of the roof. The Air Conditioner was running and the water was coming out, perfectly normal. I put extra Dicor along the seams after drying off the area and blocking the water from the AC until it dried a little, this did not seem to help. So to slow the process I raised the front of the motorhome so the water went to the back and drained off there. (Yes, I know that was just a band aid and did not solve the problem. I was just trying to survive the trip and upper 90 temps in Florida.)

When I had more time I discovered the issue was the water got in through the solar panel holes. The solar panel was put on at the factory so I contacted the dealer where I bought it and they told me to bring it in. The motorhome has been at the dealer for 5 weeks as they are still working on other issues while it is there (that's a completely other story :-(….)

Two of the light moldings (please I do not know the real word for them) inside the motorhome were stained from the water that leaked into them.

The dealership tells me the holes are fixed and they have cleaned off the light moldings and everything is good.

MY QUESTION:

Could there be other issues I should be worried about now because the water got inside the motorhome? I would like to know this so it might get addressed while the warranty is in place. (hopefully I get the motorhome back while still under warranty) I would like to trust the dealership, but with everything you read I am not sure that would be the most prudent.

Looking for information dealing with the water that got inside the walls and between ceiling and roof.

Thank you
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Old 10-02-2019, 06:22 AM   #2
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Yes, there could be other issues with the roof as a result of the water. Just make sure everything is documented FULLY.
I'm sure others will chime in shortly with more and better advice.
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Old 10-02-2019, 10:07 AM   #3
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WHAT???
Dealer says water inside motorhome is not a problem to worry about.
They could not be more WRONG.

You never want any water or high humidity inside any coach....
I just took mine to do a leak test and found many places where water could get in, found a small entry point in the mirrors that I would only find out when it was too late and costly damaged.
All but 1 window leaked real bad and the door also leaked a lot.
I look at it as an investment really to be sure no water gets in.
Some recommend to have it done once or twice a year.
look here https://rvleaks.com/testing-locations/
google for "rv pressure leak test" and watch some of the videos, it will give you some ideas what that is all about.
If it is in warranty, take a video of the test and go talk to the factory about it.

Good luck and keep that water out of your coach.
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Old 12-15-2019, 09:09 PM   #4
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Updates after Dealer does nothing

Back in August I took my RV to the dealer to fix a number of issues. The major issue I had was the solar panel flying off coming home to Ohio from Florida. But while in Florida (the panel was loose and I did not know) there was water from the Air Conditioner that leaked in where the panel was loosely connected causing water to get inside, I could see water stain marks on the lights and the valence over the window was soaked. After having the motorhome at the dealer for 6 weeks I wanted to use it at least one fall weekend. I was still waiting for parts to complete the work but I didn't need that functionality for the weekend trip. The dealer said nothing more to me about what could be done, actually they really did not acknowledge my questions.

While on the weekend trip I noticed water damage on the wall covering where it was visibly had air gaps under the wall covering. When I returned the motorhome to complete the work that was required, again asked to address the water damage.

This may be true with all dealers, but mine is terrible at giving any status updates, every time I call and leave a message asking about it I get a call back and am told when I ask any detailed question, "I don't have your paperwork in front of me, but everything is being worked on." So what can you do?

Friday when I picked it up again I asked the technician about that problem. He said no one had mentioned it to him but he looked at it with me and said it should be fixed, took pictures, and really documented it … Finally.

Now my question, he mentioned that this may have to be sent back to the Manufacturer where they would take it apart to "fix it right" ???

My two questions:
1, Has anyone else experienced this? (what should I expect)

2, Will I ever see my motorhome again to use this year coming up if this is sent back to Indiana for major reconstruction, or could I ask for more since the factory messed up the solar panel install.


Not sure what to expect in the industry - my first RV of any kind and I just need this to be over one way or another (I know life is never that easy)

Thanks for any help or suggestions to help me through the process

Jim
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Old 12-16-2019, 10:08 AM   #5
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Old 12-16-2019, 02:06 PM   #6
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With sleazy dealers it's never a problem until the warranty expires. Then the dealer says it has become a Code Red Emergency costing YOU thousands.
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Old 12-16-2019, 03:20 PM   #7
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If the water intrusion was for a very short period of time, you might be OK. It does take a bit of time for water to rot wood. So the question is, "how long was the water getting in".

Also, it is very possible that the leaks have been fixed....BUT just as likely that they are not. The mere fact that there have been leaks says that you need to find someone that you trust to examine the repairs and do additional work if necessary. Probably NOT the dealer.

Also, get online and review the dealer. Let others know how they treat customers after the check clears.
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Old 12-16-2019, 03:26 PM   #8
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Thanks Hatcher et al. I think the replacement of the solar panel has addressed the initial leak. I keep checking on it to assure it’s not getting loose again.

Thanks for the perspective that the damage may not be too great. I think It was only a day or two that water leaked in before i took some corrective steps to stop the flow of water into the holes.
Waiting for additional reply from the factory. Continuing to pray for good news
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Old 12-16-2019, 04:12 PM   #9
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I recently traded up from a Trailer to a 3050S Sunseeker. The Trailer was a Gulf Stream Ameri-lite and developed slide problems that had to be repaired at the factory in Indiana. It was gone for nearly 2 months, but I was pleasantly surprised that they had not only repaired the slide, plus replaced a bathroom door that had come open during a trip and that had knocked a hole in it. They also replaced some siding that a falling tree limb had put a good sized dent in. I don't think these things were warranty items, but they tried hard to make it like new. They then gave us a 6 month extension on the 1 year warranty that was about to run out. I hope you have the same experience.
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Old 12-16-2019, 11:07 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by J. Frank View Post
I recently traded up from a Trailer to a 3050S Sunseeker. The Trailer was a Gulf Stream Ameri-lite and developed slide problems that had to be repaired at the factory in Indiana. It was gone for nearly 2 months, but I was pleasantly surprised that they had not only repaired the slide, plus replaced a bathroom door that had come open during a trip and that had knocked a hole in it. They also replaced some siding that a falling tree limb had put a good sized dent in. I don't think these things were warranty items, but they tried hard to make it like new. They then gave us a 6 month extension on the 1 year warranty that was about to run out. I hope you have the same experience.

J. Frank, I'm glad your Sunseeker's problems were fixed and your warranty experience with Forest River was good.

At first this can just look like a happy ending story about Forest River's willingness to make things right. But reading between the lines, I find myself shaking my head, wondering how a company, a whole industry, can run a business where they shortcut the quality of their work, be it in the design phase and/or the manufacturing phase, and go to the huge expense to bring the product back in from the field, and eat the cost of doing the work a second time to get it right, all the while causing their customers aggravation and lost time from using the product. I've read of enough instances of RVs returning to the factory that I don't believe this practice is extremely rare. I'm not a businessman, but it still seems to me the low build quality/high warranty cost business model of the current RV manufacturing industry is a recipe for financial doom, but they keep on chugging along because there is presently no competition that does it any better. If you want a new RV, let's say in all but the very high price range, your main choice at this time is to go buy a poorly built product and hope for the best.
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Old 12-17-2019, 01:14 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by BehindBars View Post
J. Frank, I'm glad your Sunseeker's problems were fixed and your warranty experience with Forest River was good.

At first this can just look like a happy ending story about Forest River's willingness to make things right. But reading between the lines, I find myself shaking my head, wondering how a company, a whole industry, can run a business where they shortcut the quality of their work, be it in the design phase and/or the manufacturing phase, and go to the huge expense to bring the product back in from the field, and eat the cost of doing the work a second time to get it right, all the while causing their customers aggravation and lost time from using the product. I've read of enough instances of RVs returning to the factory that I don't believe this practice is extremely rare. I'm not a businessman, but it still seems to me the low build quality/high warranty cost business model of the current RV manufacturing industry is a recipe for financial doom, but they keep on chugging along because there is presently no competition that does it any better. If you want a new RV, let's say in all but the very high price range, your main choice at this time is to go buy a poorly built product and hope for the best.
Pretty sure J. Frank was referring to the Gulf Stream trailer, not the FR Sunseeker.
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Old 12-17-2019, 09:15 AM   #12
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Pretty sure J. Frank was referring to the Gulf Stream trailer, not the FR Sunseeker.
You are correct. I misread J. Frank’s post as to which RV needed slide repair.

Substitute trailer for Sunseeker, and Gulf Stream for Forest River in my rant and I think the rest of my comments still apply in terms of the general RV industry.
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Old 12-17-2019, 11:28 AM   #13
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The point I was trying to make was that sending an RV back to factory is probably a better option than letting sit on a dealer's lot waiting in line for service, especially if it is a structural issue that they will not be able adequately repair. I was able to arrange my factory repair in the months of Jan - March, so that my use was not impacted to a great extent.

I agree with the low quality statements to some extent. I previously worked for Ford Motor and they would test their new designs pretty thoroughly, by producing about 20 prototypes and then testing them in a multitude of ways, before finally crashing them into a wall to see how well they performed in that scenario. RV manufacturer's do not have the luxury of being able to test their finished products in the same way. They are more dependent upon their suppliers to give them quality systems that they can integrate into a complete product. Comparing the RV industry with a home construction business is probably a better comparison, as an RV is actually more complex than a stick built home.
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Old 12-17-2019, 09:02 PM   #14
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If factory is willing to repair it, let them. They do a much better job than a dealer. Parts are often right there. They just about rebuilt mine. I am quite happy. It is not perfect, but who of us is.
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Old 12-17-2019, 09:18 PM   #15
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Most times when a unit is returned to the Factory it is repaired properly and much quicker than a dealer would. If offered accept it.
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Old 12-17-2019, 10:09 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by Fun Boy Tours View Post
With sleazy dealers it's never a problem until the warranty expires. Then the dealer says it has become a Code Red Emergency costing YOU thousands.
Not all Dealers are "sleazy", some are just plain dumb.

Thankfully there are a lot of good Dealers out there that give us some hope.

FWiW, until the RV industry changes to the same business model as auto manufacturers where the dealer is "Franchised" and has to follow a set of rules, nothing will change. At least when you buy a car/truck the dealer's service people meet minimum standards for training and warranty isn't denied merely because you didn't buy it from that dealer.
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Old 12-23-2019, 12:12 PM   #17
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Recent update

After brining the motorhome back and forth a few times, I was actually able to talk first hand with a Service Technician. The Technician saw the folded wall paper on the inside and said that the problem should be fixed, he stated that he fixed other issues that I reported and no one had asked him about the water damage. He also noted delamination on the outside of the motorhome and took some additional pictures to submit to the factory.
Now the factory has asked for quotes from a body shop. So now the dealership is currently waiting for the quotes to submit to Forest River.

I hope this means the that this problem can be fixed in a timely manner and I can start to make plans for the second real trip since I picked up the motorhome in June. Maybe then I can learn how this vehicle is suppose to work correctly.

Time will tell. Thanks for the encouraging words to help me get though this.
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Old 12-24-2019, 12:34 PM   #18
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Not all Dealers are "sleazy", some are just plain dumb.

Thankfully there are a lot of good Dealers out there that give us some hope.

FWiW, until the RV industry changes to the same business model as auto manufacturers where the dealer is "Franchised" and has to follow a set of rules, nothing will change. At least when you buy a car/truck the dealer's service people meet minimum standards for training and warranty isn't denied merely because you didn't buy it from that dealer.
Not all dealers are sleazy. Not all dealers are dumb. But all dealers are dealers, and the quicker you learn that their interest in helping you comes from the money they HOPE you will spend, and not from the money you have spent, the better off you'll be.

They may act like your best friend during the actual sale, but once the check clears, they couldn't care less.

Tim
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