RV Dealer PDI

[mcmilsw]

I’ve got a 2023 Forest River Forrester Classic 2441DS and I’ve had to have the front end alignment done and the headlight’s adjusted.

My question is doesn’t the dealer check this as part of the PDI and get it done?

I made a short trip shortly after getting the unit and noticed the front tires where wearing ie feathering. On the headlights I literally had a trucker slow down a get behind me and light me up with every light he had when the lights were checked the we’re adjusted really high.

Should a PDI catch this?

 

[BehindBars]

I’ve got a 2023 Forest River Forrester Classic 2441DS and I’ve had to have the front end alignment done and the headlight’s adjusted.

My question is doesn’t the dealer check this as part of the PDI and get it done?

I made a short trip shortly after getting the unit and noticed the front tires where wearing ie feathering. On the headlights I literally had a trucker slow down a get behind me and light me up with every light he had when the lights were checked the we’re adjusted really high.

Should a PDI catch this?

You expect far too much from the dealer. Ford may have set the alignment on the cutaway chassis, but the RV factory doesn't bother to check the finished motorhome front end alignment, nor does the dealer.

I have a 2440DS. I had the front alignment fixed soon after I got it. I asked the dealer about the reimbursement program for the alignment expense, and they had never even heard or it. I had to work directly with Forest River to get reimbursed the $300 I paid for the alignment. Note Forest River will only pay if the alignment was found to be outside Ford specifications.

As for headlight alignment, not even car or truck dealers or manufacturers have set my headlight aim correctly. It's always something I have to do myself with new vehicles.

 

[mcmilsw]

Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Lucky for me I work for an automotive equipment manufacturer so I was able to do the alignment in our shop as well as aim the headlights.

I’m enjoying my RV and any trouble shooting issues has been through this forum or self discovery.

Thanks for the reply

 

[BehindBars]

Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Lucky for me I work for an automotive equipment manufacturer so I was able to do the alignment in our shop as well as aim the headlights.

I’m enjoying my RV and any trouble shooting issues has been through this forum or self discovery.

Thanks for the reply

Good for you. Going forward, the least stressful approach would probably be to expect very little of the manufacturer or dealer, and plan on making most repairs yourself if you want it done quickly and right. I'd best describe the condition of a brand new RV like "as is - needs work".

 

[mcmilsw]

Thank you

You hit the nail on the head. I read your reply to my wife she smiled and said that’s exactly what it feels like.

Thank you for your reply have a good one

 

[bikendan]

Moved thread from the General Community Discussion section to the Forester and Sunseeker sub-forum since the OP's questions are specific to a Forester product and not general questions.

 

[miataroadster]

I’ve got a 2023 Forest River Forrester Classic 2441DS and I’ve had to have the front end alignment done and the headlight’s adjusted.

My question is doesn’t the dealer check this as part of the PDI and get it done?

I made a short trip shortly after getting the unit and noticed the front tires where wearing ie feathering. On the headlights I literally had a trucker slow down a get behind me and light me up with every light he had when the lights were checked the we’re adjusted really high.

Should a PDI catch this?

Thanks to this forum I was also able to get a reimbursement for the wheel alignment. Contact your FR rep. I received the check within a week after I submitted the receipt.

Unfortunately customers can not rely on PDI done by service department. I was excited to take our new mh and skipped some of items i need to check off my list.

I drove off with the wheel off-center and I only noticed it when on the freeway about a mile from the dealership. Oh yeah, I also almost lost my rh side view mirror! I have to pull over and tightened the set scew. It was not tightened correctly. Sales rep mentioned possible "theft" of rv accessories at the dealership caused that. She was apologetic and was also disappointed. Yeah, PDI tech never bothered to check the mirror.

You might as well ask your FR rep if they can replace your front tires as goodwill gesture due to front wheel alignment issues. It won't hurt to ask. Worst they deny it.

We're trying to take the mh out as much as we could in order to discover items/issues covered within the warranty period. I think we camped at least 6 weekends since we got it last August. So far, I have been getting excellent customer service from my FR rep.

Good luck and enjoy your mh!

 

[NXR]

Ford may have set the alignment on the cutaway chassis, but the RV factory doesn't bother to check the finished motorhome front end alignment, nor does the dealer.

Interesting. The Georgetown division performs a front end alignment on all motorhomes after they're built. I don't know when they started that however ours was built in May 2019 and it was done.

Correct on dealers. They generally do nothing with the chassis and also are not authorized by Ford to do chassis warranty work.

Ray

 

[Rescue.Dogs]

You might as well ask your FR rep

How does one acquire themselves a "FR rep"?

Regards.

 

[NXR]

How does one acquire themselves a "FR rep"?

Go to your RV product page on the corporate site and scroll down slightly. The top menu bar will change to add a "Contact ________" icon in the upper right.

Try it: https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/forester-classic

Who thought it was a good idea to make people scroll down is beyond me. It's usually idiot developers wanting to show how clever they are but they usually get overridden by people with sense.

Ray

 

[miataroadster]

Either I called or emailed FR Customer Relations. See attached info.

 

[Rescue.Dogs]

Thanks for the link with the contact information for the FR3 sales people.

I've had phone/email contact with Barry Hughes based on my postings here. He has been extremely helpful, even though I am not in his territory. I will reach out to the person covering my territory when I am ready to deal with things. Right now, I am giving the dealer the time they have asked for to make things right.

While I am not happy with the quality/workmanship of the motorhome as delivered, in the 6 months and 11,000 miles of ownership, I have come to realize 2 things I did not appreciate earlier:

1) The quality and workmanship of motorhomes is poor and that is just what you are going to get. Bitching about it to people in various campgrounds, most owners of pretty much every brand, from $20K trailers to $300K diesel pushers, from 2023 model year to going back a decade, have exactly the same issues. You just need to deal with it or get out.

2) In trying to deal with it, my biggest problem right now is the dealer. I am giving them some more time, but I anticipate I will need Forrest River to get involved to get some of the issues resolved. Some of the "could not reproduce" issues are maddening, especially when the dealer claims that they test drove on the freeway, but somehow the odometer was unchanged from drop-off to pickup.

Regards.

 

[NXR]

2) In trying to deal with it, my biggest problem right now is the dealer. I am giving them some more time, but I anticipate I will need Forrest River to get involved to get some of the issues resolved. Some of the "could not reproduce" issues are maddening, especially when the dealer claims that they test drove on the freeway, but somehow the odometer was unchanged from drop-off to pickup.

Here is the link to your warranty: https://www.forestriverinc.com/down...TED-MOTORIZED-WARRANTY-ON-OR-AFTER-7-1-23.pdf

From REPAIR REMEDY AND NOTICE:


If the authorized selling dealer or local independent authorized dealer does not adequately repair the RV, the Owner must provide written NOTICE by contacting Forest River IN WRITING at Post Office Box 3030, Elkhart, Indiana 46515-3030 and advise it of any Substantial Defect(s), including a list of the Substantial Defect(s), and provide Forest River (and not the authorized dealer) an opportunity to repair the RV.

Forest River may require the Owner to deliver the RV to another authorized Forest River dealer or its factory facilities.

Forest River, at its sole option, may cover the reasonable costs of transporting the RV to its factory. Refusal to allow Forest River an opportunity to repair the RV will void warranty coverage for the identified Substantial Defect(s).


You're at the first paragraph of that warranty section. When we had problems with our new Georgetown an FR rep contacted me here, just like Barry did with you, and arranged for factory repairs at no cost to us at all. They arranged for a professional driver to pick up the motorhome, drive it to the factory, and return it. This was during the peak of COVID so that may be part of the reason FR handled it all; I do not know.

Your dealer experience, tragically, is too common rather than uncommon. Unlike car dealers an RV dealer is not a franchise accountable to the manufacturer in many ways so the manufacturer needs to pick up the slack. During our pre-purchase research one of the things we liked about FR was they seemed to understand that dealers (as a group) were less than accommodating and did intervene, unlike other manufacturers.

My point on this is: Do not delay contacting FR. Barry Hughes gave you the best advice. You simply will experience more frustration and problems. I did not need to contact that PO Box at all; my FR rep handled it all.

I've read posts from many people who arranged with FR to drive to the factory in Elkhart, IN for repairs. Their motorhome was picked up from the FR parking lot (where they have at least electric hookup) and brought back each day for them to overnight in. Many times it took less than one day for all of the repairs.

Your profile does not show your location so I have no idea where you're located. You could even be in Canada.

Good luck, but do yourself a favor and cut the dealer off at the knees right now. They won't care that you went to the factory because it frees up their obligation to you for those repairs.

Ray

 

[NXR]

Some of the "could not reproduce" issues are maddening, especially when the dealer claims that they test drove on the freeway, but somehow the odometer was unchanged from drop-off to pickup.

In case you're not aware, no one other than a true Ford dealer is authorized to perform warranty work on the chassis. Even the factory buys their large quantities of the stripped chassis through a local Ford dealer and that dealer performs warranty work, such as recalls. When the rear differential recall came out that Ford dealer sent their techs to the FR factory to do the work; FR could not perform the work themselves.

You have not mentioned any details of your problems so no one here can offer advice and there is a lot of good advice given here for your consideration.

One advantage to listing the particulars is someone here probably has had the issue and can tell you how theirs was repaired. That lets you evaluate whether the dealer has done a good job of diagnosing and that the repair they're proposing is adequate or a band-aid or way off-base.

To avoid hijacking this thread any more my suggestion to you is to start a new thread and list your issues. That will keep people focused on helping you.

Ray

 

[Rescue.Dogs]

In case you're not aware, no one other than a true Ford dealer is authorized to perform warranty work on the chassis....

To avoid hijacking this thread any more my suggestion to you is to start a new thread and list your issues. That will keep people focused on helping you.

I understand the difference in issues to be handled by Ford and Forrest River. The test drive was for a squeaking sound from around the door/kitchen that is so loud that it has forced my spouse to use an aviation noise cancelling headset whenever we are on the road. I am a bit more tolerant, but end up with a headache.

Thanks for the point about thread hijack. I will drop out of this thread and start a new one when I am ready. I do feel I owe the dealer a reasonable opportunity to do what they claim they will do. Besides, here in the great frozen upper USA, no one is driving a RWD Class A anywhere anytime soon.

Regards.

 

[NXR]

There is a dedicated FR3 forum found here where your new post should go: https://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/f232/

One real noisemaker on our Georgetown was the screen door. Ours has a metal "kickplate" at the bottom that just sits there in a slot. I never could find out where that rattle was coming from and then one day I removed the screen door to hit it with a hose. And I heard it.

I thwacked that kickplate and the noise was identical. I took some silicone and applied it along the inside perimeter and outside perimeter of the kickplate and the noise was gone.

Other people have added some fuzzy strips to the door to exert more pressure on the screen door to lessen squeaking. That's a two-edged sword. It may hold the door tighter but it also may push the screen door away from the magnet that keeps the steps in while you're driving if you do it incorrectly. That can be a really expensive mistake, thousands of dollars, if the steps hit anything.

If you have a power overhead bunk its tracks can be a real squeaker. Just have her put some pressure on the bed and see if the noise changes.

Ray