Issues with 2019 Quality

[Scottlin]

I just picked up my 2019 International Serenity 28RBQ and hauled it 2500 miles from CA to KY.

Given that this was over 100k for the trailer I would have expected better quality from Airstream.

The issues:
1 - the bathroom cabinet door, latch screws came loose and the mirror popped up to the ceiling and chipped; the screws will not go back into the wood panel.

2 - The hall closet latch was supposed to be fixed by my dealer but it wasn’t, door came open and room divider has continually popped out during travel - the screws will not stay in when I travel. Velcro is useless because it doesn’t line up with the edges. I did stop in a dealership on my way home to see if they can fix the doors, not really - the design is just bad.

3- the dinette edge is so sharp that I almost cut my arm when I’m sitting there. It should have been routed over to smooth the sharp edge.

4 - I have 1 rear closet hinge that I cannot get back in the hinge.

I did make an appointment with the mothership in OH to have thus issues addressed but I didn’t feel the customer service was all that great.

Has your newer AS had similar issues and were they addressed by the warranty service?

[Martee]

Yep. My bathroom cabinet door screws came loose and pulled out of the wood on a bad interstate road. Won't stay in after that. I fixed it with marine epoxy to hold the screws in place. That epoxy is stronger than steel. It was about 20 mins to do the repair. Airstream should be alerted to use a better method to secure those bathroom cabinets.

[brick1]

We picked up our new 2018 Serenity 28 RQB at the end of April. Has all options except power awnings and solar. No issues, no problems. Everything works, and fits.
brick

[AirstreamInc]

Originally Posted by Scottlin

I just picked up my 2019 International Serenity 28RBQ and hauled it 2500 miles from CA to KY.

Given that this was over 100k for the trailer I would have expected better quality from Airstream.

The issues:
1 - the bathroom cabinet door, latch screws came loose and the mirror popped up to the ceiling and chipped; the screws will not go back into the wood panel.

2 - The hall closet latch was supposed to be fixed by my dealer but it wasn’t, door came open and room divider has continually popped out during travel - the screws will not stay in when I travel. Velcro is useless because it doesn’t line up with the edges. I did stop in a dealership on my way home to see if they can fix the doors, not really - the design is just bad.

3- the dinette edge is so sharp that I almost cut my arm when I’m sitting there. It should have been routed over to smooth the sharp edge.

4 - I have 1 rear closet hinge that I cannot get back in the hinge.

I did make an appointment with the mothership in OH to have thus issues addressed but I didn’t feel the customer service was all that great.

Has your newer AS had similar issues and were they addressed by the warranty service?

Hi Scottlin,

We're very sorry to learn about the issues you are having with your new Airstream. We know you already have an appointment, but please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions. If you do, please send us a direct message with your contact information and the last 6 digits of your VIN so we can share it with our Customer Service and Technical Support team.

Thank you.

[ROBERT CROSS]

I fear the cabinet makers at JC just realized that wood is a fibrous material...be patient 😂

Bob
🇺🇸

[sandollars]

The problem is not just with 2019's if it's any consolation. I have a 2017 that had the same issue with my mirror cabinet. I used Gorilla wood glue and some saw dust and injected it in the stripped out hole. I installed the latch while it was still wet and haven't had a problem with it since.

At least your vents in the ceiling are staying in.... But I digress.....

I agree. For a hundred grand, there should be some pretty serious QC inspections on each and every trailer before they are shipped from the Mother ship.

I WILL say once you get everything right and you stop hating on the company (I'm not there yet) It IS a pretty amazing Travel Trailer.

[Ray Eklund]

Scott... you are not alone.

Take a few more trips and work up a list. Before the warranty has expired, then set a date at Jackson Center. Although your drive would not be as long as ours. The staff that will be working on your trailer will do an excellent job. Too bad they are not spending time supervising the Employees in Training and helping those who are not concerned about quality to find more interesting work, somewhere else.

My Father in Law made office furniture. Even some cabinets for Wurlitzer jukeboxes in Tonawanda, NY. Too bad he was not alive when we purchased our 2006 Airstream. He was working with formica when it first hit the market. We still use some of this furniture at the house.

The hinges are the same as those used in many homes. The latches to secure them from opening are unsatisfactory for roads that are not flat, left to right rocking. Some cabinets appear to be barely attached to... something secure.

Just keep an on going list. Jackson Center will do a wonderful job. It should not be the case, but I believe they believe that most will just fix the problem themselves and skip the grief.

After a few years... you will get what you paid for. It is just the process of getting there which is the frustrating part.

[jwpaquette]

7,000 miles on our ‘18 so far that we took delivery of in April. Keep screw drivers and wrench set handy. Yes, things do start to rattle loose. I don’t like that reality but somewhat expected it when we bought in. I like to tinker so the monthly walk around doesn’t bug me. Also, the door locks on the outside storage will start to loosen and act like the doors are stuck closed. Keep an eye on that - simply tighten the locks on them and the problem is alleviated for the time being.

[CBWELL]

Things can fall apart for many reasons. Is your hitch set up correctly? Are your tires balanced and inflated to the correct pressure? Were the roads that you traveled rough or smooth, and your speed in relation to the road surface? Check for all of these potential causes of things shaking apart. Sometimes, we, the owners are to blame for some of the problems in our trailers!! I have been guilty of the above and blamed it on the trailer, only to find that I was the problem. JMHO

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, not a fix for everything, but a few things needed longer screws. My bathroom door was screwed to a 1/2" board with 1/2" screws through the piano hinge. The 1/2" board was attached with a few air-brads. I replaced those screws with 1 1/4" KREG screws which go through the piano hinge, through the 1/2" trim board, and into the plywood wall board. It won't come loose now.

[ShinyPete]

As already has been said, be patient. Your coach has already been from Ohio to California to Kentucky. Who knows what kind of roads, hitch setup, and towing speeds it encountered on it's trip to the dealer.........

Loose screws and sharp edge banding on the table is not bad, plus Airstream Customer Service replied in post #4. Good Job Airstream!

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Scottlin

. . .
Has your newer AS had similar issues and were they addressed by the warranty service?

You might want to read the Senior Management Failures thread:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f542...as-182914.html

. . . as well as the various mentions of QC here:

https://www.google.com/search?ei=bLR...71.9nbifYHA2Xg

Good luck,

Peter

[Hans627]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

Scott... you are not alone.

Take a few more trips and work up a list. Before the warranty has expired, then set a date at Jackson Center. Although your drive would not be as long as ours. The staff that will be working on your trailer will do an excellent job. Too bad they are not spending time supervising the Employees in Training and helping those who are not concerned about quality to find more interesting work, somewhere else.

My Father in Law made office furniture. Even some cabinets for Wurlitzer jukeboxes in Tonawanda, NY. Too bad he was not alive when we purchased our 2006 Airstream. He was working with formica when it first hit the market. We still use some of this furniture at the house.

The hinges are the same as those used in many homes. The latches to secure them from opening are unsatisfactory for roads that are not flat, left to right rocking. Some cabinets appear to be barely attached to... something secure.

Just keep an on going list. Jackson Center will do a wonderful job. It should not be the case, but I believe they believe that most will just fix the problem themselves and skip the grief.

After a few years... you will get what you paid for. It is just the process of getting there which is the frustrating part.

Just curious how they fix the stripped screw problem at JC during the warranty period?

[Scottlin]

Originally Posted by AirstreamInc

Hi Scottlin,

We're very sorry to learn about the issues you are having with your new Airstream. We know you already have an appointment, but please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions. If you do, please send us a direct message with your contact information and the last 6 digits of your VIN so we can share it with our Customer Service and Technical Support team.

Thank you.

Could you please post an email so I can send the information requested.

[AirstreamInc]

Originally Posted by Scottlin

Could you please post an email so I can send the information requested.

Hi Scottlin,

Please send us a private message with your information.

Thank you.

[Ray Eklund]

Originally Posted by Hans627

Just curious how they fix the stripped screw problem at JC during the warranty period?

******
I installed 'piano hinges'. Problem solved.

Jackson Center could convert their cabinet hinges to 'piano hinges' that are secure.

Their cabinets are designed for house hinges. Some piano hinges will offset a tight door a little, but it will not fall off every trip and end up on the floor.

The drawer locking mechanisms should be a push button latch to secure them. Not these overpriced Camping World replacements of these same cheap, but priced high, plastic systems.

Inappropriate wood screws. Inappropriate hinges. Inappropriate drawer slides. Inappropriate latching mechanisms to secure drawers, doors. Sliding plastic doors that bounce out of their tracks.... etc.

We liked the Safari upper cabinets that hinged up like those in a 'modern' airplane. Never a problem. Might have had to work with the wood screws, but the International uses sliding plastic doors that scuff easily and need to be wiped down to remove the blemishes, frequently. Even after adding towels...

This is a Travel Trailer, not a house trailer secured with tires and cables to a concrete pad.

[VaTravelers]

Our 2017 Serenity 28 RBQ only has about 7k miles on it, some pretty nasty, and we have had some minor issues such as side galley trip piece fell off (adhesive not holding), vents have fallen out, bedroom cabinet doors have fallen off and entry door needed adjustment. All minor but annoying. So we just got back from our JC visit - all fixed and with a smile. We love our trailer, it is awesome and occasionally I’ll have to tighten and tweak things. That’s part of my commitment to our AS to keep her beautiful.