dometic refer recall update

[wasafari]

Well wonder of wonders after 6 months Dometic has (almost) the parts on hand to fix the burners. Great reading the notice, if your refer shows any symptoms of leaking, don't use it. If your's DOESN'T show any symptoms, you can use it on electric, sort of, well maybe not, actually we don't recommend using it till it's fixed!!!!! Okay, but if it is such a problem, how come we could use them (on gas no less!) after the initial notice went out? Bet it's going to be crowded at the old service center.....parts are SUPPOSED to be available as of 4/16/07.

[sequoiacoast]

I may be slow (sorry) but which Dometic models have been recalled?

[mistral blue]

Originally Posted by sequoiacoast

I may be slow (sorry) but which Dometic models have been recalled?

See: RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Dometic Refer Recall - Possible Fire Hazard -Update 2/13/07
See also the thread entitled: Huge Dometic Refrigerator Recall Announced:
(Sorry, I don't know how to highlight threads yet.)

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by mistral blue

See: RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Dometic Refer Recall - Possible Fire Hazard -Update 2/13/07
See also the thread entitled: Huge Dometic Refrigerator Recall Announced:
(Sorry, I don't know how to highlight threads yet.)

What's interesting was the fact that I got a recall letter, but the letter truly doesn't say that my refrigerator is defective. It depends upon your serial number, and mine was not one in the range that was stated. I was surprised that Dometic apparenty doesn't have the serial number of my refrigerator in their records. I figured that since I sent in the warranty cards, this would be a given. So I guess a lot of us will get that letter and hold our breaths while we check out our serial numbers.

Jack

[SilverToy]

Is it just me...? Or does this sound like a broom & rug deal... Sorta like 'the general', ford, etc... have done umpteen zillion times in the past... not that this sorta thing is limited to auto makers.... Heaven knows it isn't!

Is it just me?

Wondering....

Axel
SilverToy

[sequoiacoast]

It looks like the recall involves only 2- door models.

[codybear]

Hi,

I saw that our Dometic 2 door refrigerator was indeed on the recall list..I called to schedule a fix and I was put on a call-back list for about a month..in the mean time, I was told to be wary of any ammonia smell, to look for yellow residue on the sides or back of refrigerator,and if the refrigerator is cooling properly. has anyone else gotten this far?..my unit was made in 1999.

[lewster]

Originally Posted by codybear

Hi,

I saw that our Dometic 2 door refrigerator was indeed on the recall list..I called to schedule a fix and I was put on a call-back list for about a month..in the mean time, I was told to be wary of any ammonia smell, to look for yellow residue on the sides or back of refrigerator,and if the refrigerator is cooling properly. has anyone else gotten this far?..my unit was made in 1999.

Once you get to this point, that is......you smell ammonia or the yellow sodium chromate is visible at the back of your fridge, the cooling unit has been compromised and the refrigerant has leaked out.

Your unit will not cool, even though the controls will say that it's operating. In this situation, you need a new cooling unit! The recall involves a possible leak point in the boiler tube that is very close to the propane heat source. If a leak occurs while running on LP, the flame could ignite the escaping hydroden from the refrigerant leak and cause a fire. This is why the recall letter tells you to turn off your LP supply screw at the gas valve and only run on electric.

I have not seen any repair parts yet and I have about 30 units on my list to date. This is reminiscent of the Norcold recall of several years ago, where we were out there replacing entire cooling units by the dozens.

This fix, as I have been told, involves re-positioning the sleeve for the burner tube in the boiler section with a new part, but I have not seen it yet so I really have no actual data.

I will post again as soon as I get the first repair parts.

[Silvertwinkie]

I have to say, we've know about this for several months now (5 or 6??).

It concerns me greatly that we are now upon the start of the camping season and there are at this point, no clear indications of any action yet, just a lot of talk from Dometic. If it were simply that the unit stopped working, I'd be less concerned, but the whole point of having a fridge is to keep stuff cold and there is a potential for fire if we run our fridge. We boondock freq, so what to do this season if we can't run the darn thing on LP? Risk the possibility of all the stars and planet coming together for the perfect storm and loose my Airstream, it's contents or life itself??

Just venting here, not in anyone's specific direction, excecpt for the poor response from Dometic on this issue.

[Safari64]

Originally Posted by sequoiacoast

It looks like the recall involves only 2- door models.

Is this the case:
This applies only to 2-door models??

We can save me and others a whole lot of reading and investigation if so.

Safari64

[dieterdog]

Lew,, have a 1997 fridge that is on the recall list,,, it does exhibit the amonia odor,, does that mean ideally a new refrigerator would be the best solution??? cost is high i realize,,, but want to be safe,, thanks ,, donna

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally Posted by dieterdog

Lew,, have a 1997 fridge that is on the recall list,,, it does exhibit the amonia odor,, does that mean ideally a new refrigerator would be the best solution??? cost is high i realize,,, but want to be safe,, thanks ,, donna

If yer smelling ammonia, particularly from the outside, I'd not use the unit, esp the LP setting!

[lewster]

Originally Posted by dieterdog

Lew,, have a 1997 fridge that is on the recall list,,, it does exhibit the amonia odor,, does that mean ideally a new refrigerator would be the best solution??? cost is high i realize,,, but want to be safe,, thanks ,, donna

Hi Donna,

Ammonia = LEAK in the cooling unit. There isn't much refrigerant mix contained in these units, so if you smell ammonia or see the yellow sodium chromate, your cooler is CAPUT! (gone for those in the audience that don't speak German )

A replacement cooling unit is way cheaper than a total replacement fridge, but that call is left up to you and usually depends on the general condition of the box itself. Since the entire fridge has to be removed and placed face down on the floor to remove and replace the cooling unit (generally easier than moving the fridge outside the trailer), it 'might' be a better economic decision to get a new fridge with a new 3 year warranty.

These are the facts; the ultimate decision is yours!

[wasafari]

Hey Twink,
my feelings exactly. From what I read on the recall update, unless you are wide awake and sitting in a parked trailer with a fire extinguisher in hand they DON'T EVEN WANT YOU TO USE IT ON ELECTRIC!!!!!. Nice timing, guess they couldn't have gotten it together during the WINTER........

[dieterdog]

Lew,, thanks,, for some reason my head suspected the need for a new fridge,,, labor involved for the fix and all,,, so,, there is no yellow stain, but a slight amonia odor from the fridge when the door is opened,,, is sure a bad time right before camping season for all of this to happen,, appreciate your help,,, good luck to all involved,, donna

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally Posted by wasafari

Hey Twink,
my feelings exactly. From what I read on the recall update, unless you are wide awake and sitting in a parked trailer with a fire extinguisher in hand they DON'T EVEN WANT YOU TO USE IT ON ELECTRIC!!!!!. Nice timing, guess they couldn't have gotten it together during the WINTER........

The real issue though, once they place the kit on the unit to contain anything that could cause a fire, is the one where these units may be prone to premature failure. I mean if the kit isn't going to replace the higher wattage heating tube, will the possible premature failure that may happen be on our dime? I'm pleased that a fix is going to be put to the defective units, but I am also fairly concerned that this over $1000 fridge may fail sooner than later, and that will no doubt be on my dime. Even replacing the cooling unit, though less exp, is still pretty pricey.

If the recall kit does in fact replace the heating element that appears to be the cause of this problem, then my concern level goes down, but from what I've read so far, that isn't the case.....

I could see this turning pretty nasty with class action lawsuits if these units fail prematurely. They have over a million of these in the recall. If they feel that strongly that these could fail soon enough to be doing this, it would seem logical to me that an early failure rate of these units could happen, with lots of us left holding the "out of warranty" bag.

Time will tell how this engineering mistake will play out. But I wouldn't bet the farm, even after this recall is completed, that this will be the last we hear about it. Just my .02

[Silvertwinkie]

Here is the latest info off the Dometic site....

Official Dometic Recall - DometicUSA

[Boondocker]

To summarize

Is this the case:
This applies only to 2-door models??

We can save me and others a whole lot of reading and investigation if so.

Safari64

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

Here is the latest info off the Dometic site....

Official Dometic Recall - DometicUSA

Dometic has voluntarily recalled a population of two-door refrigerators manufactured between April 1997 and May 2003.-dometic website

[safari57]

Originally Posted by Safari64

Is this the case:
This applies only to 2-door models??

We can save me and others a whole lot of reading and investigation if so.

Safari64

Hey Safari64, how fresh is that snow in your avatar? My goodness, talk about refers leaking..............it looks like you might have it big time. Okay, I know you live in Alaska, but it was just an eye opener to see that this morning. Happy Easter - must be a real bugger finding eggs in that snow.....

Barry

[Mike Lewis]

The real issue though, once they place the kit on the unit to contain anything that could cause a fire, is the one where these units may be prone to premature failure. I mean if the kit isn't going to replace the higher wattage heating tube, will the possible premature failure that may happen be on our dime? I'm pleased that a fix is going to be put to the defective units, but I am also fairly concerned that this over $1000 fridge may fail sooner than later, and that will no doubt be on my dime. Even replacing the cooling unit, though less exp, is still pretty pricey. Qute by Silvertwinkie

I agree plus add that I wouldn't be happy with just preventing a fire. If the cooling unit is compromised replacing the heating unit wouldn't help, replacing the cooling unit without replacing the heating element seems to me would just bring about a repeat of the original problem. I would think replacement of both would be in order----pieman