Brand new Caravel leaks like crazy

[Airheadandi]

Good morning,
I would love to send a private message but unfortunately received this when I tried
“ Due to abuse by spammers, new members are not allowed to send links in their private messages until they have become trusted members.”

Thank you

[Kevin245]

Got the trusted member issue addressed. You are good to go with messages.

[Airheadandi]

Sent. Thank you!!
THIS is one of the reasons we went with Airstream—- the Community!

[s1000pre]

Originally Posted by Life is a Highway

That is to bad, one of our worst nightmares a leak with a new unit. What happened to quality control and the high pressure wash station on the assembly line? A brand new factory and still pushing out product not checked out ready to camp. JC will fix it but I would request reimbursement for your travels. I would also not travel to Ohio until after April- Road SALT will rust and dissolve your new trailer

Road salt...don’t loose any sleep over that. Every trailer is manufactured in OH. Half of these units have been towed behind a pickup to its destination possibly doused with salt then washed off at its destination. I just purchased a 2021 down in southern Oklahoma where the roads were clean. There were a number of units on the lot that were still covered in muck & road salt. Just clean it off really well...you’ll be fine! Just like the other 50% who never realized their trailers were covered in salt before they even purchased.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by BayouBiker

And when it is stationary use a level from where it is dripping from the interior shell to trace a path uphill, since water travels the steepest path. Then Use painters tape on the outside on anything in that uphill path that might be leaking. Use a suction cup on rivets to see if they leak if the cup does not hold that rivet leaks. Then spray water and see if you stopped the leak. If not tape off some more until it does not leak. Then take some tape back off a bit at a time to find the source. Once you find the source you can fix it permanently or keep it taped till you can get it in to repair.

^
👍

Tape the awning rivet line first.
Then vents, skylight and anything else sticking up.

Bob
🇺🇸

[rsementi]

Originally Posted by englishw

Picked up new 2021 - 20FB Caravel in Des Moines on Monday. Already put 2k miles on it through rain, sleet and snow but it’s leaking like crazy. There are at least 8 places all throughout where it’s leaking down walls and from ceiling and even through vent hood.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

I’d return it.

[Halford1]

Try JC first as several suggested. Stay for the tour! Talk to people there and learn something. I will for sure do that when my time comes or on way to campground somewhere in Amish country. if it did not work out, then work with JC in getting a good one.

[Airheadandi]

Originally Posted by englishw

Picked up new 2021 - 20FB Caravel in Des Moines on Monday. Already put 2k miles on it through rain, sleet and snow but it’s leaking like crazy. There are at least 8 places all throughout where it’s leaking down walls and from ceiling and even through vent hood.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

I sure hope you have some answers. We are waiting for communication from our dealer as to whether they have found the leak and/or started to correct it....

[Airheadandi]

According to Dealer, they found a leaking gasket at the air conditioner and the indentation where it sits allowed a leak. They called Airstream headquarters and they were told to just reaseal it. I really hope this is all it was. Doing leak test now and then we will know.
Seems odd a brand new trailer would have a leaking gasket and still pass a leak test at the factory, but maybe it just barely was holding on?

I really hate this. I’m prepared for issues, allll sorts of issues, with camping, trailering etc later down the line. The whole aspect of a brand new Airstream already having a problem is depressing.

[rsementi]

Originally Posted by Airheadandi

According to Dealer, they found a leaking gasket at the air conditioner and the indentation where it sits allowed a leak. They called Airstream headquarters and they were told to just reaseal it. I really hope this is all it was. Doing leak test now and then we will know.
Seems odd a brand new trailer would have a leaking gasket and still pass a leak test at the factory, but maybe it just barely was holding on?

I really hate this. I’m prepared for issues, allll sorts of issues, with camping, trailering etc later down the line. The whole aspect of a brand new Airstream already having a problem is depressing.

Sorry to hear your struggle, just confirms my decision to not by a new Airstream until the day that AS has decided to bring back quality. They should regard quality as highly as does brands like Toyota or Honda.

[mythbuster88]

Originally Posted by Airheadandi

According to Dealer, they found a leaking gasket at the air conditioner and the indentation where it sits allowed a leak. They called Airstream headquarters and they were told to just reaseal it. I really hope this is all it was. Doing leak test now and then we will know.
Seems odd a brand new trailer would have a leaking gasket and still pass a leak test at the factory, but maybe it just barely was holding on?

I really hate this. I’m prepared for issues, allll sorts of issues, with camping, trailering etc later down the line. The whole aspect of a brand new Airstream already having a problem is depressing.

Not depressing.

They found the source of the leak which can be hard. A very good thing.

[Airheadandi]

We hope they found the leak! We have not heard back from them, I guess the sealant takes a few days to dry? So yes fingers crossed the leak test proves was the air conditioning gasket.
Depressing I suppose is wrong word——deflating? We were soooo excited. Now that excitment is just tempered with anxiety. But I guess that’s all part of a new adventure

[Airheadandi]

Originally Posted by mythbuster88

Not depressing.

They found the source of the leak which can be hard. A very good thing.

I do thank you for your input, if an experienced airstreamer says don’t worry about it, that helps!
Here’s hoping the leak test passed! Maybe we will know if all is okay before April and can get on the road.

Thank you!!

[GMFL]

You should be good to go now. I would have confidence that it will not leak. An AC gasket can cause a huge leak but is also one that is easily fixable.
Roll safe!

[panamerican]

Originally Posted by Airheadandi

I do thank you for your input, if an experienced airstreamer says don’t worry about it, that helps!
Here’s hoping the leak test passed! Maybe we will know if all is okay before April and can get on the road.

Thank you!!

Trust, but verify.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by rsementi

Sorry to hear your struggle, just confirms my decision to not by a new Airstream until the day that AS has decided to bring back quality. They should regard quality as highly as does brands like Toyota or Honda.

Buy used, after depreciation and hopefully all "quality" has been addressed.

With leaks... the test at the factory is done before the interior in installed.

How about another as it leaves the building?

And another at the dealer during the PDI.
It shouldn't be hard to determine if the AS has a leak, it IS water after all.
Wet=leak.🤔

Bob
🇺🇸

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by GMFL

You should be good to go now. I would have confidence that it will not leak. An AC gasket can cause a huge leak but is also one that is easily fixable.
Roll safe!

Yes..if the 'indentation' is no longer depressed and the gasket is installed properly...at a dealer?

Bob
🇺🇸

[Airheadandi]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Yes..if the 'indentation' is no longer depressed and the gasket is installed properly...at a dealer?

Bob
🇺🇸

Yeah, not so sure what the “indentation” is about..... they said “it’s around all air conditioners on airstreams”. This is our first one, so guess we have to trust our dealer is correct! So far, no word at all about whether anything worked etc.

Really glad we have this forum, it’s the only place I can actually get some information! Thank you!!

[Airheadandi]

Originally Posted by rsementi

Sorry to hear your struggle, just confirms my decision to not by a new Airstream until the day that AS has decided to bring back quality. They should regard quality as highly as does brands like Toyota or Honda.

I have to say, I am VERY happy we have an Airstream despite issues with new Caravel. Having an Airstream means you have a very large community and a fantastic corporate headquarters behind your purchase. Airstream has responded to our issues and are following up with dealer. Everything is being taken care of correctly and documented

This is in drastic contrast to our friends who have a new trailer (not an Airstream) that has been to the dealer 3 times in the past year of ownership, most recently for over 4 months. They have no corporate backing them up, no answer from the dealer and finally had to hire and attorney.

Do NOT give up your research on Airstream and please consider it as an option. I’m confident we will be happy once we get out camper back!!

[Daventure]

Originally Posted by Airheadandi

I have to say, I am VERY happy we have an Airstream despite issues with new Caravel. Having an Airstream means you have a very large community and a fantastic corporate headquarters behind your purchase. Airstream has responded to our issues and are following up with dealer. Everything is being taken care of correctly and documented

This is in drastic contrast to our friends who have a new trailer (not an Airstream) that has been to the dealer 3 times in the past year of ownership, most recently for over 4 months. They have no corporate backing them up, no answer from the dealer and finally had to hire and attorney.

Do NOT give up your research on Airstream and please consider it as an option. I’m confident we will be happy once we get out camper back!!

I am glad to hear that Airstream Inc. is following up. It’s my experience that everyone there really cares about the customers. I know they don’t want guy to have issues.

I have a new caravel also. Would you please give me an update as to where the leak was exactly and what caused it? Also how did the dealer remedy it?
Any more leaks since the fix?

Thank you!