Bad experience.

[AirstreamInc]

Originally Posted by Amkost92

I hate posting something negative about Airstream, but I have had a fairly horrible experience with the company and product. I picked up my brand new 2021 Flying Cloud in November from the dealership. I have been living in it full time ever since. The process of getting the camper was tough. Understandably, COVID pushed everything back by a few months, which was fine. But I was told by the dealership that my camper would be ready by the end of October. With that date in mind, I ended my lease. October 31 comes, and the camper still isn’t ready. The dealership can’t give me a date because they outsource the shipping contracts. So I was stuck homeless for a week while we waited for it to show up. I will say, the dealership was flexible enough to allow me to stay on their lot, in my rv for two nights while they got everything ready. But still, I ended up paying $100’s of dollars trying to live out of a hotel, with a dog, and immunocompromised fiancé. Fast forward about two weeks after pick up. We loved our Airstream and everything about it. Then our furnace broke. In Connecticut in the winter, and again, I live with an immunocompromised person. So I pulled out the manual and checked the troubleshooting guide with no success. The issue was strange. It would work for an hour or so, or maybe even a day or two, then die again randomly and I would discover that by waking up at 3am to a 40 degree interior. Naturally I called up the dealership right away, and they gave me what guidance they could over the phone, because I lived 2.5 hours away from the dealer. I called Airstream directly, and Dometic for tech assistance and no one was able to help. Finally I towed the trailer to a close by rv shop that could do Dometic warranty work because unfortunately, there isn’t a single traveling tech within range of my campground. Anyway, the tech said there was nothing wrong except a loose ground wire (which I know how to check for) and sent my home after I paid $130. That fix lasted almost a week until I woke up to a freezing camper again. So I call up the dealership and their tech told me to purchase a new circuit board, which I did, with my own cash and swapped it out. That fix lasted 2; hours. I had to get a hotel to keep warm. At this point I gave up and managed to shovel the camper out of a foot of snow and get it to the dealership. They kept it for 48 hours, then said it was ready for pick up. They said there wasn’t anything wrong, except maybe some loose wiring, and that they only had trouble getting it to start the “first time”c but it ran great after that. So I pick it up again, on the 23rd so that I get it before everything shuts down for the holidays, and so that I can stop paying more $$$ to live in a hotel instead of my $80,000 camper. The furnace was working when I picked it up, but I pulled into a rest area off the highway to rest for the night. And again no furnace. And to top it off, when I went to use the motorized jack, that wouldn’t work either! So I am sitting at a highway rest stop, in my 49 degree camper with my fiancé and dog, wondering what the heck are we going to do for the holidays? I was depending on this camper being my home and it has caused me nothing but major stress and expense.

Hi Amkost92,

We are sorry you hear about the issues you have experienced. Please send us a direct message with your email, contact information and the last 6 numbers of your VIN so that we can learn more and help escalate to Customer Service and Technical support. We look forward to hearing back from you. Thank you.

[Shiny16]

Thanks Brian.

[B. Cole]

Originally Posted by KK4YZ

Not today. It was 38 deg in Panama City Beach this morning 😬

Old trucker, the redneck Riviera is basically Alabama.
Gotta keep yanking it south till you see bikinis 😃I lived in South FL many years.Thats a good visual thermometer.
I'm just here to help

[B. Cole]

Originally Posted by AirstreamInc

Hi Amkost92,

We are sorry you hear about the issues you have experienced. Please send us a direct message with your email, contact information and the last 6 numbers of your VIN so that we can learn more and help escalate to Customer Service and Technical support. We look forward to hearing back from you. Thank you.

Refer to where the poster called Airstream, and no one was able to help.Thats where Airstreams issues with service start.Then, at the Airstream dealership, that's where the fun for these new owners really starts.
Old Airstream Addicts poster, I've watched this dance many times lol
It's kinda like Airstream "Engineers" continuing to use untreated wood floors, so the floors rot out, and the "Mothership" gets to do a shell off fix lol

[panamerican]

Originally Posted by AirstreamInc

Hi Amkost92,

We are sorry you hear about the issues you have experienced. Please send us a direct message with your email, contact information and the last 6 numbers of your VIN so that we can learn more and help escalate to Customer Service and Technical support. We look forward to hearing back from you. Thank you.

Honestly, these posts from Airstream are getting to be somewhat comical.

Company line with the customer name cut and pasted. It'd almost be better off IMHO that you simply don't post these comical canned responses that more times than not do not yield much assistance, or at least from what I've read on the forum when I see these pop up....plus, as was pointed out, the customer already reached out and got nowhere.

Speaking from personal exp, I reached out to Airstream "support" recently and it took you all 3 weeks to get back to me. Sure glad it wasn't a critical issue like the OP's.

[Spartanguy]

Originally Posted by BayouBiker

Spartanguy, I don't understand how the symptoms Amkost92 describes is consistent with the Domenic Heat Pump /CCC2 Control circuit shorting issue (32 degree display problem). I have always understood the 32 degree problem causes the furnace to run continuously or not even try to start. Here we have the furnace acting up. Am I missing something?

On the water tanks. They take a couple days to freeze solid due to the insulation and heat conduction through the floor. As long as daily average temperature is above 20 and the trailer is in use, the tanks won't freeze even without the furnace due to heat conduction.

I’ve come to believe “The 32 Degree Problem” aka having that sensor in the drip tray can cause many odd and varied problems. Particularly when someone is reporting “here today, gone tomorrow, then back” kind of issues and varied problems. It must be the first thing tried IMO.

I feel bad for this guy, he expresses the same frustration many of us have. How is it even ethical to sale a product in this price range with these quality control issues?

Multiple people, including myself, have done everything we can to bring attention to this quality control issue and Airstream/Thor doesn’t even acknowledge the attempts.

But again, I don’t believe any troubleshooting of the furnace system should start until the P4 sensor is removed from the drip line.

I hear what you’re saying though.

[Hans627]

Originally Posted by panamerican

Honestly, these posts from Airstream are getting to be somewhat comical.

Company line with the customer name cut and pasted. It'd almost be better off IMHO that you simply don't post these comical canned responses that more times than not do not yield much assistance, or at least from what I've read on the forum when I see these pop up....plus, as was pointed out, the customer already reached out and got nowhere.

Speaking from personal exp, I reached out to Airstream "support" recently and it took you all 3 weeks to get back to me. Sure glad it wasn't a critical issue like the OP's.

My response from AS Customer Support has been much different than yours. My phone calls have always been answered within a day and emails within several days. Personally I'm amazed how responsive they are considering the thousands of AS's on the road.

And I might add all my issues have been resolved in a reasonable amount of time.

FWIW!

[B. Cole]

Originally Posted by panamerican

Honestly, these posts from Airstream are getting to be somewhat comical.

Company line with the customer name cut and pasted. It'd almost be better off IMHO that you simply don't post these comical canned responses that more times than not do not yield much assistance, or at least from what I've read on the forum when I see these pop up....plus, as was pointed out, the customer already reached out and got nowhere.

Speaking from personal exp, I reached out to Airstream "support" recently and it took you all 3 weeks to get back to me. Sure glad it wasn't a critical issue like the OP's.

Exactly. They (Airstream) troll through these complaint threads, on multiple forums.They wait until postings, like these, from mechanics, reach "critical mass" .
Meaning someone thinking of buying a new 100K ++ unit, and not knowing much or anything,about mechanical issues, might think"Wow, that sounds rough" and possibly rethink buying one.
Only then, do they finally reach out, to "Help" the poor soul on the receiving end, of the issues.
It is what it is...

[B. Cole]

Originally Posted by Trailride

We have a new 2021 Globetrotter 27FBT. In response to the furnace problems several have posted to use electric space heaters. On our initial camp this week (plugged in) we occasionally used a small electric heater to supplement. When it was running and we used a coffee maker, the breaker tripped.
My question is , does my trailer only have one 20amp circuit for the entire trailer?

For people new to trailers, I hope this helps.When plugged into 30 Amp shorepower ( most common power supply at most campgrounds, other than 50 Amp option) the 30 Amps is fairly limiting, unlike in home or apartment, that non campers are used to.
You need to turn off other higher Amp drawing appliances, to use other high draw, like a portable electric heater or microwave oven, both which draw approx 10 Amps in use on high settings.
.Its just something you have to get used to doing.Also, electric water heaters, AC units, etc etc pull a lot of the available power, limiting other appliances being used.
So, turn some off to use others.Just takes some getting used to.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by B. Cole

For people new to trailers, I hope this helps.When plugged into 30 Amp shorepower ( most common power supply at most campgrounds, other than 50 Amp option) the 30 Amps is fairly limiting, unlike in home or apartment, that non campers are used to.
You need to turn off other higher Amp drawing appliances, to use other high draw, like a portable electric heater or microwave oven, both which draw approx 10 Amps in use on high settings.
.Its just something you have to get used to doing.Also, electric water heaters, AC units, etc etc pull a lot of the available power, limiting other appliances being used.
So, turn some off to use others.Just takes some getting used to.

30 amp owners... Redneck Power Boost

I have an Eddie Bauer, so this was a bit easier for me. The EB has two auxiliary vents, which I think are supposed to be used when carrying gasoline powered motorcycles, etc. inside the trailer. One is on the roadside rear panel below the dinette seat, and the other is on the roof in the bedroom. They should scoop air through the interior when the trailer is in motion, keeping gasoline vapors down. Both just pull in and out, and do seal pretty tightly. I cut out a semicircle the size of a heavy duty extension cord on the bottom side of the one under the dinette seat and removed 1/2 inch of the seal behind it. Then if I need extra power, I push the vent open and thread the plug end of the extension cord through the hole, plug in the cord to the 20 amp plug, adjust it at the vent opening, and carefully close the vent. At least 4 feet of the cord needs to be inside for easy access. Coffee maker, electric heater, induction burner, toaster oven? Fine on its own dedicated circuit. Still don't try to run everything else on electric simultaneously because appliances like a water heater and convection microwave are pigs as is the furnace, but I also don't have to "gamble" on the big breaker flip when I want a slice of toast!

Before this trailer I had a 30 amp cord stolen. We got through the night by running the cord through the fantastic fan, but that leaked a lot of cold air even with towels stuffed and taped in the opening. I think a garage door modification could accommodate the same idea. Drilling through the door threshhold... no. Sealing it while towing in the rain could be difficult.

Paula

[B. Cole]

Foiled Again- Nice hack Paula!
That keeps the coffee pot on!! New people to this whole RV thing need help understanding the big limitation of 30 Amp shore power.

[Jr3805]

Some of the new Dometic furnaces have a bad sail valve. Learned the hard way after visiting 2 reputable Airstream dealers (unable to solve the problem) and replacing the mother board. Finally, after much research replaced the sail valve and it has been working for the last 2 weeks.

[glanterman54]

I joined this forum to learn more about the Airstream experience from those who have already made the plunge. My wife and I are considering downsizing from our Keystone 5th wheel. It’s a 2016 we purchased new and have had zero problems. I considered Airstream a premium RV company but after reading testimonials on this forum would not subject myself to their poor quality and more importantly customer service experience. Hopefully, Airstream will get its priorities straight before their loyal customers decide to look elsewhere. It’s a shame that anyone has to be subjected to such poor customer service; particularly at the premium of an Airstream. I wish you best of luck!

[csrichey]

We had the same problem. Dometic no help. The sail switch may not be bad but may need some adjustment.

[John & Roberta]

Amkost92, join the ranks, we campers who “hate posting something negative about Airstream.”

While in our local dealership having warranty work done on our Dometic refrigerator (LPG no workee), Roberta and I were talked into a Li-Poly battery upgrade. Many bucks later, we discover Furnace no workee. (Furnace fan is DC-powered.) Furnace ops were fine before battery change.

John’s thinking this has to do with battery/converter upgrade . . . but he’s also thinking that wickedly complicated Dometic thermostat (19 page Users Manual) may be at fault.

[Allie Cat]

We have been through the same thing. Finally after many hours at Airstream of Va, one tech thought to check the wire connector located near the furnace underneath our seat. That connect connects the furnace to the Dometic thermostat. Well the connector is cheap and a little wiggle will stop the furnace, dead cold. They hard wired the wires together and we haven’t had a problem since. Fingers are still crossed.

[BayouBiker]

Originally Posted by glanterman54

I joined this forum to learn more about the Airstream experience from those who have already made the plunge. My wife and I are considering downsizing from our Keystone 5th wheel. It’s a 2016 we purchased new and have had zero problems. I considered Airstream a premium RV company but after reading testimonials on this forum would not subject myself to their poor quality and more importantly customer service experience. Hopefully, Airstream will get its priorities straight before their loyal customers decide to look elsewhere. It’s a shame that anyone has to be subjected to such poor customer service; particularly at the premium of an Airstream. I wish you best of luck!

You have to realize that it is the minor number of folks who have issues that post about them. The tens of thousands who don't have issues never post about their great experience. So if you judged things as you did just by looking at the posts here, you will have a very lopsided view of the product. In order to objectively compare the quality of one brand with another you'd have to find comparable reviews or forums like this for the other brand as well. Realize also that what you read here is hearsay so you can't conclude all or even most customers have poor service experience without doing an objective random survey of all customers.

Here, those who complain loudest seem not to even own an Airstream.

[Karen123]

We also woke up to freezing cold temps in our trailer but when I cranked up the thermostat, the furnace fired. Dealer replaced thermostat and is working well.

[Dr. Dean]

So sorry. We picked up our 2021 Flying Cloud mid October. Every thing is great so far including the furnace. This will be our 4th time camping Jan 6th. Very sorry you are having issues.

[Jasper Ash]

I’m so sorry to hear about your issues and frustration. I, like many others on this forum, know how you feel and what you’re going through. I just passed a year with my 2020 FC and I’ve had a number of issues that really upset me considering the purchase price and being a full-timer. I still have a list of issues I need to address. But many others have said that once you work through them, you’ll be very happy with your Airstream.

I’ve spent a few really really hot days in the airstream with no AC due to a thermostat issue that I’ve yet to figure out. It’s an intermittent issue but always seems to happen on the hottest of days.

Hang in there. We all wish you the best!

Originally Posted by B. Cole

It's kinda like Airstream "Engineers" continuing to use untreated wood floors, so the floors rot out, and the "Mothership" gets to do a shell off fix lol

2021 Airstreams use a seamless composite floor. I honestly considering trading in for a 2021 Flying Cloud just to prevent humps in the floor at the tongue and groove and protect against long term floor rot. I’m glad Airstream finally updated the flooring.