Requesting Advice on defective new purchase

[AmandaLynn]

Hello friends. Asking for insight/advice if anyone has experienced this before and what happened/what to do. (Bit of a read, but would be so appreciative of advice.)

The story is we bought and ordered a brand new 2020 Bambi through our local dealer last Aug. The commitment from the dealer was that it would deliver in October in time for an important family trip.

The unit we ordered ended up not scheduled to arrive on time. Our dealer was able to find another new 2020 Bambi unit that they offered to upgrade with the solar and batteries we ordered and paid for for the late unit. We were assured this substitute unit was also brand new but the color scheme was different which was the only difference and offered that one instead.

It seemed reasonable so we accepted and brought the substitute unit home on time.

Due to COVID and all, our trip got cancelled but we kept the new Bambi in the driveway anyway for the time being. We noticed some debris and water pooling in the back window sill which we reported right after we got it home and were told the debris was no big deal and must’ve been missed on the detail. and the water was likely condensation.

Turns out it was a substantial leak and over the next few weeks and after a substantial rain storm we discovered that the back mattress was soaked through even to the wood fixture underneath which turned black.

We be took it back and are being told they will repair it, replace the mattress, and return it to us good as new and that exchanging it for a replacement wasn’t an option.

Keep in mind, the only use it had was being driven home from the dealership - about 20 miles.

We’ve spoken to the regional VP in the Pacific NW who has arranged a team for us to meet with and go over the extent of the leak, the repairs, and to therefore reassure us completely that it is good as new. His goal is to repair the unit and return it to us satisfactorily, fully confident that this is possible, that leaks happen and they are well equipped to fix it.

We will be participating in this process but it isn’t sitting well with us. We feel we were sold a defective unit which experienced a major integrity fail and given the amount of money (we paid cash) involved, should have a new, not repaired unit.

This is our first RV and we went with Airstream because of their reputation for quality and excellence but our experience has left us doubtful and concerned.

Any advice or similar experiences (and how it was resolved) would be appreciated. Thank you 🙏

[tbrowne]

I can empathize with you but an RV is like a car in that it's not likely it will be replaced with a new unit. From your post, it appears your dealer obtained the unit from another Airstream dealer and would not have been aware of any defects. Maybe it's just bad luck but the unit you ordered could just have easily been defective as well. If they fix it as stated, you're good to go. Otherwise, your state might have a lemon law that applies to towed RV's and you could go that route if the repairs take longer than the law allows. Best of luck with it.

[BayouBiker]

You will get an earful about how Airstreams are notorious for this sort of thing. If you want someone to empathize with your pain and anxiety there will be no shortage. If you instead want practical realistic fixes and solutions, I and many others also here can help with that too.

I'll assume you want solutions for now and proceed in that direction.

So.......

Travel Trailers and especially Airstreams leak.... it is a reality due to wear and tear they get and part of the basic design. Now they are not supposed to leak brand new, but often they do. So don't worry, it is not ruined or diminished in any substantive way. Airstream and the dealer will fix all the damage and make it right if you're persistent.

They should replace the wet and molded wood if is warped or damaged or discolored. If the wood is undamaged, removing the mold is sufficient. Don't worry about it having been cleaned for mold mold unless you happen to have allergies, the black mold scare is way overblown by treating companies who are happy to take your money for something you can clean up yourself with bleach or other cleaners. The presence of mold means something is staying wet so there is an active leak/source of water. Don't worry about the Insulation too much again unless you know you are sensitive to mold spores. It will go away over time. The key in the future is to notice wet areas, find and fix leaks early. You can and should ask the dealer to blow air into the skin interior to dry out the insulation etc.

Ask for details about the leak, where it was and how they plan to fix it. Ask them to demonstrate with a water shower that it no longer leaks. When you get it home shower it for another couple hours to be sure there are no other leaks.

Okay so there is the solution to the leak issue and the damage. Now should you feel like the trailer you have should be swapped out? I don't know, but I do know that since you accepted it, that is not likely to happen and continuing to focus on it will just keep you upset. Will the repaired trailer have diminished value? No. Will you continue to have issues with it? Not if you watch it for leaks regularly from now on and fix them right away. I have had leaks while under warranty and I just fix them myself because it is an hour to the dealer, and they are always backed up, and when the warranty is out, I'm going to have to fix them anyway so I figured, may as well learn and also I'll be happy with the person who fixed it and the job they did!

I have an indoor outdoor weather station that monitors humidity in the trailer. If there is a leak, you will know it as humidity norms will change drastically if there is water present. You can get familiar with how it changes, by filling the sink with water and watching how the humidity reacts.

Good luck, ask any questions you might have.

[Daquenzer]

Bummer. It is very discouraging to pay that much and have things like this happen. Unfortunately there are other horror stories that occur. And I have learned over the years that buying something new does not mean perfect. I have had 2 significant issues with brand new vehicles I have purchased within just days after owning. But once fixed no more problems. I would encourage you to hang in there.

I also had a leak in my 2017 after I purchased it. It was small. But I fixed it myself. In your case it caused lots of damage. Thankfully mine was minor.

You will learn, as I have, that maintenance and fixing things is part of owning these things. Remember we drive them down the highway at 65mph on all kinds of roads, in all kinds of conditions. I am amazed more things don’t go wrong.

But it is still a bummer.

[Hans627]

First of all welcome to the forum. It's a good place to learn and share as you have already determined.

I've found the majority of AS dealers to be reputable and desirous of making things right. And you have a three year warranty. You didn't mention the dealer but there are some good ones in the Seattle area. Hold them to their word and see what happens.

Best wishes and keep us posted as to the outcome.

[ghaynes755]

From my understanding Washington state has some very good 'lemon' laws that may also cover trailers. You may want to invest some time is seeing what protections are available to you. That being said, Airstream Northwest, if that's where you purchased, seems to have a good reputation for taking care of their customers.

For finding leaks there are services available that pressurize the trailer from the inside and then use soapy water on the outside to find the actual point of the leak which may be different than where it shows up inside the trailer. The system is from Sealtech and maybe your Airstream has a unit available.


Replacing the mattress and any of the interior wooden structures, if they can find and fix the leaks, would be a reasonable response. As others have said, not totally unheard of, and trailers of any brand have growing pains that are found during the first few months of ownership. How the dealer and manufacturer take care of this issues are why many of us buy multiple Airstreams over the years.

[syclone93]

Hmmm - It would seem with leaks being fairly common and if there is a viable system for pressurizing a unit and using a soap solution to locate leaks that this test should be a part of every PDI. I would think this would be a factory supported program. I do question in actual practice how well this works. Many years ago we used an electronic sound generator that worked fairly well at locating body leaks. Smoke is another way to locate leaks. In other words it seems just a little more effort would greatly improve customer satisfaction. This isn’t rocket science and as previously mentioned if you are handy none of this is insurmountable.

[BayouBiker]

Originally Posted by ghaynes755

From my understanding Washington state has some very good 'lemon' laws that may also cover trailers. You may want to invest some time is seeing what protections are available to you. That being said, Airstream Northwest, if that's where you purchased, seems to have a good reputation for taking care of their customers.

But does a single problem a lemon make?

[lsbrodsky]

Even so, I do not know how one could claim that a leak in an RV with seams and attachments could be a lemon. I admit that years ago I fell into the trap of believing that because Airstream had been doing this so long that they used good materials and workmanship, plus the factory leak test. Just like their reputation for quality, the reality is completely different. I am still distressed at the fact that they either did not want to learn from the marine industry or did not want to spend the extra dollars to use better sealants and caulks. We all accept leaks as a right of ownership...I always wonder how Oliver customers feel.

Larry

[BayouBiker]

If I were to go out on a limb and guess, I would suspect the dealer solar install as the source of the leak.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

If you head off to YouTube, you will find a variety of folks going after various trailer manufacturers looking for replacement trailers. Many of them have been engaged in years of litigation. As far as I can see, none of them have had any luck getting a replacement trailer. One also wonders about the multi-year legal fees ....

Bob

[B17drvr]

A good reason to hire a NRVIA inspector before purchase.

[djarrett]

If you have proper insurance on this trailer, you might consider getting your insurance company involved. They are normally equipped with a legal team for this very sort of thing. You have a leak and water damage (mold/mildew) on a brand new unit. I feel certain your insurance company might be helpful here. *or at least a back up plan if you negotiations fail.

[Baby Zeppelin]

You have a warranty to cover defects in materials or workmanship. If the dealer fixes the leak and the damage that resulted from it they've done their part. Just monitor the situation after the leak is repaired to be sure it's indeed fixed and move on.


It would not be reasonable to expect the trailer to be replaced due to this any more than for a builder to build you a new house if your roof leaked...


By the way, welcome to the forums. You'll find that like any new product with many components some will fail, and this is a great place to learn from others. Enjoy your new Airstream!

[cegardner]

Just to reiterate many if the above conversations. Trailers can have leaks. Also, all of the equipment in the trailers are from other vendors and you can and will experience issues at times that are not the AS product. We have had leaks minor and major. Our dealers and the factory have always stood by the warranty and ensured all is fully restored. Trailers, coaches boats are things that experience mechanical and construction issues. It is the nature of the beasts. It can be frustrating. We now are on our 3rd new AS. I guess we approach it with the view that the joy of our units is finding the love of travel balanced with the expectation that things do happen and are not always perfect. Your unit will take maintenance, repairs and can be consuming of time. We wish it would just be perfect but alas not so. BTW We had a leak so big that both twin bed bases molded, mattresses destroyed. Everything was fixed to our expectations with no issues. Our lessons learned, check your unit frequently. Look for damp areas. Check the humidity. Hopefully the joy of your wonderful basecamp can offset the disappointment.

May your travels always be silver

[AmandaLynn]

Thank you, everyone, this has been above expectations helpful! Very happy I’ve found these forums.

I appreciate the normalization of what we’ve experienced - that this is a thing. We did not know that which of course contributed to our initial distress.

We have our walk through this afternoon to review the root cause, the mitigation, and next steps. The insight about the dealer installed components will now be an additional talking point! Along with the drying out process and extent of hidden damage/moisture. Living in the rainforest of the PNW we are well acquainted with mold - it’s everywhere all the time and not as sinister as it’s made out to be though is to be avoided. Really like the idea of an interior moisture monitoring system! Did not know that was a thing either and seems almost like essential gear for our environment!

Also appreciate the independent inspection advice - we’d asked if a manufacturer rep could inspect but likely not gonna happen. This is due concern in case the aluminum is bent/compromised in some way that any resealing/replacement of the window would be a temp fix as a warped fit would result in recurring fails. An independent review may be reassuring to verify this.

Bottom line, thank you so much AS family 🙏😊💛 Although a pain and hassle, we’re feeling better equipped and informed to move forward. Will keep y’all’s posted!

[PatLee]

You live in Seattle so it would be a very long drive for you to the AS factory in Jackson Center (JC), OH. However, knowing what I know now (15 years of AS ownership), that is exactly what I would do with your new unit. They would make it whole, like new again. If I couldn't make it to JC, then my second choice would be Airstream Adventures Northwest in Caldwell, Idaho. A great group of people and maybe the best in doing AS body work. Good luck, it will get better.

[soling917]

Does Washington state have a lemon law? Get the dealer to fix it and keep tabs on how many days the dealer keeped the AS. And how many times it goes in for repair. Some times you can get a new AS.

[blkmagikca]

If you have not already done so, I would suggest that you call Airstream Service at Jackson Center (937) 596-6111 extension 7257 and speak with Brad Herring, the service manager.

[Knifemaker]

Giving you another trailer is not going to happen. You will need to get a lawyer first. Let them fix it, while you keep the pressure on. Maybe start a yelp post with outcome pending. Be nice while they are addressing the problem and get nasty if they disappoint you. Start a better business complaint maybe. Keep notes daily on the progress with names and dates and the promises made and by whom just in case you elevate to level 2. Call the factory and complain. Always get names and contact numbers along the way so you can say who said what and when and so you can start where you left off if or when nothing is being done.
This is only the first "poor quality" issue you will encounter, you own an Airstream after all.
I know your pain. I will NEVER buy another Airstream or Thor industries product. Not because of the poor quality but because of how I was treated after spending a small fortune on a 33 Classic with issues on trip 1.
If you get it fixed and everything is working, that will be the best time to sell it. If the COVID spawned frenzy is still going you will never see more for it than right now. Cheat the dealer and factory out of a NEW sale by selling it into the pre owned market. Fix it first though.