2012 Warranty issues

[Airtrekker]

I have a 2012 27' Classic Ltd. What issues have you had which were covered by warranty? These are a few issues I have encountered:
1) Bedroom drawer "slides" broke on one side.
2) Bathroom door came open after encountering a 'bump'
3) Many small round plastic "bumpers" or protectors on doors, cabinets,
come off.
4) 2 of the 4 small black rubber "bushings" on the stove top wore out. These are the rubber holders for the iron legs to the grill.
5) The cover over the two Propane Tanks sat ON TOP of the fuse and wiring.
This was not noticed until breaking camp in MT one morning. My electronic tongue jack would not work. I could not raise or lower the jack. It was dead ! I am a newbie so I did not know what to think until I saw the
broken glass from the fuse with the cover setting on top. Man Alive !!!! I got it fixed but if you fast forward about 3 weeks my camp at the Pine Creek Campground near Livingston....... the rangers showed up EN FORCE one afternoon evacuating everyone IMMEDIATELY !! FIRE !! Had that fuse waited until that camp to break and for me to try and figure out what was happening at THAT TIME with THAT MUCH smoke and PANIC in the air and the rangers yelling "HURRY" I would have been in deep trouble. To keep it simple let me just say that Airstream has some major problems when a Propane cover sets on top ( and pinches ) the wiring and the fuse of a electronic jack AND PASSES inspection.
6) I have had problems working the awning locks. Have any of you?
7) The stove fan filter scrapes the fan. After I reform or straighten the filter
it bends again. Not a big deal but ...?

I love my Airstream however there are several things which are just not right and make me wonder about the design team AND the inspection standards. But if I were to continue with that list it would fall under a thread pertaining to the design ( mostly of the interior ). It will be very helpful if you can share any warranty problems which you may have had in an effort to personally inspect those items before the warranty time expires.

[dkottum]

Each time quality comes up we get into a lengthy series of complaints about quality, design, and assembly. It never accomplishes anything, hoping this thread is not another.

My sense is all new owners will be best served if we describe the issues as you have and then proceed to work out solutions. There are wonderful threads offering help with these problems, but they tend to get cluttered with complaining.

As for warranty work, some dealers are good, some are lousy. You're right, the issues mentioned should have been fixed somewhere before it got to you. Give the dealer a call and see what they will do for you. Most of us have learned to get out the tool box and keep it handy as the easiest solution to these assembly/quality problems.

Referring to your first several issues, it would be useful to not only fix them but also be sure everything is set up properly with your tow rig. I would watch for indications of rough roadways or heavy suspension or rigid hitching issues.

We also love our Airstream. Perhaps I am too forgiving of the product when something goes wrong, but I try to stay on the positive side, take it for what it is, and continue the enjoyment. Warranties are good to have, but for the little stuff I'd rather just fix it myself.

doug k

[Friday]

Some of these issues are quite common across brands, but it would be nice if someone too the next leap into quality and specific RV design.

1) Slides and other hardware are the same stuff in your house. The 'closet' in my Airstream weighs 150lbs, and holds 15 hangers max... crazy overbuilt... The cabinetry could be much, much lighter, which would makes things like the slides, latches, and hinges more able to handle the bumps of an RV.
2) Doors and latches are often not 'perfect' from the factory, or things shift around over time. Neither should really be the case, but they are. Adjustments are needed... again, the sheer mass of everything creates a lot of these issues.
3) Self-stick pads that work fine in a home that stays at 'room temperature' are great... at home. A lot of self-adhesives fail at temperatures an RV often sees when not climate controlled. Ditto for extreme cold...
4) Again... the victim of constant movement and zero testing under 'real world' conditions. I took the cover off my stove. Just another thing to rattle and destroy itself.
5) The tank cover is a crap design from 100 years ago. No improvements made, and poor QA from the factory. The lids warp in the heat, the things rattle and rust the frame, and they are always in the way of any WD hitch hardware. The wiring issue is crappy build/QA.
6)When the awning locks are perfectly aligned, they are still a pain to work. Again, 100 year old design that no one has bothered to re-work. They are often misaligned from the factory which makes them a complete pain.
7) Poor design, poor QA...

Check EVERYTHING pre and post season... even off warranty...

[Protagonist]

I have a 2012 Interstate, not a trailer, so you may have no interest in my answer, but here goes…

1 - Water heater thermostat malfunctioned, leading the unit to overheat on both propane and electric. Atwood product defect; the Airstream dealer replaced the thermostat and all was well.

2 - Retractable step at the sliding side door malfunctioned. Limit switch on the sliding side door needed adjustment so that it made good contact when the door closed, to tell the step to retract. Mercedes Sprinter product defect, but since it affected the operation of the Airstream-installed retractable step, the Airstream dealer fixed it rather than palming me off to a Mercedes dealer as they could have done.

3 - Fire extinguisher bracket between the passenger-side rear seat and the front wall of the bathroom broke, allowing the fire extinguisher to fall out and roll around on the floor while I was driving. Not repaired yet; it just happened last week. Kidde product defect, not anything Airstream did. If I can find one that fits the extinguisher, I'll just replace the el-cheapo Kidde plastic bracket with a metal bracket.

So far, none of the problems I've had can be attributed to any defect in Airstream's labor or materials, and I've had nothing but excellent service from my dealer. When some vile miscreant broke into my Interstate and jacked the Kenwood in-dash stereo unit, the dealer not only fixed the damage good as new, but also worked with one of their electrical subcontractors to help me get a top-of-the-line alarm system installed at the same time they installed the new stereo.

[Airtrekker]

Thanks everyone.

I am now retired and a "full-time" boondocker so sometimes I go long stretches of time before I can go online like this. As everyone here I am so grateful to have access to a website like this! AIRFORUM.com ROCKS !!

I moved to Portland over a year ago. It is a fact that some dealers are good. I do not take my camper to the dealer who sold it to me for that very reason. For reasons more related to business ethics the seller lost me as a customer. I have found a dealer in Portland who has exceptional customer service and where I would make my next purchase and refer anyone who asked.

Mine is also a positive outlook. I would hope that Thor and more specifically Airstream has someone who monitors this website and takes the experience and constructive criticism of Streamers back to their respective team leaders. I would also hope that there are more than a few employees at the AS home office who are Streamers. . I DO believe that Airstream should make these common brand issues " uncommon" simply because theirs should be of the highest U.S.A. quality among all RV brands. It has the history and reputation. The price certainly suggests that it has already achieved uncommon quality. But I am getting off the thread.

!) Are there any electrical issues which you have encountered? Do you carry extra fuses, bulbs or is that necessary.
2) Is an unfinished bathroom door normal in a new AS? The bottom of that door in my unit still has splinters made from the cutting saw.
I will check with the dealer but is this normal?
3) Have any of you had any issues with the Fantastic brand fans?
4) Good point about the 'sticky' pads.
5) Experiences with a dealer like Protagonists dealer are wonderful. EVERY airstream dealer should show THAT quality of service. I feel that the dealer I have found does that. It is an uncommon product ! In my personal and humble opinion
it commands uncommon quality customer service.

[DMT]

Originally Posted by Airtrekker

1) Are there any electrical issues which you have encountered? Do you carry extra fuses, bulbs or is that necessary.

3) Have any of you had any issues with the Fantastic brand fans?

1. The fuse on the Baraldi range hood has blown three times this summer. It is a small in-line slow burn type that you can pick up a spare at Radio Shack. I have several now.

2. The opening motor on one of the two fans quit. They sent me a replacement but haven't installed just yet. I think moisture killed it. Maybe I should install the UltraBreeze covers, but I understand there would be no need to automatic open/close after that, as the cover cannot fully open.

Don

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Airtrekker

1) Are there any electrical issues which you have encountered? Do you carry extra fuses, bulbs or is that necessary.

I routinely carry a full set of fuses, in every vehicle I've ever owned. The only fuse I've needed to replace so far in my Interstate was for the macerator pump, on my first-ever camping trip in my Interstate. I had no idea the pump would drain the tank so quickly (10gpm output on the pump!), and so I accidentally let the pump run until it overheated without realizing that it was running dry. Macerator pumps use the water they're pumping to help keep them cool. Entirely my own fault the fuse blew.

3) Have any of you had any issues with the Fantastic brand fans?

Must be a trailer thing. My Interstate has a MaxxAir fan instead. No problems; Didn't even leak during the torrential rains of Hurricane Isaac. I had it closed and locked down for the hurricane, but the hood design means I can leave it open for a normal-intensity rainstorm, and I always leave it part-way open when the unit's in storage. Runs well; runs quiet.

5) Experiences with a dealer like Protagonists dealer are wonderful. EVERY airstream dealer should show THAT quality of service.

It helps that my dealer is also an Airstreamer in his own right, not just a dealer. I believe he knows first-hand what level of service Airstream owners want.

[m.hony]

I have experienced issues with the clamp wheels and travel hooks on the awning not lining up. There is a video on Airstream's site in which the president of Zip Dee takes the arm off the awning, takes it to the a-frame, sticks it in the a-frame and bends it to make it line up better. Very low tech. I asked the dealer about the clamp wheels not lining up and they said all of them were that way. The fluorescent light covers apparently crack easily. I've had 2 to crack.

The automatic Fantastic fan will still work with the really big MaxxAir cover.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Airtrekker

4) 2 of the 4 small black rubber "bushings" on the stove top wore out. These are the rubber holders for the iron legs to the grill.

If you use your stove you just have to buy these things by the box. They don't last. I have a mod I've made that helps considerably but they still have to be replaced every year or so (see the threads I've started).

To keep it simple let me just say that Airstream has some major problems when a Propane cover sets on top ( and pinches ) the wiring and the fuse of a electronic jack AND PASSES inspection.

This has been an ongoing problem. Apparently they still haven't fixed it.

6) I have had problems working the awning locks. Have any of you?

For the wheel-type ones on the long awning, it helps considerably to apply some WD40 or a similar lubricant. It also takes a little practice. It's not an area where there are usually quality problems.

I love my Airstream however there are several things which are just not right and make me wonder about the design team AND the inspection standards. But if I were to continue with that list it would fall under a thread pertaining to the design ( mostly of the interior ). It will be very helpful if you can share any warranty problems which you may have had in an effort to personally inspect those items before the warranty time expires.

There are many threads. Check my history as I've started some of them.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Airtrekker

I DO believe that Airstream should make these common brand issues " uncommon" simply because theirs should be of the highest U.S.A. quality among all RV brands. It has the history and reputation. The price certainly suggests that it has already achieved uncommon quality. But I am getting off the thread.

To really understand why this is so hard for them you have to take the factory tour and internalize the low volumes they work in and the nature of the labor pool they have. Then when you factor in the price competition in the RV market it becomes clear that this is a tough job. I wish they would do better, too, but there are reasons why things are the way they are.

!) Are there any electrical issues which you have encountered? Do you carry extra fuses, bulbs or is that necessary.

I carry a full set of spare bulbs except that I don't carry fluorescent tubes because of the difficulty of securing them so they will not break. The only electrical problems I've run into were a failure of the LED tail lights and the fact that someone forgot to tighten the charge line where it connects to one of the circuit breaker terminals, so it didn't work.

3) Have any of you had any issues with the Fantastic brand fans?

They have a reputation for reliability and also a reputation for good customer service.