squaredancer wrote: I live in SoCal, Orange County and use a mobile repair service. Beats going to the dealer who is 15 miles and a lot of stop and go traffic away. It took him about 20 minutes to install and it cost me $ 50.0. To me it's well worth it.
The drive to and from the repair shop cost me at least $32 in fuel and tolls, and wasted the better part of two days. Fifty bucks for service on-the-spot would have been a bargain.
I somehow missed this thread. I have one of the recalled units so I am heading to the dealer next week. My problems, which may or may not be related are:
1. Insufficient cooling
2. LP Gas detector going off
I am outraged to hear that this company has acknowledged a problem with one of their products and won't repair and/or replaced a failed cooling unit unless the fridge is under warranty. This is ridiculous and very serious. Instead of just writing here, we should all visit the NHTSA website and complain there.
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
If there is a recall because there could be a failure, the recall should replace the part that could fail, not shield it so it doesn't explode on us. All units in the recall are part of the recall for a reason. Dometic knows that sooner or later the parts involved will fail.
If anyone wants to start a class action, sign me up.
Here's the email I just sent to Dometic's "contact us" address.
I will pass along any reply that I happen to receive.
Having received the recall notice on my model RM2852 refrigerator, I took it to an authorized dealer and had the remedial work performed.
This leaves me with several questions:
1. Does Dometic plan to reimburse affected customers the costs involved with this recall work? In my case, I am out more than $32 in fuel and tolls for the trip to the dealer, plus the better part of two days' work.
2. The recall notice states that "a fatigue crack may develop in the boiler tube..." I interpret that to mean that the refrigerator may fail prematurely. Does Dometic plan to extend warranty coverage, or at least offer partial reimbursement for refrigerators that fail prematurely? My experience with two previous trailers is that a refrigerator lasts well in excess of ten years.
3. What is the probability that, should I decide to replace this refrigerator prior to its failure, the replacement Dometic model will have a similar reliability problem? Specifically, what has the company done to change the design so fatigue cracks are less likely to occur?
4. A MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for anyhdrous ammonia (presumably used as the refrigerant) states that exposure causes potential health risks, as well as potential chemical reactivity problems. (See http://www.airgasspecialtyproducts.com/UserDyn/laroche/4001msds-r-07-18-2008.pdf). The recall notice should, at the very least, provide this information. Nowhere does the notice mention that in the event of a refrigerant leak, it may not be safe to occupy the RV in which it is installed.
sign me up as well for a class action. I spoke to dometic today and even though they used to relace failed cooling units, they stopped that "act of goodwill" on april of this year and i am out of luck!
Looks like time for a new fridge. Dometic had the choice to make a customer for life, or to lose one for life. If they had stood by their product, I would go out of my way to always purchase dometic products. Sadly they have chosen to be shortsighted and anger their customers. I have a long memory and will never do business with them if I have a choice!
Anyone who believes that the RV industry cares cur us didn't watch the hearings on the Katrina trailers. The heads of the top manufacturers stated that if the EPA set guidelines to lower the formaldehyde levels in the units purchased they would be out of the biding. This says a lot for the thousands of RV's who live in an RV year round and are exposed to this. Another were not going to fix it can we make it go away.
Like a previous poster said my frig was toast. I replaced the cooling unit myself, in my driveway. I found a company on the internet that sells rebuilt cooling units. He claims they are repaired by the Amish.
He sent a unit (big box 59 lbs) to me with written instructions (via Fed Ex) and his cell phone number for tech support. Also e-mail support. I got an answer to a question on a Saturday, These units have a 3 year warranty. Installed in less than 4 hours. I slid the frig out, laid it on the floor of my fiver and swapped it right there. It works. Every thing is sealed. No leaks. He claims that the coil that broke on my old one are replaced with heavier tube.
cost was $524 less $100 when they get my core back. Shipping is covered. $499 plus $25 shipping and $100 back for the core.
Sure beats buying a new frig. I have a Dometic RM2852 that makes ice.
www.rvcoolingunit.net Check it out
This guy knows customer service
Chuck and Cindy
2002 Dodge 2500/Cummins
Reese 15000#
CF28BH Cruiser picked up 12-22-03
hyd/disk brakes installed 12/07
1. Replacing the cooling unit is always a good option, provided everything else is OK. My sister had some trouble with a door seal, on a fridge for which the replacement part was unavailable. The only choice was replacing the whole reefer. On the other hand, we'd had a cooling unit failure on a Starcraft that we'd bought used, and it was possible to replace just the guts.
2. Norcold is having its own problems.
3. As far as the Katrina business is concerned, I think the formaldehye contamination business is over-stated. We've all used RVs with paneling that had formaldehyde, and except for people with a particular sensitivity, there haven't been problems. Before EPA goes mucking around setting limits, someone ought to be conducting an epidemiological survey or RVers, to see whether we have a greater incidence of cancers or endocrine problems. As far as I can see, nobody has proven satisfactorily that there's actually a problem. But where the bidding on the FEMA trailers is concerned, if there'd been a formaldehyde requirement, all bidders would have been required to meet it, thus nobody would have been out of the running. FEMA has made numerous mistakes in the temporary housing business, but that's not one of them.
4. BTW, don't park homes and other manufactured housing use the same materials? Nobody talks about formaldehyde levels there.
5. Finally, the RV industry is rife with claims that such-and-such a component, or brand of RV is "made by the Amish." This is not only silly, but plays to a weird kind of religious prejudice. Suppose someone advertised that their stuff was built by Mormons, or Lubavitcher Jews? People would have a fit. The moment I read of someone making this "Amish" claim, I start to shop elsewhere.
* This post was
edited 07/30/08 12:32pm by Stan47 *
millertime wrote: Like a previous poster said my frig was toast. I replaced the cooling unit myself, in my driveway. I found a company on the internet that sells rebuilt cooling units. He claims they are repaired by the Amish.
He sent a unit (big box 59 lbs) to me with written instructions (via Fed Ex) and his cell phone number for tech support. Also e-mail support. I got an answer to a question on a Saturday, These units have a 3 year warranty. Installed in less than 4 hours. I slid the frig out, laid it on the floor of my fiver and swapped it right there. It works. Every thing is sealed. No leaks. He claims that the coil that broke on my old one are replaced with heavier tube.
cost was $524 less $100 when they get my core back. Shipping is covered. $499 plus $25 shipping and $100 back for the core.
Sure beats buying a new frig. I have a Dometic RM2852 that makes ice.
www.rvcoolingunit.net Check it out
This guy knows customer service
Millertime, thanks for the information. I put that web site in my favorites for future reference. Keep us informed how it works and is holding up for you. Admiral
2004 Damon Daybreak 2960F
05 Honda Element LX
In a democracy two wolves and a sheep can vote on what to have for dinner.
The quote i got for dometic replacement cooling unit was 800, and 4 hours labor to replace. Dometic fridge was 900 and 4.5 hours to replace. I get a warranty on one and not the other. I think i will go with norcold new fridge for 1350.
Like I said before Norcold has a similar recall. Also they had a potential fire hazard several years ago.
We have discused the fact of quality in the shop and we believe that one of the main problems in the fact that the person building or installing this equipment doesn't have to service it. In the real world when a company finds a product that is hard to work on, get parts for or generaly junk they won't install it. But in the RV industry the cheapest product and the quickest and easiest way is the way of choice and to heck with the poor slob that has to live with it or service it.
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