Fire on the mountain, my Mount Rushmore that is.

G_Hage

Active Member
Well here we are four weeks to the day that we took delivery of our beautiful MR, only to have it almost burn to the ground this morning. Not a good thing!

What started as a routine day, wake up, get dressed , walk the dog, cook breakfast for wife, dog and I. Now all was good until cook the breakfast. To be continued, got to go get dinner:

Ok,I'm back So the hashbrowns O'Brian, eggs, and the bacon and sausage are safely cooking away on the gas stove [I'm always so concerned about the bacon grease catching fire in the RV and burning it down], while the waffles covered in butter and fresh sliced bananas are convectioning away above at 425 degrees for eight minutes. All is still good at this point. Serve up the breakfast vittles, with the exception of the wife's banana waffle (she likes eating it last). When she's about ready I micro-wave the waffle for 15 seconds and leave it on its stoneware plate in the MW, the same one I convected it in earlier, trouble free. Still good. Bare with me folks, its about to get good [hot] here!

I sit back down to finish my breakfast, when a few minutes later wife says "what's burning?" I reply "I don't know., everything is off!" NOTE: We heard the MW shut off 15 seconds after I had started it, but I had left the built in exhaust fan on to continue pulling the cooking smells out. We both jump up, me running to the kitchen, her to the bedroom to check the upstairs A/C, etc. I thrust open the MW door and to my horror find the banana butter waffle flambeau!!! Actually it was the bananas that were on fire.

Oooops, gotta run eat my dinner while its hot [No Pun Intended]! Best part to come folks:

Ok, I'm baaaack! Great baja chili salad, but ooooooh am I gonna have heartburn tonight! Where were we? Oh yea: My burning bananas!

I yelled to the wife, "Save the dog, save yourself, (see who comes first here,don't ya) get out, get out while you can!" I grab the pot holders and go after the burning beast to carry out to the door and give it the heave ho! NOTE [to self]: I was a firefighter years ago, what's the first rule for kitchen fires?

My flaming bananas safely extinguished we sat down to catch our breaths and finish our breakfast, minus the wife's B&B waffle. As we sat resting for a few minutes after our breakfast, my wife ask again "What's burning now!" I reply "Nothing dear, its just the left over smoke and the incinerated waffle in our sink" [never made it to the door]. She insisted that "Something's still burning and it smells like hot electrical!" I calmly respond "Nah, that's just the burnt bananas and butter you smell dear". We sit a few more minutes.

"OK, its getting stronger, sommmmething is burning!" she replies. So we get up and like bloodhounds on the scent we went in search of the smell. "OMG, its the microwave!" we found out. It was still micro-waving each time we shut the door. NOTE: after the original 15 second cook command which the time timed out and it shut off, no other commands were punched in. Now its running on its own as if it was possessed, and now smoking! I quickly yanked the plug, killing the beast and we waited in anticipation for the super heated wood cabinetry surrounding the MW to erupt into flames. Thankfully they did not! MORE:

Seriously speaking folks:
What transpired causing these events, while rewarming the wife's waffle for the 15 second period, a short occurred in the controls and even though the timer time out and stopped, the turntable quit rotating, and the dinger dinged, the heating mode of the MW continued cooking the waffle. We just could not hear it until the exhaust fan was shut off. Now, if the MW is simply plugged in, it immediately begins humming and heating up to where the upper right hand corner of the inside and outside gets super hot until its unplugged. Wonder whats up with that? I hope it can be repaired!
 
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JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Since it's only four weeks old, contact the manufacturer of the MW. I'd also contact Heartland with your VIN and inform them of the problem. Never had any MW do that.
 

G_Hage

Active Member
Since it's only four weeks old, contact the manufacturer of the MW. I'd also contact Heartland with your VIN and inform them of the problem. Never had any MW do that.

That would be great if it was still in warranty with the builder and appliance maker. The MW is a 2006 model and the MR was built in late 2006 as a 2008 model and first sold new in 2007. Guess this one is on my nickle! What next to break? LOL
 

Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
Just so that we can keep an eye on our MW - what's the name brand?

PS - glad ya'll and the LM are still ok!!!
 

dfk009

Well-known member
Had a similiar situation happen to our home microwave. That was over 20 years ago. Can't remember the brand name, but we tossed it. It would start on it's own, without programing. Call the government watchdogs, and of course, I was the first to ever report such a finding.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
My guess is you have a Dometic unit. They were known to be pretty good units. You may want to call them to explain the story before you toss it out. They may want to do some forensics and maybe give you another one - who knows :)

If you end up replacing it on your dime, consider a 30" GE Profile Convection/Microwave. Decent ovens at decent prices. Terry H replaced his Amana in his Landmark with a GE Profile. He can likely give you the model number he used.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
That would be great if it was still in warranty with the builder and appliance maker. The MW is a 2006 model and the MR was built in late 2006 as a 2008 model and first sold new in 2007. Guess this one is on my nickle! What next to break? LOL

Oops! Hard to tell on my phone without opening your profile.

But, as you know, if it smells like something's burning, there is something burning (or overheating).
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
I am not sure but if it is the same as what is in our 2007 Landmark it will cost you right at $875.00 to replace it with the same kind. Our Dometic has gone out twice and been replaced under extended warranty twice. Thank goodness for extended warranty.
 
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