New Purchase with MANY problems on first trip

[akflyman]

I purchased a New 2016 3270RS in June and before leaving for our trip to Alaska I noticed leaking water tank trough the under carriage. Slector valve for city water is leaking and over filling tank. So why is it overflowing out the under carriage and not the over flow tube? So the entire trip I have had to fill tank and use the water pump. I called the factory to talk about warranty issues and as soon as I get home in Boise area I will get issues looked at.
So far there is a list a mile long I have that should have not happened. Most are quality issues from the factory that I see as very disappointing seeing that I purchased the Bighorn as to be a top of the line unit. I will have more comments in the future......

 

[jimtoo]

Hi akflyman,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and to the family. We have a great bunch of folks here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.

Sorry to hear your having some problems, but having a few is not to unusual. Sounds like the Anderson 4 way valve is leaking back to the tank of it could be the pump check valve leaking. I'm sure some other members will jump in soon with more info. Keep us informed as to your repairs and fixes.

Be sure and check out our Heartland Owners Club. Join us at a rally when you can and meet lots of the great folks here and make friends for a lifetime.

Enjoy the forum.

Jim M

 

[Shannon7488]

Hey Jim,

I don't suppose you have any contacts at Heartland that may actually care about taking care of their customers and seeing that manufacturing defects are corrected in a timely manner do you? I have had nothing but trouble out of the new Oakmont I purchased in March. There's something new everytime we use it and we have now been made to feel like "problem" customers. All I want is to be able to use my brand new, very expensive, 5th wheel without having to smell sewage or fearing that something else is going to brake. This is the 4th camper I have owned so I understand that there will be little issues here and there for a little while, but these are big issues and I shouldn't be made to feel like I'm the problem here every time I have to call them.

Thanks!!

 

['Lil Guy']

Seems to be a recurring issue with the Anderson valve.How do you check this problem at walk thru on new rig? I'll be picking up our BH3270RS 1st week of October. If there is an issue. Id like t catch it there. Thanks in advance.

 

[Oregon_Camper]

.....So far there is a list a mile long I have that should have not happened. Most are quality issues from the factory that I see as very disappointing....

Sorry to hear about your problem...that is NEVER good when buying something so expensive.

Did you complete a proper PDI? Wouldn't these have been found during the PDI?

 

[danemayer]

Seems to be a recurring issue with the Anderson valve.How do you check this problem at walk thru on new rig? I'll be picking up our BH3270RS 1st week of October. If there is an issue. Id like t catch it there. Thanks in advance.

Frank,

I don't think there's any way to catch it in advance. For one thing, it seems like only a relatively small percentage are failing. And when it's working, I don't think there's anything to see.

I've heard that Anderson has done some recent redesign to the center cartridge o-rings to correct the problem. Don't know when new builds will have the redesign.

 

[Bones]

So what is causing those valves to go bad and why would they recall them to repair them. When I say They I mean Anderson

 

[jbeletti]

Frank - the redesign to the valve was done sometime back, so you should be good to go. That said, nothing is failproof and any sort of debris or water-borne crud could get into the valve body and cause issues. I wouldn't fret on anything here and as Dan said, nothing you can do proactive other than a good PDI to ensure you understand all 4 positions and they all work.

 

[avvidclif]

One reason I have a dual water filter setup.

 

[jbeletti]

One reason I have a dual water filter setup.

I have my two filters "post" valve. You make a good case for filters "pre" Anderson valve.

 

[akflyman]

A proper PDI would have been nice but some of the problems would have been found until tanks were filled full. The dealer only puts enough water the test the pump and small leaks. I Purchased my RV from Lakeside RV in Michigan with an online sale purchase. I drove from Idaho to Michigan to pick it up and had only 2 hrs at the dealer to pick it up. Another words in the door and out. My fault for not using a local dealer who will xxx xxxx xxx keep me happy. Always next time....

 

[Oregon_Camper]

....Purchased my RV from Lakeside RV in Michigan with an online sale purchase. I drove from Idaho to Michigan to pick it up and had only 2 hrs at the dealer to pick it up. Another words in the door and out.

I drove to Lakeshore from Oregon for my prior trailer. They allowed us to stay overnight in their "camp spot" with full hook-ups. This allowed us to test everything and I had a list of items to be repaired the following day.

I'd drive to Lakeshore again...our experience was tremendous.

Are you saying Lakeshore no longer allows this option?

 

[etcmss]

In many posts of problems we keep asking if someone could address the quality issues. Many can be caught at the factory if a better shakedown was done. Their PPI could find and resolve, our PPI lists keep growing to respond to owner reported problems.
I'm certain the water valve problem could be found and fixed.
The one that annoyed me was the repair I had to do for the satellite to work. A full checkout of the cables/sat/antenna would have found my broken/non functioning cable.
The excuse that we can't test that is not acceptable.
So not to highjack the thread---is anyone at Heartland able to respond to quality control improvements? A lot of big $$ were spent on getting these trailers and all we are asking for is a little more effort to find problems before it hits the road. (They have a job because of us)
Gary

- - - Updated - - -

nice PPI doc.

 

['Lil Guy']

Frank - the redesign to the valve was done sometime back, so you should be good to go. That said, nothing is failproof and any sort of debris or water-borne crud could get into the valve body and cause issues. I wouldn't fret on anything here and as Dan said, nothing you can do proactive other than a good PDI to ensure you understand all 4 positions and they all work.

Jim, I sent you an email. Let me know by PM if you got it. Thanks

 

[codycarver]

It seems to me that if the dealers were doing a proper PDI there would be very little for the end user to find. Putting the primary responsibility on the buyer seems backwards to me.

Do I really need to bring a multi meter with me to check for continuity on cable and sat lines? or a compressor to test the water lines? Seems to me these things along with a few others could easily be done and remove a lot of buyer remorse.

 

[JohnD]

It seems to me that if the dealers were doing a proper PDI there would be very little for the end user to find. Putting the primary responsibility on the buyer seems backwards to me.

Do I really need to bring a multi meter with me to check for continuity on cable and sat lines? or a compressor to test the water lines? Seems to me these things along with a few others could easily be done and remove a lot of buyer remorse.

The big issues we have with our 2015 Prowler are that the cable TV line doesn't work (someone addressed this above with their sat line), the furnace ducts to the kitchen and living room are completely blocked (and all heat goes upstairs to the bathroom and bedroom), the awning is pulled out of the tract on one end so can only put it out halfway before it rubs on the top and corners of the big slide, and the big window shade in the back window won't go up and is all scrunched and wrinkled.

I had a small water leak in the basement, but found it and fixed it (all it needed was a little finger tightening of a water pipe connection).

There are a bunch of other minor issues, but yes I agree that all of these things could have been found with a little more attention from the factory before it leaves for the dealerships.

 

[TxCowboy]

I'm sure that most dealers have some sort of delivery inspection that they perform when they receive a new RV from the factory. I have no idea what that inspection consists of. But something I've been considering for some time is that there should be someone (or more than one) at each dealer who is an experienced RVer who's sole purpose at the dealership is to do the PDI inspection as if they were the perspective buyer, before the unit is placed on the showroom for sale.

You know what I mean -- someone who puts the RV through its paces and uses everything in a simulated RVing environment. They put fresh water in the holding tank and used the DC pump. Turns on the propane stove and oven. Operates the cooktop, if so equipped. Runs the microwave and/or convection oven. Runs the water at each outlet to test not only the pressure but also both modes of the water heater. Adds water to each holding tank and operates the values and flushing system to make sure they work and close properly. Etc., etc., etc. Provide a listing of deficiencies to the Service Department then confirm that repairs have been made and the systems/equipment is working properly.

Having a certified RV inspector do this would be a great idea but, if nothing else, an experienced RVer can do it. And I'd suggest that the result would a HUGE improvement in customer satisfaction and a HUGE increase in sales.

Just a thought that I've had for some time. What say you?

 

[kowAlski631]

It's a great idea, but the dealers would have to put a person on their payroll who doesn't generate income. Not sure how they would react to the idea. Dealt with many auto, truck, and RV dealers in my pre-retirement life and every one of them were bottom line focused.

Martha

 

[avvidclif]

When's the last time you bought a new car and had a 200 item checklist you went over with a service tech? And a week later after the first trip a list of things needing fixed.

QC is a unknown term in the RV industry. We need the Japanese to start building them, look at what it did to the auto industry.

 

[codycarver]

It's a great idea, but the dealers would have to put a person on their payroll who doesn't generate income. Not sure how they would react to the idea. Dealt with many auto, truck, and RV dealers in my pre-retirement life and every one of them were bottom line focused.

Martha

It's my understanding that the dealers DO get paid by Heartland to do a PDI. The question is do they actually do it or just take the money. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.