roof seal leak on a big country 2016 39fl

[shodge]

Has anyone had problems with roof seals leaking in the first year of ownership. The leak is so bad it soaked my daughter's clothes in front cabinets. We were also told that you only have 30 days on seals on a roof. Is this correct.

 

[danemayer]

Hi shodge,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum.

The warranty coverage is spelled out in the trailer manual and says the following is not covered:

Environmentally caused conditions such as rust, or sealant deterioration.

Under Exterior Maintenance, the manual says:

The seals around doors, windows, vents and externalseams must be checked every 3 months or change of
season. If deterioration is noted, reseal the seams or
seals with an approved sealant to prevent leaks. Your
dealer can perform the resealing inspections and work
for you. Your dealer is also able to inform you of the
appropriate sealants to be used, if you prefer to do the
job yourself. Sealants can be purchased from your
dealer or manufacturer. Seals are not covered under
warranty

The manual also says:

for a period of ninety (90) days, minor adjustments to components, including, but not limited to, adjustments to the interior or exterior doors, LP regulator pressure, cabinet latches and TV antenna control, will be performed by the dealer free of charge to the retail customer for a period of ninety (90) days from the original retail purchaser taking possession of the unit.

I think caulking (sealant) problems might fall under the 90 day rule.

What sometimes can happen is that trailers sit on the dealer lot for an extended period without any maintenance. You might check the build date on the large white label that's attached to the door side frame at the front of the trailer. If the elapsed time between build and sale was more than a few months, you might want to have a discussion with the dealer about their maintenance records, and their responsibility if they allowed the sealant to degrade from lack of maintenance.

 

[shodge]

It just seems unbelievable 90 days on a big camper. We even bought extended warranty for issues that might come up. We have our dealer looking into it. But I will look to see how long it was with dealer before we bought it. Everytime we use the camper we bring slides in so they are not in the weather will that help for seals on slides? We know seals won't last forever and I check them all the time but you would think they would last a year before leaking.

 

[danemayer]

It just seems unbelievable 90 days on a big camper. We even bought extended warranty for issues that might come up. We have our dealer looking into it. But I will look to see how long it was with dealer before we bought it. Everytime we use the camper we bring slides in so they are not in the weather will that help for seals on slides? We know seals won't last forever and I check them all the time but you would think they would last a year before leaking.

If you have water getting past the black seals around the slides, that's different. They generally last for quite a few years. But sometimes they can tear or come loose, or water can get around them for various reasons. I think that type of problem would be covered under the 1 year warranty.

The seals/sealant discussed in the warranty statement is the white/clear caulking at the seams of the front and rear caps, the seams where the roof meets sidewalls, sealant around light fixtures and windows, around vents, down the edges of the caps, etc. The sealant can last for a few years, or not. It needs to be frequently inspected for cracking or separation from the surface being protected.

The real problem is determining where the water is getting in. From a warranty standpoint, if the dealer determines that the caulking has deteriorated, that's one thing. If it's water leaking because the black seals are not doing their job, that's another.

 

[shodge]

If you have water getting past the black seals around the slides, that's different. They generally last for quite a few years. But sometimes they can tear or come loose, or water can get around them for various reasons. I think that type of problem would be covered under the 1 year warranty.

The seals/sealant discussed in the warranty statement is the white/clear caulking at the seams of the front and rear caps, the seams where the roof meets sidewalls, sealant around light fixtures and windows, around vents, down the edges of the caps, etc. The sealant can last for a few years, or not. It needs to be frequently inspected for cracking or separation from the surface being protected.

The real problem is determining where the water is getting in. From a warranty standpoint, if the dealer determines that the caulking has deteriorated, that's one thing. If it's water leaking because the black seals are not doing their job, that's another.

That is what I'm saying the seals are not cracked they look brand new but the roof is leaking and dealer is trying to tell us that seals need replaced. I don't believe it. I think it's a roof defect. We also had an underbelly leak to.

 

[danemayer]

That is what I'm saying the seals are not cracked they look brand new but the roof is leaking and dealer is trying to tell us that seals need replaced. I don't believe it. I think it's a roof defect. We also had an underbelly leak to.

What I'm saying is that if there's a defect in the black rubber seal on the slide, Heartland will likely pay for the replacement. If the water is coming in through an opening on the roof, that's probably a caulking issue and either you or the dealer will have to pay for fixing that.

Your first discussion with the dealer, while standing in front of the rig, is to ask where the water is getting in. If they say it's the black rubber slide seal, it should be covered under warranty. If they disagree, call Heartland.

If you think it's the caulking on the roof, get up there and find the cracked or separated caulking and either fix it yourself or have the dealer fix it for you.