Why You Should Check for Recalls Before Going on Vacation

As you start planning your summer vacation, you should add “check for vehicle recalls” to your list. Owners of RV and travel trailers know how important it is that their vehicles are well-maintained and ready to go. Part of this is ensuring that any relevant recalls are handled before you hit the road.

While manufacturers and dealerships do their best to notify owners of recalls, if you purchased your RV or trailer used, or if you moved or changed your contact info since purchasing, the dealer may not be able to reach you. However, checking for safety recalls is a very simple process.

Checking NHTSA for Vehicle Recalls

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a very simple tool for checking for recalls. You can access the recall tool here. The easiest way to check your vehicle is to enter your vehicle identification number (VIN). However, if you do not know your VIN, you can also search by the year, make, and model of your vehicle.

The VIN tool will pull up a record for any unrepaired vehicle with a known safety recall within the past 15 years. If you are looking for recalls before 15 years ago, you will need to search via your RV or trailer’s year, make, and model. This will not tell you if your specific vehicle has been repaired, but it will tell you if your model has a known safety recall.

For example, here is a report of the known recalls on the 1977 Airstream. According to the NHTSA, there were two recalls, one in 1977 for the LPG tank assembly and one in 1984 for the brake system. NHTSA provides a wide range of information on the recall, including an overview of the problem and affected parts, and approximately how many vehicles were affected.

Recent RV & Travel Trailer Recalls

Even if your RV or trailer is new, it is still worth checking for recalls before going on a vacation. Below we’ve provided some recent recall information for a few popular RV and trailer manufacturers, including Airstream, Coachmen, Jayco, and Winnebago.

Airstream

Recently, Airstream has issued recalls for both the 2020 and 2021 models of the Airstream Interstate. The 2020 model has two listed recalls: one stating that bolts securing the suspension may be too long, increasing crash risk, and an incorrect capacity weight listed on the Federal Gross Vehicle Weight Rating label, increasing the likelihood of overloading and crash risk. The 2021 model has three recalls associated with it, including the same suspension bolt recall and capacity weight label recall associated with the 2020 model. Additionally, the 2021 model has a recall for an undersized wire that may melt, increasing fire risk.

Coachmen

In 2020, there were four recalls issued for the 2020 Coachmen Sportscoach. These recalls include a gas leak issue with the stove saddle valves, a tire valve stem extension issue, a damaged circuit board, and insufficiently tightened brake caliper bolts. Forest River, Inc. (who manufactures Coachmen) also issued the same recalls for their 2020 Berkshire.

There is also a recall issued for the 2021 model of the Coachmen Sportscoach. This recall states that the P2K bunk system inner gear may fail, increasing injury and crash risk. This same recall also affects the 2021 Forest River Georgetown.

Jayco

Jayco has issued recalls for both their 2021 Jayco Jay Feather trailer and their 2021 Jayco Jay Feather Micro trailer. According to the Jay Feather recall, some vehicles have incorrect tire and Gross Axle Weight Rating information listed. This can result in overloading and increases crash risk. The Jay Feather Micro recall notes that the spare tire carrier can detach, causing a road hazard and increasing crash risk.

Winnebago

In March of this year, Winnebago issued a recall for their 2020 Winnebago Minnie. According to recall information, the incorrect tire size information is listed on the Tire and Information label. The concern with this is that should a tire need to be replaced, the owner or their mechanic may place an improperly sized tire on the vehicle, leading to increased crash risk.

You can view the full recall information here.

What to Do If You Think You Have a Lemon

Just because a manufacturer issues a recall for a part does not mean that you do not have a lemon. In California, RV and trailers can qualify for the CA Lemon Law. Suppose your vehicle is still having issues after going through the recall process and the manufacturer is not fulfilling their warranty obligations. In that case, you may have grounds to file a lemon law claim. If this sounds like your situation, reach out to our law firm, Norman Taylor & Associates, for guidance. Our attorneys have extensive experience handling these types of claims, and we can help you throughout the process.