Longreach passenger seat overheating

Submitted: Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 14:19
ThreadID: 103122 Views:5092 Replies:2 FollowUps:12
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We have bad problem with our brand new (Jan 2013) Winnebago Longreach The engineers are still investigating....Its with the heat at the back of the passenger seat. The clips for the hatch have been changed, it's had extra thermal padding put down, but there is still 40- >50 degree winds whooshing out from beside the 'wine cabinet' and out through the vents next to the passenger seat on the left. They found a grommet missing at the back of the hatch, so that fixed a little of the problem......when we are travelling with an outside temp of below 20, it's not too bad but as it gets hotter, oh WOW. So all you bright minded people out there need to come up with something in the next 3 weeks before we hit the road again in 33 degree heat.
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Reply By: Ross M - Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 15:08

Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 15:08
Gini
What a marvelous feature to get you acclimatized the the heat up north as you drive there. That is forward planning.

Now the serious bit.
If air is coming from the engine bay into the cab then it is highly likely any carbon monoxide leakage from the engine may find it's way into your lungs.
Then you sleep, possibly never to wake up.

The NEW Winnebago has a serious problem and they should be fixing it before you are dead. After the inquest they will have a Coroners recommendation for future checks so it doesn't happen to others.
However that may not be of help to you.

Alert the Winnebago company and tell them of the leak in their Winne "BAG" o.

You should have their attention and action within the hour. If not alert the roadworthy authority in your state and the brown stuff will fly the Winnebago office fan blades.
For a NEW Winnebago that is unforgivable and indicates NO quality control or checks are performed before purchase. You do not need an ENGINEER to correct that sort of stuff, just someone with some nouse and ability. Hard to find apparently.

All the best.

Ross M
AnswerID: 514388

Follow Up By: Member - Gini - Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 15:40

Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 15:40
Tex and I loved your humour Ross. You're just what I needed actually, a good belly laugh! I only joined EzplorOz today and didn't want to go completely over the top but I'm so upset about the whole thing. I am forwarding your response to our lawyer in Melbourne who has been across this latest development from last Friday as we were out of Port Augusta. I also forwarded a great response from the WRVC (Winnie club) to him regarding the same heat problem. He emailed us Monday telling us that Mark Mullholland Avida Cust Svce Mgr was expecting our call to remedy the problem before we head back. We spoke to him Tuesday morning and then waited for the call either 'later that day or Wed morning' which never came and then we find out he's off till Tuesday..... Not happy Jan! I posted something to that effect on Avida's FB page that they should hang their heads and they removed it which was nice of them! You don't think that when you spend soooo much, you'd get crap customer service as well as a lemon.
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Follow Up By: Tim HJ61 (WA) - Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 15:57

Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 15:57
Carbon monoxide is a dangerous gas. It is produced by the engine when it is running. But it is expelled by the engine out the exhaust pipe. There is none just floating around inside the engine bay waiting to kill unsuspecting travellers.

If the exhaust pipe is leaking in the engine bay, then maybe. The engine would also make a racket.
If the exhaust pipe does not exit the vehicle far enough back and the lid to the motor is not sealed up and 'maybe' then outside air is drawn into the cabin somehow when the vehicle is running and stationary if there is reason for it to be drawn into the cabin by some venturi affect maybe with a roof top vent open ...... maybe I guess.

The heat you feel I'm guessing to be engine bay heat, the radiator, exhaust heat etc etc. Sounds like they need better sealing somehow, but telling these folk they are going to be gassed by carbon monoxide..... that's a real stretch.

Tim
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Follow Up By: Member - Gini - Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 16:21

Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 16:21
Hi Tim, thanks for the reassurance! It's definitely not exhaust related...we have always thought it was a hatch problem actually or 2 separate things coz of the pushing air from the small gap between the cabinet. The hatch clips were replaced first off and that didn't fix it, they say they found a missing grommet up the back but that didn't fix it, what about if the hatch was out of alignment? It has a small amount of lateral movement in it when open.
Isuzu have taken it away twice and we really thought it was fixed before we took off on this trip.
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Follow Up By: Ross M - Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 22:35

Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 22:35
Tim HJ61
I had an HJ61 12HT and they have a composite exhaust made up of sections sealed with a ring, like a piston ring.

They can leak carbon monoxide into the engine area. Shouldn't do it but can.

Reports from people on this forum and others have stated they have had broken and loose manifold bold or blown gaskets, even on new vehicles. So, some carbon monoxide although it shouldn't be there, can be there.
If Gini also had such a fault occurring then the OLD CO will be present in what flow from the engine bay.
Until proven there is NONE present, assume the possibility, it is called risk assessment.

No there is no CO but I feel sleepy, don't you?
If the vehicle was perfect they wouldn't have any problem.

Possibly a different viewpoint to yours but we all see things differently.
A forum is a method of alerting to the possibles in case they are overlooked or dismissed as not possible.

Therefore, as stated, "any carbon monoxide leakage" is the alert one should be aware of.

Cheers

Ross M
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Follow Up By: Ross M - Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 22:37

Saturday, Jul 06, 2013 at 22:37
Sorry about the D in bolt.
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Follow Up By: Member - Tony H (touring oz) - Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 09:03

Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 09:03
Engine will probably be diesel... (Gini didn't state or mention it was petrol but did say its not exhaust related).... carbon monoxide poisoning is not an issue with diesel
Insanity doesnt run in my family.... it gallops!

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Follow Up By: Member - Gini - Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 09:13

Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 09:13
We have an NQR Series 3 diesel.
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Reply By: Shaker - Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 08:45

Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 08:45
Is it a Winnebago or Isuzu warranty issue?

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Follow Up By: Member - Gini - Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 09:23

Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 09:23
Hi Shaker, your question is the reason why we had to go to the lawyers! It is a Winnebago now Avida problem but Isuzu have to fix it as they built it. So, apart from our solicitor We dealmwith Avida Customer Service in Sydney and then Isuzu through Avida's contacts..
Your question is the first huge problem to get over!!!!!!
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Follow Up By: Shaker - Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 09:49

Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 09:49
Unless Winnebago/Avida modified the hatch, I would have thought that the issue was entirely Isuzu's problem. All Avida have done is fit a body, shouldn't really matter if it's a Motorhome, Luton Peak, tipper or tray, at the end of the day it is only a body, which is why Isuzu supply cab/chassis configuration.
I am assuming that you are the first registered owner & the that the Isuzu warranty documentation is in your name, so have you contacted Isuzu direct?
Asking Avida to fix the engine compartment hatch is a bit like asking Isuzu to fix the shower door.

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Follow Up By: AlanTH - Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 10:20

Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 10:20
I bet Winnies argument will be that it's "built to industry standards" and many owners of vans know all about that and the lousy total lack of quality control that goes with it.
We've got a Goldstream which suffers lousy build quality with even less response than Winnies to your problems and an even worse attitude from George Day the retailers in WA.
Seems after reading repairers sites that that is the usual caravan or RV standard...they've got your money so go away.
AlanH.
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Follow Up By: Member - Gini - Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 10:30

Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 10:30
Isuzu build for Winnie so we in fact purchase a second hand unit. Because we pay Winnie we have to go through them.......
Isuzu r the culprits but from one side of Oz to the other when this problem arose in February on our trip across the Nullabor, we were tearing our hair out, THAT'S why we have lawyers on the books now...and that's not cheap I might add.
I really appreciate all your feedback...thank you and keep it coming.
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Follow Up By: Member - Gini - Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 10:45

Sunday, Jul 07, 2013 at 10:45
FYI.. Port Augusta Isuzu didn't give a ####, Major Motors, Connor WA where we had our 5000 k svce said it wasn't their problem, Midland Winnebago were very caring and tried fire proof material for under the seat..and then Kalgoorlie Isuzu were magic in their interest and also confirmation that the plastic behind me was too hot and the seatbelt shank too, but couldn't fix it.
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