RV Industry News

DOMETIC RECALL
RV owners warned of potential fire hazard with Dometic product

Ford RV Refrigeration will be happy to take care of all recalls. Of course, we understand that many may be to far from us to make it convenient. Please contact us to see if there is a Certified RV Refrigeration Reconditioning Service Center (RVRN Member) in your area. We will be happy to refer you to them.

Becky Bosshart
Appeal Staff Writer, bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com
March 30, 2007

As Reported At: http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20070330/NEWS/103300140/-1/rss02

You can contact Ford RV Refrigeration For All Recalls

fordrv@rvrefrigeration.com or 270-354-9239

About two months before the busy Memorial Day traveling season, one of the nation's top manufacturers of RV refrigerators has issued a recall for some units because of a potential fire hazard.

More than 926,000 recreational vehicles nationwide are affected by the recall of some Dometic two-door refrigerators manufactured between April 1997 and May 2003, according to the Elkhart, Ind.,-based corporation.

One local repairman said he's seen several RVs damaged by fires caused by the Dometic refrigerators. A company executive said Thursday that they have investigated many fires and in most cases found that they were not caused by the refrigerator.

"This is a voluntary recall. We're doing it because we're trying to be a responsible corporate citizen," said Brad Sargent, vice-president of marketing for Dometic Corp. "Because of the design of the product in that period of time, it could leak and could result in a fire."

Photo provided by John Larson An area where a refrigerator caught fire in an RV is shown in this undated photograph taken by John Larson.

Whole units are not being replaced because only .01 percent of them could have this problem.

John Larson, owner of Nevada Mobile RV Service, said customers have brought in malfunctioning units for replacement.

"This needs to be done as soon as possible," he said. "Under the recall it tells you to shut off your gas, and that's a problem because when you go camping you have to run off gas. This will ruin their whole Memorial Day if they don't do it now."

Cooling units that malfunction will smell like ammonia and a yellow powder will be around the burner. In these cases, a whole new cooling unit must be purchased, which is covered under the recall.

Dometic customers were informed about the recall in late February and March. The problem was reported federally in August. The company is offering free service to the 10 different models that are defective.

Sargent said no injuries have been reported associated with the refrigeration fires. He was not aware of how extensive damage can be to a RV if a fire is ignited.

Mechanics will not receive the specialty part to fix the defective units until April 16. Customers can take affected units to any RV center for repair, Sargent said. Mechanics will enclose the tube and add two thermal fuses that will identify heat, which will shut down the refrigerator and stop a fire.

Dometic is a privately owned corporation under a conglomerate based out of Stockholm. Dometic has 1,000 employees and conducts $89 million in sales per year, according to Hoovers.com.

For your information

Recall of some RV two-door refrigerators manufactured by Dometic

Models affected: NDR1062, RM2652, RM2662, RM2663, RM2852, RM2862, RM3662, RM3663, RM3862 and RM3863. All manufactured between April 1997 and May 2003. The serial numbers will start with 713 up to 952 and 001 up to 319.

Why: The root cause of the problem is an oversized heating element that crystallizes one boiler tube. When that happens, it cracks, emitting a solution inside. This leads to a fire when the RV refrigerator is operating on gas.

For information: Please contact Ford RV Refrigeration @ fordrv@rvrefrigeration.com or 270-354-9239 or Call the Dometic customer hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit www.dometicusa.com/recall.php

- Source: Dometic

NORCOLD RECALL
As Reported At: http://www.norcold.com/recalls.cfm

You can contact Ford RV Refrigeration For All Recalls

fordrv@rvrefrigeration.com or 270-354-9239

Norcold Product Recalls - UPDATED MARCH 2007

Smaller Gas Absorption Models

Model     Serial Numbers
442          01000-08255
443          01000-11972
452          01000-14302
453          01000-05418
                54195-54208
462          00001-120909
463          00001-05210
482          00001-24398
483          00001-03518
EV452     01002-10327
EV462     01000-01283
EV463     01266-01283
EV482     01000-01204
                18827-18828
                89158
EV483     01050-01319
874EG2   01000-03988
874EG3   01000-02347
875EG2   01000-24711
875EG3   01000-05696

Due to a potential safety defect, Norcold has voluntarily recalled the smaller gas/electric refrigerator models, built from Jan. 1987-May 1995, listed above.

If your refrigerator model's serial number is above, it requires immediate service. Refrigerator model and serial numbers can be viewed by looking on the inside right of your refrigerator cabinet.

Continued propane gas mode operation of a refrigerator under this recall could result in a fire.

If you own an affected model:

1. Immediately switch your refrigerator's controls to AC power (or DC power, if available, while in transit). No LP gas power operation should occur because it could create an unsafe condition.

2. Contact a Dealer/Service Center to arrange a service date soon. The gas valve in your refrigerator will be replaced at no charge.

Call Norcold at 1-800-667-3005 with any questions.

N600 and N800 Series Models
1082 Free-Standing LP Model
Norcold has voluntarily recalled N841, N821, N641, N621 and 1082 gas/electric refrigerators built in 1999. Affected models have a cooling unit serial number (found on the solution chamber and viewed through the refrigerator vent door outside the RV) from 1038000-1099000.

The defect is a potential cooling unit leak caused during AC electric mode operation. If a leak occurs, the refrigerator's cooling performance will deteriorate and a yellow powder residue will be evident at the cooling unit's heating element. Because extended operation of a leaking cooling unit in the AC electric mode may result in a fire, immediate replacement of the cooling unit is required.

Some customers have previously had a heater element in your cooling unit replaced - we now want to replace the entire cooling unit in your refrigerator.

We regret any inconvenience this may cause, we do want to assure your refrigerator provides you years of safe, reliable and dependable service.

An affected refrigerator without a leak must still be serviced to have its cooling unit replaced to prevent any potential future problem.

Persons owning one of the affected models should:

1. Turn Off the refrigerator. Do not use it until it has been repaired

2. Contact a Dealer/Service Center to arrange a service date as soon as possible. The cooling unit will be replaced. There is no charge for parts and labor.

3. Call Norcold at 1-800-767-9101: with any questions; to obtain the location of the nearest Norcold Service Center; or if the Dealer/Service Center fails to, or is unable to, remedy this defect without charge or within a reasonable time.

1200LR and 1200LRIM Series Models
Norcold has voluntarily recalled 1200LR and 1200LRIM model gas/electric refrigerators built from 1996 through March of 1999. Affected models have a cooling unit serial number (found on the solution chamber and viewed through the refrigerator vent door outside the RV) from 700000-1008700.

We regret any inconvenience this may cause, and want to assure that your refrigerator provides you years of safe, reliable and dependable service.

An affected refrigerator without a leak must still be serviced to have its cooling unit replaced to prevent any potential future problem.

Persons owning one of the affected models should:

1. Turn Off the refrigerator. Do not use it until it has been repaired

2. Contact a Dealer/Service Center to arrange a service date as soon as possible. The cooling unit will be replaced. There is no charge for parts and labor.

N260, N300, 322/323 Models
Norcold has voluntarily recalled three small gas absorption/electric refrigerators, primarily used in folding camping trailers, which potentially could have a safety defect involving stress corrosion cracking in brass swivel nuts on the their pressure tap components. A significant crack could potentially cause propane gas leakage during gas operation of these units:

Models – Built – Serial Numbers (found on the ID Label inside the refrigerator)

322/323 – August, 1992-August, 1999 – lower than 734882

N260/N260.3– April, 1998-August, 1999 – lower than 738527

N300/N300.3– April, 1998-August, 1999– lower than 738626

Persons owning one of these models should:

1. Turn the manual shut-off valve to OFF and operate it only on AC or DC power until the defect is repaired. (No gas leak can occur during AC or DC operation.)

2. Contact a Dealer/Service Center to arrange a service date as soon as possible. A remedy kit, and the labor to install it, is free to the consumer.

3. Call Norcold at 1-800-767-9101: with any questions; to obtain the location of the nearest Norcold Service Center; if the Dealer/Service Center fails or is unable to remedy this defect without charge or unable to service the refrigerator within a reasonable time.

Ford RV Refrigeration will be happy to take care of recalls fordrv@rvrefrigeration.com or 270-354-9239

































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