The problem
Winnebago Industries, Inc (Winnebago) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Winnebago Tour and Itasca Ellipse motor homes manufactured August 29, 2014, to November 4, 2015 and built on a Freightliner chassis. In the affected vehicles, the steering box may have been manufactured with an incorrect spacer with insufficient height that can cause too much play, causing the connection to wear between the steering wheel and the front axle.
The risk
The steering wheel's connection to the front axle could fail resulting in a sudden loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix
Daimler Trucks of North America will notify owners, and Freightliner dealers will inspect and replace the steering gears, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 31, 2016. Note: Owners are urged not to drive their vehicles until they have been inspected. Owners may contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
Contacts
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
What to do
- Check your VIN. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls - it shows whether this recall applies to your vehicle and whether the repair has been done.
- Call a dealer. Any authorized Itasca, Winnebago dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 16V385000.
- Ask about parts and a loaner. If parts aren't available yet, ask what to do in the meantime.
- Keep your paperwork. If you paid for this repair before the recall, you may be able to get reimbursed - here's how.