FYI -- RE: Dometic Recall of Frige - Montana Owners Club

richfaa · 11-01-2006, 04:03 AM

Something I picked up over on the RV net forum

My husband and I are trying to let everyone know about a serious hazard in certain RVs. Two weeks ago we were awakened by the smoke alarm in our Forest River Cardinal 5th wheel. Within the hour our 2-1/2 year old unit was totalled. We were all OK but I found out the Dometic refrigerator was recalled for this potential fire condition but we were never notified.

I since learned a friend had hers burn up in their driveway taking their house siding with it. Please make your friends and loved ones aware. Here is the NHTSA recall listing.

Recalls Summary

Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
DOMETIC / NDR1062 9999

DOMETIC / RM2652 9999

DOMETIC / RM2662 9999

DOMETIC / RM2663 9999

DOMETIC / RM2852 9999

DOMETIC / RM2862 9999

DOMETIC / RM3662 9999

DOMETIC / RM3663 9999

DOMETIC / RM3862 9999

DOMETIC / RM3863 9999

Recall Number: 06E076000
Summary:
CERTAIN DOMETIC TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATORS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN APRIL 1997 AND MAY 2003: SERIAL NOS. 713XXXXX THROUGH 752XXXXX; 801XXXXX THROUGH 852XXXXX; 901XXXXX THROUGH 952XXXXX; 001XXXXX THROUGH 052XXXXX; 101XXXXX THROUGH 152XXXXX; 201XXXXX THROUGH 252XXXXX; 301XXXXX THROUGH 319XXXXX, INSTALLED IN CERTAIN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND SOLD AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT. A FATIGUE CRACK MAY DEVELOP IN THE BOILER TUBE WHICH MAY RELEASE A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.
Consequence:
THE RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy:
THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES THAT HAD THE REFRIGERATORS INSTALLED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND DOMETIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF THE AFTERMARKET REFRIGERATORS. DOMETIC HAS NOT YET PROVIDED THE AGENCY WITH A NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY SCHEDULE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC AT 888-446-5157.
Notes:
CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO http://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

noneck · 11-01-2006, 04:26 AM

Thanks...gonna check mine now!! Argh, I'm in this recall as well. RM2852 s/n 201XXXXX THROUGH 252XXXXX. Ok, like others have said, there is a recorded answering system that just takes your information and suggests it will mail you a packet when they become available. This leaves me wondering...the recall is dated August 2006 and message says when available???

315RLS · 11-01-2006, 04:37 AM

Rich & Helen, Thanks for posting this. We have a fridge that falls within this recall and although we registered the warranty with Dometic they hadn't contacted us. I did call the number on the recall and provided the information. Will need to wait and see how/if they respond.

Bobcat · 11-01-2006, 04:50 AM

Called dealer on this, he has not received anything from dometic. Said he would call his contact there and find out more.
I too left my info with the recall hotline.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 11-01-2006, 06:09 AM

Thanks Rich for posting this

And, yep, CountryGuy checked ours, and yep, we are involved, gonna be doing some calling.

Charlie · 11-01-2006, 06:51 AM

Thanks Rich,
Frig falls in the numbers that you gave above. I called the phone number and they have added me to a list that will receive additional information when available.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 11-01-2006, 07:19 AM

Charlie,

Did they indicate WHEN that might be, or do we take our chances at running the frig till they get around to it??

That would be one heck of a note if you were a full timer.

Al has not called on ours yet, that is why I am asking.

Charlie · 11-01-2006, 10:56 AM

Carol-
No indication of when it might be.....did not talk to a real person, just a telephone with a prerecorded message that could talk back after I left name, address and phone number.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 11-01-2006, 11:41 AM

Thanks Charlie!

(off topic, for a moment, you guys gonna be coming down to the Valley this winter for a few weeks??)

fulltimedreamer · 11-01-2006, 04:49 PM

Thanks for the heads up. I will investigate first thing tomorrow as the dates are certainly right for our coach.

jackel1959 · 11-02-2006, 05:01 AM

Thanks for the info. We will be checking ours today and letting family and friends know as well. If anyone is interested here is the link to the actual recall on the NHTSA website:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...ls/results.cfm

Jack

jackel1959 · 11-02-2006, 05:07 AM

Well I just tried the link I provided and it didn't take me where I wanted. This one will work though...all you will have to do is enter the NHTSA Campaign ID Number in the quick search box on the page. That number is: 06E076000.
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...callSearch.cfm

Charlie · 11-02-2006, 07:03 AM

Jack,

I was able to get the info from the first link, but I don't know the build date on my frig. The dates for my model are from 4-1-97 to 5-31-03. My trailer is an 2005, but who is to say that the frig was not in inventory somewhere for two years before being stuck in my trailer. Think that I will do some more checking.

jackel1959 · 11-02-2006, 11:12 AM

Charlie,
I went back to the page again and toward the bottom there is a button labeled "Document Search". If you click that it will bring up another window with 3 .pdf documents. The third one looks like it is from one of Dometic's lawyers and after reading through that and the recall notice again, I am pretty sure you can determine if your unit is affected by determining your Model and Serial number. That information should be located on a sticker in the refrigerator. I hope this helps. I agree with you though, that just because you have a later model rig, doesn't mean you won't have one of the defective units. I just checked mine and fortunately the serial number is not a match.
Jack

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Charlie

Jack,

I was able to get the info from the first link, but I don't know the build date on my frig. The dates for my model are from 4-1-97 to 5-31-03. My trailer is an 2005, but who is to say that the frig was not in inventory somewhere for two years before being stuck in my trailer. Think that I will do some more checking.

txkrumm · 11-02-2006, 12:24 PM

Uh-oh.... Our fridge falls within those numbers, model RM 2852, serial numbers match up. Guess I had better call the dealership....
Anybody else?
t

fulltimedreamer · 11-02-2006, 01:02 PM

It seems our refrigerator is included in the recall. I'll be giving Dometic a call. According to the NHTSA there are as many as 927,000 refrigerators that have this problem. At this point I don't see what the is, but I can't imagine how RV Dealers will respond to such a large recall as they already have a backlog responding to other repairs. This should be interesting to see.

Charlie · 11-02-2006, 01:45 PM

Jack-
Thanks for the additional info about the search on the serial numbers. Mine is not included in the list.

jackel1959 · 11-02-2006, 02:20 PM

All,
There is obvious concern regarding use of refrigerators that may be affected by this problem. Here is an excerpt from a letter that I found on the NHTSA site which appears to be from legal counsel for Dometic. It outlines the conditions that must exist for a fire to occur with the affected units.

“In order to have a fire, at a minimum, all of the following conditions must exist:

1. The refrigerator must be on and normally operating and gas burner must be lit;
2. There must be an oversized heating element in the refrigerator;
3. The boiler tube must develop a throughway crack of a specific size;
4. There must be a release of the cooling solution at a concentration at a rate which will allow the accumulation of the cooling solution at a concentration within its range of flammability; and
5. There must be ignition source (gas flame) present.

If any of these conditions are not present, a release of the cooling solution will not result in fire. “

I am not making any promises, but after reading this it appears that if you are not running the refrigerator on LP there should not be a risk of fire. If you would like to read the entire letter go to http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...callSearch.cfm Enter the NHTSA Campaign ID Number, 06E076000, in the Quick Search Box on the page. This will take you to the recall notice. Click on the "Document Search" button and it will be the third document listed in the new window that pops up. There is some other interesting information in the letter as well. I hope this helps to put some minds at ease.

Jack

Mrs. CountryGuy · 11-02-2006, 02:35 PM

Al just finished reading this document as well.

There is a part that states the likelyhood of incident. They state there are 926,877 units that MIGHT be affected. Then they continue to state that Dometic estimates that 0.01% of the units will actually have a problem.

Now, If you believe that the lawyer really knew what he was doing when he wrote the % number, then, they are estimating that 92, almost 93 units of the 926,877 will be affected.

IF you believe that the lawyer wrote 1% in the wrong way, you could be looking at 926 or 9268 units affected.

Which is it?? Have no idea. Al believes they wrote it the correct way, I have a niggle of doubt in my own mind.

Al agrees, that if you do NOT run the refrigerator on propane you cannot have a fire. So, to be safe, run the frig ONLY on electric. Al says until we have been notified otherwise we will NOT be running it on propane. Our unit does fall into the correct number series.

capn chris · 11-03-2006, 05:02 AM

BTW, if you're on the road and frig. is set to Auto, you'll be on propane!
I, like others, checked our numbers and we're part of it. Called the Dometic "Recall Hotline" (in the Notice) and left my info for an information packet. Also called my dealer. They knew nothing about the recall notice. Gave them the Hotline number, as there is a Dealer Option on the phone recording. Be interesting to see where all of this goes, especially w/>900k affected units?!!
Good catch, Rich. We all owe you a big "Thanks!" for this one.

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