Dometic Refer Failure

[Ed Benson]

Just returned home from a short 10 day outing - refridgerator fine on AC in the park and on LPG travelling to - cold when swithed to LPG for 6 hr. trip home. Ambient was in the 90's - fridge was warming when unpacking. Swithed back to AC and checked next morning - no cooling going on. I checked the controller - all circuits ok - AC heater working and burner working. After shutting the unit down overnight - took off the burner shroud and blew out burner area - yellow dust came out. No smell of leaking ammonia - but a call to local dealer confirmed that the residue was ammonia. This fridge is not quite 4 years old - had the recall heat shield installed at 3 years old and only been used lightly since then. I have an inquiry in to dealer to petition Dometic for some warrenty help - but I have no delusions that will ever happen. Shouldn't we expect longer life from a $1500 refridgerator?? The fridge is a DM2852 Dometic and I will replace it with an appropriate Norcold - when it comes to that.

[HamRad]

Ed,

We had the same thing happen to us. We had one of the units that needed the shield added... which we did about a month or so before it failed. We contacted Dometic and they put in a new cooling unit at their cost. We ended up with no out of pocket expenses. You might contact Dometic directly to see if they will in fact cover your unit.

There have been several discussions regarding this issue here on the MOC. I listed the phone number in one of those previous posts. Or just go to their website and get the 800 number.

Good luck.

Dennis

[Ed Benson]

Thanks Dennis,
I did call and talk with the Dometic folks @ the 800 # this morning and was told that I would have to have an "authorized service center" trouble shoot and submit the appropriate paperwork. I was given no hope of any factory participation where my unit is just out of warrenty. I will continue to persue though.
Ed

[HamRad]

ED,

My rig was 5 years old at the time. At least 2 or 3 years out of warranty. But it was on one of their recall lists! That seemed to be the ticket. And since I'd so recently had the shielding fix done I was prepared to connect the two. But did not have to do more than to point out to them that it was on their recall list.

When I took it into the dealership they did not believe me that Dometic would cover the costs. So I told them who I'd talked with and when and what she'd said. They still didn't think it would fly. But it did. Covered in full. I'm sure it had to do with the thing being on the recall list.

Good luck.

By the way I have decided that when this rig does quit I'll get a standard residential model that will fit in that spot. They are much cheaper. We do not dry camp too much so that is not a problem. When traveling the fridge will stay cool no longer than we're traveling. So no problem. When we do boondock the generator will keep it cool.

Later.

Dennis

[Ed Benson]

Dennis,

I spent more time on the phone with Dometic people today and really got the runaround. Their customer service folks are not really in the know about the recall ramifications. I ended up being shunted back and forth with the recall section, and I think I finally talked with a lady there that assured me my case would be considered for warrenty coverage.
However, I do still have to have the nearest authorized Dometic dealer handle the request formalities.

I recontacted the dealer that did the shield retrofit, the service manager gladly took my information for submittal to Dometic. He indicated where the failure in the boiler tube area happened in a few months after the recall retrofit - we should have a valid claim for coverage by Dometic.

After the many excurions with the Dometic factory people though, I got the distinct impression that they have had to eat so many cooling assemblys with this boiler crack / ammonia leakage, that they are not quite so agreeable to instant extended warrenty coverage of a faulty unit. I guess they now try to just wear you out and hope you will give up and bite the bullet for out of pocket coverage of their design flaw problem repair / replace.

I did find a website for replacement cooling tube assemblys - manufactured by Amish craftsmen - on ebay. They go into detail about how easy it is to replace the cooling unit on these refers yourself - with a tube set more robust and efficient than the factory set. The guy insists if you are moderatly handy with simple tools - about a 3 hour job. Cost is ~$385.00 after the $100.00 rebate and return of the defective tube set. If I can't get satisfaction from the Dometic folks - I will go this way.

Thanks again
Ed

[RRman]

Yes, its insane $1k plus RV appliances fail so commonly with no support or recompense from the sloppy manufacturer.

Mine was only just over 3 years old and out of warranty when it blew out the yellow dust. I considered a refurbished cooling unit, but removing the Fridge and then the cooling unit, installing and re-installing were outweighed by convenience of buying a lighter weight Whirlpool 24" Residential Fridge, which is also larger inside and defrosts itself for just over $300 last Dec. Did have to sand down the wood frame in a few places to fit it in, also add insulation above and below it. I retrofitted the Dometic's auxiliary external cooling fan, but have never heard it run even in Slidell LA heat this summer. Also it cools down fast and stays cold - can even turn my Ice Cream into a 'rock'. Love it, but do have to have the RV plugged in or run an extension cord to the Fridge.

[cmp-shooter]

I had my recall done about a month ago and last week end we camped for 3 days and 1st time useing frig since ..we could not get our frig to work, kept going on "check" not sure whats up worked b4 I tryed every thing, dealer said about blowing out chamber
[not sure where it is though.]

I may e-mail RRMAN I will do what he did if I need a new$$$ frig,

[Exnavydiver]

When we had all our warranty stuff done (none fridge stuff) the dealer told me they were swamped with Dometic recall fridge replacements. They have had over 110 since May. Our unit is a Norcold and they have also had a recall but not our model as far as I can find. It may take a bit but I am sure they will have to eat another one... Dave

[Ed Benson]

Well folks, an update on the Dometic refer boiler tube failure - after the recall heat shield "fix" is installed and the factory participation in extending the warrenty to cover the catastrophic failure.

As Dometic warrenty recall department insisted I do - I went to the nearby authorized dealer - the same on who did the recall fix - and had them do the request for coverage. I gave the dealer all the pertenant info on the fridge / coach so they could approch the factory warrenty people.

Today, the dealer calls and informs me that "yes Dometic used to extend the 3 year warrenty to cover the boiler tube failure - but that practice ended in April of this year (2008). They did acknowledge that warrenty extension had been the practice - but no more.

These Dometic units involved in the recall have a factory admitted defect that they are trying to bandaid - not fix. I will not buy another dometic product - a Norcold in going in the hole as soon as I can afford it. Until then, I guess we live out of the old fashioned ice chest.

Ed

[richfaa]

Our extended warranty (service contract) will cover such a failure and the probability of that happening, noting the failure rate on this and other forums, is high.

[HamRad]

Ed,

You need to check the Norcold recall stuff too. I think they had the same problem or a similar problem. The same supplier probably for both companies. You might want to look at putting a residential type unit in the rig. That is what I plan to do when our unit goes out.

Good luck.

Dennis

[Ed Benson]

Thanks Dennis,

I have been looking long and hard lately and I believe the Norcold - where they are a full bodied USA outfit - does have a superior product for the same $'s.

The local authorized dealer for Dometic also handles the Norcolds and his service experience with Norcold indicates it is a much longer lived and dependable product. Their recalls have been few, and handled to the customers safety and satisfaction without question. He has several Montana / Mountaineer customers that have opted to replace their failed Dometic units with the Norcolds.

Since I still enjoy the occasional "boondock" run - I really need to retain the LPG function of the refer.

Besides that - I guess that I'm just very thrifty and don't think that a premier coach with most of the bells and whistles I like should have a two bit appliance that needs replacing after less than 4 years of light, part time service.

Thanks again, and sorry for the "spleen vent".
Ed

[syplace]

Well received our recall notice. Just curious. If one does not use the gas feature, but elec. only, then does it need the so called "fix"? It seems they really don't work for any length of time. We do not boondock and are always hooked to elec. and when traveling for a day the refrig. will stay cold without switching.
What is your opinion on this?

[mgdg]

We just got our Dometic recall fix back from the authourized dealer. They were not the selling dealer of the Mountaineer. I`ve dealt with them many times before and have bought 2 other sob from them before with no problems. They didn`t carry the Keystone product I wanted at the time, but do carry another sob I really like. Anyway they did the recall fix and checked over the whole unit(cooling unit) which they said might need replacing but didn`t need to be. If it did they said Dometic has been covering that too. They had it running when I picked it up and all was working great. Now I hope it works when I take it out for the Canadian Thanksgiving in Oct.

[HamRad]

Ed,

All my fixes were because my unit was under recall and not under warranty! Is your unit under the recall? If so they should definitely cover the repair under their recall process.

Dennis

[OntMont]

Dometic would not cover ours. I think that they have had change of policy. Otherwise they would be replacing almost every fridge they ever made.

From what I read, Norcold is in the same boat.

[HamRad]

Syplace,

If the recall you received is for the installation of the fire shield then you should have it done and ASAP. The danger is that the cooling unit might rupture and if there is no shield on the fridge then the unit may catch on fire. This is regardless of whether you use the gas or not.

But there are several recalls going on for different reasons. Just contact a dealer near you to get the work done.

HamRad

[Ed Benson]

Dennis,

My unit is under the recall parameters. I guess this is why I think Dometic, by identifying this particular model and serial number of problem refers - has obligated themselves to repair / replace any units that fail within a reasonable time of warrenty. As I stated in the other thread - "Hey Keystone" - they were extending the warrenty to cover failed units, but ended that practice with an iron fist this last April.

I put a letter in the mail today to the CEO Dometic USA detailing my situation and my feeling that they really aught to continue extended warrenty coverage of these recalled units.

We'll see what happens in a couple weeks - assuming the letter gets past his secretary -

Ed

[HamRad]

Ed,

OK. I'll get out of the way. I think I've covered all the items regarding this. It's hard for me to know any more .... what with the CRS that attacks me at the most inconvenient times! Best of luck. I hope they step up and do the right thing.

Dennis

[OntMont]

Ed,

Thanks for doing that! Perhaps more of us should get on that bandwagon. One letter may not hit home, but a deluge miight send a message. Would you mind posting the name and address? Perhaps we should start a new thread, something like "Write to the CEO of Dometic about your fridge".