FYI -- RE: Dometic Recall of Frige

[drhowell]

WOW! Just checked mine and it is one of the units covered by the recall! Called the Dometic recall line and left the information.

Thanks Rich!!!!!

[campbud]

I am going to check mine right now too!

[dsprik]

Right model # (RM2862), wrong serial sequence (621...). I should be OK???

My daughter had a 93 Grand Am that blew a head gasket. Found out there was a recall. Serial # on her engine was JUST over the inclusive numbers of the recall. Still had the same problem at the exact mileage (100K) stated as the problem mileage in the recall notice.

So I'm a little concerned. I need to be better convinced... Phone call.

[Garin1]

This could be a very dangerous game Dometic is playing. Maybe waiting for the warranty's to run out before sending a notice??. Ford did that in 2000. They had a problem with the head gaskets on the 5.4 engines. The company issued a warning(dealers only)and if the gaskets failed before the 100000 mile warranty then Ford would bite the bullet,, but after,,,well you get the picture. noneck stated that the recall came out in August 06. Has anyone received a notice from Domitic or keystone about this,,? Not I.

[Fordzilla]

All I have seen is the problem. I don't think Dometic even has the answer on how they are going to replace 962,877 heat exchangers. My dealer didn't have any clue about it yet. He didn't even know they were getting recalled. I told him about it ad he kept asking what i wanted him to do about it. Not very helpful! Glad I have the MOC to help me.

[richfaa]

Well.I am glad I did catch it.. I sort of hesitated in posting it because I thought it might be old news.Strangely enough in the last couple of months I have read about Rv Fridges catching fire and actually saw one at the service center when at the Fall rally. I fifured posting it would not hurt....glad I did now..

[Okie Guy]

My 2005 Mountaineer has one of the recalled units. If you have one of the newer models you definately need to check your model and serial numbers.
I also called the information line and man that was a laugh. I just hope the information comes available sooner rather than later.
Happy Trails
Okie Phil

[hazmic]

I checked mine and I have dometic model RM2862 but the serial number that I have begins with 511 so I don't think mine is included. I will call them tomorrow to verify.

[trukdoc]

Thanks Richfaa!!!
I was getting around to checking my Ser# when we noticed the frige was not working, no sooner that we noticed that Nonnavigator called me in the field and said she could smell ammonia. I got home and there was yellow stain around the burner tube and evidence of a fire. Fortunately the fire did not ammount to enough to catch Rosie on fire. We are insured... but we are packed for a trip to California to visit Grandkids and Daughter for Christmas. There is plenty insurance would not be able to replace.
I contacted Dometic and no person contacted me just an automated response with instructions to contact a local service center. The local service center knew nothing of the NTSB recall.
One of the big dangers of fire is open flame, just a matter of hours before the failure there was a power outage from the high winds that came through here. Too close for comfort.
Folks get your units checked out, this is dangerous. And the more we file complaints with the NTSB the sooner we force some sort of action. I realize that 900K+ units is a huge problem for them... at the very least their service centers should be on top of what is going on. It is bad that the consumers are telling the dealers about the recall!!!

[patodonn]

In reading the info, it appears that you have to have two things going on for a fire to result. first,you have to have a leaking boiler tube, and second, a fire could only result from that if the gas mode (gas flame) was being used. Looks like electrical (AC) operation would not result in a fire even if the boiler tube was leaking. Fridge might not work well with a leaking boiler tube, but that would be an indication to look for the problem.

I think I will run mine only on AC power until this all gets resolved. That means shutting it off while towing (an often discussed issue on the forum) and no camping w/o electricity. Inspection of the "outside" area of the fridge compartment now and again for evidence of leaking (fluid residue) should help in identifying the basic problem, if it occurs.

[noneck]

Did you all see this file? RCORRD-06E076-4726.pdf its been added to the site http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov
Chuck

[patodonn]

Interesting document, and relieved a lot of my personal stress level re this situation. I'll stick to the precautions I mentioned in an earlier post on this thread.

Also, talked to a "knowledgeable individual" who indicated that the smell of ammonia would be very noticable to begin with, and also indicated that if the unit was in the AC mode, that would eliminate the possibility of ignition, even if there was a leak.

From the referenced document. it appears that no one has actually had the problem occur, no one has had a fire, and the Dometic "consultants" had to work really hard to figure out a scenario under which one could occur. (Rich...sound familiar?? 10 to the ?? power?)

Good info, but doesn't have me loosing any sleep over it..JMHO

[noneck]

Agreed, I came to the same conclusion...makes me interested in digging into the heater element cavity to see how its configured for heat transfer through Ammonia tubing loop. Its on my anti-honey-do list.
Chuck

[jerryb]

Has anyone gotten their "package" from Dometic?
I called my info in several weeks ago and the voicemail reply said they would send me a package with instructions, and that was several weeks ago.

[drhowell]

NOPE!
Nothing yet!

[rldriver]

Looks like I am now on the list for a future package as my number came up on the list. Why does my number come up on the wrong lists?

One other thing that I noticed is that the original recall was dated August 28, 2006, so that means Dometic has not come up to the plate to fix this safety problem in close to 4 months and how many months before that did they realize there was a problem? It will be interesting to see how long they take. I would also like to see what changes they made after they found the problem, if any?

[jackel1959]

Dick and Jackie,
Here is the answer to your question:

In April of 1997 Dometic modified the design of the affected refrigerators by increasing the wattage of the heating element from 325 watts to 354 watts. All production of the affected units from April 1997 through May of 2003 utilized the 354 watt heating element. In May of 2003, in order to improve the operating life of the refrigerators, Dometic returned to the use of the 325 watt heating element which it continues to use today. It is now believed that the use of the higher wattage heater contributed to abnormal fatigue in the boiler tube.

This information is from one of the documents available at the NHTSA website. I imagine the fix for the affected units will be to replace the heating element.

[rldriver]

Thanks Jack very interesting, I guess we will just have to keep the fire extinguisher handy.

quote:Originally posted by jackel1959

Dick and Jackie,
Here is the answer to your question:

In April of 1997 Dometic modified the design of the affected refrigerators by increasing the wattage of the heating element from 325 watts to 354 watts. All production of the affected units from April 1997 through May of 2003 utilized the 354 watt heating element. In May of 2003, in order to improve the operating life of the refrigerators, Dometic returned to the use of the 325 watt heating element which it continues to use today. It is now believed that the use of the higher wattage heater contributed to abnormal fatigue in the boiler tube.

This information is from one of the documents available at the NHTSA website. I imagine the fix for the affected units will be to replace the heating element.

[trukdoc]

I should be getting my Rosie back tomorrow with new frige coils.

[VanMan]

Is the "boiler tube" the same as the "burner housing"? If not, it sounds like the proposed fix is inadequate. The remedy appears to be a "kit" to install an additional "secondary burner housing" in addition to the existing one. There is no mention of replacing the 354 watt element with the currently used 325 watt element, nor replacing or any remedy for an already "fatigued" boiler tube (unless that's really the "burner housing". The proposed fix sounds like it will only keep any leaking ammonia away from a flame - not prevent further fatigue nor failure of the refrigerator (ammonia leakage).