2018 Newmar DUTCH STAR: complaints, problems and recalls

THE DRIVER'S WINDSHEILD WIPER DOES NOT CONTACT THE GLASS EXCEPT AT THE VERY TOP FOR THE LAST 30% OF THE STROKE LEAVEING THE PORTION DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER WITHOUT THE NEEDED VIEW. NEWMAR REPLACED THE WIPER BLADE, BUT STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 6,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11128274 at NHTSA ↗

DEF SYSTEM FOR DIESEL ENGINE STARTED TO FAIL CAUSING REDUCTION IN PERFORMANCE OF MOTOR HOME. IF I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET DIRECTLY TO A FREIGHTLINER SERVICE CENTER, I WOULD HAVE ENDED UP ON THE INTERSTATE ABLE TO GO ONLY FIVE MILES PER HOUR AND NEEDING TO BE TOWED. THIS IS AN ON GOING KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES MANUFACTURED BY CUMMINS. THIS PARTICULAR PART IS FAILING ON A REGULAR BASIS ACROSS MANY CHASSIS MAKERS CAUSING A POTENTIAL DANGER TO THE OWNERS OF THESE COACHES. THE PARTICULAR PART IS CALLED A DEF HEAD THAT REGULATES AND METERS T…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11354474 at NHTSA ↗

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, CONTACTED CUMMINS WITH CODE. I WAS TOLD THE DEF HEAD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MOTORHOME HAD 5211 MILES. MADE AN APPOINTMENT AND HAD HEAD REPLACED

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11386835 at NHTSA ↗

THE FRAMELESS WINDOWS, USUALLY THE VENT PORTION HAS SEPARATED FROM THE DUAL PANES. THE SEALS COME APART CAUSING THE OUTER PANE TO BE ABLE TO SEPARATE FROM THE INNER PANE. THIS COULD SEPARATE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE SO FAR AS I HAVE NOTICED THE PROBLEM BEFORE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES TO DATE ON SEVERAL WINDOWS. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN I NOTICED ALL SEPARATED PANES. RECURRING PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASED NEW 08/03/2018

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11399527 at NHTSA ↗

Diesel Exhaust Fluid Control unit failed 04/28/21 @ 21,151 miles. Unfortunately this can cause the motor to de-rate with speed restricted to 5mph. Very dangerous on the freeway. Problem was confirmed by the Cummins codes generated and verified by both Spartan motors as well as the repair facility that performed the repair. No warning lamps, symptoms, or messages prior to the failure.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11419516 at NHTSA ↗

Shortly after departing from J&J RV Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in my vehicle, a motorhome, two yellow check-engine lights illuminated on the dashboard. I continued driving for 52 miles to my next destination, Downtown Riverside RV Park in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The engine ran normally, and I arrived safely. I checked the vehicle's computer system on the dashboard and located three trouble codes: 3364, 1761, and 3031. I contacted the vehicle's chassis manufacturer, Spartan Chassis in Charlotte, Michigan, and was told the codes in…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11421702 at NHTSA ↗

The failure has occurred in the emission system. The DEF SENSOR set off 2 Check Engine light warnings on the dash. It did not tell me any other information. I was fortunate to return from my trip without incident. However, after speaking with the chassis manufacturer (Spartan), I was fortunate to be able to continue. Had I gone any further the engine would have begun a shutdown leaving my 24 ton RV stranded roadside. It could have been very serious breakdown on a metro highway causing major traffic jams or left stranded in a remote location…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11425265 at NHTSA ↗

We got the check engine light on after starting up our coach on July 6. We got several fault codes: SPN 3364 FMI 9, SPN 1761 FMI 9, SPN 3031 FMI 9. The codes indicated that we had a faulty DEF Header and it needed to be replaced. And if we drove the coach at some point it would "derate" to 5 miles an hour and we would not be able to drive it. We were told by the chassis maker (Spartan) that we would likely not be able to get a replacement part until September or October due to the global microchip shortage. And even though there was no…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11425312 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2017-03-22 (March 22, 2017)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Dutch Star, 2016-2018 Mountain Aire and London Aire, and 2012-2018 Essex and King Aire motorhomes built on a Spartan Motors chassis. The ball joints on the independent front suspension (IFS) modules can loosen and separate, leading to a partial loss of steering.

Consequence: A separated ball joint can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Newmar will notify owners, and Spartan service centers will remove, clean, apply thread locker, reinstall and torqued the ball joints, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 3, 2017. Owners may contact Spartan at 1-800-543-4277 to locate a qualified service center or contact Newmar customer service at 1-574-773-7791. Newmar's number for this recall is 17004.

Reported: 2017-06-30 (June 30, 2017)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Newmar Dutch Star and 2015-2017 Newmar Ventana motorhomes. In the affected motorhomes, the driver side and passenger side powered night shades can be lowered by using the remote when the ignition is in the ON position.

Consequence: If the vehicle is being driven and the button on the remote is pushed, the night shades may lower, blocking the driver's view, possibly increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Newmar will notify owners and dealers will install a relay to disable the operation of the driver and passenger night shade by the remote when the ignition is in the ON position. The recall began on July 28, 2017. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.

Reported: 2017-12-15 (December 15, 2017)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling various 1995-2018 motorhomes. A list of the affected vehicles available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17V809-2309.pdf. These motorhomes are equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers that may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or excessive force may be needed to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf

Consequence: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Newmar will notify owners, and instruct them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began on February 7, 2018. Owners may contact Kidde customer service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information or owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-574-773-7791. Newmar's number for this recall is 17E-062.

Reported: 2017-12-19 (December 19, 2017)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain model year 2016-2018 Bay Star, Bay Star Sport, Canyon Star, Dutch Star, Essex, King Aire, London Aire, Mountain Aire, New Aire, Ventana and Ventana LE motorhomes. These vehicles may have a loose power connection at the Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS), possibly resulting in a build up of heat.

Consequence: The build up of heat in the wiring from the loose power connection can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Newmar will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the electrical connection at the ATS, tightening it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2018. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.

Reported: 2018-01-19 (January 19, 2018)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ventana, Ventana LE and Dutchstar motorhomes built on a Freightliner chassis. The low beam headlights do not also illuminate as intended when the high beam headlights are activated, reducing the driver's visibility. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Consequence: If the driver has reduced visibility, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

Remedy: Newmar will notify owners, and Daimler Trucks North America authorized service facilities will reprogram the Freightliner chassis module, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.

Reported: 2018-04-13 (April 13, 2018)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2018 Newmar Bay Star, Bay Star Sport, Canyon Star, Ventana LE, Ventana, Dutch Star, New Aire, Mountain Aire, London Aire, Essex, and King Aire motorhomes. The electrical connections in the breaker box may not be properly tightened, possibly causing the connections to overheat.

Consequence: Overheating of the electrical connections can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Newmar will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the loose electrical connections, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2018. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.

Reported: 2018-06-28 (June 28, 2018)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2018 Newmar Bay Star, King Aire, London Aire, Mountain Aire, Bay Star Sport, Canyon Star, Dutch Star, Essex, New Aire, Ventana LE, and Ventana motorhomes. When the ignition key is in the off/accessory position and the battery disconnect is on, the slide-out rooms on these vehicles may move in or out unexpectedly.

Consequence: If the slide-out room moves unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Newmar will notify owners, and dealers will replace the slide-out room controller, free of charge. The recall began August 24, 2018. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.

Reported: 2018-08-06 (August 6, 2018)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Newmar Ventana LE, Mountain Aire, Essex, Ventana, Dutch Star, New Aire, London Aire and King Aire motorhomes. The affected vehicles have entry doors that have latch rods that may be improperly adjusted, allowing the door to open during transit.

Consequence: If the door opens during transit, it can increase the risk of injury or a crash.

Remedy: Newmar will notify owners, and dealers will readjust the door latch rod, free of charge. The recall began September 5, 2018. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.

Reported: 2019-03-29 (March 29, 2019)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Bay Star, Essex, New Aire, 2018 Bay Start Sport, Canyon Star, Dutch Star, King Aire, Mountain Aire, Ventana LE, Ventana, and London Aire motorhomes. The power supply for the WiFiRanger may overheat.

Consequence: An overheated power supply can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Newmar has notified owners, and dealers will replace the power supply, free of charge. The recall began April 18, 2019. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.

Reported: 2019-06-07 (June 7, 2019)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Ventana LE and 2017-2019 Dutch Star, Essex, London Aire, Mountain Aire and Ventana, and 2018-2019 New Aire motorhomes built on a Daimler trucks chassis. The rear mounted Power Distribution Module (PDM) may have been damaged during manufacturing, possibly resulting in the rear marker lights, brake lights, or turn signals not functioning.

Consequence: Nonfunctioning lights can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Newmar will notify owners, and Daimler Trucks dealers will inspect and replace the rear PDM, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 18, 2019. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300. Newmar's number for this recall is 18V-852.

Reported: 2020-07-21 (July 21, 2020)

Newmar Corporaton (Newmar) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Ventana LE, 2017-2020 Ventana, London Aire, Essex and Dutch Star, 2017-2019 Mountain Aire, 2018-2020 New Aire, and 2020 Kountry Star motorhomes that received the 'inspection-only' remedy from recall 19V-426. The rear mounted Power Distribution Module (PDM) may have been damaged during manufacturing, possibly resulting in the rear marker lights, brake lights, or turn signals not functioning.

Consequence: Non-functioning exterior marker lights can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Newmar will notify owners, and Daimler Trucks North America dealers will replace the PDM, free of charge. This recall began September 11, 2020. Owners may contact Newmar's customer service at 1-800-731-8300. Newmar's number for this recall is 20V-404.

Reported: 2021-02-17 (February 17, 2021)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2021 Kountry Star and 2017-2021 Dutch Star motorhomes. The brake light switch may chafe against the windshield wiper mechanism, which could damage the brake light switch or it's wiring, and cause the brake lights to not illuminate.

Consequence: If the brake lights do not illuminate, other motorists will be unaware of the driver's intention, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Newmar will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake light switch and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 12, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.

Reported: 2021-05-20 (May 20, 2021)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Dutch Star, 2017-2019 Mountain Aire, 2019-2021 Ventana and 2021 New Aire motorhomes. The sealing washer may not seat correctly in the pilot bore holes, allowing the high pressure fuel rail assembly to leak.

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rail threads, and replace the rail as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters were mailed to owners on July 16, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8000. Newmar's number for this recall is Cummins 21E-032.

Reported: 2021-07-02 (July 2, 2021)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2019 Mountain Aire, 2020-2021 New Aire, 2020-2022 Super Star, 2018-2021 Ventana, and Dutch Star vehicles equipped with certain Cummins diesel engines. The sealing washer may not seat correctly in the pilot boreholes, allowing the high-pressure fuel rail assembly to leak.

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Cummins service centers will inspect the rail threads and fuel lines, and replace the rail as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300. Newmar's number for this recall is Cummins 21E-32.

Reported: 2021-07-27 (July 27, 2021)

Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Bay Star, Ventana, New Aire, 2019-2020 Canyon Star, Bay Star Sport, Essex, King Aire, London Aire, Mountain Aire, 2018-2021 Dutch Star, 2020 Kountry Star, and 2019 Ventana LE recreational vehicles. The adhesive that bonds the vented portion of the window may fail.

Consequence: Adhesive failure may cause the vent portion of the window to detach, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the windows, and replace the vent if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300. Newmar's number for this recall is 21E 047.