2003 Thor Motor Coach CHALLENGER: complaints, problems and recalls

I HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SINCE I FIRST BOUGHT THIS RV. IT WILL GO PAST THE WINDSHIELD, AND NOT COME BACK UP. I HAVE TRIED TO REPAIR IT, BUT IT WORKS ITSELF LOOSE. THIS IS ALMOST ANY TIME I USE THE WIPERS. I HAVE TO READJUST THEM.

Look up ODI 11290953 at NHTSA ↗

PASSENGER WIPER COMES LOOSE AT SPLINE AND FALLS BELOW WINDSHIELD. THIS HAPPENS WHEN TRAVELING AND WIPERS ARE IN USE.

Look up ODI 10872519 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 THOR CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATED ON THE HIGHWAY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE'S PASSENGER WIPER UN-TORQUED AND JAMMED THE DRIVER'S WIPER. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THEIR OWN VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED REGARDING A NEW CRANK ARM AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT IF ANY PART OF THAT WIPER SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY THE INTEGRITY OF THE WIPER SYSTEM WOULD BE COMPROMISED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V162000 (VISIBILITY) THE FOLLOWING DAY.…

Look up ODI 11001435 at NHTSA ↗

WIPERS FLOP TO ONE SIDE AND GET STUCK. TOOK TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL AND STILL NOT FIXED. HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE NEW.

Look up ODI 11004725 at NHTSA ↗

MY WIFE AND I TOOK DELIVERY OF OUR THOR RV AT 7PM ON 12/05/14 WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF EVER BEING ALLOWED TO TEST DRIVE THE RV. MANY EXCUSES BY CAMPING WORLD. LEFT DEALER AND DROVE 300 YEARS ON NEARBY SURFACE ROAD AND BRAKED TO JOIN ENTRANCE RAMP TO INTERSTATE 75. BRAKES FAILED BECAUSE 3 POUND, RIGID 4 FOOT VINYL-CLAD, WOODEN FRAME COVERING HAD DISLODGED FROM THE ELECTRIC OVERHEAD BUNK FRAME AND DROPPED TO THE DRIVER'S FLOOR BEHIND BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS. COULD NOT SLOW COACH FROM 35MPH BUT FORCED TO THE SHOULDER OF ROAD UNDER OVERHEAD INTERSTATE …

Look up ODI 11100686 at NHTSA ↗

WE HAVE OWNED OUR VEHICLE FOR 14 MONTHS WITH UNDER 7000 MILES DRIVEN AND USED APPROXIMATELY 12 TIMES FOR TRIPS. WHILE WE WERE PREPARING TO LEAVE, THE TRIMARK ENTRY DOOR LATCH BROKE LEAVING 3 PEOPLE TRAPPED INSIDE AND ME OUTSIDE. I HAD TO CLIMB THROUGH A WINDOW USING A LADDER WITH TOOLS TO DISASSEMBLE THE LOCK AND PRY OUT THE BROKEN PLUNGER PART. I HAVE ATTACHED A PICTURE THAT REPRESENTS THE PART OF THE LATCH THAT BROKE. CURRENTLY, A DEADBOLT IS KEEPING THE DOOR CLOSE AND AM ALSO USING A VELCRO STRAP TO KEEP THE DOOR FROM OPENING WHILE TRAVE…

Look up ODI 11040852 at NHTSA ↗

Unloading the storage compartments and discovered that the compartment wall was melted. It is directly next to, about 6 inches away from, the exhaust pipe.

Look up ODI 11534171 at NHTSA ↗

The contact owns a 2015 Thor Challenger RV built on a 2014 Ford F-53 chassis. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, he observed from the passenger side rear view mirror that the door skin had begun to peel away from the door. The contact pulled off the roadway and observed that the skin had delaminated from the door and had only been held in place by the lock and door handle. The contact took the door handle and lock mechanism off and removed the laminate and stored it in the RV. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local…

Look up ODI 11521394 at NHTSA ↗

The contact owns a 2017 Thor Challenger Motorhome. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, an abnormally loud banging sound was heard and another vehicle honked the contact, alerting him to look in the rearview mirror. The contact noticed styrofoam flying from the motorhome and the external compartment door flapping open. The contact pulled over and examined the RV and became aware that one of the external compartment door skin had separated from the glue. The contact used masking tape to tape the separated door compartment and four ot…

Look up ODI 11440444 at NHTSA ↗

Exhaust has blown (melted) a hole in the storage bin no heat shield was placed. The bin next to it has a heat shield.

Look up ODI 11486963 at NHTSA ↗

Tow hitch cracked and separated

Look up ODI 11740136 at NHTSA ↗

Exhaust has blown (melted) a hole in the storage bin no heat shield was placed. The bin next to it has a heat shield.

Look up ODI 11486963 at NHTSA ↗

The Receiver Hitch manufactured by Lippert Components part #360-231 and install by Thor and standard equipment failed in use and almost lost towed vehicle on Interstate Highway. Receiver Hitch broke completely on one side and only had 25% still holding on other side when excessive swerving of towed car and noise of dragging tow bar made driver stop. Towed car weight was half of stated hitch rating so there was no expectation of failure of this nature. Researching failure after incident found many similar reports on Thor related forums and a rec…

Look up ODI 11553386 at NHTSA ↗

I WISH TO REPORT A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD TO 2013 THOR CHALLENGER MODEL 37KT MOTOR HOMES. MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A NEW 2013 THOR CHALLENGER MODEL 37KT MOTOR HOME IN JUNE, 2012. THE UNIT DID NOT COME WITH LED LIGHTING. I WISH TO STATE THAT MY WIFE AND I ARE FULLTIME RV'ERS. YESTERDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015, MY WIFE HAD BEEN SITTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS AT THE DINING ROOM TABLE DOING PAPERWORK. THE LIGHT FIXTURE ABOVE THE TABLE HAD BEEN ON FOR SEVERAL HOURS. WE DISCOVERED A STRONG ODOR OF BURNING PLASTIC AND FOUND THAT IT WAS COMING FROM THE …

Look up ODI 10682941 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE TRAVELING ON A INTERSTATE THE VEHICLE SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. THE MOTOR SHUT OFF AND WE LOST ALL POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. ALL POWER INSIDE AND OUTSIDE SHUT OFF SO WE HAD NO LIGHTS ON THE EXTERIOR TO SEE OR SIGNAL OTHER VEHICLES. I HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE.

Look up ODI 11354942 at NHTSA ↗

Exhaust has blown (melted) a hole in the storage bin no heat shield was placed. The bin next to it has a heat shield.

Look up ODI 11486963 at NHTSA ↗

I WISH TO REPORT A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD TO 2013 THOR CHALLENGER MODEL 37KT MOTOR HOMES. MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A NEW 2013 THOR CHALLENGER MODEL 37KT MOTOR HOME IN JUNE, 2012. THE UNIT DID NOT COME WITH LED LIGHTING. I WISH TO STATE THAT MY WIFE AND I ARE FULLTIME RV'ERS. YESTERDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015, MY WIFE HAD BEEN SITTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS AT THE DINING ROOM TABLE DOING PAPERWORK. THE LIGHT FIXTURE ABOVE THE TABLE HAD BEEN ON FOR SEVERAL HOURS. WE DISCOVERED A STRONG ODOR OF BURNING PLASTIC AND FOUND THAT IT WAS COMING FROM THE …

Look up ODI 10682941 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE TRAVELING ON A INTERSTATE THE VEHICLE SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. THE MOTOR SHUT OFF AND WE LOST ALL POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. ALL POWER INSIDE AND OUTSIDE SHUT OFF SO WE HAD NO LIGHTS ON THE EXTERIOR TO SEE OR SIGNAL OTHER VEHICLES. I HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE.

Look up ODI 11354942 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 THOR CHALLENGER 37K. WHILE INSIDE THE RV, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR; HOWEVER, THE DOOR FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE CONTACT HAD TO DRIVE THE RV TO THE DEALER (EXIT 1 RV, FAIRHAVEN, VERMONT) WHERE THE DOOR WAS REMOVED IN ORDER FOR THE CONTACT TO EXIT THE RV. THE DEALER REMOVED THE LATCH LOCK FROM THE DOOR OF THE RV; HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT HAVE A REPLACEMENT FOR THE DOOR LATCH AT THAT TIME. THE RV WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. THE …

Look up ODI 11277308 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 THOR CHALLENGER MOTOR HOME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTRANCE DOOR LATCH MALFUNCTIONED AND THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE MOTOR HOME. A PASSENGER WAS TRAPPED INSIDE. THE DOOR WAS EVENTUALLY PRIED OPEN TO RELEASE THE PASSENGER. THE LOCK WAS REPLACED BY THE OWNER AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000. UPDATED 12/13/2017 *LN CONSUMER STATED TH…

Look up ODI 11030206 at NHTSA ↗