Norcold widens the recall, yet again

[SCVJeff]

Here is a further explanation of what is being done to alleviate the fire danger. The new recall applies even to those fridges previously recalled to add a thermal switch.

http://www.rvdailyreport.com/News/tabid/56/ctl/ArticleView/mid/370/articleId/9163/Norcold-recalls-refrigerators-to-apply-even-better-fix.aspx

Clearly the email is still being written. it's now gone from ALL to 2003 (at least on paper). The tech I spoke to told me this was a switch and the original fix was a thermocouple .

 

[Smoky]

Jeff, what do you mean by the phrase "it's now gone from ALL to 2003 (at least on paper). "?

Smoky

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The new recall fix is the thermocouple and it is in addition to the switch added in the previous recall.

All 12xx series fridges from 1997-2010 are included in the latest recall. The previous recall applied to 12xx models thru late 2003.

 

[tallyo]

Well, they have me confused!  The first page says every Norcold 1200 made in the last 13 years is under recall. Then it says "Check status" and I do - sure enough, my cooling unit serial is in the range for the new, expanded recall (it was not in the previous ones). Then I go to the page where it says to enter all your info, including my cooling unit serial and fridge serial. When I submit that, it says " Model Number: 1200 Cooling Unit Serial Number: 1735296 is not under recall."  So which do I believe???

Based on what Norcold told Bernie, maybe there is some failure other than cooling units?  But the previous "thermal sensor" was simply a diagnostic device for a cooling unit failure (my 1200 has that sensor built-in form the factory).

Gary,

Like you I was confused as I also entered my info on their website and it came back I was NOT in the recall. Yesterday I received a call from Norcold advising I was in fact in the recall. They admitted their website had not been updated. I now have an appointment to have it repaired this Friday.

Frank

 

[BernieD]

Based on what Norcold told me, all versions of the 1200 model made before last month are subject to the recall regardless of previous recalls. The recall is to install a switch which will give a faster response than the thermocouple. It is a quick easy install done from the outside.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I too received a call. he lady said the website now how the proper information on cooling unit serials.

 

[falconhunter]

I have a 2011 model (1 month old ) and mine was included in the recall. I have an appointment to have mine fixed Friday. My dealer paid to have the part overnighted but said he couldn't get but a few of the new parts because everyone was scrambling to get them.

 

[SCVJeff]

Falconhunter: Did you get this latest mod done? I would live to see pix of this mod.

 

[tallyo]

Lazy Days completed my recall Friday. Took them about 20 minutes. Added a small thing=a=ma jimmer to the outside. Apparently,it will keep a- watcha ma- call- it from over heating. There was an Alegro Bus parked out back where the fridge had caught fire. Whew, If I had of seen that a week ago I would have shutdown the whole coach and had it towed to Lazy Days. What a mess!!!! Anyone procrastinating should make an appointment to have the recall completed ASAP.

According to the tech who worked on my RV most fixes can be done from the outside; there are a few they have to pull out the refrigerator and that takes an hour or two. Didn't ask which ones are those.

We're now home for the winter. Traveled 8039.5 miles this summer. Stay safe folks.

 

[Ken & Sheila]

NO more Norcold for us! Our 19CF residential is now installed.

Any body want a 20 month old 4 dr Norcold? But then why would anybody want one of these things. I didn't put it for sale on the forum because I didn't want to sell it to a friend. I think a local dealer is going to buy it. How they can sell them new for $3,800 is beyond me. I had solved the fire issue with a self activating fire extinguisher system, but that didn't prevent it from failing and requiring a new cooling unit earlier this summer.
ken

 

[falconhunter]

Falconhunter: Did you get this latest mod done? I would live to see pix of this mod.

Yes, I had the mod done Friday. Sorry but I dont have any pics. I was there guinny pig and it only took them about 30 minutes with all the work being done from the out side except for a quick check inside. Looked like a easy fix.

 

[Weewun]

Had the Recall done today, found a Mobile RV service in the area. The Recall on mine (not affected by previous recalls) consisted of:

1.  Removing the current High Limit Thermal Switch that was above the Fire Box and behind the Insulation.

2.  Cutting out a 6" by 3" section of the Heater Box Insulation.

3.  Mounting a Thermocouple around the tube that is hottest (believe it to be going up the cooling unit).  The Thermocouple looked like a block of metal 1" long, 1/2' deep and 1/2" high with a half moon cut out of one side to fit around the tube.  The Thermocouple had metal hose clamp attached to it which fit around  all the other tubes and held Thermocouple firmly against the Tube.  The Thermocouple had two wires with a small plug at the end coming out of it.

4.  Installing the new Insulation Plug into the hole referenced in #2 above.  The Plug came with  a 2" extension of self-sealing foil all around it. Made a neat, professional installation.  My Installer then used additional self-sealing foil to insure the plug stays  in place.

5. The Mod came with a small control box with a red light and female plug for the wires coming from the Thermocouple and pushon connectors for the two wires to go to the existing Control Board and a Green wire chassis gnd.  The small control box snaps on to one of the tubes from the cooling unit very close to the existing Control Board.  The Red light on the added control box  illuminates when the Thermocouple senses an over-temperature.  The Mod is self resetting  when temperature drops.

6. Had to remove the Control Board to remove the existing two wires coming from the old thermal switch and plug in the replacement wires from the Thermocouple contol box.  The Green wire ground snapped onto the Frig sheet metal.

The hardest part of the new installation was removing and replacing the Control Board Cover, took about an hour just for that.  Monaco, in their infinite wisdom mounted the Frig and Ice Maker AC outlets in front of the cover.

NorCold is paying the installer $37.50 to perform the change.  While the installer (this was his first installation) will get more efficient with each installation, I believe he or anyone else will be hard pressed to complete it in the 20 to 30 minutes allowed by NorCold.  I gave him a generous tip (more than he is getting from NorCold) besides his Service Call Fee.

I am glad it is over.  The Frig works fine on AC and LP.

I am disappointed that NorCold did not include Thermal Switch on the exterior of the Fire Box to detect flameout.  That happened to me this summer when I had some resident Dirt Daubers in the Fire Box.  I now run the Frig on LP before I leave and go outside and check the flame.     

 

[JerArdra]

We had our recall done today.  Here are some photos.

JerryF

 

[Tom]

Thanks Jerry. That's quite helpful in illustrating what this recall is about, and it's clearly different from the one I had done just a few months ago.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Got mine done today as well. Substantially the same in my 1200 as Jerry's 1210.

One of the top techs at Lazydays confirmed what I have heard so far - the new "black box" that sits between the new thermocouple and the circuit board is not resettable. If it detects a overtemp cooling unit, it will shut down forever and would have to be replaced. I've heard on the rumor mills that Norcold will not authorize a replacement black box either, on the grounds that an overheating cooing unit is defective and must be replaced. Will see if there are any/many false shutdowns before I worry too much about that possibility.

I also don't see any reason why the new wiring could not be removed if for some reason it gave a false report of an overheat, but you would probably have to substitute something to give an "ok" signal voltage. It appears to me that the main circuit board expects to always get some signal on that input pin. On mine, that same pin already got a signal from the existing overtemp sensor - the new one is just a more sensitive version.

 

[Jim Dick]

We have an appointment to have ours done on Friday.

 

[Jim Godward]

I see a few more candidates for standard Refers.   

 

[Weewun]

If I ever have to replace the Cooling Unit, I will switch to a house model.

 

[monc440]

We had our recall done today.  Here are some photos.

JerryF

Jerry

It looks to me like your unit was not wired in correctly. It looks like it was wired in like a 1200 not a 1210. It may work that way but if it fails your unit will just shut down vs give you an error code on the front display.

Just a heads up.

I'm a Norcold tech and may be able to help on some of your questions.

JD

 

[JerArdra]

JD,

I looked at the Norcold install instructions and you are correct they installed the recall kit as if it were a Model 1200.  It's a Model 1210 and they knew it.  I discussed it with the "person in charge" as well as the installer person.  Furthermore they installed the new Norcold 1210 about 3 weeks before.

JerryF