Winnebago View... Not a good re-View....

[ramblinjam11]

Where to start; so many issues. I promise I will only discuss this one, but I have a ?punch-list? of MUCH MORE!

July 2009 I purchase new a 2007 Winnebago View 23J with great excitement. The camper had sat on the dealer's lot exposed to the hostile elements for two years. The reasons I realize now should have been questioned. I did however feel I got a good deal at the time. I even purchased a two year extended warranty.

On the maiden voyage, a long weekend at a local state park, the problems began. Sunday afternoon I discovered that the Sprinter battery was completely dead and had to ask a neighbor for a jump. I got it home. The dealer's explanation was that I left the headlights on. (I am not that stupid; I think I would have noticed the running lights on). Besides, the shore power was connected throughout the weekend which should have kept the systems charged. I later discovered that by having the dash radio switched to engine power draws current from the engine battery sharing it with the house power and visa-versa. The house current was draining the engine battery completely. It is a poor design. I now keep the dash radio switched to the house power and manually turning it off once I have arrived at my destination. It is a workaround, but at least now it isolates the engine power from the house power. The engine will now start dependably.  It still has not been corrected but I can live with it.

Keep reading?

I store the camper throughout the year inside a warehouse with the shore power constantly connected. When I do bring it out, there is less than 25 minutes of battery life in the two marine batteries. Even after driving at freeway speeds for five hours, I arrive with less than 15 minutes of battery power. I can assure you that the only things that are running are those which I have the ability to control such as the clock and the fridge. Everything else that can be switched is OFF. After seven visits to the dealer, each taking several days to a week each, the problem has progressively gotten worse. May I say that for each time they find fault with me and incur service charges $$$.

Here are my observations I feel related to the issues above:

1:  There is a short somewhere and slowly draining the batteries. (This is obvious)
2:  The radio/entertainment center flashes randomly at times like it is possessed by Satan himself.
3:  The left channel speaker has never functioned. I believe to a pinched or severed wire, or, to a defective console unit. (This is the third radio replaced in the camper.)
4:  The batteries are not charging to the full capacity and dissipate rapidly.
5:  I replace water in the batteries every trip. Sometimes up to 2? quarts per battery. Something is cooking the water out of the cells.
6:  THE DEALERSHIP (the real aggravation): On several occasions I questioned the health of the batteries, the regulator and the possible isolating certain power draining components. All was said to be ?to spec? and they still insist that I am at fault. A quick charge on the batteries and they send me on my merry way.

What to do?? Any input, suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, by-the-way, the camper tonight is again dead in the parking lot in front of my company. Tomorrow I again will take it to the dealership for another round.

Once this is resolved, if ever, I will discuss the many many other issues with this debacle that I so passionately purchase.

Ramblinjam

 

[John Canfield]

Welcome and sorry your first post needed to be a list of problems    The View/Navion have been extremely popular and much loved RVs - you have some technical issues that need to be resolved so you can become a happy camper.

Unfortunately some dealers do not provide very competent service as you have discovered the painful way.  The obvious questions are 1) why do you keep going back to a dealer that obviously can't get a grip on your problems, 2) the batteries should have been load tested by a shop that knows something about batteries.  All other troubleshooting is sort of pointless until you know for a fact the batteries are healthy.  The only way to determine their state of health is with a load test (assuming you don't have an obviously bad cell - it's a little more complicated than that, but close enough), and 3) you should still have some time left on your extended warranty - why are you still paying the dealer for service?

If you can get to the Winnebago factory in Forest City, that's where you need to go for service.  Let us know what the load test reveals if you can't get to the factory.

 

[afchap]

I am not familiar with how a View is set up, but a few things occur to me from your comments.

- Many RVs do NOT charge the chassis/engine batteries from the shore power connection unless altered to do so ...perhaps the View is one of these.
- Running the radio on engine battery power will indeed run the engine battery down unless it is being charged ...I doubt it "shares" power with the house side when switched to engine battery power ...the radio is either pulling power from the engine battery bank, or from the house battery bank. AND, even when turned off, the radio (just as on any modern car) uses battery power to keeps it's memory, etc. (as do several items on any RV).  Unless the vehicle battery is in poor condition, this normally is not a problem unless the vehicle is in storage for several weeks.
- While sitting on a dealer lot for 2 years (or perhaps longer if it was an early mfg unit), I have no doubt the batteries ...neither engine nor house ...were given much if any attention. Abuse is most likely what they received. I suspect new batteries are very likely needed ...either as part of the purchase deal, or by the new owner.  ...sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news!!    ...the facts that the batteries don't fully charge, die quickly, and require lots of water frequently, all indicate they are in very poor condition.  It also is possible the charger is not functioning properly and is over-charging the batteries, but I suspect most of the problem is that the batteries have been badly abused and poorly maintained. (especially if they have checked the charging system and found it up to specs).
- Are the house batteries normally charged by the engine while driving? ...again, I don't know about the View, and you need to know that for sure.  If you have an on board generator, you might try running it to charge the house batteries while driving, just to see if that makes a difference.

Best of luck in learning all you can about your View, and in getting everything figured out and working up to par.

 

[IslandGuy]

Sounds like your dealer is the real problem. If you are putting that much water in your batteries the charger/converter sounds like it is defective. Do you have a digital VOM? If not you should get one and learn how to use it and check the batteries yourself.
Any RV sitting on the dealers lot for that long should have all of the batteries replaced...
Join the yahoo View/Navion group...4,000 members who can help you with your issues.

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/View-Navion/

 

[Alfa38User]

As afchap indicated, the batteries are the starting point for all those problems. They need replacing. They sat for 2 years at the dealership and it is very unlikely they were maintained as required. Have them fully charged and load tested by a capable battery specialist and then replace them if necessary.

The other secret  is to fully understand exactly how your View is wired as far as the 2 sets of batteries and their charging systems are concerned. Winnebago customer service and your manuals are your best bet for that info.

 

[PJ Stough]

One of the things I believe is true, but havent seen it mentioned, is that most RVs come with a charger/converter that is not a 3 stage charger, and will over charge your coach batteries if left plugged into shore power for extended periods of time as it seems yours is while in storage.  It would then seem reasonable that your coach batteries are probably shot, and need to be replaced, but as others have suggested, get them load tested.

Best of luck in your RV adventures!

Paul

 

[BigDogGus]

Ramblinjam

As far as the batteries go, I was in the same fix as you.  The rig I bought brand new had sat on the dealers lot for about 2 years.  The house batteries lasted a very short time.  And I was constantly having to put water in them.  The problem is that once batteries are neglected like that, they will no longer charge properly.  The electrolyte levels in the battery cannot return to anywhere near their original levels.  When they are charged, they reach max charge voltage quickly and begin to "gas", which quickly depletes the water in the battery.  So if you are having to put water in them often, the batteries are trash.

Check the labels on the batteries.  The month and year of initial service should be marked.  You may be able to get a pro-rated cost reduction on new batteries if you get the same brand battery.  Since my batteries were only a year old (from when I bought the rig) I paid a 12 month pro-rated price for new NAPA coach batteries and the Ford dealership did the same for the chassis battery.  That was much easier than dealing with a chintzy RV dealership.

 

[John Canfield]

What happened to the original poster?

 

[Alfa38User]

Didn't like the answers..... LOL

 

[don36g]

My Journey was 2 years old when I bought it and I also had problems with the batteries. In my case they were Interstate batteries and I went directly to an Interstate dealer who tested and replaced my batteries. He used the in service date (when I bought it) to calculate the warranty. In my case they were still free replacement.

 

[taoshum]

Good Luck... you need some!!  One thought, if you have an inverter, turn it off for a while until you know what's going on.  It maybe on by default and will run the rv batteries down quickly.  THen try to get all loads off the batteries and see if they will hold a charge.  if not, then the batteries probably need to be replaced.  most Interstate or walmart battery stores will test the batteries.  Take them out if you have to for checks and charge cycles.

If you do get new batteries, start the charger and load application slowly until you understand exactly what is going on.

It's not complicated but it can be confusing until you get acclimated to the parts and know which switch does what.

Last, took me about 3 months to notice that the charger ground wire (green) was loose.  Little things like that are a PITA but crucial to operation.

I hate to say it but if the dealer is not being square with you get some help, warranties are contracts!!!

you can reach WB at [email protected]  someone will call you and help!!!

keep posting.