R-Pod Problems
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Warranty, Service and Recall Bulletins
Forum Discription: Have a warranty or service experience to share?
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1305
Printed Date: 14 May 2024 at 10:55pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: R-Pod Problems
Posted By: mark
Subject: R-Pod Problems
Date Posted: 27 Jun 2010 at 8:17pm
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My Family purchased a new R-Pod 172 from Horn's RV in Sheboygan Wisconsin. The R-Pod has had many problems including the heater, inverter, cabinet door latches, latch for fridge, poor quality of the center hub cover on the wheels (can not remove the end cap to access the grease fitting withouth the ruining the cover), and propane support (cracked). All the issues caused problems when camping but have been corrected for the most part.
The bigger concern that has been a problem since last year and will require a third trip to the dealer - The whole floor inflates like a giant balloon during travel. After pressurizing the camper approx 4 air leaks were identified and sealed. The problem still continues and makes the floor unable to be walked on with out doing damage (if air is getting under the floor, so is water - unsure what damage has been done). On top of that, water continues to pool on the floor behind the heater and fridge. You can tell its been a problem for a while as the saw dust is "clumped" together. In addition, our camping equipment / tools in the back pass through compartment are getting wet (doors are locked). All service advisories have also been followed to no avail. The camper is stored indoors and is well taken care of.
My family is not happy about the poor quality of this camper.
Additional post will follow detailing what type of job Forest River does to correct problems that should never have happened in the first place. Customer service has been marginal at best up to this point. I would recommend everyone goes through their R-Pod carefully........
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Replies:
Posted By: TerryM
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2010 at 4:37am
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WOW! You got a lemon for sure. I haven't had any of those problems. Good luck! Terry ------------- RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4 Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2010 at 6:23pm
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Welcome, Mark. Very sorry to hear about all the problems you have experienced. I haven't heard of anyone with that many problems. Personally we had almost nothing wrong at the beginning. We have had a half-dozen problems recently fixed under warranty (see another thread around here describing our recent trip to the dealer), but none prevented normal use of the camper. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: sylviablue
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2010 at 8:12pm
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Yep, sounds like you got a lemon. Hope they get this straightened out for and I'm sorry for you bad experience. Ours has been almost perfect to date with only water in the tail lights which were replaced.
------------- four peas |
Posted By: joe & vickie
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2010 at 8:59pm
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With all that you have wrong with your R-POD, you would think that Forest River would give you a new one as a replacement? ------------- R-POD 177- Gitty up go FORD-F 150 |
Posted By: mark
Date Posted: 04 Jul 2010 at 12:01pm
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Thanks for the feedback. We have requested (along with Horn's RV) a new camper due to the problems. FR has stated they want the camper back to Horn's RV for the 3rd time for "evaluation". Horn's RV has offered to pick up our camper and provide a new loaner during the time our camper is "evaluated" (unsure what this means / timeframe etc..) so we do not have to cancel camping plans (FR did not make this offer).
Horn's RV has been good to work with during this process.
Updates to follow.
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2010 at 12:39pm
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Thanks for the update. Feel free to post a review of your dealer in our Dealer Review section, and let us know what happens next. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: yizit
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2010 at 9:53pm
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Wow!!! That is unusual. Sorry you are having so many problems. We bought ours from Horn's and they were great to work with. I hope you get things worked out. Since you bought in WI, are you from WI? If so, where? ------------- 
Former owner of 2009 172 Darlene & Jim, Ewok our Lhasa Roada our 2004 Roadtrek C190Popular |
Posted By: tma-333
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2010 at 5:45pm
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I just purchased a 177 in August. First big rain, three leak points, both windows on the tip-out side, as well as the tip-out.
Love the unit, hate to get such a serious problem so early after purchasing. Evidently, warranty work but I hoping it is also minor and isolated.
Anyone else similar leaks or leaks of any kind
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2010 at 6:00pm
| When we first purchased our 171 the brakes were a major problem had it in and out of the shop half a dozen times. Finally we found a dealer that knew what they were doing and they replaced the axle brakes everything . haven't had a problem since. Hope all turns out well for you good luck. |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2010 at 9:34pm
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Welcome, tma. I believe several people have experienced problems with the rear window - mostly with models made the first year - but I haven't heard of any problems with the slide-out.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2010 at 10:36am
We had an issue with a horrible leak in the non-opening back window of our 2009 172. Some of the dinette cushions got soaking wet, and the table got so wet it started to delaminate. The dealer replaced the table, and made an attempt to fix the existing window, but eventually it too had to be replaced completely. (The cushions dried out and were fine.) All warranty work.
The replacement window had apparently gone an "engineering change" from the original equipment. The seals between the frame and glass looked much more robust and better designed than the original window, and while the original back window had no weep holes, the new window did, in the bottom outside of the frame.
The new back window cured the problem. ------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: PackeR-Pod
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2010 at 9:27pm
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We have a 177 we bought in July. It leaked during towing on a very windy, rainy trip (about 120 miles). There were puddles of water on the floor (the bed or anywhere near windows were not wet). We haven't noticed a problem in the rain when it's parked. We did notice that we could see daylight through the slide-out seals above and below where the fridge is. Talked to the dealership and they want us to bring it in (it's about 80 miles away). We want to use it more before we turn it over to them. Have you brought your's to the dealer yet? I'd be interested to hear what is discovered. Cari ------------- Cari, Jerry & Jerry 2011 pod 177 (PackeR-Pod) 2010 Subaru Outback |
Posted By: rpodcamper.com
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2010 at 9:36am
| I had a leak by my door when I first got it but found that the problem was that they missed a small area near the top with caulk. I cleaned it all out around the door frame and caulked it up really good. Never leaked again in over 1 1/2 years we have had the camper. |
Posted By: Runebane
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2010 at 10:00am
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*Knocks on wood* I haven't seen a leak yet, and I washed the camper myself just before taking it out for Laborday weekend. Also, when I picked up the 'Pod it was windy and raining out and there were no leaks that I could see. I will definitely check behind the fridge for evidence of a leak. ------------- RP-177 |
Posted By: tma-333
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2010 at 5:25pm
| The dealer replaced the flimsly narrow band of white soft plastic like material with a wider band of taped putty like material around the windows. they also removed the bottom moulding-rails on the located at the lower portion of the tip out. They also replaced the water diverters that had been improperly installed facing inwards instead of outwards on the rain gutter just above the tip out. So now the water diverts away from tip out instead of towards. So far, so good but still anxious and watchfull of addionnal leaks. I expect more of a NEW trailer marketed as a luxury unit! |
Posted By: g4royce
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2011 at 12:45pm
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Does anyone know why the floor blows up after traveling? Ours did that a few times but we can't see anything when we crawl under the pod.
------------- ChaiPod 2009 RP152 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe 3.5L V6 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2011 at 5:19pm
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I didn't experience that until this year, but it definitely happens on long hauls. Somehow there is a way for air to get forced in from the front which blows the vinyl covering up like a balloon. I wouldn't care much - it goes back to normal quickly - except that also means water can get blown in there. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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