Water Leak
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=5956
Printed Date: 30 Apr 2024 at 12:10pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Water Leak
Posted By: Belin
Subject: Water Leak
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 2:54pm
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I went to check my camper to see if everything looked ok and I saw the wallpaper in the bathroom was bubbling. I took it to the dealer and they checked it and said it is a water leak from the seal on roof. They are waiting to hear back from the warranty dept. I hope it is covered even though it is over a year old (not quite two yrs). This is so upsetting I don't even want this camper anymore! Has anyone else had a water leak?
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Replies:
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 7:01pm
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Oh geez, so sorry to see this. The leak really shouldn't be that hard to fix, and if the damage is only localized to a bathroom wall, I don't think it will take a whole bunch to re-mediate. I think the only place the bathroom can leak on the roof is the fantastic fan? Is the damage on the same wall as the shower head and/or the sink?
------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 7:28pm
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Welcome. Nothing to rend garments over. A little sealant on the roof, new wall panel and it will be like new. ------------- 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: Belin
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 8:09pm
| The bubbling is suppose to be from the roof where the selant cracked not the vent. There was no water and no wet spot. It is the wall facing you when you open the door. |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 10:38pm
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Well, I guess the priority is to get it sealed up and then figure out what the options are for the wall. On the grand scheme of things it is a bummer, but you still have 97% of a POD that's in great shape? ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2015 at 4:54am
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With our Vibe there is a vent for the sink in the bathroom, when washing the roof I hit the vent with the brush and it cracked the sealant around it. Near the location of the vent on the inside of the camper there is a light on the ceiling and I noticed a little water in the light. I removed light to allow it to dry along with the help of a hair dryer. I resealed vent on roof and everything is fine. With the r-pod and vibe there is block foam in the roof and that will not absorb a lot of water and the walls are hollow so in time all will dry and if leak is fixed should be no problem. ------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2015 at 5:47pm
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What kinda goop is to be used to seal these areas. The areas where the wall meets the roof and where other stuff meets the roof? ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2015 at 8:04pm
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Dicor self-leveling is usually used for all of the roof penetrations. Don't know about the edges. ------------- 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: J&Jcf
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2015 at 5:14pm
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100 percent silicon caulk & inspect often. Lousey/sloppy factory caulking/sealing job. ------------- J. - 2011 rpod 171 |
Posted By: J&Jcf
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2015 at 5:16pm
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100 percent silicon caulk. ------------- J. - 2011 rpod 171 |
Posted By: Belin
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2015 at 10:29pm
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Forest River will not cover leak on my camper that is only a little over a year! They Suck!
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Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 12:48am
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Sorry for your trouble, but it does sound more like a maintenance problem than a warranty issue. I bought my pod used with no warranty, so I'm not sure about this, but isn't the warranty for one year? And I do remember reading somewhere in all the stuff that comes with the pod to inspect and re-seal as necessary at least once a year. (I'm overdue on mine. This is an unfortunate reminder.) As others have said, this doesn't sound like that big a deal anyway. The leak itself is probably almost trivial to fix, and the wall panel shouldn't cost too much, especially if you are any good at DIY. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: Belin
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 1:08am
| Well that's why I got the Pod because it was suppose to be made better. It cost too much to fix and I am a single female so I don't know how to fix it. I just should never have bought it. |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 8:29am
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R-Pods are a lot better than many campers. That doesn't mean they are invincible. Has anyone given you an estimate for repairs? Depending on where you are, there are folks here who may be able to help. Podders Helping Podders. But the first thing to do is probably get an estimate with a detailed description of the work to be done. And if you aren't going to do the regular maintenance chores yourself, you should find a good shop -- your dealer or a Camping World, for example -- to do them for you while they do the repair. You really should have all of the seals and gaskets inspected, and probably wheel bearings and brakes. There is a long list of other things that are recommended, like inspecting the propane part of the fridge, the water heater, and on and on. Full maintenance isn't too cheap but it's generally cheaper than deferred maintenance and it helps prevent problems on the road. Since it sounds like mechanical maintenance may not be your forte, let me say that one thing you need to do before you head out each time is torque your wheel nuts. This is very important! Folks here can help you understand what's involved. This forum is a fantastic resource! TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 9:29am
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Really? Over some wallpaper and a minor leak, both of which are dead nuts simple to fix and BASIC maintenance issues? There is a sticker, right next to your door, that tells you to check seals every 90 days. FR sucks? You stated YOURSELF the pod is out of warranty. They don't suck, they are HONORING the conditions of the warranty. If your pod was 11 months old, you would certainly want them to honor it then also, correct? I hate to say it.. the "I'm a single female" carries no weight. We have LOTS of single females podding who do their own maintenance, customizing and modding, or accept they don't/won't/can't.. and pod on by paying someone else. Plenty of "married males" who do the same. What do you do about car issues? Home issues? lawn mower issues? (sorry, I have to get that off my chest. I hate you are having this minor issue, but, THIS statement is what bothers me the most) Get a ladder, look on top for the leak. Seal it with caulk. Peel the peeling wallpaper off and replace/recover/paint.. replace the whole panel, whatever works for you. If you think owning a camper is a no maintenance deal.. well, it is. Want to REALLY have fun? Go buy a boat. The pods are the best built campers in their price range and size. Period. But just like everything else, they do sometimes have problems and they do need to be maintained. Interestingly, there is a thread running very much like this over on the Airstream forums.. Feel good you paid 30% of what that woman paid for her small camper. See, now you feel better, right? ------------- |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 11:38am
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Furpod I totally agree with you. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 11:44am
Dicor is very good stuff. Always make certain to clean the surfaces with denatured alcohol before hand, caulk should have an extremely clean surface to bond to. ------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 2:30pm
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If it is a mistake something done improperly from the factory I believe it would be covered after the one year warranty. But if it's lack of general maintenance that should of been done from the owner, that is the owners responsibility. We had a electrical problem that was covered by warranty after one year because it was incorrectly wired from factory which could of caused a fire. If it was a leak from a place where the factory forgot to seal, then I think perhaps it could be covered under warranty. A long time ago there was a recall with the r-pods when some of the r-pods under the floor they were not properly sealed in the corners and as a result would have caused water damage, that repair was covered under warranty after one year. ------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 5:12pm
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My impression is the leak only started recently, so while I would attribute that to a poor initial job done at the factory (which should last for years - after 5 years I never had a problem with window or roof seals, only around the water heater), FR will rightfully argue that at the 1 year mark the OP should have inspected the seals. Or had someone else do it. Belin, as I and others have stated, what you describe really is a minor issue as long as it is caught right away. The wall board isn't hard to replace or resurface, maybe 30 minutes, and the caulk can be scraped off and reapplied in less than an hour (assuming you only do the area above the leak). No need to regret the entire purchase. ------------- 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: Podster
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 5:27pm
| Hmm, 5 years. Well, this is my second season and today I inspected every inch of the POD for seal issues. There were spots in the Dicor that looked thin on the penetrations and where the roof meets the wall. The thin areas looked as if they could open at anytime. Now the spoiler, it had problems... |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 5:35pm
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We had our 171 for 5 years and never had a leak ( windows and roof). We inspected the calking a couple times during each season all was well. ------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 7:24pm
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Is it possible the AC could be leaking and not draining properly outside off the roof of the camper. I agree with what is being said it doesn't sound like a warranty problem. Has the location been found where it is leaking? ------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: Belin
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 10:31pm
| Not the a/c. It's the outer wall in bathroom. Personally I think it's humid because their where no water spots. |
Posted By: Belin
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 10:32pm
| Not the a/c. It's the outer wall in bathroom. Personally I think it's humidity because their where no water spots. |
Posted By: Belin
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 10:34pm
| And $120 from dealer to tell what's wrong with it. |
Posted By: Belin
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 10:40pm
| Paw Paw City dealer said it would cost around $800 to fix and its $120 for them just to tell me it's a leak. |
Posted By: Belin
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 11:02pm
| Thanks everyone. |
Posted By: Belin
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 11:04pm
| Thanks Everyone. |
Posted By: Belin
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2015 at 11:11pm
| Dealer wants around $800 to fix and $120 just to tell me there's a leak. |
Posted By: Plantguy
Date Posted: 27 Jun 2015 at 7:31pm
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It rained hard one day in Colorado last week. Our new 2015 179 leaked by the refrigerator and by the bed. Both locations at either end of the popout. Water cane from the roof of the popout. There is no "boot" to keep the water from entering the cabin... ------------- Life is too important to be taken seriously!i |