I
have been holding off submitting this to the forum until I heard back
from the dealer (PoulsboRV) and Forest River.
On
October 22, 2017 we purchased a brand new 2017 Rpod 180RB for our
trip to Palm Springs. I immediately found some things wrong and
took it back to PoulsboRV to get fixed before our trip. After
taking the unit back to PoulsboRV with problems two times, over
several weeks. We were unable to get scheduled or have parts in prior
to our departure date of 12-14-17. Despite extending our departure
date we left with repairs undone and many questions. At this point in
time it was either go the way it was or cancel the trip we had been
planning for a year AND all reservations were already made and paid
for.
We
went on the trip which, because of the Rpod problems and weather,
will forever be remembered as the vacation
from hell.
We finally cut the vacation short, took our loses, and came
home. As soon as we got home I delivered the Rpod back to PoulsboRV
for the repair work on 1-12-17.
Got
word today, 2-2-17, from PoulsboRV (and indirectly from Forest River)
that they were finished and we could pick up our Rpod. We picked it
up on 2-7-17 with most of the repairs being denied by Forest River
and so PoulsboRV refused to fix.
Here
are the problems that we had and the results & comments in red.
1: When
we got the unit home after purchasing on Oct 22. it sat in the
driveway for 2 days before we had time to start loading it. When
I turned the lights on they were dim so I checked the battery voltage
and it was 10.4 volts. What the heck! I plugged the shore power
in and the built in charger picked up the load.
While
connected to power I was trying to listen to the AM radio and the
noise was so loud the radio was useless. Finally figured out
that the "converter" in the unit has so much RF noise that
it totally blanks the radio. (This is common in the cheap solid state
switching type chargers with poor filtering - OK for battery chargers
but not OK for radio because of the noise it generates) With
the AC power disconnected the radio was fine.
Result:
I was told the "converter" was within specs, per FR,
so PoulsboRV would not do anything about it. At this point the
battery is probably shot and they will not replace it either.
I
had previously asked PoulsboRV if they could do a load check on the
battery as I suspect that with the deep discharge it might be ruined.
I was told that I would have to pay for the load test if Forest
River would not pay for it. PoulsboRV did not do a battery load test.
SOLUTION:
On 3/10/17 I replaced the “converter” with a MJF power supply at
a cost of $109. The radio now works perfectly and I have a voltmeter
and ammeter on the MFJ.
Moving
right along.
2: With
the power off for the night, having charging all day, the next day
the battery was dead again. I traced it to a ½ amp load on the
battery ALL THE TIME. There are some house loads that DO NOT GO
THROUGH THE DC FUSE BLOCK and some that if you turn them off you also turn off the frig and water heater. The ONLY way to keep the battery
from going dead is to disconnect the battery. In a car this would be
like not being able to turn your parking lights off…..unless you
disconnect the battery.
Result:
PoulsboRV did not even look at this after telling them about the
problem.
SOLUTION:
I installed a disconnect on the battery.
3: When
we got to Palm Springs after a couple of showers my wife questioned
where all the water in the bathroom floor was coming from. I
removed the inspection plate on the shower stall and the floor was
flooded. The next shower my wife took, I was watching the
plumbing under the shower and water was running all over the place
from the drain piping. Found out that the shower stall was only
supported on the corners and while taking a shower it felt like you
were on a trampoline. The plumbing is all rigid ABS plumbing
which does not tolerate flexing so it was broken.
(I
GUESS I COULD HAVE JUST CUT A HOLE IN THE FLOOR UNDER THE P-TRAP TO
THE OUTSIDE AND THE PROBLEM WOULD BE SOLVED)
4 pieces of 1”x2” in the corner were the total shower support… This was the total shower
support and with the hole for the drain cut in the middle of the
plywood it is very unstable.
A
RV repairman was found in Palm Springs and he replaced all the piping
with new AND then added three additional pieces of 2X4 putting them
under the shower floor in the center to give it some additional
support. This was to get us through the trip.
Note:
Forest River did pay for this because we were extremely insistent it
was their failure and we were 200 miles from the nearest dealer. They
initially expected us to take it to a dealer which would mean leaving
our paid for RV park, driving 400 miles round trip, and just hoping
that the dealer could get us in and could fix the problem. This would
of course force us into a motel for who knows how long.
Result:
After looking at the repair done in Palm Springs, PoulsboRV
(not us) wanted to take the shower stall out and reinforce the
support. They were told by Forest River that the shower was
"installed per spec" and would not pay for it so
PoulsboRV would not do it.
SOLUTION:
PoulsoboRV did re-replace the fittings ("customer gratis"
as they said) as they said it was still leaking (which it
wasn’t). I then added 4 more braces under the shower to
further steady it up to prevent further damage. I hope this is
sufficient.
4: The
cord that plugs into the tow vehicle had about 3/4" of the
wiring exposed at the plug.
Result:
PoulsboRV replaced the cord. But
why was it sent out this way?
5: All
of the pull down night shades were installed crooked.
Result:
Dealer said they adjusted the shades. But
why was it sent out this way?
COMMENT:
The shades look just as crooked after the adjustment as they did
before so they are still crooked and this is unresolved.
6: The
brake/tail lights had LED segments that were not working. I noticed
this when we took delivery and it was noted by PoulsboRV at that
time. They did not have any in stock so I had to leave it till we got
home.
Result:
Lamps were replaced COMMENT:
Seems to be OK
7: Just
before leaving on our trip, the propane detector started going off
and it COULD NOT be silenced nor reset. I had to remove it from
the wall and cut the power wire to the unit to silence it. This
is one of the loads stay on all the time and is part of the "phantom
load" in the unit.
Result:
PoulsboRV replaced the detector just before we left. They said
FR had gotten in some defective units from the manufacturer. They did
not comment on the constant load it presents. COMMENT:
Battery switch I added solved the problem.
8:
The brackets that hold the kitchen Venetian blinds were incorrectly
installed as the brackets were installed wider than the blinds.
Therefore the blinds could not be secured at the bottom and
flopped around.
Result:
They remounted the bottom brackets. But why
was it sent out this way?
9: The
factory installed wires that connect to the battery were not crimped
properly and were totally corroded and covered with a green
corrosion and
this was before a battery was even installed in the unit.
The battery was installed AFTER we bought the unit from
PoulsboRV.
COMMENT:
Before leaving on the trip I cleaned off the corrosion, re-crimped
the wires and soldered the connection.
But
why was it sent out this way?
10: It
was almost impossible to get the propane tank cover off and on.
Prior to my taking delivery of the 180 it had deep gouges in
the plastic cover which was cutting the plastic deeply when you tried
to remove or install the cover, which
will be required every time you fill the tank.
Result:
It was being gouged by the over length bolts that were used to
bolt on the plate that holds the pressure regulator. I simply
reversed the bolts. Poor Installation. But
why was it sent out this way?
COMMENT: PoulsboRV
decided to replace the torn up cover “gratis”
11: The
door stop for the bathroom door was the door knob hitting the mirror
mounted on the closet door. VERY
POOR design.
COMMENTS:
To prevent the mirror being broken by the door knob, I mounted
a bumper on the bottom of the bath room door so that now it hits the
on the floor mounted fire extinguisher instead of the
mirror. But
why was it sent out this way?
12: I
am installing a second battery in the space behind the power panel
and converter AND installing a battery switch so I can disconnect the
batteries. As far as factory wiring is concerned this involved
installing the battery switch in 1 existing wire.
Result:
I was told by the service rep at PoulsboRV that this
modification has now voided the factory warranty on the electrical
system. Be
aware folks… make any electrical change and you have voided your
warranty.
13: Except
for the exposed floor the 180 was filthy. Sawdust and
construction debris in all the storage areas, in the storage lockers,
in the hot water tank area, in the water pump area, in the drawers,
in the over counter storage areas..... Looks like the only thing done
by Forest River and PoulsboRV was to vacuum the floor that you could
see.
COMMENT:
My wife spent a day cleaning the unit. Imagine delivering
a unit in this condition to a customer... VERY POOR consideration for
the customer by Forest River and/or PoulsboRV, which ever was
supposed to clean the unit. But
why was it sent out this way?
14: The
hot water is so hot it will scald you. I asked if it could be
turned down.
Result:
I was told by PoulsboRV that they would have to see if Forest River
would pay for checking the water temperature... if they wouldn't I
would have to pay for that. Today I was told that it was between 120
and 140 degrees that it was with in factory spec so they would not do
anything.
COMMENT:
Still unresolved but one added item. We used the unit for 1 month and
the anode in the water heater is over 50% gone. I have purchased a
new one which I will put in when we next use the unit. The RV repair
shop I have taken the 180 to (NOT PoulsboRV) said they could put in a
lower temperature sensor in very easily.
FINAL
COMMENTS:
Over
the years, and I am 80 so there have been many of them, I have owned;
1 truck/cab-over camper, 1 Scamp trailer, 3 Class B RVs, 2 Class C
RVs, 1 Class A, and now this Rpod. Most have had some initial
problems but all the dealers made them good with no problems and no
arguments.
This
is the ONLY one of the bunch that I am totally disgusted with. The
design and layout is great but the factory craftsmanship is poor,
Forest River does not support their customer, and PoulsoboRV will not
do ANYTHING on their own. Really great customer service all around
don't you think?
Before
my problems were apparent a friend saw mine just after I brought it
home and he purchased an identical unit from PoulsboRV a week later.
I just talked to him and he is experiencing some of the same problems
I have had.
At
this point if we could return the unit and get our money back we
would. I cannot recommend to anyone the purchase an Rpod, or
Forest River product without
a warning that
you are on your own. I am also very disappointed in the attitude of
PoulsboRV. All promises when you buy and abandoned when you need
service.
WE
ARE NOT HAPPY RPOD OWNERS and with all the bent axles being reported
I’ll have something else to watch for. Oh goody.
I
know that from now on I am on my own with any problems with this Rpod
and have totally written off Forest River and PoulsboRV.
Bottom
line: Yesterday I took the 180 to a independent RV repair shop that has an EXCELLENT
reputation who believe that the customer comes first. I’ll let you
know how it goes.