14 Comments on Dometic and Norcold expand recalls

Chris T. on Wed, 25th Jun 2008 9:42 am


Any pictures available of what completed retrofit looks like?
Took my rig in as it was indicated to be under expanded recall.
Tech looked and said retrofit was already done.

Motorhome was built 3-2006.

THanks,

Chris T.

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Chris on Wed, 25th Jun 2008 9:55 am


Hi Chris,
The new units do have the thermal fuse on the boiler tube, but the recall is more than that- it’s a second fuse and a bunch of sheet metal.
If I can manage to insert this picture-

Notice the final sheet metal cover over the burner.
I also have the recall instructions at Dometic recall instructions.

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Chris T. on Wed, 25th Jun 2008 12:55 pm


Thanks Chris….. Okay, now I am concerned as I do not have the sheet mewtal shroud around the burner assembly as shown in the photo.

Can you provide a link to the recall repair instructions? I would like to see the documentation and confirm that this applies to the latest round of recalls. If so, I guess I will have to educate the dealer (who was on hte Dometic list for this recall) on how to correct the problem.

Thanks,
Chris

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Chris on Thu, 26th Jun 2008 9:20 am


Sorry about that- I put a link in, but it got lost in the fog ;).
Try this- http://bryantrv.com/docs2/temp/recall2.pdf (a pdf scan I made).
This link is to the first Dometic recall page, and http://www2.dometicusa.com/recall.php is where you can put in the model and serial number.

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Chris T. on Thu, 26th Jun 2008 1:05 pm


Thanks for the link to the repair PDF. I am hearing that there may be two different repair procedures out there. One with the box/shroud around the burner and one with just an additional shroud wrap on the boiler tube stack.

- Chris T.

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B.P.Falk on Mon, 29th Sep 2008 4:26 pm


Dear Sirs

I recieved this recall notice today and discovered that it be the second one , and I have had the protection shield installed or replaced . BUT — according to the letter the real problem is the “Fatigueing part of the Boiler tube , which may rupture at any time , and that part is not addressed ,( as it should be), and that is then the part to be replaced , instead of just the protective shield .
What do I do when the rupture occurs, ? is my real question , .
May I recieve a reply please
Ben Falk

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Chris on Mon, 29th Sep 2008 6:29 pm


Hi Ben,
I have not heard of another recall- there are 2 basic Dometic recalls on this problem, but they are really both the same thing (the shield) and the second recall just expands the refrigerators affected.
The problem has always been the defective weld.
Up until earlier this year, Dometic was replacing the entire cooling unit (which is the defective part), but they are now- the laste information I have- only replacing those units still under the original warranty.

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Sheri on Tue, 25th Nov 2008 5:33 pm


Chris,
I too have a Dometic refrigerator that falls under the recall. In trying to understand the real problem could you answer a few questions. If I am understanding this correctly the recall does not really fix the promblem. To take care of the problem is it the heating element that seems to be to hot ,need to be replaced or is it a couple things. If I was to replace items myself for my piece of mind and safty what would you say I should replace? If at another time Dometic may or may not reemburse me I could save my receipts. But until then at least I could use my RV and feel safe. Also and ideas as to cost. Thank You for any help.

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Mike McIntyre on Tue, 30th Dec 2008 3:22 pm


Hi Chris: I have a 2002 Monico Executive with the Norcold Model 1200LRIM. A couple of days ago I just happened to be in the shop and heard my smoke detector going off in the motor home. I had the back of the refrigerator open and looked in to see the cooling unity was on fire. I got the fire out with no other damage to the coach. My cooling unit serial number is #CU1357468. Norcold is telling my service guy that it is not one on the recall list and they won’t pay for the new unit. Do you have any suggestions on getting them to help me. Thanks, Mike

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Bob Hendricks on Thu, 1st Jan 2009 2:39 am


Chris…Thanks for this blog and the information you provide. I recently found out that my 1996 vintage refer is included in the second Dometic recall. It is a model RM3662 with a 613xxxxx serial number. Can you tell us your understanding of the evolution of this Dometic problem? Basically, as I gather it , there was a point where Dometic increased the wattage of the heating element, I believe in 1997, and they think this led to the potential cracking of a weld in the boiler tubing in some units. If you happened to be unlucky enough to have your propane burner go on in the short period of days after a crack opened and before all the ammonia leaked out, you could have a fire. Their fix is to turn off the heating element sooner, add another thermostat to track the temperature flue, and add an elaborate metal shroud to contain any potential fire. What I don’t get is why they seem to have added in my refer, which I think is from 1996 or prior. It would supposedly have the lower wattage heater. Also, Dometic says in their announcement of the second recall that it has been extended to the years after 2003, I think. So I just don’t understand why mine is now included. If you have any insight or if my understanding of the evolution is spotty, I would really like to know. Also, is there an after market or oem kit that could be used to replace all the tubing and burner, assuming there is something that would be safer? The only problem I have had with my refer is that it doesn’t stay cold (in the low 40s) when the outside temperature gets over about 97 degrees F, but I think that is pretty normal, from what I’ve heard.

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Chris Reply:
January 1st, 2009 at 7:32 am

Hi Bob,
Your refrigerator actually isn’t in the recall. What happened is Dometic uses a serial number made up of the year and week as the first 3 digits, but they built the same models for over 10 years, so there are 2 refrigerators out there with the same serial number- yours built in the 13th week of 1996, and one built in the 13th week of 2006 (which is the one in the recall)-they have since switched model numbers to DM3662. The only way to tell for sure is by the product number, but they don’t give that information without calling and asking specifically- an oversight they still have not dealt with.
I’m not really certain whether it is purely a too hot element, or whether, as Dometic says, it is a defective weld. From what I understand, the dates for the serial numbers are due to production changes rather than the heating element changes.

That said- I would probably go ahead and have the recall done, simply for the added thermal fuses, because I have seen many refrigerators leak at the boiler tube- my 1980’s Norcold did that, as well as some non-recalled Dometics.



Bob Reply:
January 1st, 2009 at 11:43 am

Ahhh! So maybe mine did not have the hotter heating element and did not have the bad weld.

Did you mean to say that Dometic admits to a bad weld in the boiler tubing? The phrasing “…or whether, as Dometic says…” sems to say that Dometic says it was a weld. I thought they were saying it was the hotter heating element.

I would have to think that Dometic would decline to reimburse the servicer if they were find out that mine was built in 1996 instead of 2006. Do you think that would be the case?



Chris Reply:
January 1st, 2009 at 2:39 pm

Bob- I’m pretty sure Dometic would still reimburse the service center- though I did do one that wasn’t needed, and simply didn’t submit the claim.
The following is from a letter from Dometic to the NHTSA:

For the population of product with the models and serial number range shown above
from the 20th week of 2003 through the 30th week of 2006, a potential inconsistent weld
process may have contributed to the weld fatigue resulting in a crack of the boiler to
heater pocket welds or in the boiler tube on cooling units manufactured or warehoused
during this period.
Increased market demand required a new production line with new state-of-the art
technology to be introduced and the old production line to be updated with the same
new technology between the end of 2005 through January of 2006. This improvement
in technology and the streamlining of the production weld process significantly reduced
the variability of the boiler to heater pocket seam welds. By September 30, 2006 all
quantities of cooling units manufactured prior to the introduction of the new production
line technology having the potential safety related defect were used and no longer in
inventory.

While this deals with the expanded recall, it seems that it is the same problem as the original. You can download this letter here (a 486kb pdf file).

K Dillon on Fri, 2nd Jan 2009 8:21 am


I have a NDR 1292 Dometic refrigerator that was in my 5th wheel when I bought it new in 2005. In Feb. 2007 the cooling coils were replaced under warranty and now 12/21 the cooling coils are out again. I have talked to the company on 3 different occassions and they will not warranty these again. Seems to me there product isn’t very good or they would have warrantied these again in 2007. I think maybe my refrigerator is a lemon. Would like to know if anyone else has had trouble.

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