2003 Airstream Safari recalls and problems

The 2003 Airstream Safari has 3 recalls and 0 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.

How the 2003 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

3recalls
0complaints
0crashes
0fires
0injuries
—median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
Check your VIN →

3 recalls

Exterior Lighting

May 15, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V159000 · 2,052 vehicles

Problem: Airstream is recalling 2,052 my 2002-2009 bambi, International, safari, 75TH anniversary, dwr, and ocean breeze travel trailers for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the travel trailers were built without rear reflex reflectors.

Original NHTSA wording

AIRSTREAM IS RECALLING 2,052 MY 2002-2009 BAMBI, INTERNATIONAL, SAFARI, 75TH ANNIVERSARY, DWR, AND OCEAN BREEZE TRAVEL TRAILERS FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE TRAVEL TRAILERS WERE BUILT WITHOUT REAR REFLEX REFLECTORS.

Risk: Inadequate lighting could reduce visibility of vehicle increase the potential for a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

INADEQUATE LIGHTING COULD REDUCE VISIBILITY OF VEHICLE INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Airstream will send dealers separate reflectors to the affected customers and dealers along with instructions for proper installation. Customers will have the option of installing the reflectors or taking the travel trailer to the nearest Airstream certified dealers. This will be done free of charge. The recall began on May 15, 2009. Owners May contact Airstream at 1-937-596-6849.

Owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Equipment

Mar 5, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V083000 · 5,084 vehicles

Problem: Certain travel trailers and motor homes equipped with a two-door refrigerator, manufactured by the dometic corporation, May have a defect in the boiler tube. Pressurized coolant solution could be released into an area where an ignition source (gas flame) is present.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN TRAVEL TRAILERS AND MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR, MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION, MAY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE BOILER TUBE. PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION COULD BE RELEASED INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.

Risk: Release of coolant under certain conditions could ignite and result in a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Airstream will be working with dometic in order to repair these refrigerators (please see 06E076). Dometic will repair these refrigerators by installing a secondary burn housing, a thermal fuse, and a melt fuse free of charge. Dometic has retained stericycle INC. To manage this campaign. Stericycle will assist you in locating dealerships or service centers and will provide assistance with scheduling of appointments. Owners May contact dometic/stericycle at 1-888-446-5157 or Airstream at 1-937-596-6111.

Customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Equipment

Nov 12, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V464000 · 3,340 vehicles

Problem: On certain travel trailers equipped with samsung microwave ovens, these ovens were produced with a defective panel. An electrical short can occur between circuit patterns on the membrane panel, especially overlapped by a "jumper" or jump wire. This May cause the oven to activate without pressing any key pads.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH SAMSUNG MICROWAVE OVENS, THESE OVENS WERE PRODUCED WITH A DEFECTIVE PANEL. AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAN OCCUR BETWEEN CIRCUIT PATTERNS ON THE MEMBRANE PANEL, ESPECIALLY OVERLAPPED BY A "JUMPER" OR JUMP WIRE. THIS MAY CAUSE THE OVEN TO ACTIVATE WITHOUT PRESSING ANY KEY PADS.

Risk: An electrical short can occur causing the oven to activate without pressing any key pads. This could result in excessive heat, smoke, or possibly a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAN OCCUR CAUSING THE OVEN TO ACTIVATE WITHOUT PRESSING ANY KEY PADS. THIS COULD RESULT IN EXCESSIVE HEAT, SMOKE, OR POSSIBLY A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Samsung will notify customers and repair the panel free of charge. In the meantime, consumers should unplug their microwave, if possible. If the consumer is unable to unplug the microwave, they should leave the door ajar until the panel is replaced. Consumers should never use the microwave oven for storage or leave any towels, paper, cloth or other products in the microwave after use. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact samsung at 800-932-3837 or Airstream at 937-596-6111.

An electrical short can occur causing the oven to activate without pressing any key pads.this could result in excessive heat, smoke, or possibly a fire.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

NHTSA investigations

WHEEL SEPARATIONS

PE04051 · opened Jul 22, 2004 · closed Nov 23, 2004
Summary

WHEEL SEPARATIONS AT THOR INDUSRIES HAVE PREDOMINANTLY OCCURRED IN VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY KEYSTONE RV.KEYSTONE RV HAS REPORTED 110 SEPARATIONS OF STEEL WHEELS OF 64,727(0.17%) AND 15 SEPARATIONS OF ALUMINUM WHEELS OF 6,984 PRODUCED (0.21%) IN RECREATIONAL VEHICLESMANUFACTURED SINCE MARCH 2003.OTHER DIVISIONS OF THOR INDUSTRIES, DUTCHMAN (4), THOR CALIFORNIA (0), THOR AMERICA (2), KOMFORT CORP (2), AND AIRSTREAM (14) HAVE REPORTED FEWER WHEEL SEPARATIONS OVER A BROADER TIME PERIOD (SINCE 2000) THAN KEYSTONE RV. SINCE A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY (92%) OF THE WHEEL SEPARATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THOR INDUSTRIES VEHICLES HAVE OCCURRED IN KEYSTONE RV VEHICLES, ODI WILL FOCUS INVESTIGATION ACTIVITY ON THESE PRODUCTS AND OPEN AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA) AT KEYSTONE RV TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE(S) FOR WHEEL SEPARATIONS.

2003 vs. other Airstream Safari years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2003 Airstream Safari have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Airstream Safari, the latest from May 15, 2009 (exterior lighting). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Airstream Safari?

Few complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Airstream Safari.