2003 Itasca Horizon recalls and problems

The 2003 Itasca Horizon has 4 recalls and 1 owner complaint on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is service brakes.

How the 2003 compares

Low

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Low complaint count among 6 Horizon model years — 5th most.

4recalls

1complaints

0crashes

0fires

0injuries

6,000median 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 →

4 recalls

Equipment

Oct 26, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V525000 · 18,461 vehicles

Problem: Winnebago is recalling certain recreational vehicles equipped with 1200-SERIES norcold refrigerators. The population of refrigerators being addressed contains either a sensing algorithm or thermal switch to shut off power to the refrigerator when high temperatures are detected in order to prevent a potential fire. The response times of the sensor algorithm and thermal switch devices to stop power are not sufficient.

Original NHTSA wording

WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING CERTAIN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1200-SERIES NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. THE POPULATION OF REFRIGERATORS BEING ADDRESSED CONTAINS EITHER A SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A POTENTIAL FIRE. THE RESPONSE TIMES OF THE SENSOR ALGORITHM AND THERMAL SWITCH DEVICES TO STOP POWER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT.

Risk: The sensing algorithm or thermal switch installed to shut off power to the refrigerator when high temperatures are detected due to a possible hydrogen gas leak May not shut off in sufficient time to prevent a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

THE SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH INSTALLED TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED DUE TO A POSSIBLE HYDROGEN GAS LEAK MAY NOT SHUT OFF IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO PREVENT A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Winnebago is working with norcold to identify and notify any affected owners. Owners will be instructed to contact norcold dealers to receive the remedy free of charge. Please see norcold's defect report 10E-049 for additional information. The recall began during December 2010. Owners May contact norcold at 1-800-767-9101 or Winnebago at 1-641-585-3535.

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

Jul 29, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V300000 · 1,547 vehicles

Problem: Winnebago is recalling 1,547 model year 2001-2003 recreational vehicles equipped with norcold model 1200LRIM refrigerators, manufactured from March 1, 2001 to December 31, 2002, with serial numbers between 1273701 and 1536607, non-consecutively. A fatigue failure in the section of the cooling unit which contains the refrigerant could allow the liquid solution to slowly leak. If a leak occurs and the refrigerator continues to be operated after solution circulation has ceased the heat source could generate very high temperatures. At such high temperatures, the cooling unit could rupture.

Original NHTSA wording

WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING 1,547 MODEL YEAR 2001-2003 RECREATIONAL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD MODEL 1200LRIM REFRIGERATORS, MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 1, 2001 TO DECEMBER 31, 2002, WITH SERIAL NUMBERS BETWEEN 1273701 AND 1536607, NON-CONSECUTIVELY. A FATIGUE FAILURE IN THE SECTION OF THE COOLING UNIT WHICH CONTAINS THE REFRIGERANT COULD ALLOW THE LIQUID SOLUTION TO SLOWLY LEAK. IF A LEAK OCCURS AND THE REFRIGERATOR CONTINUES TO BE OPERATED AFTER SOLUTION CIRCULATION HAS CEASED THE HEAT SOURCE COULD GENERATE VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES. AT SUCH HIGH TEMPERATURES, THE COOLING UNIT COULD RUPTURE.

Risk: If a leak occurs and the unit is continues to operate, hydrogen gas May be expelled and can be ignited, resulting in a fire, possibly causing serious injury or death.

Original NHTSA wording

IF A LEAK OCCURS AND THE UNIT IS CONTINUES TO OPERATE, HYDROGEN GAS MAY BE EXPELLED AND CAN BE IGNITED, RESULTING IN A FIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy & notes

Winnebago is working with norcold and norcold will notify owners and the vehicle's refrigerator will be repaired free of charge (please see 09E-027). Owners May contact norcold's recall center at 1-800-767-9101.

Equipment

Mar 4, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V114000 · 5,143 vehicles

Problem: On certain motorhomes, the lp tank has stress on weld joints at the point where mounting brackets are welded to the tank.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN MOTORHOMES, THE LP TANK HAS STRESS ON WELD JOINTS AT THE POINT WHERE MOUNTING BRACKETS ARE WELDED TO THE TANK.

Risk: This could cause stress cracks at the weld joints and lead to an lp leak and cause personal injury and/or vehicle damage.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD CAUSE STRESS CRACKS AT THE WELD JOINTS AND LEAD TO AN LP LEAK AND CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE DAMAGE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will reinstall a cradle-style carrier, and, if necessary replace the lp tank. The recall began on March 25, 2004. Owners should contact Winnebago at 641-585-6939.

Winnebago recall no. 90.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Fuel System

Jan 15, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V026000 · 114 vehicles

Problem: On certain motor homes equipped with caterpillar 3126E hydraulically controlled electronically actuated unit injected diesel engines with high efficiency pumps (HEP8). The pump components May experience a high pressure seal failure which can result in a short period of rough running and subsequent engine stall due to a loss of injection actuation pressure.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR 3126E HYDRAULICALLY CONTROLLED ELECTRONICALLY ACTUATED UNIT INJECTED DIESEL ENGINES WITH HIGH EFFICIENCY PUMPS (HEP8). THE PUMP COMPONENTS MAY EXPERIENCE A HIGH PRESSURE SEAL FAILURE WHICH CAN RESULT IN A SHORT PERIOD OF ROUGH RUNNING AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE STALL DUE TO A LOSS OF INJECTION ACTUATION PRESSURE.

Risk: Once engine stall occurs, the engine cannot be restarted, increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

ONCE ENGINE STALL OCCURS, THE ENGINE CANNOT BE RESTARTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Caterpillar is conducting the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. Dealers will inspect the pump serial numbers and replace the pump if necessary. 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 caterpillar at 1-800-447-4986 or Winnebago at 1-641-585-6966.

Also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Service Brakes1

Structure1

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

2003 vs. other Itasca Horizon years

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

Questions

Does the 2003 Itasca Horizon have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Itasca Horizon, the latest from Oct 26, 2010 (equipment). 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 Itasca Horizon?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention service brakes (1), structure (1). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.