2005 Tiffin Zephyr recalls and problems

The 2005 Tiffin Zephyr has 6 recalls and 0 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.

How the 2005 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

6recalls

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 →

6 recalls

Trailer Hitches

Feb 27, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V069000 · 1,408 vehicles

Problem: Tiffin is recalling 1,408 my 2006-2009 allegro bus, my 2007-2009 phaeton and my 2005-2009 zephyr vehicles built on spartan chassis and equipped with putman hitches. Certain trailer hitches May fracture which could result in the loss of the trailer.

Original NHTSA wording

TIFFIN IS RECALLING 1,408 MY 2006-2009 ALLEGRO BUS, MY 2007-2009 PHAETON AND MY 2005-2009 ZEPHYR VEHICLES BUILT ON SPARTAN CHASSIS AND EQUIPPED WITH PUTMAN HITCHES. CERTAIN TRAILER HITCHES MAY FRACTURE WHICH COULD RESULT IN THE LOSS OF THE TRAILER.

Risk: Suspect hitches May develop fractures and subsequent separation May occur, resulting in a vehicle crash, property damage or pedestrian harm.

Original NHTSA wording

SUSPECT HITCHES MAY DEVELOP FRACTURES AND SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION MAY OCCUR, RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH, PROPERTY DAMAGE OR PEDESTRIAN HARM.

Remedy & notes

Tiffin is working with spartan and spartan is handling the remedy for this campaign (please see 08V-567). The trailer hitch will be replaced free of charge. Owners May contact spartan at 1-517-543-6400 or Tiffin at 256-356-8661.

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

Oct 7, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V509000 · 3,507 vehicles

Problem: Tiffin is recalling 3,507 my 2004-2007 allegro, allegro bay and allero bus, my 2004-2005 phaeton and my 2005-2007 zephyr motor homes equipped with a two-door refrigerator manufactured by the dometic corporation. The refrigerator 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

TIFFIN IS RECALLING 3,507 MY 2004-2007 ALLEGRO, ALLEGRO BAY AND ALLERO BUS, MY 2004-2005 PHAETON AND MY 2005-2007 ZEPHYR MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION. THE REFRIGERATOR 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

Tiffin will be working with dometic in order to repair these refrigerators (please see 08E032). 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 the owner 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 Tiffin at 256-356-8661.

Customers 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 http://www.safercar.gov.

Electrical System

Jul 5, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V307000 · 265 vehicles

Problem: On certain motor homes containing a 50 amp transfer switch built by intellitec, the material used for the wire lugs was changed from nickel plated to copper lugs. The copper lugs are softer than the nickel plated and do not retain the torque of the screw that clamps the wire connector.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES CONTAINING A 50 AMP TRANSFER SWITCH BUILT BY INTELLITEC, THE MATERIAL USED FOR THE WIRE LUGS WAS CHANGED FROM NICKEL PLATED TO COPPER LUGS. THE COPPER LUGS ARE SOFTER THAN THE NICKEL PLATED AND DO NOT RETAIN THE TORQUE OF THE SCREW THAT CLAMPS THE WIRE CONNECTOR.

Risk: When the torque is relaxed, the lugs can become loose resulting in excessive heat within the connected wire that could result in a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

WHEN THE TORQUE IS RELAXED, THE LUGS CAN BECOME LOOSE RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE HEAT WITHIN THE CONNECTED WIRE THAT COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the changeover box. The recall began on July 21, 2005. Owners May contact Tiffin at 1-256-356-8661.

Customers 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 http://www.safercar.gov.

Equipment

Jun 3, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V268000 · 302 vehicles

Problem: On certain class a motor homes equipped with vehicle systems' aqua-hot and hydro-hot water heaters, which use webasto burner tubes, the burner tubes do not meet specifications and could fail prematurely.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN CLASS A MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH VEHICLE SYSTEMS' AQUA-HOT AND HYDRO-HOT WATER HEATERS, WHICH USE WEBASTO BURNER TUBES, THE BURNER TUBES DO NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS AND COULD FAIL PREMATURELY.

Risk: The surface temperature of the exhaust tube exiting from the heater can increase and could potentially ignite combustible materials in or around the vehicle.

Original NHTSA wording

THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE OF THE EXHAUST TUBE EXITING FROM THE HEATER CAN INCREASE AND COULD POTENTIALLY IGNITE COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS IN OR AROUND THE VEHICLE.

Remedy & notes

Tiffin is working with vehicle systems to notify owners and have the repair performed on their vehicles. Owners May contact vehicle systems at 1-800-685-4298 or Tiffin at 256-356-8661.

Customers 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 http://www.safercar.gov.

Equipment

Apr 12, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V145000 · 867 vehicles

Problem: On certain recreational vehicles, the washer/dryer in the rear of the motor home can move.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES, THE WASHER/DRYER IN THE REAR OF THE MOTOR HOME CAN MOVE.

Risk: A vehicle occupant could be injured if the washer/dryer moved.

Original NHTSA wording

A VEHICLE OCCUPANT COULD BE INJURED IF THE WASHER/DRYER MOVED.

Remedy & notes

Tiffin has provided the owners with a repair kit and installation instructions. The recall began on January 7, 2005. Owners May contact Tiffin at 1-256-356-0205.

Customers 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 http://www.safercar.gov.

Seat Belts

Aug 3, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V383000 · 1,662 vehicles

Problem: The seat belt assemblies on certain motor homes fail to comply with the loop load requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209. "seat belt assemblies."

Original NHTSA wording

THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE LOOP LOAD REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209. "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."

Risk: The seat belt buckle May unlatch in the event of a vehicle crash, possibly resulting in personal injury to the seat occupant.

Original NHTSA wording

THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE MAY UNLATCH IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

Remedy & notes

Amsafe will replace the buckles. Owners should contact amsafe at 574-266-8330 or Tiffin at 1-256-356-8661.

Customers can also 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.

NHTSA investigations

POTENTIAL MOVEMENT OF WASHER/DRYER

PE05014 · opened Mar 17, 2005 · closed Apr 19, 2005 · led to recall 05V145000

Summary

IN JANUARY 2005, TIFFIN ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN (UNNUMBERED) ENTITLED ?SERVICE BULLETIN FOR POTENTIAL MOVEMENT OF WASHER/DRYER.?THE BULLETIN ADDRESSED THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE WASHER AND DRYER COULD MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE THE MOTORHOME IS BEING DRIVEN.DURING DISCUSSIONS WITH TIFFIN, ODI LEARNED THAT TWO INCIDENTS HAD BEEN REPORTED WHERE THE WASHER AND DRYER FELL OR TIPPED OVER INTO THE LIVING SPACE.ON APRIL 7TH, 2005, TIFFIN NOTIFIED ODI THAT AFTER FURTHER REVIEW, THEY HAD DECIDED THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE RESOLVED BY CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN AND SUBSEQUENTLY FILED SAFETY RECALL 05V-145 (COPY ATTACHED). TIFFAN WILL BE INSTALLING A KIT THAT PREVENTS THE MOVEMENT OF THE WASHER AND DRYER ASSEMBLY. THIS ACTION RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

2005 vs. other Tiffin Zephyr years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2005. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2005 Tiffin Zephyr have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns covering the 2005 Tiffin Zephyr, the latest from Feb 27, 2009 (trailer hitches). 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 2005 Tiffin Zephyr?

Few complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2005 Tiffin Zephyr.