Aria 3901 – Initial Thoughts/Experience

[Treynolds03]

[greenfield3]

We finally drove our Aria at dusk and the headlight switch is stuck on bright and we are unable to switch to dim. Has anyone else had this issue?

[LDK]

Related to filling DEF on the Aria. I use this $7 funnel, and it works good. Alternative to the nice "trim" options others mentioned.

Lisle 17232 Right Angle Funnel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MEPIU4M..._8c07Cb4RGQY4S

[LDK]

Originally Posted by greenfield3

We finally drove our Aria at dusk and the headlight switch is stuck on bright and we are unable to switch to dim. Has anyone else had this issue?

Thanks for the comment. Need to check my Aria as we havent driven at night.

[m1noel]

Originally Posted by greenfield3

We finally drove our Aria at dusk and the headlight switch is stuck on bright and we are unable to switch to dim. Has anyone else had this issue?

Ours has worked fine- so far.
Mike

[LDK]

Originally Posted by m1noel

Ours has worked fine- so far.
Mike

Just tested and I see no change in the lights when changing between BRIGHT/DIM. Also the FOG lights not working. Am taking coach in for warranty work tomorrow, so adding this to the list. Thanks for the heads up.

[Treynolds03]

I'm not home right to to confirm but I think the engine has to be on and in gear for some of the lights to work.

[LDK]

Originally Posted by Treynolds03

I'm not home right to to confirm but I think the engine has to be on and in gear for some of the lights to work.

I turned engine on when testing, but did not put it in gear. Will retest.

[Treynolds03]

While we are talking about lights I just noticed the two lights on the rear next to the backup camera are always on. is this normal for the Aria?

[m1noel]

Originally Posted by Treynolds03

While we are talking about lights I just noticed the two lights on the rear next to the backup camera are always on. is this normal for the Aria?

Those are your docking lights. Check the 3 position switch on the left console. One position is on, middle is off, and the other is on when in reverse.

[Treynolds03]

Originally Posted by m1noel

Those are your docking lights. Check the 3 position switch on the left console. One position is on, middle is off, and the other is on when in reverse.

BOOM. Thanks!!!

[Psrock1]

Just picked up a 2019 Aria 4000, I love the way it drives and the interior is absolutely gorgeous and very good quality materials. The only issues I see in construction is the exterior joints are showing stress cracking especially around the front cab. It drives like a dream, Very smooth and plenty of power for me considering I’m a novice RV’r and want to take my time. Does anyone recommend I put a steering stabilizer bar? I’m reading many pros and cons but the way I see it I want all the help i can get driving this thing. I’ve put 800 miles on it so far with no issues what so ever mechanically, everything is operating as it should slides, jacks, awnings, lighting etc. I’m so glad I went with Thor Aria, it’s definitely the best bang for my buck if it holds up. I would appreciate any comments on the cracking and separation of joints and steering stabilizer.

[m1noel]

Originally Posted by Psrock1

Just picked up a 2019 Aria 4000, I love the way it drives and the interior is absolutely gorgeous and very good quality materials. The only issues I see in construction is the exterior joints are showing stress cracking especially around the front cab. It drives like a dream, Very smooth and plenty of power for me considering I’m a novice RV’r and want to take my time. Does anyone recommend I put a steering stabilizer bar? I’m reading many pros and cons but the way I see it I want all the help i can get driving this thing. I’ve put 800 miles on it so far with no issues what so ever mechanically, everything is operating as it should slides, jacks, awnings, lighting etc. I’m so glad I went with Thor Aria, it’s definitely the best bang for my buck if it holds up. I would appreciate any comments on the cracking and separation of joints and steering stabilizer.

Hi Psrock1, welcome to our growing Aria club. Glad you are enjoying yours as we do ours. Our 3901 had some initial issues that took too long to rectify, but mostly because of a lazy service writer (since fired) at our dealer. Nothing too serious that kept us from using it. We have put about 13000 miles on ours now and I agree, it is great to drive. I have not even considered a steering stabilizer. Most owners that are installing them are gas class a owners, although we had 2 gas coaches over 18 years and didn't use a stabilizer on either one of those either. If we had kept our Ford chassis longer, I would have, but the Workhorse chassis handled so much better, never even thought about over 15 years. We did have a small area of spider cracking on our front cap near the headlight that was rectified under warranty. I wonder if some of the cracking/separation some are seeing is actually just the paint cracking at the roof joints where the paint was applied over Dicor sealer. That would be normal and not cause any leaks.

I agree that the Aria is a great value for an entry to mid level diesel. We just got back from a 1900 mile trip to Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, Zion Canyon and Bryce Canyon. We got 9.5 mpg for the trip, and had zero issues inside or out. Leaving for a weekend at the lake with the ski boat tomorrow.

Good luck and safe travels. You can PM me if you have any specific questions that I may be able to help with.
Mike

[funmoneypit]

I didn't read all the replies but here is what I did with all the unlit light panels. I bought a small piece of thin foam with sticky back tape on it. I cut it into about 1/2" by 1/4" pieces. I then peeled off the backer and stuck one on each panel over where that rooms light switch is. That way you just feel for the panel and then the raised foam. Bam, you found the light switch. Push on the foam and you have light!

This has made it so easy to turn on the lights in the dark or even in the daylight without having to look. Took our 9 year old grandson with us just recently and he asked where the light switch was. I had him close his eyes and I ran his hand over the switch. He felt the foam and pushed it. He never had any problems turning on the lights for the rest of our trip.

[greenfield3]

I have posted before regarding the fan running to cool the inverter and appreciate the replies. But the fan has been running 24/7 for over a month and CW is telling me that is normal. I realize I live in Florida and it has been extremely hot. But is it really required to leave the inverter on if you want to keep power to the coach? I can only compare to by previous gas unit where I could turn the inverter off and plug my unit into the house power. I was able to leave the refrigerator running with the inverter off and only draw the power from 110. When I turn the inverter off in the Aria (while plugged in to 110) no power to the coach. Is this normal? Is the inverter required to have power in the Aria coach?

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by greenfield3

I have posted before regarding the fan running to cool the inverter and appreciate the replies. But the fan has been running 24/7 for over a month and CW is telling me that is normal. I realize I live in Florida and it has been extremely hot. But is it really required to leave the inverter on if you want to keep power to the coach? I can only compare to by previous gas unit where I could turn the inverter off and plug my unit into the house power. I was able to leave the refrigerator running with the inverter off and only draw the power from 110. When I turn the inverter off in the Aria (while plugged in to 110) no power to the coach. Is this normal? Is the inverter required to have power in the Aria coach?

Looking at the specs for the Aria it looks like they use a combination inverter/converter. In that case it is quite possible the inverter must be on to convert the 120 coming in to the 12VDC needed for lights etc... I assume you have to have the inverter on to get power to the lights from the generator as well; correct?

Look at the bright side you only have one fan running. On my coach when the inverter is on I have two fans running. The one on the converter and the one on the inverter.

[Dmersereau]

Originally Posted by CSR

We recently purchase a Thor Aria 3901. Here’s a breakdown of our impression and experience after our initial shakedown period.

SHAKEDOWN SUMMARY:

We took multiple trips, roughly 2000 miles over 8 weeks, rough roads, long hills, fast paced interstates, high traffic areas, tight spots and a wide range of weather temps and conditions. We tested/used nearly every feature (i.e. utilities, appliances, generator, jacks, furniture, wet bay fill and dump, doors, drawers, compartments, windows, buttons, etc.).

STRENGTHS:

• Great floor plan. Thoughtful layout with lots of space. Super functional – better than we expected.
• Spacious master bath with large shower. Very nice, plenty of elbow room.
• Surprisingly comfortable bed. Tilt bed is great for extra space in bedroom when getting dressed. Plenty of room for two people to work around each other.
• Ceiling ducted AC/Heat pump (noticeably quieter than the standard exposed ceiling flush mount systems). Bonus – The heat pumps worked better than we expected. A nice feature. This coach has dual heat pumps. Many comparable coaches have one or none.
• Substantial storage inside & out. I’m not sure we’ll ever use all of it. We like the slide storage tray too. We’ll probably install another one.
• Large convection microwave.
• Induction cooktop works great and offers extra usable countertop space.
• Perfect sized refrigerator. Not too big & not too small, just right.
• Reclining theater seats and the 55-inch TV. VERY nice! A comfortable and fun way to watch shows while away from home. BONUS – All TV’s are Smart TV’s – We streamed our favorite shows nearly every evening.
• Very easy to drive with a smooth, stable ride. We experienced 22-26 mph winds from all directions across hundreds of miles and it handled very well through it all. No white-knuckle moments. I was also pleasantly surprised by how well it maneuvered in and out of tight spots.
• Washer and dryer (more so the dryer than the washer). Want to wear your favorite shirt twice in the same week or did you get dirt on your only clean pair of pants while out exploring? No problem, wash the single item in the sink (very little water use) and toss it in the dryer. Problem solved! Or if you want to get fancy, warm your towel while you’re in the shower.
• LED light dimmers in the living room & kitchen.
• We used the fireplace a lot. Sometimes just for ambiance and other times to quietly warm the room a bit.
• Nice cockpit. Attractive dash/instrument panel. Comfortable driving experience. My co-pilot LOVES the electric foot rest on the passenger seat.

WEAKNESSES:

• Weak acceleration. Plenty of power to haul, but the weak acceleration does take some getting use to. Takes long hills okay. If get-up-and-go is your thing, this may not be the coach for you.
• Basement storage doors do not seal completely.
• Several drawers/cabinet doors are crooked. Come on Thor…, don’t make it so easy for the critics!
• The “Hard Buttons” (black plastic buttons with white labels) on the Firefly multiplex controls are not backlit. You need to memorize the button positions to ensure you click the right one in low/no light. Also, the layout of the hard buttons in the bathrooms could be improved. Example – The buttons are positioned too close together so it’s easy to select the wrong button. In the half bath, the water pump button is located next to the light button. We’ve found that people often accidentally turn the water pump off or on while attempting to turn the light on or off.
• No brace to secure the lower right front cap/hood to the chassis frame. As a result, the front cap shudders under stress and/or strong head/cross winds. It should be easy to fix, but seems like it could be a manufacturing or design oversight. I’m curious to know if any other Aria 3901 owners have found the same issue.
• I wish I could say I am surprised by this one, but I can’t. The full wall slide has been a bit problematic, but nothing we have not been able to manage so far. The full slide often extends and retracts out of alignment. Most recently, the full slide started requiring a lot of finesse to get it to fully retract. The other slides work great. NOTE – Operator error? Any things is possible, but I suspect not. We ALWAYS take care to operate the slides under full power and ONLY when the coach is level. And, we always allow the motors to reset for a few seconds after the slide is fully extended or retracted.
• The single handle shower valve would be a strength, but unfortunately, it’s far too touchy. Bumping it ever so slightly will cause a sudden blast of cold water (kind of funny) or a scolding rush of burning HOT water (NOT funny).

IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOR (If they are listening):

• Note most of the items cited under weaknesses above.
• Did I mention backlit Firefly control panel buttons?
• Add a low profile raised rail on the edge of the left side of the kitchen counter top to help restrict items from sliding off and falling behind the adjacent theater seat.
• Add dimmer lights to all LED lights. Most of the LED lights are far too bright.
• Convert the single large pullout drawer under the kitchen sink into two separate pullouts. Mount the doors directly to the front of the pullouts. Doing so will eliminate the need to swing open both doors just to get to one side.
• Offset the heights of the selves in the pullout pantries allowing storage for taller items (e.g. Think cereal box).
• Add wood studs behind all walls where fixtures are mounted for improved stability (e.g. Towel rings, toilet paper holders, lights, handles, etc.).
• Replace existing bathroom sink faucets with faucets that extend a bit further over the sink. It would be nice to get both hands under the faucet without cramming them up against the back of the sink.
• The pullout storage above the vanity in the master bath is a creative concept for use of space, but the slide out shelves frequently fly open while traveling. Also, the shelves limit the size of the items you can store. A larger open cabinet design might prove to be more functional. Example – A large cabinet would allow users to store towels and other larger relevant bathroom items. Plus, it would weigh less, be faster and less expensive to build, and probably result in less warranty support (more saved time and money).
• Reconsider the placement of towel racks/rings in the bathrooms. Towels that hang just above the toilet present a certain unsanitary factor that render them impractical for use. In the 3901 master bathroom, a typical bath towel hung on the rack hangs down over the button to flush the toilet. In the small bathroom, a regular hand towel hung on the ring nearly touches the toilet.
• As a standard, add a junction box to roof with a through hole to the interior of the coach to accommodate wires for common upgrades like wifi and/or cell boosters or other similar upgrades.
• Add a 110v receptacle above or on the sides of master bed.
• Disclaimer – I don’t have a suggestion for how Thor could improve this one and I realize most coaches may have a similar problem, but it is something that is we find incontinent. The furnace air intake is centrally located in the main living area next to the fireplace (good for proper furnace function and efficiency), but the fan is very loud. When it’s on, the loud fan disrupts your ability to hear the TV or music. More often than not, temps usually drop in the evening and throughout the night, which is also the most common time for people to be inside watching TV and/or listening to music.

Although our Aria 3901 is not without its drawbacks (noted above), overall, we’re VERY happy with it.

We have a 3601, I agree with all your attention items. Something I discovered accidentally is that if you use the firefly app you can come almost all the lighting in ours everything inside except the dinette lights, even the bathroom lights. The first 10 circuits are all dimmable. I was thinking of putting a small clear stick on bumper on the bathroom light control to find the button in the dark.

[Dmersereau]

Originally Posted by rpitch47

I was going to get the Firefly system myself when it first came out for around $300 but changed my mind when it went up to $550. don't need it that bad.

Ours came with the module, 2019. You can actually dim most of the lights using the app.