No parts for repair

[MLP]

First problem you went to a dealership. Next time find a mobile RV awning repair business. My sister was told her Carefree awning was too old and frozen to be fixed. She needed a new awning. This told to her by two dealers. She went camping and saw a mobile RV awning repair guy working on another rig. She asked him if he could look at hers. Told him what the two dealers told her. After finishing his current job, her showed up at her rig. He took the motor off the end. Said he could get it by the end of the next day. He showed up in the late afternoon and fix it. Nothing wrong with the awning but a frozen motor. Get a specialist. It is all they do and do it well.

[TLeenhouts]

Originally Posted by Gwynedhill

We took our 2018 in for repair of our awning. It is still under warranty and the dealership found the awning motor was out. That was August 2, 2021....it is now January 20, 2022. We still do not have our RV back and we get a call EVERY week saying the part is on back order!!! really!!! Is Thor still making motor coaches? Could they not send the part from the factory??? we cancelled several trips at the end of summer 2021 thinking we would get the RV back and could get finish out the summer, but NO. so we wound up cancelling the trips... we are ready to make reservations for the upcoming spring and summer and its not looking too promising we will get a part...Has anyone else had this issue with repairs!!
a side note: we also had an issue with the electric jacks leveling system. Basically would not level. The dealership says nothing wrong. Now I'm afraid when we do pickup our RV and test the Jacks they may not work...
happy camping!!

If it is an LCI awning, you can run it in and out using a 7/16 socket or nut driver on a drill motor. The motor is only warranteed for 2 years. Also, check the switch. My neighbor had a burned out motor and a couple of lugs fell off the switch.

[EA37TS]

Read the manual and be careful. Disconnecting the power cord from the awning motor could disengage the brake that keeps the awning in.

Not sure about carefree but that is definitely the case with Dometic awnings.

[Drpaul78]

I could live without awnings but it is not unusual trying to get parts. I waited well over a year to get a replacement ac. I ended up going with a lesser model that fit. Just less BTU!!!

[71_340]

Unbelievable that anybody would cancel trips for almost the whole season because the awning doesn't work/

[Drpaul78]

I totally agree with71_340seems ridiculous to cancel great travels because of an awning!

[EA37TS]

77 days out last summer and only used the awning one time for about one hour.

[Jimbo56]

Why would you let your coach sit at a dealers lot waiting for a part, when it has nothing to do with 99.9% of the normal operation of the coach! Replacing the awning motor is a 30 to 60 minute job. As Duck said $63. That dealer is too busy doing new deliveries for the sales dept to do work on a 5 year old coach. Probably never even tried to order the motor. I reiterate, if you’re not somewhat handy in the universe of fixing things, watching YouTube videos, etc. you need to go back to Airbnb’s. You will be in a world of frustration if you continue to “RV”. Or find you a private RV service guy in your area. Forget about the extended warranty for the little stuff.

[chunker21]

Originally Posted by Jimbo56

Why would you let your coach sit at a dealers lot waiting for a part, when it has nothing to do with 99.9% of the normal operation of the coach! Replacing the awning motor is a 30 to 60 minute job. As Duck said $63. That dealer is too busy doing new deliveries for the sales dept to do work on a 5 year old coach. Probably never even tried to order the motor. I reiterate, if you’re not somewhat handy in the universe of fixing things, watching YouTube videos, etc. you need to go back to Airbnb’s. You will be in a world of frustration if you continue to “RV”. Or find you a private RV service guy in your area. Forget about the extended warranty for the little stuff.

To paraphrase that, "be handy or be rich". Also be innovative and don't let an unknown run, or ruin, your life.

EDIT adding; for some people the most important tools in their tool box are a good credit card and repair facilities on speed dial. That plan is just as viable as someone towing a Snap-on trailer.

[Bill Johnson]

What happened to the OP?

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

What happened to the OP?

Drive-by. Has never returned to the forum since posting the OP in this thread.

[DutchmenSport]

Wow, canceling trips?

Not a motor home, but a travel trailer once. We were in Custer, South Dakota when a wind popped our awning, ripping it and bet the arms. Yikes!

I called our service shop at home (Indiana) and made an appointment to get the camper in for a new awning. Told them exactly what I had. The appointment was set for, like .... 2 months out (this was a few years ago).

Meanwhile, I wired up the awning so it wouldn't unfurl on the road in the wind, secured the bent up arms and continued camping for 2 more months.

The day came around to take the camper in. They looked at the awning, figured out everything they needed, and said it would be at least 2 weeks before all the parts were in. I said, call me when they are in.

Well, it took about another month, but I got the call. Took the camper in, and had the camper returned to me the next day. And we continued camping.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by DutchmenSport

Wow, canceling trips?

Not a motor home, but a travel trailer once. We were in Custer, South Dakota when a wind popped our awning, ripping it and bet the arms. Yikes!

I called our service shop at home (Indiana) and made an appointment to get the camper in for a new awning. Told them exactly what I had. The appointment was set for, like .... 2 months out (this was a few years ago).

Meanwhile, I wired up the awning so it wouldn't unfurl on the road in the wind, secured the bent up arms and continued camping for 2 more months.

The day came around to take the camper in. They looked at the awning, figured out everything they needed, and said it would be at least 2 weeks before all the parts were in. I said, call me when they are in.

Well, it took about another month, but I got the call. Took the camper in, and had the camper returned to me the next day. And we continued camping.

That's the way it should work for most issues. No need to leave an RV on the dealers lot for months at a time unless it is unsafe to use.

[Elite Washington]

It kid of sucks that everyone has this image that camping is supposed to so glamorous that you cancel because of awnings. Like seriously if you are that boojie you shouldn’t be camping. Can’t imagine canceling a trip because something didn’t work unless it was a safety issue.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Elite Washington

It kid of sucks that everyone has this image that camping is supposed to so glamorous that you cancel because of awnings. Like seriously if you are that boojie you shouldn’t be camping. Can’t imagine canceling a trip because something didn’t work unless it was a safety issue.

We’ve been out three times for about 45 days since our dinette slide became inoperable. Dealer finally requested the authorization and parts for repair and I take it in on Monday. Our slide sheet metal crunched in July and 3/4 of the down time is due to dealer incompetence in the authorization and parts ordering process. This was a excellent service department until now.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

We’ve been out three times for about 45 days since our dinette slide became inoperable. Dealer finally requested the authorization and parts for repair and I take it in on Monday. Our slide sheet metal crunched in July and 3/4 of the down time is due to dealer incompetence in the authorization and parts ordering process. This was a excellent service department until now.

Lucky you're still under warranty that could've got expensive

[HMCSW]

Originally Posted by Gwynedhill

We took our 2018 in for repair of our awning. It is still under warranty and the dealership found the awning motor was out. That was August 2, 2021....it is now January 20, 2022. We still do not have our RV back and we get a call EVERY week saying the part is on back order!!! really!!! Is Thor still making motor coaches? Could they not send the part from the factory??? we cancelled several trips at the end of summer 2021 thinking we would get the RV back and could get finish out the summer, but NO. so we wound up cancelling the trips... we are ready to make reservations for the upcoming spring and summer and its not looking too promising we will get a part...Has anyone else had this issue with repairs!!
a side note: we also had an issue with the electric jacks leveling system. Basically would not level. The dealership says nothing wrong. Now I'm afraid when we do pickup our RV and test the Jacks they may not work...
happy camping!!

So it is an industry problem with the dealers as they do not function like automotive dealers at all. It is a total FUBAR relationship. I have felt with Thor, Challenger and Lippert directly and have had them send me the parts and even given me tech support on doing things on my own. They have all been great. I would never leave my coach at a dealer until they had everything in house for a repair unless it was not drivable/ usable.

[CHS]

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

What happened to the OP?

Most likely got tired of all the bashing.

[CHS]

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

What happened to the OP?

Besides those that actually gave him some help/ideas on what to do. Most likely got tired of bashing the OP back and forth between each other.

[Grumpy Grampa]

If the awning is in, and will not come out while traveling, go get your motor home and enjoy life until the motor comes in. Just don’t use your awning.

Good luck.