Thor Forums

[LandKO]

A Newbe performing a PDI is gonna be a lot different than an experienced RV’r performing a PDI on a similar vehicle.
The Newbe, for the first part, doesn’t have a clue what “hidden” things to look for while someone that has had a previous experience on what faults can occur know what to look for.
When we bought our “slightly used” (1068miles) class C, we felt we knew what to look for, being we had a TT prior to the purchase. We felt we were given a thorough explanation on how everything worked, checked to make sure all mechanical devices worked, fired up the propane fueled devices and gave it a thorough test drive.
What we failed to do is make sure the electrical side of the water heater was functional. Why? For one, we didn’t think about it. Since it was a used unit, we figured the previous owner had worked through the kinks. And thirdly, we didn’t allow the time for the water heater to fully heat a tank of water.
On our first camping trip, I turned on the electric side of the water heater and after 30 min or so, realized it wasn’t working. Switched to propane and got hot water.
After getting home, I researched on-line for possible causes and did my own trouble shooting. On-line I found a possible cause with a circuit card in the outside access panel. Long story short, the manufacturer sent me a new card, which didn’t fix the problem.
After tearing apart the stove/oven to access the water heater, I found a pinched power wire that had shorted out. This had to have come from the factory that way and was never detected because they never opps checked it at the factory and the previous owner either didn’t noticed it, or blew it off. (Might have been part of his reason to trade it in)
I spliced in a new wire to fix the problem.
My point for all this is issues like this should have been detected before the RV left the factory. The dealer should have insured that the heater was working before they sold it.
There is so much that goes into building an RV, that unless quality is built in from the beginning, thing like this are going to happen and customers are going to be dissatisfied with the end product.