2018 Newmar Dutch Star problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine (6) · Visibility/Wiper (2) · Structure:body (2)
Safety recalls (15)
Equipment:recreational Vehicle/Trailer 2021-07-27 · campaign 21V571000 · 4,106 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Bay Star, Ventana, New Aire, 2019-2020 Canyon Star, Bay Star Sport, Essex, King Aire, London Aire, Mountain Aire, 2018-2021 Dutch Star, 2020 Kountry Star, and 2019 Ventana LE recreational vehicles. The adhesive that bonds the vented portion of the window may fail.
Risk: Adhesive failure may cause the vent portion of the window to detach, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the windows, and replace the vent if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300. Newmar's number for this recall is 21E 047.
Fuel System, Diesel:fuel Injection System:fuel Rail 2021-07-02 · campaign 21V506000 · 1,737 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2019 Mountain Aire, 2020-2021 New Aire, 2020-2022 Super Star, 2018-2021 Ventana, and Dutch Star vehicles equipped with certain Cummins diesel engines. The sealing washer may not seat correctly in the pilot boreholes, allowing the high-pressure fuel rail assembly to leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Cummins service centers will inspect the rail threads and fuel lines, and replace the rail as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300. Newmar's number for this recall is Cummins 21E-32.
Fuel System, Diesel:fuel Injection System:fuel Rail 2021-05-20 · campaign 21V372000 · 1,294 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Dutch Star, 2017-2019 Mountain Aire, 2019-2021 Ventana and 2021 New Aire motorhomes. The sealing washer may not seat correctly in the pilot bore holes, allowing the high pressure fuel rail assembly to leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rail threads, and replace the rail as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters were mailed to owners on July 16, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8000. Newmar's number for this recall is Cummins 21E-032.
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch 2021-02-17 · campaign 21V082000 · 1,370 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2021 Kountry Star and 2017-2021 Dutch Star motorhomes. The brake light switch may chafe against the windshield wiper mechanism, which could damage the brake light switch or it's wiring, and cause the brake lights to not illuminate.
Risk: If the brake lights do not illuminate, other motorists will be unaware of the driver's intention, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Newmar will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake light switch and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 12, 2021. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.
Exterior Lighting:turn Signal 2020-07-21 · campaign 20V421000 · 3,202 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporaton (Newmar) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Ventana LE, 2017-2020 Ventana, London Aire, Essex and Dutch Star, 2017-2019 Mountain Aire, 2018-2020 New Aire, and 2020 Kountry Star motorhomes that received the 'inspection-only' remedy from recall 19V-426. The rear mounted Power Distribution Module (PDM) may have been damaged during manufacturing, possibly resulting in the rear marker lights, brake lights, or turn signals not functioning.
Risk: Non-functioning exterior marker lights can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Newmar will notify owners, and Daimler Trucks North America dealers will replace the PDM, free of charge. This recall began September 11, 2020. Owners may contact Newmar's customer service at 1-800-731-8300. Newmar's number for this recall is 20V-404.
Exterior Lighting 2019-06-07 · campaign 19V426000 · 2,003 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Ventana LE and 2017-2019 Dutch Star, Essex, London Aire, Mountain Aire and Ventana, and 2018-2019 New Aire motorhomes built on a Daimler trucks chassis. The rear mounted Power Distribution Module (PDM) may have been damaged during manufacturing, possibly resulting in the rear marker lights, brake lights, or turn signals not functioning.
Risk: Nonfunctioning lights can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Newmar will notify owners, and Daimler Trucks dealers will inspect and replace the rear PDM, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 18, 2019. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300. Newmar's number for this recall is 18V-852.
Equipment:electrical 2019-03-29 · campaign 19V257000 · 476 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Bay Star, Essex, New Aire, 2018 Bay Start Sport, Canyon Star, Dutch Star, King Aire, Mountain Aire, Ventana LE, Ventana, and London Aire motorhomes. The power supply for the WiFiRanger may overheat.
Risk: An overheated power supply can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Newmar has notified owners, and dealers will replace the power supply, free of charge. The recall began April 18, 2019. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.
Equipment:recreational Vehicle/Trailer 2018-08-06 · campaign 18V518000 · 239 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Newmar Ventana LE, Mountain Aire, Essex, Ventana, Dutch Star, New Aire, London Aire and King Aire motorhomes. The affected vehicles have entry doors that have latch rods that may be improperly adjusted, allowing the door to open during transit.
Risk: If the door opens during transit, it can increase the risk of injury or a crash.
Fix: Newmar will notify owners, and dealers will readjust the door latch rod, free of charge. The recall began September 5, 2018. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.
Equipment:recreational Vehicle/Trailer 2018-06-28 · campaign 18V438000 · 930 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2018 Newmar Bay Star, King Aire, London Aire, Mountain Aire, Bay Star Sport, Canyon Star, Dutch Star, Essex, New Aire, Ventana LE, and Ventana motorhomes. When the ignition key is in the off/accessory position and the battery disconnect is on, the slide-out rooms on these vehicles may move in or out unexpectedly.
Risk: If the slide-out room moves unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Newmar will notify owners, and dealers will replace the slide-out room controller, free of charge. The recall began August 24, 2018. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.
Electrical System:wiring:fuses And Circuit Breakers 2018-04-13 · campaign 18V236000 · 653 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2018 Newmar Bay Star, Bay Star Sport, Canyon Star, Ventana LE, Ventana, Dutch Star, New Aire, Mountain Aire, London Aire, Essex, and King Aire motorhomes. The electrical connections in the breaker box may not be properly tightened, possibly causing the connections to overheat.
Risk: Overheating of the electrical connections can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Newmar will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the loose electrical connections, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2018. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.
Exterior Lighting:headlights 2018-01-19 · campaign 18V062000 · 1,249 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ventana, Ventana LE and Dutchstar motorhomes built on a Freightliner chassis. The low beam headlights do not also illuminate as intended when the high beam headlights are activated, reducing the driver's visibility. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the driver has reduced visibility, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: Newmar will notify owners, and Daimler Trucks North America authorized service facilities will reprogram the Freightliner chassis module, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.
Electrical System:wiring 2017-12-19 · campaign 17V830000 · 2,915 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain model year 2016-2018 Bay Star, Bay Star Sport, Canyon Star, Dutch Star, Essex, King Aire, London Aire, Mountain Aire, New Aire, Ventana and Ventana LE motorhomes. These vehicles may have a loose power connection at the Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS), possibly resulting in a build up of heat.
Risk: The build up of heat in the wiring from the loose power connection can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Newmar will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the electrical connection at the ATS, tightening it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2018. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.
Equipment 2017-12-15 · campaign 17V809000 · 34,699 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling various 1995-2018 motorhomes. A list of the affected vehicles available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17V809-2309.pdf. These motorhomes are equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers that may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or excessive force may be needed to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve a
Risk: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Newmar will notify owners, and instruct them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began on February 7, 2018. Owners may contact Kidde customer service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information or owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-574-773-7791. Newmar's number for this recall is 17E-062.
Equipment:recreational Vehicle/Trailer 2017-06-30 · campaign 17V420000 · 1,289 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Newmar Dutch Star and 2015-2017 Newmar Ventana motorhomes. In the affected motorhomes, the driver side and passenger side powered night shades can be lowered by using the remote when the ignition is in the ON position.
Risk: If the vehicle is being driven and the button on the remote is pushed, the night shades may lower, blocking the driver's view, possibly increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Newmar will notify owners and dealers will install a relay to disable the operation of the driver and passenger night shade by the remote when the ignition is in the ON position. The recall began on July 28, 2017. Owners may contact Newmar customer service at 1-800-731-8300.
Suspension:front:control Arm 2017-03-22 · campaign 17V195000 · 595 vehicles
Defect: Newmar Corporation (Newmar) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Dutch Star, 2016-2018 Mountain Aire and London Aire, and 2012-2018 Essex and King Aire motorhomes built on a Spartan Motors chassis. The ball joints on the independent front suspension (IFS) modules can loosen and separate, leading to a partial loss of steering.
Risk: A separated ball joint can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Newmar will notify owners, and Spartan service centers will remove, clean, apply thread locker, reinstall and torqued the ball joints, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 3, 2017. Owners may contact Spartan at 1-800-543-4277 to locate a qualified service center or contact Newmar customer service at 1-574-773-7791. Newmar's number for this recall is 17004.
Service bulletins (22)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Fuel System, Diesel:delivery 2021-08-24 · 21V506 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
daimler trucks north america has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in specific motorhomes built on freightliner chassis (nhtsa #21v 326) based on cummins recall (nhtsa # 21e 032). in response, newmar corporation is issuing recall nhtsa # 21v 506 and tc # 2021-427. on cert
Fuel System, Other:delivery 2021-07-16 · 21V372 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
the shyft group inc. (spartan chassis) has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in specific motorhomes built on spartan chassis (nhtsa #21v 319) based on cummins recall (nhtsa # 21e 032). in response, newmar corporation is issuing recall nhtsa # 21v 372 and tc # 2021-303. on
Equipment 2021-04-06 · 21V082 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
newmar corporation has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety may exist in specific coaches. on certain units, the windshield wiper mechanism may contact the brake light switch. if the brake light switch or wiring is damaged, the brake lights may not illuminate. non-functioning brake
Equipment 2020-08-30 · 20V 421 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
daimler trucks north america llc, has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in specific motorhomes built on freightliner chassis nhtsa # 20v 404. in response, newmar corporation is issuing nhtsa recall # 20v 421
Exterior Lighting 2019-07-17 · 19V 426 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
daimler trucks north america llc has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in specific motorhomes built on freightliner chassis (nhtsa # 18v 582 ). in response, newmar is releasing nhtsa # 19v 426.
Equipment 2019-04-18 · 19V 257 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
newmar corporation has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in specific motorhomes with the wifi ranger option and a specific power supply.
Showing the 6 most recent of 22 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2024-06-12 · Unknown Or Other“window adhesive failure adhesive failure may cause the vent portion of the window to detach, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. nhtsa campaign number: 21v571000 manufacturer newmar corporation components equipment, structure had to purchase 4 windows from newmar for the window failures in nhtsa campaign number: 21v571000. newmar denied the r…”
2023-05-24 · Structure:body:hatchback/Liftgate“i used the hydralift to carry my wife’s motorcycle, a 2018 indian chieftain. when you mount a hydra lift on the back of an rv you no longer have access to the receiver hitch that came with the rv. because of that hydralift adds a receiver hitch to the lift so that you can flat tow a vehicle behind the rv. there is a plate on the receiver hitch that…”
2022-09-30 · Visibility/Wiper“the driver's side window is a dual pane window. the glass has lost its seal letting moisture in between the panes causing a drivers visibility issue. driver is unable to see in the rear mirror or to the left side of the vehicle. vehicle manufacturer claims vehicle is out of warranty and denied any remedy. …”
2022-08-21 · Structure:body“entry door unlatches and allows door to open at highway speed, unless secondary deadbolt lock is manually latched. this occurred twice on my recent trip. manufacturer has worked/examined this issue on 2 previous occasions. standard door latch does not secure door as designed. …”
2022-08-09 · Tires:pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems“blowout and tire separation, drivers front, traveling n on i-25 mile marker 7, south of trinidad co. using tire patrol sensors on all motorhome tires and tow vehicle. after replacing tire and rim and on our way back home i noticed a low tire pressure on the right front tire. on inspecting the sensor i noticed a partial separation of the sensor wh…”
2021-08-02 · Unknown Or Other“three week ago today we were 500 miles into a road trip when the check engine light and alarm went off - we exited interstate at the next exit, called spartan, and read off the codes. we were told that it was a def sensor that would be derating our engine and we need to get somewhere soon.. we were too far from home and made it another 130 mile…”
2021-07-18 · Fuel/Propulsion System“when preparing to leave, my coach received a check engine light, and 3 error codes from the cumins ecu. spn 3364, 1761 and 3031. all fmi code 9. my engine is likely now debated to 5% power and i was just able to return it to the driveway at the house. thankfully i hadn’t gotten onto the busy interstate when it happened. after contacting sparta…”
2021-07-18 · Engine“we got the check engine light on after starting up our coach on july 6. we got several fault codes: spn 3364 fmi 9, spn 1761 fmi 9, spn 3031 fmi 9. the codes indicated that we had a faulty def header and it needed to be replaced. and if we drove the coach at some point it would "derate" to 5 miles an hour and we would not be able to drive it.…”
2021-07-18 · Unknown Or Other“since purchasing this rv new, i have had the def head fail twice. 1st time was sep 2019 with a mileage of 14066 and the 2nd time was april 2021 with a mileage of 16018. both times def header assemblies were replaced. when these fail the motor can de-rate at any time. very dangerous when traveling down the highway. both times the low def warnin…”
2021-07-17 · Engine“the failure has occurred in the emission system. the def sensor set off 2 check engine light warnings on the dash. it did not tell me any other information. i was fortunate to return from my trip without incident. however, after speaking with the chassis manufacturer (spartan), i was fortunate to be able to continue. had i gone any further the en…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.