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Old 07-14-2016, 01:23 AM   #1
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Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Pine
Posts: 12
Colorado
Dutchmen Kodiak problems

2016 Dutchmen Kodiak 279

Purchased a new trailer from LaMesa RV in Tuscon. During the walk through, I noticed a blown fuse. Instead of fixing the problem, the mechanic came out and put in a larger fuse. Of coarse it didn't fix the problem. That circuit blows every time I tow the trailer. Still have not figured the problem out yet.
On the trip home, the cabinet door on the end of the center island fell off. It had been installed with 1/4 inch screws. I replaced them with 3/4" screws, problem fixed.
Behind the range there is a flat panel that has 3 small slots and 3 larger slots to hold knives. When I tried dropping in some knives, they were hitting something. I removed the screws holding that panel in place to find that the rubber propane hose that feeds the range was attached to the back wall behind the range directly below the knife slots. I removed the clamps holding the rubber hose in place and relocated it away from the area that the knife blades are in.
On our first trip with friends, we went to set up the bed that uses the dining table. Found out the bed rails were too far apart to hold the table top up. When I got home, I removed all the screws holding the right hand side seat base in place and moved it in about an inch so it would hold the tabled top in place.
My wife is short, about 5' tall. The mirror/medicine cabinet in the bathroom was mounted all the way up tight to the ceiling. My wife couldn't even see her head. I lowered it about 8" so now it is usable to both of us.
The skylight blind above the kitchen kept falling down because the screws holding the blind in place kept pulling out because the screws were only into a thin piece of plastic. I removed the entire skylight and replaced the screws with machine screws and nuts. Another problem fixed.
The sensors in the holding tanks don't work. The tanks can be empty but the control panel will show the tanks full or partially full. They can be full and the panel lights will show them empty. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for how the lights show what level the tanks are. They are completely useless.
The shower leaked on the sides and around the door. I used a silicone seal on all of the seams in the shower and fixed the leaking. There was no silicone seal on most of the seams in the shower.
We've had multiple pieces of trim fall off and some other minor issues that I've fixed. Overall we are pretty disappointed with the workmanship of this trailer. Fortunately I'm very handy and can fix just about anything otherwise this trailer would have been sitting at a shop somewhere having warranty work done more then it would have been available for us to use. American pride in workmanship is nonexistent with this factory.
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Old 07-14-2016, 03:10 PM   #2
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Charlotte
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North Carolina
I just recently bought a Kodiak 291resl and I have been disappointed with the craftsmanship also. I have about a two page list of things that are wrong with it. I have slowly been working on fixing it because I have the know how, but it is very frustrating to buy something new and have so many issues with it! I thought I would get a new camper and keep it up so it would last for a long time...silly me. I bought a new camper and am fixing everything they did wrong.
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Old 07-14-2016, 06:24 PM   #3
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Texas
Good thing you ARE handy! That's quite a list.

I have no doubt that my recently new TT had a list of similar issues at least a couple of pages long.

But I never saw it...."the list" (I did see a list for another TT bought the previous day)

What I'm actually saying is that while it is absolutely true that the manufacturing wasn't done by plumbers, electricians, and carpenters, but instead a bunch of RUSHED assemblers, there is no reason the dealership should deliver the TT to the customer and let them make that list (and repairs) while using it.

I've now been camping in mine for about 6 weeks straight. Other than a refrigerator light that occasionally doesn't come on when I open the door, I have a 100% functional TT. All systems working without issue.

Now, if the one set of dining booth window blinds, that didn't pass inspection, would ever get shipped,....
And I am curious about the long shower wall not being flat and snug against the wall, like the 2 short shower walls are. No sign of water leaking or such, but it seems weird that screws aren't holding that portion of the shower-shell solidly to the external wall.

Regardless, I too can be rather handy when necessary and I will avoid taking the thing in for service if at all possible.
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