New Autotrail Recall - Fresh water tank may detach

Blue Knight

Blue Knight

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Aug 7, 2017
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Location
Durham
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MH
Globecar Summit 640
Exp
2016
I've just come off the Autotrail Unhappy Owners Club and two guys are saying that they've just received recalls for their MY20 Autotrail vans; one is an Imala 720 but I can't verify which other AT van ranges it effects.

The two owners have been instructed not to add any water to the fresh water tank as the brackets may fail and the tank could detach itself from the underside.

If you've got a new Autotrail van then give your dealer a call.

Cheers,

Andrew
 
Like something out of a James bond Film.
"Deploy the water tanks."
 
I've just been reading a bit more on this problem.

There's one example on the 'Unhappy Owners Club' whereby the dealer, knowing full well that a tank recall had been initiated, did allow a new owner to drive off his forecourt after filling the water tank full. In that example they have a whole load of other problems with their new Autotrail and are now starting the rejection process.

There's also one more example where the fresh tank on a new 2020 Imala 615 has recently dropped off while travelling on the road - very dangerous indeed!

Again, check with your dealer guys.
 
I had the work done the other week on route to holiday it’s 4 brackets on the tank one on each corner to strengthen original ones and took about 40 mins. The lad did everything from underneath and didn’t need to get in van.
 
Trust my newly acquired 2018 Imala 734 is OK.

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Polar bear said:
Which models and year of manufacture?
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I'm not sure but if you have any Autotrail van that was delivered to the dealer from mid-September 2019 then I would make the call.

I would not rely on the dealer to instigate proceedings based on what I've read so far about this problem.
 
gus-lopez said:
Defies belief really?
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It's total madness Richard. Could you imagine a huge 150kg water tank dropping off a van at 60+mph on a busy motorway. That could kill someone quite easily.

Also, I'm not entirely sure that I would trust the Autotrail fix but that's just me.

In all honesty I think it's time that Autotrail took a good look at itself as it can't continue to churn-out such poor quality goods as it has been for the last few years.
 
As I posted on the chassis forum page the other day, I have just made up new straps for both tanks on my newly acquired Autocruise PPVC five yrs old 2K miles and fresh water tank straps were virtually rusted through 2 mm x 25 mm straps hardly a sign of any plating left.
 
Mick and Ruth said:
I had the work done the other week on route to holiday it’s 4 brackets on the tank one on each corner to strengthen original ones and took about 40 mins. The lad did everything from underneath and didn’t need to get in van.
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But if one cannot get a good fixing for the originals the supplemental ones will not help much.

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Blue Knight said:
I've just been reading a bit more on this problem.

There's one example on the 'Unhappy Owners Club' whereby the dealer, knowing full well that a tank recall had been initiated, did allow a new owner to drive off his forecourt after filling the water tank full. In that example they have a whole load of other problems with their new Autotrail and are now starting the rejection process.

There's also one more example where the fresh tank on a new 2020 Imala 615 has recently dropped off while travelling on the road - very dangerous indeed!

Again, check with your dealer guys.
Click to expand...
If that is correct and provable about the dealer, I would be doing more than reject the van
 
Blue Knight said:
It's total madness Richard. Could you imagine a huge 150kg water tank dropping off a van at 60+mph on a busy motorway. That could kill someone quite easily.

Also, I'm not entirely sure that I would trust the Autotrail fix but that's just me.

In all honesty I think it's time that Autotrail took a good look at itself as it can't continue to churn-out such poor quality goods as it has been for the last few years.
Click to expand...

I suspect they have very few repeat purchasers (myself included) but the product looks great, on the face of it is good value and they have an excellent marketing department so they must survive on hoovering up the uninitiated
 
Brought a brand new V-Line In 2017, and just replaced it with a new, wait for it, V-Line🤣
I would say I am a fairly critical type of person, and like stuff to be right, but apart from a couple of small issues with both Vans, have been absolutely delighted.
i know that you can only go on personal experience, but have to say, the fit and finish on this one is superb, a lot better than on the Burstner Coachbuild that we brought new in 2016.
Anyway, just been crawling underneath it to take a look at the water tank fixings. All looks good, as the brackets are all bolted through the floor, and all look good👍
 
Fit for purpose springs to mind😢

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Some of you make me sick, just ready to knock anything British at the slightest hint.

I will accept that occasionally things do go wrong, I’v owned Burstner and Adria and out of 13 new and used motor homes I had more build problems with them than any of the Swift or Auto Trails.

We are on our second new Auto Trail V Line and cannot fault the build of either. I am about to order another V Line 635 but the Sport this time.

I do not come on here and question why on earth people want to buy continental PVC’s with little lounges or sideways rear beds, small kitchens, etc.

Do’nt forget Trigano actually own Auto Trail if there was a really serious problem with their capabilities to build decent motor homes would they not have done something about it. Auto Trail actually build for Benimar, Chauson, ok they are PVC I know but they must be doing something right.

I’ll go back and have a look through some of Hymer, Burstner. Knaus, Rapido faults that have been repeatedly reported over the years.

BernieT
 
dipsie said:
Some of you make me sick, just ready to knock anything British at the slightest hint.

I will accept that occasionally things do go wrong, I’v owned Burstner and Adria and out of 13 new and used motor homes I had more build problems with them than any of the Swift or Auto Trails.

We are on our second new Auto Trail V Line and cannot fault the build of either. I am about to order another V Line 635 but the Sport this time.

I do not come on here and question why on earth people want to buy continental PVC’s with little lounges or sideways rear beds, small kitchens, etc.

Do’nt forget Trigano actually own Auto Trail if there was a really serious problem with their capabilities to build decent motor homes would they not have done something about it. Auto Trail actually build for Benimar, Chauson, ok they are PVC I know but they must be doing something right.

I’ll go back and have a look through some of Hymer, Burstner. Knaus, Rapido faults that have been repeatedly reported over the years.

BernieT
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Not another sense of humour bypass victim! :eek:
 
I suppose it negates the claims for leaking joints in the build quality and as has been mentioned AS are not alone with leakage issues , just the marques owned by the group seem affected and it would appear its down to what is used to seal joints,,,,,,,,,,,has someone thought about highlighting this to the builders instead of knocking the build, you can only work with what is supplied or designated for the bean counters who control the budget. Knocking aside has anyone thought of pointing out that if they had budgeted in for ..at £18 a metre instead of XX at £6 a metre for sealant and seals there would be no claims, no knocking and greater sales? I do not or an never likely to purchase an AS as the layouts are so wrong for us but all you AS owners out there , over to you! Yes I have had a German built van and it took three years to sort out the problems, but great after sales service sorted it out, that's what is lacking

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I know nowt bowt MoHos. I know a Bentley is better than a Kia car in build quality.
So which are the accepted Bentleys and Kias of the MoHo world.

If i just hi-jacked a post i really do apologized
PS. I have a Auto-Trail Imala 734..
 
Anything with *Auto* in the name is apparently suspect in build quality, I have no experience of them as the layouts did now't for us but have owned a German made van that took the phrase *Friday afternoon/Monday morning * built to the extremes! We used to set off and have a sweepstake how far we would get before something fell off or failed, it was only the great service from the workshop manager that made us stick with it as he was great in dealing with the numerous problems, eventually solved, but when he left we decided to get rid of it! ( Nothing went wrong in the last 8 months we had it!) .
 
bobsnicholson@ said:
I know nowt bowt MoHos. I know a Bentley is better than a Kia car in build quality.
So which are the accepted Bentleys and Kias of the MoHo world.

If i just hi-jacked a post i really do apologized
PS. I have a Auto-Trail Imala 734..
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Oh really 🤔 I used to be at the local bentley dealership twice a day and know all the mechanics, they have the same problems as any manufacturer 👍
 
busbuddy said:
Oh really 🤔 I used to be at the local bentley dealership twice a day and know all the mechanics, they have the same problems as any manufacturer 👍
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Try Aston Martins, leak more oil than a british bike!
 
That's not leaking its automated lubrication 👍

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