Upside down kitchen window

[Yorkie Steve]

We were totally new to motorhoming when we bought our Burstner T740 Sovereign 3 years ago when my wife and I retired. We saw it at Ebor Leisure World in York and loved it, it was perfect for us, we didn’t realise how lucky we would be to have it when Covid 19 came along! Our kitchen window is behind our gas hob and opens at the top, as we had not had a motorhome or caravan before we thought this was to allow ventilation above the hob, however, because it opens at the top, the stays which keep the window open don’t work, if a gust of wind catches it, the window blows open, also if it rains it obviously comes in through the window, the frame drain holes are also at the top of the window frame so won’t work either. Having looked at lots of other motorhomes when we’ve been away, it became obvious that it was fitted upside down. We raised this with Ebor last September and they sent details to Burstner with a view to having the window fitted correctly. Because of Covid lockdowns both here and in Germany we’re still waiting for their response. The guarantee is for 2 years and we have reported it after that time but I believe they should still carry out the work to correct the window because it isn’t a fault which has developed, it was like it when it was built and should have been found in their quality control check and also by the dealer when they did the pre-delivery check and they have also carried out the habitation service annually since new. I’d be interested to hear if anyone else has had a similar issue and how it was resolved.

 

[Landy Andy]

Wow. That’s, errr, different. But not a big problem. Remove inner trim via screws, push complete window and frame out, remove old seals, fit new seals, refit up the correct way. Couple of hours tops, being very careful.

 

[RubyOptics]

We were totally new to motorhoming when we bought our Burstner T740 Sovereign 3 years ago when my wife and I retired. We saw it at Ebor Leisure World in York and loved it, it was perfect for us, we didn’t realise how lucky we would be to have it when Covid 19 came along! Our kitchen window is behind our gas hob and opens at the top, as we had not had a motorhome or caravan before we thought this was to allow ventilation above the hob, however, because it opens at the top, the stays which keep the window open don’t work, if a gust of wind catches it, the window blows open, also if it rains it obviously comes in through the window, the frame drain holes are also at the top of the window frame so won’t work either. Having looked at lots of other motorhomes when we’ve been away, it became obvious that it was fitted upside down. We raised this with Ebor last September and they sent details to Burstner with a view to having the window fitted correctly. Because of Covid lockdowns both here and in Germany we’re still waiting for their response. The guarantee is for 2 years and we have reported it after that time but I believe they should still carry out the work to correct the window because it isn’t a fault which has developed, it was like it when it was built and should have been found in their quality control check and also by the dealer when they did the pre-delivery check and they have also carried out the habitation service annually since new. I’d be interested to hear if anyone else has had a similar issue and how it was resolved.

I would email Burstner personally as there is no reason to still be waiting for a response from them. I emailed them last year, during lockdown, regarding an instruction manual for a 20 year old motorhome. I received an email 2 days later which included a full PDF of said instruction manual.

 

[TDub49]

Amazing. You could always park on your roof - oh, then the other windows would be upside down

Seriously though, you wold think that pandemic or not, either the dealer and/or the maker would be busting the proverbial gut to get this fixed. If all the quality control mechanisms can fail at this level, what minor details might they have missed on the production line?

 

[Spriddler]

Handy as a burger van serving hatch.

(Sorry................ )

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[maz]

How bizarre! Of course the dealer should be sorting this out. If they had done any sort of half-decent PDI or hab checks, they would have noticed it. So what’s their excuse for not doing so?

 

[Geo]

I smile every time i see comments/complaints anout QC and PDI failures.
When will you realise, you the customers ARE the QC and PDInspectors
So you only have yourself to blame

 

[tonyidle]

You can fix it yourself as has been suggested. About an hours leisurely work on a warm day, no hassle or stress waiting for someone else, and then you can use it on wet days too .

 

[DavidG58]

You can fix it yourself as has been suggested. About an hours leisurely work on a warm day, no hassle or stress waiting for someone else, and then you can use it on wet days too .

although slightly easier than turning a fridge upside down, the thought of taking out a window on my own makes my toes curl in dread

some of us can do , others, like me, watch gratefully and either pay or provide the beer

 

[WillH]

Never seen one like that before! As above, not a huge job to whip it out yourself and refit it.

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[andy63]

Was going to suggest the same as Tony.. an easy enough fix if you can get to the screws on the inner frame easily..
Looking at the photos I'm not sure you can..like my kitchen window the inner frame is covered in wall board and that can put a different slant on the time it would take..
Andy

 

[Landy Andy]

It won’t be as weather tight that way up either

 

[Richard n Ann]

No Australian jokes please, they're totally not funny

 

[Lenny HB]

Unbelievable, you would have thought after fitting they would open & close the window to check for snags, some plonker probably thought oh sh*t can't be bothered to refit that no one will notice, and they didn't.
As it's a manufacturing fault you are covered for 6 years also best to get the dealer/manufacturer to sort it to keep your water ingress warranty in tack.

 

[Yorkie Steve]

Wow. That’s, errr, different. But not a big problem. Remove inner trim via screws, push complete window and frame out, remove old seals, fit new seals, refit up the correct way. Couple of hours tops, being very careful.

I may have to try doing it myself if I can’t get anywhere with Burstner but can’t see how to get the inside window trim off, and at this stage don’t want to try forcing anything off as these things tend to break easily.

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[Yorkie Steve]

I would email Burstner personally as there is no reason to still be waiting for a response from them. I emailed them last year, during lockdown, regarding an instruction manual for a 20 year old motorhome. I received an email 2 days later which included a full PDF of said instruction manual.

Thanks RubyOptics, I emailed Burstner yesterday and am awaiting their response, I’ve had an automated reply so looking forward to seeing what they’ve got to say about it.

 

[Yorkie Steve]

I smile every time i see comments/complaints anout QC and PDI failures.
When will you realise, you the customers ARE the QC and PDInspectors
So you only have yourself to blame

I agree to some extent, but when you’re paying 60 grand for a motorhome, the least you can expect is that they fit things the right way up! As I said we were new to motorhoming and didn’t know then how things were meant to be. It seem obvious now that the window was fitted upside down when it was manufactured but not at the time, even the dealer initially suggested it was fitted that way because of the gas boiler vent underneath it, although they agreed with me when you see that the lounge window is fitted correctly and is nearer the boiler vent, coupled with the window stays not working upside down and the drain holes are at the top of the frame and therefore useless.

 

[Campervan_man]

The round blinds plastic corners prise off to reveal the blinds cassette retaining screws.
Best to take it back to the Selling Dealership though.

 

[Landy Andy]

I may have to try doing it myself if I can’t get anywhere with Burstner but can’t see how to get the inside window trim off, and at this stage don’t want to try forcing anything off as these things tend to break easily.

It is much easier and straight forward than you would think if you do have to do it yourself.

 

[David and Sally]

How bizarre! Of course the dealer should be sorting this out. If they had done any sort of half-decent PDI or hab checks, they would have noticed it. So what’s their excuse for not doing so?

Dealers don’t do pdi They pass on what the factory sends. Sad.
They then deal with any warranty issues. That’s why we get such rubbish service from dealers.

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[RM_Marine]

Handy as a burger van serving hatch.

(Sorry................ View attachment 509513)

I thought the same then

 

[Yorkie Steve]

Wow. That’s, errr, different. But not a big problem. Remove inner trim via screws, push complete window and frame out, remove old seals, fit new seals, refit up the correct way. Couple of hours tops, being very careful.

Thanks Landy Andy, I had a reply from Burstner saying they wouldn’t agree to correct the window because I should have reported it soon after buying the van, which I would have done if I’d known it was wrongly fitted at the time. Anyway I followed your advice and did it myself and was pleasantly surprised that it only took me about half an hour. I can’t believe how easy it was. I was surprised to find on removing the blind cassette that they’d had a couple of attempts at fitting it in the first place and also that there were less brackets holding the window in than there should have been. I’ve attached some photos and maybe it’ll help someone else if they have a problem with their window. Thanks everyone for your comments, this is the first post I’ve put on Motorhomefun, I’m delighted with the result!

 

[Lenny HB]

I would have been really peed off with Burstner as it was a manufacturing fault and it is there responceably.

Anyway sorted now, which sealant did you use?

 

[Yorkie Steve]

I would have been really peed off with Burstner as it was a manufacturing fault and it is there responceably.

Anyway sorted now, which sealant did you use?

Hi Lenny, I didn’t need to use sealant, it has a seal around the frame which compresses against the van body when the brackets are fitted and tightened.

 

[Lenny HB]

Hi Lenny, I didn’t need to use sealant, it has a seal around the frame which compresses against the van body when the brackets are fitted and tightened.

Unusual most vans use sealant on the window frames.

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[Richard n Ann]

Hi Lenny, I didn’t need to use sealant, it has a seal around the frame which compresses against the van body when the brackets are fitted and tightened.

I would have, I think ours has got that none setting gunge round it

 

[tonyidle]

I would have, I think ours has got that none setting gunge round it

The gasketing fitted to the window works well without extra sealant. On an older van it's obvious when the window is removed that it has compressed and aged so sealant is needed.

 

[Jamesh]

You would have thought a dealer would fix it jolly quick for the sake of customer relations and PR!

Often these firms are too big for their boots!

Cheers James

 

[Ingwe]

Yorkie Steve-Really pleased you got it sorted even though you ended up doing it yourself. However, your contract was not with Burstner, the manufacturer but with Ebor and, as a matter of law, that is with who you contracted. They should have firstly seen that the window was incorrectly fitted and then carried out the remedial works. Not as a matter of customer relations or PR but a contractual obligation.

 

[Geistguy]

So a complete amateur can fix this stupid error in half an hour but the dealer and manufacturer can't be bothered, terrible service.

Well done on fixing it yourself

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