Melted front pass thru storage compartment

[Dave55]

There is an update to this problem. Working with Ford, Jayco discovered the high heat problems with the cat convertor is caused by the yellow sock/screen that covers the air in take nozzle. That was only used for shipping from Ford to Jayco to keep out the bugs and birds out of the air intake as it sat ouside. It somewhat restricts the air flow creating a richer mixture and higher temperatures. Jayco Motorized division are now telling customers to REMOVE IT. They have also added these instructions to their build sheet.

[Dave55]

Call Jayco, they will authorize repairs even if its out of warranty.

[hawkster]

Haven't had the problem yet. I called jayco out of warranty to ask for heat shield and said I would install. They denied saying the 31ul had no problem. Then I read within a week of 31ul having same problem.

[Dbrown]

Mine looks ok there seems to be a lot of space btw the converter and the bin. The converter does have a heat shield on it. The pic is upside down but you get the idea.

[Dave55]

dbrown & Hawkser. My coach is a 2016 31ul, build date of October 15th 2015. Later build dates going into the 2017-18 models years either Ford or Jayco corrected the lack of a heat sheet. As you can see is this picture there is no heat shield wrapping around the cat converter. Also remember to remove the yellow sock over the nose of the air intake filter.

[Dbrown]

Dave55,
There is a CAT heat shield on it, if you zoom in you can see it. Not to say it is good enough. I think I will add the insulated shield you can add just to be sure. Thanks for the head up.

[Russ]

WOW!! I didn't realize that, I happen to have the extended warranty anyway.
But I'm surprised there wasent a recall for that, like I said my cat was installed up side down....it has a shield on it but it's on the bottom! Lol. I installed a piece of duct work metal over it.....so far so good. But i did have that sock on the air intake so that probably had a lot to do with my heat issue.

[borg169]

I contacted Jayco about my 2017 Precept 31UL, storage bin above catalytic converter melting, and they said they will pay for repairs. I also contacted the National Highway Transportation board and advised them of the problem. This should have been disclosed to owners two years ago! Mine is out of warranty 6 months now. This is not a warranty problem but rather a design defect.

[Dbrown]

This is the recall notice you should have gotten in the mail. See attached.
I almost forgot about it but was going through my maintenance list for the new camping season and came across it.

[borg169]

Thanks, Jayco fixed everything no charge. The National safety board put out the recall due to a few of us complaining about the defect causing the melting bins underneath. Several things could have contributed to the overheating, IE, no heat shield, no shielding on the bottom of the bin and sock covering the air intake, possibly adding to the overheating problem. Thanks!

[Russ]

Thanks so much for the link, I called Jayco long ago when I first discovered the problem.......they had the nerve to tell me that my heat shield was not installed properly at the Ford factory and told me I had to take it to Ford they refused to help me!! I consequently installed a makeshift heat shield above my catalytic converter to help deflect some of the heat as that was the cause of my pass through melting, my rig also had the yellow net over the air intake as did many others! I am spitting mad right now I have a 2016 31ul precept and I had purchased the 3-year extended warranty. They will pay dearly!!

[Dave55]

Russ, Jayco took care of my problem before the recall was sent out. Please refer to Post #14 and #24.

[Russ]

Dave 55, thanks for the reply! I have contacted Jayco and made arrangements to get the rig looked at on the 25th to see what parts they need.
Could you tell me how long your repair took and how the repairs were done? I just want something to gauge against! Just so you know I was one of the people who contacted the National transportation safety board.
We live in ours full time so this should be interesting lol. Thanks for the info.
Russ

[Russ]

Dave 55, and just so you know....this has now become a federally mandated recall!

[Dave55]

Russ, Every situation could be different. In my particular case, they cut out the pass through section and replaced it with with diamond plate metal and insulated the underside. I had already shielded the electrical and hydraulic lines in the frame chassis ( see post #25 picture. Please bear in mind this was done BEFORE the recall was issued. I received the recall notice in November and will be taking the rig back to see if they will add better shielding. So far everything is fine.
In your case, they will have to take a look what needs to be corrected and then order the parts. This could take some time. Be sure to take in your recall notice when you see the dealer.

[Russ]

Dave part of the problem is that I never received this notice...they told me that they didn't have my correct address.... But there lying, and I'll tell you how I know....I had to have my left front jack replaced in December of 2018 while I was in Texas at which time they did have my correct address! We are members of Escapees out of Livingston Tx. And have been since 2017, we are full timers!
Russ

[Dave55]

Russ, call the motorized division of Jayco. Give them your vin number and they will email the notification. You might check with them if they have your correct address.

[Widowds]

I have a 2014 Precept 31UL. I called the motorized division with this problem. I sent pictures. They acted as if they had never seen anything like this melting. Of course I am out of warranty. I did a fix myself, cutting away the melted cone, using a metal sheet and insulating it. I was Very Unhappy with Jayco as it appeared to be a real fire hazard.

[Russ]

I discovered this issue about 6mo. after purchase, I took the coach to the dealership and the told me it was Ford's problem, which it wasn't! After getting no satisfaction from Jayco I called the NTSB to report it as a fire hazard which it is but never heard back from Jayco. The whole thing kinda fell by the wayside so I fashioned my own heat shield, but I still had a fist size hole melted thru the storage bin.
Then I started asking people who owned Jayco rigs if they had the same problem.....many did!
After recently contacting them again they had the nerve to tell me they didn't have my mailing address, hahaha! That's a bold face lie because they had an independent tech come to me while I was in Texas to replace my left front jack!
I'm out of warranty now of course but there going to fix it because it's a federal mandated recall!
They want to sell them but don't want to fix them.... unless you're out of warranty of course!
I'm back in Texas now and have an appointment on the 25th so they can determine what parts they need! We'll see what happens!

[hawkster]

My 2016 31ul out of warranty too but I got the recall letter. No damage to my coach in 22k miles. The dealer ordered parts without me bringing in coach. Arrived in one week. They worked me in the second week for the three hour repair while I waited on it. This was two weeks before a Florida trip. The service advisor told me initially they didn't have time to work on it. I stuck to my guns and told them I didn't want to die in a fire driving the rig.