Water Damage

[smacdonald]

We have owned our second Jayco product the Jayco Swift 184 BH. We purchased the trailer with the intention of using it from time to time to get away on weekends and such. We have taken it on a coupe of trips of considerable length where we encountered rain during our travels. Low and behold when we stopped for the night, there was water coming in around the front of the trailer. I have a good idea where it's coming in from and when taken back to the dealer for repair, they said they made the repair and all was good. Since that time whch was in the first few months of ownership, this unit has been back at least 4 times for the same issue. Each time we are told the repair is done. I get that this is an entry level trailer but at the very least I EXPECT to remain dry regardless of the conditions outside the trailer. We have spoken to Jayco Corp. who sympathize with us and say they are looking into a solution for repair, but I feel they are dragging their feet on this - why? I don't know, all we want is a trailer that doesn't leak - not to mention the black mold that is sure to be growing between the exterior and interior panels. I am very dissappointed in our whole experience with our dealer and Jayco who were both highly recommended. I don't know what to do anymore, the 2 year warranty is running out in October of this year and I just get the feeling like they (corp. and dealer) are waiting for that time to come and they can wash their hands of it and lay the problem on our shoulders and have to bear the expense for any repairs necessacy. If that is the case, I may have to resort to legal action . I hope it doesn't come to that.
Am I alone? why won't Jayco simply buy back this lemon of a unit and allow us to take a different direction, choose a different model or get out of "trailers" all together? Very dissappointed indeed.

[TWP723]

I'd call Jayco every day until something is done. And I mean EVERYDAY. They'd know exactly who it is by the end of the week before they even answer the phone. I'd drop the trailer at the dealer and tell them you're not taking it back until it's fixed. Period. It's absolutely unexeceptable to brush this under the rug.

[bedrck46]

With your warenty begining to run out now would be the time to get a lawyer inbolved Hope you have all the previous documents on previous repairs. Keep records of who and wnen you talked from the dealer and from Jayco

[smacdonald]

I feel the same way, we have been speaking with Jayco corp. and they initially sounded concerned, but now they don't return calls, they have left the repair plans in limbo. Not impressed. We have records of the trailer repairs from the dealer, but not all, initially when the dealer was very helpful and seemed genuine in helping they would not record all the details of what needed to be done and we figured the first repair would be the last, we have made a lot of noise at the dealership when we were there, now they don't want to deal with us because they think we are a couple of troublemakers! I just want a dry trailer. They had it last fall at the end of the season. We dropped it on their lot and said the same thing - We don't want it back till it is fixed. Winter set in here in Ontario and we called the dealer for an update, nothing had been done. We suggested tat since it was freezing temps, the trailer needed to be winterized. They finally did the winterization, but not before some of the lines cracked under the sink (which we discovered out about when we de-winterised it cause there was antifreeze still wet and dripping onto the wood shelf under the sink and boxes we had stored there were soaked PINK) when we finally picked up the trailer in the early spring of 2015, we were told it was fixed. We asked if they did a test with a pressure washer to simulate driving rain? Nope! - So who knows if it's fixed. Their answer was take it, if it leaks again bring it back. Even some of the interior trim is coming apart due to the water penetration and freezing winter temps. This is why my wife and I are frustrated. Nothing is done right, just bandaids and promises. And after reading some of these threads, looks like we are not the only soggy bottom travellers. Too bad really, customer service means buggar all these days and Corp. doesn't provide any relief when it's their product that's defective.

[3fries]

We have the same issue with our 2012 184BH. We did fix it ourselves last summer because we were just a month or so out of warranty. That and the dealer seems to do everything they can to put you off until fall slow time. Unfortunately we had some minor leaking in the same area again this trip. We ONLY have this problem if we are driving in heavy rain, not if we are sitting parked and heavy rain comes up.

Hubby plans to try a fine silicone spray tip between the diamond plate and the white aluminum siding. We sprayed a garden hose on high pressure at the trailer in that area/join and that waa definitely where the water was coming in.

Keep posting about your journey and the eventual fix.

[Macrosill]

In this case, as in many others, documentation is the key.

Even after the warranty runs out, if you can prove the defect was never repaired properly during the warranty period they still have to fix it.

You should be keeping records. Every time you have any contact with Jayco and the dealer you should be writing down the date, time and person you spoke to as well as the context of the conversation. Depending on the laws in your state you may be legally allowed to record phone conversations. Also take pictures and notes on the issues and when they occur.

There is also a saying, "The squeeky wheel gets the grease" and these saying are around for a reason. I would not necessarily call them every day but I would be calling them on a regular basis and if a date is promised for some resolution and it comes and goes then call them again.

Whatever you do be sure to document everything. When push comes to shove documentaion goes a long way, both in general matters and legal issues.

Imagine you provide documentation of all the calls and attempted repairs to a mediator or court. What will persuad the person one way or the other, loads of documentation or some service manager that simply says you never brought it to their attention?

[NC Roamer]

Years ago my dad bought a new powerboat from a local dealer. I do not recall the exact disagreement they had, but my dad felt the dealer owed him $500 for something he had to have taken care of elsewhere. Several months of arguing did not resolve the issue.

There is an annual, multi-day boat show at the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. My dad hooked his boat trailer to his pickup and got there early to get a prime parking space where all the attendees would walk past. Dad erected a wooden sign in his boat prominently displaying, "I bought this lemon at ******* Marine." Then Dad sat in his lawn chair with his newspaper and coffee.

The boat dealer sent the Fairgrounds Police out to run Dad off, but he pointed out he was breaking no laws and they admitted such. Then the dealership owner came out and told my dad, "You're killing me! If I give you the $500, will you leave?"

Dad pointed out that he paid $25 to have the sign painted, so the dealer paid that, too.

This may not be an approach that everyone would be comfortable with, but my dad is not very subtle.

[NVGun40]

Treat your dealer and Jayco like a child learning to do a new chore.
Stand above them. As you say, you have a good idea where the leak is at/where the water comes in from. Take a hose, a bucket, whatever, and test it. Document it with pictures. Get everything in writing from the dealer before the work is done. Then stay with them while they do the repair. (I know this is difficult but be pushy and WATCH them) If you can't physically watch them, utilize a dry erase marker or liquid paper and mark the areas you know need to be worked on (nuts, bolts, panel seams, etc); so when you go to pick up your unit, you can inspect and see if the work was actually done (I have actually caught a dealership (more than once) saying the work is done, setting up the bill and upon inspection find out they did nothing). Then BEFORE you leave the dealership, make them utilize a hose or bucket and duplicate the conditions. A hose can simulate the spray of driving rain and road spray while traveling. A bucket can simulate a LOT of rainfall running down from on top (when I say bucket, I am talking three or more 5 gallon buckets full of water). (Don't use high pressure on the roof though, that would be bad for the membrane).
Document this stuff and take pictures. If the dealer is unwilling to submit to testing the repair... that says something now doesn't it? lack of confidence in the repair or perhaps they did not even do the repair.