Complaint 877988

2012 WINNEBAGO VIA • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM • incident Aug 23, 2011

Crash
No
Fire
No
Injuries
0
Deaths
0
Complaint ID
877988
Make
WINNEBAGO
Model
VIA
Model Year
2012
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Incident Date
Aug 23, 2011
Date Received
Sep 6, 2011
Data As Of
Sep 1, 2026

Complaint Summary

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Owner Narrative

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 94 APPROXIMATELY 23 AUGUST 2011, AND SURROUNDED BY SEMI TRUCK TRAFFIC I EXPERIENCED A RAPID DECELERATION OF MY VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE TRAFFIC WAS SO TIGHT, AND DUE TO THE RAPID DECELERATION RATE, I BARELY ESCAPED BEING HIT FROM THE REAR BY AN APPROACHING FULLY LOADED 53 FOOT SEMI TRAILER. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE EGR VALVE THAT FAILED DUE TO WATER INTRUSION. THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER, MERCEDES BENZ, STATED THAT THE WINNEBAGO COMPANY USING THEIR SPRINTER CHASIS AND ENGINE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A DESIGN DEFICIENCY THAT ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER UNDER THE HOOD AND DAMAGE THE EGR VALVE IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO CAUSE THE RAPID DECELERATION. *TR

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.