New Swift problems

Posted on 13/04/2023 12:40 by ScreenNameC18A248A56

Well where do i start we bought a new swift icon from Kimberly caravans

 31 st October 2022and the problems started

I now find the goods have the following fault:

Problems found on first trip away Novmber 2022
1. Door strip in shower was rusty
2. Cupboard catches were sticking on a number of cupboards
3. Jockey wheel handle catching on handbrake
4. Caravan legs were stiff to wind up and down

 
Problems found on second trip away December 2022
1. Lock on battery locker came out completely in my hand
2. Water pump would not pump water and was over running - had to cut holiday short due to no water
3. Jockey wheel handle catching on handbrake
4. Caravan legs were stiff to wind up and down
Kimberley could not find any problem with the pump but fixed the battery box, greased the legs and adjusted the jockey wheel handle. Still waiting for shower strip to arrive

 
Problems found on third trip away February 2023
1. Pump still not working properly
2. Jockey wheel handle catching on handbrake 

No water

 
Problems found on fourth trip away March 2023 

1. Water pump would only work if you attached a plastic pipe to the water pick up pipe, as advised by Kimberley Service representative

 but worked fine with that on
2. Strip was replaced in the shower unit but still hung off at the bottom, informed it was a different colour black as they couldn't get the white one. Clips off the strips were left on the bathroom shelf
3. Master unit on Truma heating panel showed error code E524H and consequently would not work so no heating or hot water
Again had to end holiday and take caravan back to Kimberley

 
At this point we asked if we could hand the caravan back and we were advised by Cheryl Rowell in the Service Department to send it in writing via email to herself which we did

 
We were then advised it was a warranty claim to fix the master control panel for the heating and hot water and it would take up to 6 weeks but Vicky would be completing the warranty claim straight away
Since then we have had numerous emails and telephone conversations trying to resolve the situation and have been asked to collect our caravan

Cant believe all this has happened anyway in compensation they offered us £50 voucher and free service so we took caravan away 

Weve just been to york and hallelujah all said problems had been resolved but then on getting into bed drip drip drip the shower was dripping behind the plastic grrrrhhh needless to say its going back on Thursday

We tried to hand back the caravan but they wanted to knock money off £8000!!!! We only bought it in november has anyone else had the same problems please

Moderator Comment- Moved from Story section.

 

Posted on 14/04/2023 20:50 by jennyc

I’m not suggesting that it should be so, but;

The water pump pickup problem, caused by a kink in the pipe ias as old as the hills. I’m on our third work around. It’s a piece of thin white stiff plastic overflow inserted into the pick up pipe (remove an equivalent length of the old). Warm the original flex pipe ends so that they stretch onto the new stiff pipe and secure with stainless steel ear clips.

As a plus, once you have a pack of ear clips and the necessary setting tool, plus a length of overflow, your set to upgrade several installations in a row at no further cost. More importantly, no inconvenience.

We’re advocates of taking the quickest/ easiest route to resolution. Which in most cases is to just fix it ourselves and get on with the holiday.

E5248 error codes might be the exception.

Last summer we replaced a hydraulic bed strut, fridge control panel and our motor mover in the field. We shouldn’t have needed to, but did, so that we could continue with an unbroken holiday. This year it’s France. A roll of Elastoplast at the ready.

Posted on 21/04/2023 11:37 by FasAFaFit

My thoughts. Caravans are at the bottom of the food chain and nothing happens quickly.

Dealers & repaires do their best but....

I have had new cravans with defects where the seller has no interest and just repair defects myself.

There is a similar situation now after a caravan repair, where unfinished repairs are best carried out by myself. Too much hassle attempting to involve dealers/repairers.

Posted on 21/04/2023 16:10 by Rocky 2 buckets

+1, my time with a CVan I did everything myself too. I realised early that they demanded work be done but it was too hard to get it done so I accepted full responsibility👍🏻. It worked out well.