Winnebago’s Recall Fix For Thousands of RVs Is Just a Zip Tie

Zip ties really fix everything, apparently.

byRob Stumpf|
Winnebago Navion Hero
via Winnebago
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Winnebago—king of the recreational vehicle—announced a recall of thousands of its motorhomes because of an increased chance of a fuel leak.

According to the notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall affects 4,616 of its View and Navion RVs manufactured between 2020 and 2023. Fortunately, the fix is simple: a few dealer-applied cable ties.

Winnebago says that the problem is related to how its low-pressure gas line is routed along the vehicle. The line is placed near the rear wheel well, according to the manufacturer, which could lead to rubbing against the tire if not properly secured. Obviously, that's not a great combination, because we can all surmise what happens next (Spoiler: it's a fuel leak). A fuel leak is serious on its own but is exacerbated by the possibility of an external ignition source. Should the fuel come in contact with something that might ignite it, like a hot exhaust or tire, a fire could ensue.

The automaker says that it initially identified the problem after two customers complained of a fuel leak. Winnebago opened an investigation and found a total of 22 incidents between November 2020 and October 2022 where a fuel line came in contact with the rear tire.

Thankfully, the fix is fairly simple. While it's not quite as sketchy as cobbled-together cooling systems, it's probably equally as half-assed as GM's headlight fix which is literally just a piece of tape. Owners of the affected RVs can simply visit a dealer where they will install one or more Button Head cable ties to move the fuel line out of the way of the tire, effectively reducing the risk of a fuel leak.

Winnebago says that it will begin notifying owners by mail in December. However, if you are one of the lucky few who just purchased one of these motorhomes, you may not have to worry. The automaker says that vehicles built after Oct. 13 are not affected by the recall. But for all of those who do fall under the recall, at least it's an easy repair.

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