fridge: structural support collapsed

[stefanoforesti]

I would like to know if anyone has had any such problem, and in any case, bring this the attention of Grand Design RV owners because I suspect that this could be a hidden problem that may occur to others.

I would like to know and ask support of other owners to request a recall.

My RV is: 2021 GRAND DESIGN TRANSCEND XPLOR 297QB

The fridge has collapsed falling out of its place and damaging the walls, moldings.

As you see in the photos, the failure is due to insufficient support: practically the fridge is held by 1 inch moldings stapled to other non-structural support.

You may find more information below if interested.

Please let me know any interest in helping the case, or something like this happened to you.

Thank you, Stefano


DETAILS

There is insufficient structure and support by design and/or installation.

This is the biggest problem that created the castle of cards: the fridge resting on particle board, in turn resting on 1/2 inch wood strips that are barely stapled. They failed and the particle board went down with the fridge.




which was kept in place by these staples:

 

[WhittleBurner]

​Have you contacted GD or your Dealer on this? if not you should

 

[stefanoforesti]

THank you for responding. I sure did contact Grand Design.

They said that the warranty expired (2021 RV), but they would consider if the request came from a dealer.

I took it to the dealer and had to pay to have them inspect and send the request in.

The response was "We may cover the parts only but not the labor as a good will gesture." However, the service would be several hours of work and the dealer said in 4 digits.

Regardless, I would be still concerned that the replacement of parts *as it was* would not be a safe solution, and the problem would happen again, because there was a structural design flaw in the first place.

Therefore, I decided to come to this group and check if anyone had that problem, or check the fridge installation because you may find it fallen in a trip with all walls ripped around, as shown in my photos and more.

I would like to encourage the community to check and back me up, so Grand Design takes this seriously and does a recall.

I am considering constructing a more stable foundation myself, which is what they should do rather than brushing me off, because the day the fridge falls off on a child I don't think that they will have a very good story.

 

[WhittleBurner]

It looks like you already have it apart, fixing it t yourself would be a stronger hold for the fridge. Also a report to Nhtsa is the only way they'll likely do a recall if no ones gotten hurt.

 

[huntr70]

I would like to encourage the community to check and back me up, so Grand Design takes this seriously and does a recall.

With literally about 50 of this particular model on the road out of our dealership alone, your post is the first time I have heard of this happening.

I don't believe you are going to hear about a recall for it.

I would love to see pictures of the bottom, where the support is on the framing. The side uprights go from floor to ceiling, so the only way that would come out is if it was tipped forwards and pulled every staple out. Going straight down, nothing would happen. Check your ceiling area for water damage.

 

[stefanoforesti]

Here are photos that show where the fridge rests: the fridge rests on a particle board that has no support at the center, and only resting on some thin pine strips stapled on the thin flexible cabinet wall.

The fridge is "secured" at the front from moving by the molding that is stapled to the the "cabinet" made with same thin board and some thin pine moldings.

If there had been just a piece of wood support at the botton, under the plywood, the disaster would have unlikely happened: I am nearly certain that the staples that hold the side of the plywood started to let go and then it was a castle of cards.

 

[Thorvald]

Lesson number one about RVs, if you feel it was not made strong some area, don’t take it back to the dealer or factory for repair, they will return the item back factory default… which was never strong enough to bring with so it will fail again. Fix it yourself with real wood and never worry about it again.

Especially the fake “dark walnut” panelling which is nothing but paper glued to particle board or worse. Replace that with real wood and stain to match.

RVs are a perpetual repair and upgrade project but it is still fun.

 

[Vanteer]

I discovered the exact same sloppy poorly designed subfloor in my 2022 XLS 22MLE (built in 11/22/23). Just posted a few days ago under the Appliance section. Link below.

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/sho...-Imagine-XLS-22MLE-Sub-floor-under-the-Fridge

I feel like I was lucky, as I discovered the issue when my condenser fan stopped spinning, and I decided to pull out the fridge and check out the motherboard. Also a post of mine under the Appliance section. I reframed the complete sub floor.

It's very easy check to see if your subfloor sucks. Just remove the bottom bracket covering the adjustment feet. Then remove the screws holding the top bracket in place. Try to adjust the level with the bottom foot screws. Mine just pushed the 3/8 plywood conners down. As there was zero support under the corners. Just a 12 inch flimsy pine strip nail gunned in the middle of the baseboard.

Turns out, with obviously at least two documented cases, the top bracket and screws are the only thing holding the weight of the front of the fridge. Not surprising that if the top screws pull out, there is not much keeping the fridge from sliding out and toping over. I know with mine the screws barely caught the frame.

Also, if you have the 12V fridge, (which in general has been great, except for the cheap condenser fan, see my post on the fan in the Appliance section) you may have noticed that the fuse is not the one in the fuse panel, and that the 12V power cutoff switch does not cut power to the fridge.

Check my post with pictures and location of the fuse in the Appliance section. (GD ran power directly off the battery).

Bob