KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A Campbell County couple has not been able to enjoy their new RV for nearly a year and a half after it was sent for repairs in Indiana.
The situation has been frustrating for Linda Smith and her husband as they continue to make payments on the camper. They bought their new 38-foot Vibe RV manufactured by Forest River for over $52,000 in June 2021, including an extended warranty to cover defects.
After using it for only a few months, the couple found leaks throughout the camper. So Smith called the dealer who sold her the unit.
“Finally they came and got the camper and took it to their lot in November, and then, in December, they shipped it to Indiana and that is where it has been ever since,” Smith said. “This is all the problems that are going on in the camper. There are 37 things, it’s three pages of listing everything that is going on wrong in the camper.”
She shared that the leak started in the bathroom with the plumbing and believes the leak then spread.
“This the wall where the moisture was, it was like bubbling on the walls. This is the window, this is the moisture and this is the mold down here,” Smith said.
She said her RV dealer listed what needed to be repaired and an email was sent to the manufacturer stating that the unit needs to go back to the factory.
“They reached out to Forest River and told Forest River everything that was going on and said they cannot repair this camper, even if they had the manpower because it was so bad,” Smith said.
It has been nearly 18 months and the RV is still in Elkhart, Indiana.
“Only thing they told us is that they, quote, ‘couldn’t get the parts.’ Now they’re saying they have the parts and have fixed it,” said Smith.
The Smiths have continued their $681 monthly payments since the RV went out of state. Recently, Smith said there were some negotiations with the company.
“They said they’ll give us $4,000. I done spent $15,000 in payments on this and they’ve not compensated us at all. We’ve not been able to use this camper, none,” Smith said.
WATE sent an email to Forest River and made calls asking about the repairs and when the unit might be returned. We were told the legal department is handling the issues.
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“We’re not getting any answers. I just want answers. I want something to be done because I feel like we deserve that much,” Smith said.
Smith is working with an attorney. She said her lawyer was supposed to receive a list of work that has been completed by Forest River, which was about a month ago, but she told WATE, there has been no correspondence since.
Forest River is one of the most popular RV manufacturers on the market, providing quality RVs, according to industry publications. Smith told WATE, she prefers the company take the camper back and reimburse them since they have not been able to use it since December 2021.
