2002 Roadtrek Quality Issues?

[rstl99]

Hi all,
I am working a deal with someone selling a very nice 2001 Roadtrek Popular. Going through necessary inspections prior to sale.

I read this in a site where people offered their reviews of Roadtreks, and was taken aback with some of the (lack of) quality issues about a couple of 2002 Roadtrek's. Was 2002 a bad year, and should I be concerned about some of the build quality issues identified by this owner? The awning held on by two way tape is unbelievable...

Thanks for your views on this matter.


2002 Roadtrek Popular 190
I've now had this vehicle 4 years and taken it to Alaska, Oregon and Florida twice. The Dodge vehicle is excellent. However, Roadtrek design, workmanship and choice of components is very poor and in some cases dangerous. When I installed a solar system, I found that all of the wires connected to breakers had overheated and the insulation was melted off. Roadtrek's response to this fire hazard was to blame the component manufacturer, but legally Roadtrek was responsible for choosing the component which clearly was incapable of performing in the electrical system Roadtrek designed. Many others complained of this defect. The awning simply fell off the vehicle. It was only held in place by 4 pieces of double sided tape! The dropped floor becomes very hot to the touch because it is too close to the exhaust system. Beware not to allow your pets to lay on the dropped floor while driving. All components (water pump, water heater, side windows, stove, etc. will have to be replaced at 18 years. Roadtrek chose the cheapest possible components. Any time repairs are made we see that the factory workmanship revealed when trim is removed is incredibly poor. This company deserved to go out of business

2002 Roadtrek Popular 190
Melted wires in breaker box. Common prob. RT blames co that made the part. RT chose wrong part for elec system. Did nothing to warn, recall or fix. Awning fell off b/c only held on w 3 pieces of tape!

[moosey]

"All components (water pump, water heater, side windows, stove, etc. will have to be replaced"

Source?

[mkguitar]

I'd take any of those other experiences as a yellow, not red.


to be aware that another had concerns and to look for similar, but not take as gospel that 100% of all applies to every vehicle


roadtrek has changed ownership and for parts and help, you are own your own to find it.
most of the RV stuff is used by many brands



suggest you inspect separately the "van" the stuff made by dodge by a good shop who has experience with engine controls a couple of generations back


they also need to know in advance that the vehicle is oversize and heavy..


maybe 3m high and 4000 kg ( just a guess)


inspect the drivetrain and front end


recent dodge related posts show difficulty getting replacement engine control module ( ECM) and steering knuckles


you want records of and evidence of maintenance- fresh looking grease on the front end


rust !


then a separate inspection of the RV stuff and systems- roof and windows leak free?
how do the electrics work? generator, fridge, hot water, AC, heater
are all the detectors current and within date limits- this shows care and attention


if the seller's other stuff is nice, chances are the RV too


many of the class B's are CDN made- RT's were built in Kitchener, very important to have a Robertson head screwdriver, but as a CDN you'll already have one






mike

[rstl99]

https://www.rvinsider.com/Roadtrek-P...iews_container

The 4th or 5th one down is the negative one.

I just read through the other reviews and all of them are quite positive. So I'm not sure the negative one quoted above needs to be taken at face value. Maybe someone disgruntled with RT or with an axe to grind against the company...

[rstl99]

Originally Posted by mkguitar

I'd take any of those other experiences as a yellow, not red.

to be aware that another had concerns and to look for similar, but not take as gospel that 100% of all applies to every vehicle

roadtrek has changed ownership and for parts and help, you are own your own to find it.
most of the RV stuff is used by many brands

suggest you inspect separately the "van" the stuff made by dodge by a good shop who has experience with engine controls a couple of generations back

they also need to know in advance that the vehicle is oversize and heavy..

maybe 3m high and 4000 kg ( just a guess)

inspect the drivetrain and front end

recent dodge related posts show difficulty getting replacement engine control module ( ECM) and steering knuckles

you want records of and evidence of maintenance- fresh looking grease on the front end

rust !

then a separate inspection of the RV stuff and systems- roof and windows leak free?
how do the electrics work? generator, fridge, hot water, AC, heater
are all the detectors current and within date limits- this shows care and attention

if the seller's other stuff is nice, chances are the RV too

many of the class B's are CDN made- RT's were built in Kitchener, very important to have a Robertson head screwdriver, but as a CDN you'll already have one
mike

Thank you Mike, for the reminder that someone's bad experience with one and negative outlook doesn't necessarily apply to the whole set.
The van is being checked out by RV specialist, and I will ensure a mechanical check by Dodge dealer, for all the reasons you indicated.
I didn't know about the ECM module and steering knuckles, will keep that in mind for 2000ish Dodge.
This vehicle has been particularly cared for against rust, which means a lot to me, living up in the rust belt. A couple of older Dodge-based Type B's (mid 90's) had bad rust issues below.
I'm handy so not worried about not being dependent on RT for anything.
This looked like a well-cared for specimen, very new-looking in and out, and which has gone on a cross-continent trip just a couple of years ago.
Will see how things play out closing the deal after inspections.
Thanks again. Best regards.

[rtbill]

Our '01 200 seemed to have been built on hangover Mondays with quality control left to the customer. And this was the demonstrator Roadtrek took to RV shows! Anyway, fortunately we had a dealer who was more than happy to bill Roadtrek for all the remedial work the van needed. Over the years I have disassembled much of the van for various reasons and am glad not to have found any problems with the electrical wiring. If the problems the factory created were solved by the van's previous owners there should be little to worry about apart from the van's sheer age which brings problems regardless of how well the vehicle has been cared for. (Ours is languishing at a Chevy dealer now with a leaking gas tank.)

[rstl99]

Hi Bill,
Thanks for providing some useful perspectives as the owner of a 20 year old Roadtrek.
Sounds like you've gone over many aspects of yours over the years, fixed and improved as necessary.

The one I'm pursuing passed the mechanical and safety tests. It just needs a control module (on order) to get the airbag light to stop coming on (and to make the airbags work if needed, I hope). I'm fairly mechanically minded, so will do as much mechanical servicing and maintenance on it as I am comfortable to do. I gather the drivetrain is pretty solid and time-proven on these commercial Dodge vans, including the venerable 318 engine. 90,000 miles on this one.

I plan on looking over the past maintenance records carefully before closing the deal, once the RV components have been gone over and checked out.

As I said the lack of rust underneath was a huge plus for me, and a reason I'm paying more than the average camper van of that era would sell for, I figure.

Looking forward to getting it into my driveway, get familiar and tinker with it, set it up with the necessary things to travel and camp with, and take it on some short trial runs with the dog, to get her comfortable to the new rig.
Good luck with the gas tank, and best regards.

[rtbill]

rstl, Good luck with your van! BTW when you describe it you should include the number, like 190. That tells us it is (probalby) on a Dodge chassis. Some 190s were built on Chevy chassis. Popular and Versatile, etc, were floorplan names that were used for all the sizes... there are 170 Populars, 190 Populars, and 200 Populars.

[rstl99]

Good point Bill
Ok, it's a Dodge 190 Popular.
Hopefully the deal will complete this week and I can tell more about my van.
Regards.

[otr]

We have a 2000 RT 190 V, 5.9 engine, we bought it with 22,000k miles (is your odometer in the typical KM's in Canada) on it in 2018, the OD overdrive light was on, a "rebuilt ECM" did the trick. The ECM is a weak link, about 2 months ago the engine died on I91 between Putney and Brattleboro, VT. lucky on the tow to a very smart mechanic...ECM again, it was not putting out a 5volt reference, the company which supplied the ECM replaced it with one which works, but has a check engine light for a idle air pump which is not actually malfunctioning, and a random 18volt spike on the charge guage....so, yes the ECM is a challenge, but as I get experience it helps my understanding of how things work, and this speeds troubleshooting with the mechanic.

This said, I have just fixed an airbag issue on my Toyota by replacing the "clock spring"...quick search for your year: https://www.1aauto.com/dodge-ram-150...6/i/1astc00179
Here is where I got my ECM
https://carcomputerexchange.com/
Having an understanding, honest, patient mechanic is a plus. The RV systems are not too difficult if you are handy, and you will become handier unless you have deep pockets!
Good luck!

[rstl99]

Only 22,000 miles 18 years into its life, that's pretty low, nice find.

In a way, I had hoped to find a good older Dodge Roadtrek (late 80's or early 90's) to avoid these computer problems on board.

But the older specimens are saddled with other issues (rust, wear and tear in the chassis and the interior, and wear on the drivetrain obviously).

Hopefully this 2001 will serve me well.

The guilty party on this one, according to the mechanic who diagnosed it, is not the ECM per se, but the "energy reserve module" (or "air bag control module") under the dash. Hopefully it does the trick (on order).

Sounds from your experience that it may not be a bad idea to equip oneself with a spare ECM (on the engine), should one be faced with a debilitating engine failure such as you did...

[RT-NY]

Originally Posted by rstl99

I just read through the other reviews and all of them are quite positive. So I'm not sure the negative one quoted above needs to be taken at face value. Maybe someone disgruntled with RT or with an axe to grind against the company...

The review quoted above does seem like someone with an axe to grind or just with a bad experience. I have quite enjoyed my 1999 RT 170 and found it to be very well built and, from what I have seen, other Roadtrek owners tend to be enthusiasts. I like the 1999-2002 Dodges, if they are well cared for and have under 100K miles, because they tend to be reasonably priced.

That being said: a 20 year old RV is an old RV. Just like owning an old house, you should expect always to have a list of things to fix. And, although often the RV parts are standard and so easy to find, that is not always the case (especially with Roadtrek going out of business).

And, as already mentioned, check the undercarriage, especially the stub-frame, for rust. If it is a Dodge, they are very susceptible to serious rust problems.

[rstl99]

Thanks for your thoughts on the 20-some year old Dodges.
THe lack of rust on the undercarriage of the one I am planning to purchase, was the primary reason I decided on this particular specimen. Living in Canada, I am very well aware of rust, and have a real aversion to it. There are ways to preventatively manage rust, and the previous owner of this RT evidently was very good in this regard, which gives confidence about attention to maintenance of the rest of the vehicle. TIme will tell.

I just sold a 70 year old country cottage and live in a 60 year old home. I also own an early 80's diesel Benz, so well understand the issues of owning and repairing older houses or vehicles. Hopefully this RV will treat me well.

Regards.

[Theputnams515]

Our 01 200p is great.

Ours got damaged in a flood but we got it for fairly cheap. We are in the process of slowly fixing the damage and the oddities that are roadtrek.

The chassis is really nice etc.

I do have some problems with cabinetry etc. We are working to correct this right now.

We love ours and I think if you are at all handy it is a great RV. Just know when working on them that there is not much room to work lol. It can be a tad frustrating.

[Theputnams515]

Originally Posted by rtbill

Our '01 200 seemed to have been built on hangover Mondays with quality control left to the customer. And this was the demonstrator Roadtrek took to RV shows! Anyway, fortunately we had a dealer who was more than happy to bill Roadtrek for all the remedial work the van needed. Over the years I have disassembled much of the van for various reasons and am glad not to have found any problems with the electrical wiring. If the problems the factory created were solved by the van's previous owners there should be little to worry about apart from the van's sheer age which brings problems regardless of how well the vehicle has been cared for. (Ours is languishing at a Chevy dealer now with a leaking gas tank.)

Im with Bill.

The wiring seems solid.

Bill any tips you can share on remodeling the interior? Starting with the cabinets lol?

[Hammernine]

We purchased a 2004 Road Trek 200 Popular for $25,000. It did need some TLC but if you are handy it is a fun project. My main concern was the engine which had 106,000 miles. We did full service on the vehicle such as brakes, oil change, plugs, radiator flush, replaced water pump, fan clutch , and hoses. The inside was well built and just needed some little things like refinishing the cabinets, new peel and stick flooring in the back. We also installed a solar system with 500 watts, 2000 watt inverter, and 4 AGM battery bank. The cost of class B RV's are high and considering we paid $25,000 and probably put $10,000 in it. I think we made out.

[rstl99]

Sounds like you did well with your 2004. Up here in Canada, prices (in Cdn $'s) are probably 10-15k higher than what you are quoting. Supply and demand I suppose, more rigs down in the US. Good on you to baseline and revitalize that 2004, as you say the prices of new(er) rigs are stratospheric, so I feel it's worth finding a well-cared-for older one and fix it up to one's taste.