Dangerous Jayco's

Clemoposs · Newbie

Dangerous Jayco's

hako · Guru

Great post Simon and good to see you reported it to the relevant authorities.

Regards

goldfinger · Senior Member

Excellent work Simon......Hey Jim will be on this like a starving blowfly on a freshly laid turd with its table set for one...........he will not be a happy chappy if his new vans' joiners are smashed similar....look out Jayco!.....Hoo Roo

iana · Guru

Yes mine are there hanging about to be damaged, and one lead is attached so it is too short, jacking the wheel off the ground nearly pulls the plugs apart. Isn't it great the way as soon as you've brought the product, you're asked to fill out a survey, but down the track they don't want your opinion.

TheHeaths · Guru

Did you report it to Jayco for their attention and comment, or go straight to the ACCC?

Bill B · Guru

Clemoposs wrote:

When my friend checked, all four plastic joiners were smashed and separated meaning he had been driving for an unknown distance with no caravan brakes.

It is a bit of a worry that your mate couldn't feel that his van brakes weren't working at all.

-- Edited by Bill B on Thursday 4th of August 2016 06:50:23 PM

aussie_paul · Guru

Bill B wrote:
Clemoposs wrote:

When my friend checked, all four plastic joiners were smashed and separated meaning he had been driving for an unknown distance with no caravan brakes.

It is a bit of a worry that your mate couldn't feel that his van brakes weren't working at all.

-- Edited by Bill B on Thursday 4th of August 2016 06:50:23 PM

I agree Bill. I manually test the van brakes several times a day, mostly when just moving off after a stop.

Aussie Paul. smile

Bruce and Bev · Guru

I would have reported this to the ACCC straight away - not the manufacturer, irrespective of whether it was Jayco or someone else.

This is a serious safety design fault putting all road users at risk.

A major manufacturer should know better and don't deserve the courtesy of being advised rather than an enforcement body like the ACCC !!

They should be prosecuted

JohnR · Senior Member

I note that these 'dangerous Jayco's' are in the North West of WA around Broome. I ask the question what roads have these vans been towed on????I have a mate at Broome at the moment and has come across the Gibb River Road etc. Tows a brand new Kedron behind a Cruiser. The steel frames holding spare tyres have cracked with the corrugation etc.
Lets put things in perspective before making outlandish statements.

JohnR

Radar · Guru

aussie_paul wrote:
Bill B wrote:
Clemoposs wrote:

When my friend checked, all four plastic joiners were smashed and separated meaning he had been driving for an unknown distance with no caravan brakes.

It is a bit of a worry that your mate couldn't feel that his van brakes weren't working at all.

-- Edited by Bill B on Thursday 4th of August 2016 06:50:23 PM
I agree Bill. I manually test the van brakes several times a day, mostly when just moving off after a stop.
Aussie Paul.

I think its a bit harsh to totally blame everything on the manufactory without questioning the ability of the drivers to notice a decline in the performance of there braking systems.

Very questionable.

And before someone jumps on here and says this is why we need a lience to tow caravans, a licence in the back pocket would do little to help in this mechanical situation.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Brakes are for emergencies .. Yea trough is if driving as you should . We mainly use 1/4 of our braking at most . That's at intersections etc when we've way slowed down . I often do a few emergency braking when first fitting up . But these issues could be 5000 klrs latter ., a simple stone guard and or rubber covering would prevent issues till fixed by van company .,

Cupie · Guru

My long suffering 1999 Jayco has the normal screw type electrical connectors.

Not a problem over 200,000 km of blacktop.

I'm a Jayco fan & would have reported the issue to them as a first step.

Magnarc · Guru

Like you Cupie I too am a fan of Jayco vans, having had three over the years but I fear that we are among the few!! If my van brakes were not working I think that I would soon know. A call to Jayco would have been the corrrect course of action methinks.

brickies · Guru

I will wait for a report from Hey Jim

Philw · Senior Member

Lets beat the crap out of Jayco again without giving them the courtesy of a chance to reply and rectify. Its a safety issue that may be slipped through with the new vans. I just cant imagine Jayco ignoring this if they were told. Mate bought a caravan from a different manufacturer and has had hells own trouble even getting them to speak to him so as to rectify a range of structural and safety issues. On to my third Jayco. Phoned them yesterday about my motorhome (4 years old) and they phoned me back within the hour. All sorted and they couldn't be more helpful.

Chatted to a motorhome and caravan guy last week and he said that Jayco was the one company whom he could speak to easily. Many simply were unavailable. So why not just ring them and say that you have a serious safety concern and explain the problem. Can you imagine them ignoring this and then have to suffer the legal issues arising from litigation if someone is hurt or life lost due to a brake fault.

macka17 · Guru

Radar.

Responsibility for materials that give safety on the roads. is the MANUFACTURERS ONLY/FIRSTLY..
Nobody elses. THEY know what gone in there and where.

Jayco. originally A VERY long time ago... were a good solid van.

last 30 yrs or so they never been something I'd put behind my tug. and I've seen a few over the last 40 odd yrs touring.Here.

Never had good quality or Quality control
It's always been "GET THEM OUT THE DOOR,After sales can sort them".

I've seen fibreglass ones with roofs collapsed in. Split and rippling walls. Bent chassis. Cupboards falling off walls.
The list goes on. Showers collapsing. wiring.

The price and pretty pictures suck them in unfortunately
for every reasonable one you get 20 bad ones.

Regarding the brakes on van.

That's what the "slide/push button" on controller is for.

Just start rolling. try lever. Feel retardation from trlr.
Everything fine.

It's almost criminal not to...
We would never think of coupling up a semi tray or trailer. in any country.
Without giving the air valve/lever a twitch to feel brakes working.
Before seriously starting to roll on.

Another reason for driver education...

Bruce and Bev · Guru

some of you are missing the point of this post entirely!

This is not a Jayco beatup - it just happens that due to very poor design, in this case it seems Jayco have created a safety issue.

But no-one would say this is unique to Jayco - sadly, most of the major manufacturers do similar stupid, cheap and dangerous builds.

All of them don't deserve the courtesy of thinking about whether or not they will or wont fix it - when a user ( of anything, like an electric house heater, for example) believes a fault is a safety issue it needs to be reported to the appropriate enforcement body to ensure the matter is checked out and rectified)

macka17 · Guru

Yes Bruce.
but unfortunately Jayco have a reputation of both bad design and lack of quality.
over many yrs.

Especially compared to a lot of other van MFG's...
NONE of whom are infallible. but usually have less problems

I had 2 Roadstars and one Compass (same mfg) over 25 yrs or so.
Dragged round and round and diagonally across this great country,Multiple times.
I retired in '94.
Only had ONE slight flaw in Compass pop top. Roofline sheeting on top rim had slight misalignment in one spot.
IE one piece cut a fraction too short.
They took 2 minutes to sikaflex it outside Dealers when I pulled in there.
And that's it.

Same as Patrol GU 13+ yrs, mainly with 6.5mtr offroader on back.
costs.(apart from tyres and service/fuel) $460. For a key ring sensor.
Prev GQ. Nothing...

Thing being.
If you buy a known reputable MFG. you can count on a 98% reliabilty.
Unlike one with "GREAT" Backup. AFTER they left factory....

It should all be done BEFORE.... they leave factory, like most of the others.

I'm NOT knocking Jayco.
Just stating KNOWN facts from decades of reputation,
Say he as he slowly slides last sip of Single Malt down his throat
and head for a kip on lounge.(maybe)

Don't get much bed time nowadays. Lying down is not conducive to comfort, unfortunately.
Broken necks are bloody uncomfortable at times, Specially t'ween drug doses.

Had second fusion/freezing of nerve bases last week. I'm slowly weaning myself off 25 yrs of heavy Opiates and more.
had bloody withdrawal symptoms coupla nights ago. did it too severely.(IE ALL at once)
That.. was interesting.

This don't work. final step is a built in electronic shocker to my nervous system in spinal cord.
I reckon I'll go back on drugs b4 that one.

Ahhhh Old age hey..
The BEST yrs of your life. Hmmmmmmm.

And people think they have it hard with the Snoring and C-Paps.
I'll swap any of them for this.

Sorry. feeling sorry for myself. Don't normally happen often.
A gooooood whiskey makes me talkative.
Specially this time of day.

Tones · Veteran Member

There have been many comments about Jayco and their lack of quality control in the past. As a Jayco owner, I am proud to say that I have the best Jayco in Australia; why? because I had to build it myself!!!!! If anyone posting on this thread wants to get an overview of what lack of quality control during build is all about, then I respectfully suggest that you go to the "Product Safety Australia" web site, search on Jayco and then form your own opinion. I think you will see what I mean. Would I contact Jayco or the ACCC in the scenario as provided by the OP; well, I think I would be going straight to the ACCC simply because I can list plenty of other significant safety faults that have never made it as far as safety recalls by Jayco and which they have been fully aware of. I think that by going to the ACCC you would have a far better chance of getting the matter made subject of a safety recall rather than leaving it to the manufacturer who may or may not decide to take such action.

Tones

Cloak · Guru

From what I see Jayco aren't alone in these little gems. I got a lot of joy from repairing and improving my old Jayco Dove. it's still around and a real solid little unit now. I keep up with quite a few YouTuba RV channels from USA and they suffer the exact same shortcomings in build quality over there. In fact because of it these RV channels earn themselves a tidy living from YouTube. I love nothing better than climbing under a van to reroute a cable or pipe or making shelves, that kind of thing.

Enjoy your tinkering folks..

macka17 · Guru

Yep.

IF they checked designs, and quality of items. and did QC.
Before they went out the gates.
Jayco would not have the bad reputation they have had for over 30 yrs.

Jayco DO have the worst long running record with vanners going.
Even more so than the "Lightweight" slotted chassis one brought out in the late '70's.
Millard??.

A few changes and PROPER QC would probably change all that.

-- Edited by macka17 on Saturday 6th of August 2016 11:12:49 AM

Cupie · Guru

macka17 wrote:
Yep.

IF they checked designs, and quality of items. and did QC.
Before they went out the gates.
Jayco would not have the bad reputation they have had for over 30 yrs.

Jayco DO have the worst long running record with vanners going.
Even more so than the "Lightweight" slotted chassis one brought out in the late '70's.
Millard??.

A few changes and PROPER QC would probably change all that.

-- Edited by macka17 on Saturday 6th of August 2016 11:12:49 AM

Gee I find it hard not to respond in chapter & verse to many of your way out statements.

aussie_paul · Guru

Cupie wrote:
macka17 wrote:
Yep.

IF they checked designs, and quality of items. and did QC.
Before they went out the gates.
Jayco would not have the bad reputation they have had for over 30 yrs.

Jayco DO have the worst long running record with vanners going.
Even more so than the "Lightweight" slotted chassis one brought out in the late '70's.
Millard??.

A few changes and PROPER QC would probably change all that.

-- Edited by macka17 on Saturday 6th of August 2016 11:12:49 AM
Gee I find it hard not to respond in chapter & verse to many of your way out statements.

Me too Cupie. A case of quantity not quality. Just sit back and smile. biggrin

Aussie Paul. smile

-- Edited by aussie_paul on Saturday 6th of August 2016 01:07:36 PM

Mutley · Senior Member

To the OP - Mate, that looks like normal wear to me & tear if you've been up a long gravel road?

If you have travelled any distance up a dirt road, did you stop periodically & check out your tug & van thoroughly? I'd be spewing at myself if I'd missed something like that when I checked the rig over on a routine stop.

On the Birdsville Track I noticed the wires on my off road CT electric brakes were broken like that by stones on the track when I stopped & checked the trailer over, I just fixed them on the side of the road. Was it the manufacturers fault? No! It was a stony road that broke them. I can't even read the writing on the compliance plate on that trailer any-more, because of number of stones hitting it (I use a stone guard too!). Its a big ask for the wiring not to cop it sometimes.

We do a lot of gravel roads/dirt roads & we've seen D shackles lost, 7 pin plugs come out, Andserson plugs shake loose, plumbing hoses come adrift....................... All just normal wear & tear for that type of travel. Even had some of the bolts that hold the locking hubs onto the front wheels shake out in Lorella Springs. Saw a new looking CT minus a leaf spring on the Mereenie Loop Rd once. Saw the spring on the road a few K's later!

Our vehicles are always very well maintained & heaps of planning and preparation goes into every trip, but as Forrest Gump said, it still happens!

TheHeaths · Guru

I am with you Cupie!

Hewy54 · Senior Member

And again. With you all the way Cupie.

Brisand · Veteran Member

Macka17, thanks for bringing this problem to our attention, but you have gone way overboard with your comments about Jayco, I think you may find the same product on other makes of vans, you seem to have a biased opinion of Jayco, do you seriously think they would sell 11,000 vans a year if they were as bad as you say !

You are losing credibility when you make such outlandish general statements such as some you have made, stick to facts and you will be taken more seriously.

I have owned three Jayco vans over 12 years, I have had a couple of minor problems, they were fixed promptly, nothing like you mention, get your facts straight.

dorian · Guru

Pop Tops - 2015 Journey and Starcraft:
www.jayco.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/JAY439_PopTops_16pp_FA03.pdf

opting for a Jayco Outback version is not a licence to bush bash, mind you. But its extra strength and enhanced specifications will free you to travel the country's unsealed roads safely and arrive relaxed.

Perhaps Jayco should take their products on "the country's unsealed roads" and see whether their claims measure up. Hopefully they will then understand why mechanics say that "[the cable joiners] will be broken. They always are."

Edit: Why doesn't Jayco dress its external cabling in the same way that car manufacturers do? For example, I can't recall any auto maker having to recall vehicles due to damaged cabling to ABS wheel sensors or the like.

-- Edited by dorian on Sunday 7th of August 2016 05:30:18 PM

Mutley · Senior Member

dorian wrote:
Pop Tops - 2015 Journey and Starcraft:
www.jayco.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/JAY439_PopTops_16pp_FA03.pdf

opting for a Jayco Outback version is not a licence to bush bash, mind you. But its extra strength and enhanced specifications will free you to travel the country's unsealed roads safely and arrive relaxed.

Perhaps Jayco should take their products on "the country's unsealed roads" and see whether their claims measure up. Hopefully they will then understand why mechanics say that "[the cable joiners] will be broken. They always are."
Edit: Why doesn't Jayco dress its external cabling in the same way that car manufacturers do? For example, I can't recall any auto maker having to recall vehicles due to damaged cabling to ABS wheel sensors or the like.
-- Edited by dorian on Sunday 7th of August 2016 05:30:18 PM

How many cars do you see getting towed at speed up gravel roads, like caravans do?

TheHeaths · Guru

Dorian, do you think ANY manufacturer does as you suggest on their vans?

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.