A Nevada federal court has breathed new life into a Norcold fridge fire lawsuit, allowing a key negligence claim against Camping World to move forward. A 2018 blaze destroyed a family’s motorhome and damaged a nearby home, reigniting long-standing safety concerns about Norcold refrigerators and how RV service centers have handled recall repairs.
In December 2018, a fire gutted Nyada and Leon Marx’s RV while it sat at their son’s home. Investigators later discovered that the motorhome carried a Norcold 1200 Series refrigerator—a model tied to years of fire-related recalls. That unit had been serviced years earlier at Camping World of Henderson, where technicians installed a recall-mandated safety sensor meant to prevent overheating.
Norcold fridge fire lawsuit – some issues tossed, others kept in
Homesite Insurance, which covered the fire loss, and members of the Marx family sued Norcold and Camping World’s parent company, CWI, Inc. They alleged that the refrigerator’s design was unsafe and that the service center’s installation work contributed to the fire. Both companies denied fault.
In a recent decision, U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware narrowed the lawsuit but kept the negligence claim against Camping World alive. The court found evidence suggesting that Camping World may have installed the safety device incorrectly—specifically, that technicians failed to leave the required air gap to prevent overheating. That question will now go before a jury.
At the same time, the judge dismissed the family’s fraud and emotional-distress claims, ruling that they were either filed too late or not supported under Nevada law. The court also stopped short of declaring the Norcold refrigerator defective as a matter of law, saying a jury must decide whether its design actually caused the fire.
For RVers, the case serves as a reminder that Norcold recalls, though years old, still matter. Even small mistakes in a repair or installation can turn into a fire hazard.
SOURCE: VitalLaw
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RVT1230b
CW should be happy that I along with most readers here, are not on that jury because I would wager that 97 out of 100 readers of RVTRAVEL.COM personally know someone who has had a Norcold fridge catch fire, if not themselves personally.
Happy trails 😎 ✌️
Because there was a recall affecting 7 years worth of units, there was certainly potential but the absence of any owner’s observation or suspicion of overheating prior to the recall or years after kinda says something. A fridge 8 to 15 years old can have all kinds of ways to fail but I wasn’t there so I don’t know.
I don’t think a jury of one’s peers untrained in failure analysis and fire investigation are qualified to conclude on the root cause so regardless of how they rule, I suspect the trial’s outcome will be based less on actuality but rather the best lawyer’s presentation. We’ll see….
Indeed, jury selection question 1 should be an easy one for both sides. In end, Lawyer’s presentation and credibilty of expert witnesses for the trial.
My Norcold (1994) 12v-propane fridge is working perfectly – cold (18-25) freezer and 40-45f refrig. I use it all summer as a beer cooler and freezies (?) for the great grandkids. It was not, as far as I know, a part of the recall(s). I have checked the exterior backside temps with an infrared thermometer and everything is relatively cool – a little above ambient. I do use it on shore power as the MH is plugged in at home. I do NOT use it on propane on the road. I am, however, extremely concerned about the safety factors! All Rv’s need fire suppression systems as required in buildings and escape doors not windows! I am working on a plan for that too!
I really love the Norcold 12 volt compressor refer in my new coach. No propane, no ammonia. It’s dead quiet and will freeze a tray of ice cubes faster than I thought possible. Yes, I still have gas heat and hot water, but those systems have historically had fewer problems. Just my .02, YMMV.
I don’t have a Norcold, but my double door frig (12 cuft) has worked great for the past 16 years. Maybe it is a Norcold.. can’t remember. But I installed a system (can’t remember the company either, but I have all the paperwork) that will shut off the power if it starts to overheat. Plus blowers, not simple fans that are installed in the intake and exit vents. Plus it has blowers in the frig directed towards the fins. All connected to the unit that monitors the heat (sensor in the flue). The blowers come on when the frig is in cooling mode. Great system.