Mechanical issues can come on unexpectedly at any time, and when they do, they can quickly derail your travel plans. Whether you’re driving down the highway or parked at your favorite campground, these unexpected challenges have a way of reminding us just how complex our RVs really are. Hopefully, it’s not while you’re on the move, but let’s be honest—sometimes it happens, and it’s never convenient.
RVs are our homes on wheels, but they’re also a lot like earthquakes on wheels, right? Regular maintenance is key, but even with the best care, issues can still pop up out of nowhere.
Have you ever found yourself stuck at a campground because of a mechanical issue? Maybe you couldn’t check out on time because your slide wouldn’t retract, your engine wouldn’t start, or some other critical component decided it had enough? If you’ve ever been in that situation, you know how stressful it can be—especially if you’re on a tight schedule or trying to make it to a reservation somewhere else.
If you’ve answered yes to this, we’d love to hear your story. What went wrong? How did you manage to get things resolved? And most importantly, do you have any advice for fellow RVers who might find themselves in a similar bind? Hopefully, it’s a situation you’ve never had to deal with, but let’s face it—we have a feeling more than a few of us have a story or two to share. Leave a comment below. Thanks!
Have you ever not made it to a campground due to a mechanical problem.
Not because of a mechanical problem but because of “lost” keys that wasn’t really lost. It’s a long story.
Our steps would not retract. Luck had it there was a mobile tech in the park. He diagnosed the problem, didn’t have the part. So he drilled a couple of strategic holes, gave us a nut and bolt and showed my husband how to disconnect the motor. Then to place the bolt in one hole or the other to lock the steps out or in manually. While it was a hassle, we were able to finish out our trip and deal with the steps when we got home.
Had an air leak on New Years Eve on our diesel pusher. No air pressure, no release on the brakes. Local big truck repair place got parts (after the holiday) and got us back on the road.
Had the alternator light on, showing it was not charging. Like Ms. Oelke, it happened on a holiday weekend and had to wait until everything opened. Turns out I called Holiday Ramblers tech support line and it was a 5 minute blown fuse fix. Why do these things seem to happen on long holidays??
That’s thanks to our old buddy Murphy, of course.😉 Have a great day, George. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Starter went out after attempting to escape an RV park in Apache Junction,AZ. many moons ago.
Our slides would not retract, so we were delayed quite a while trying to figure out what was happening.
Thank you, RV Travel, for the question! I said more than once, but maybe it was only once. The once was this past summer. The hydraulic master solenoid failed and we could not retract the jacks or the slides. The AC also failed, courtesy of our local squirrels, so we went home, leaving the RV until a local mobil tech could get to us. The second (?) time the failure was with the towed Jeep and we stayed an extra day to get it fixed before departing. Have a great week and safe travels! 🙂
Rear slide would not retract. Cost an extra night in an expensive rv park in Malibu CA while we waited on mechanic to repair. It turned out to be a blown relay.
No manual retract procedure?
Started to leave the park in Alpine, TX and was immediately flagged by multiple people. Travelled around the short loop and pulled back into our site. Loud clunks coming from one wheel (single axle TT). Pulled out the tools, and long story shortened, the manual brake adjuster had fallen out of place and was banging inside the drum. No damage. Suspect misadjustment at the shop following bearing repack. Got it back together but had no tool to properly adjust the brake. Found a local shop and with my supervision, got everything right. 1.5 hours past check-out (no charge) and another couple hours waiting for the mechanic to be available for a 15 minute job.
Have not, but have come close. One was a house battery failure reducing power to bring in our large flat floor slide after I had already brought in the other three. With the help of a neighbor, our combined push was enough to help the slide go in. Had that not worked, there is a manual retract procedure I could have employed.
Another time, connection point on the “push rod” to the steps broke. I just removed the rod completely and used a ratchet strap between the steps and the frame rail to cinch them in.
I suspect slides will be a major cause here, which is why it’s so important to understand manual retract procedures BEFORE you need them! Tools, ratchets & bungees too.
Doing pre-trip I found a 1inch grade 8 bolt had sheared on the 5th wheel hitch pivot head. I found a repair shop to easy-out the broken part while I ran to town for a new bolt. Got out of the park 1/2 hour before check out.
Another trip…at the same campground, my truck went into limp-home mode & would only go about 20 mph. Found a dealer 10 minutes away that got me in 2 days later. Got out of the park 3 days later after moving to another site.
At least we had our bikes, & lots of trails to explore.
Our AC compressor seized up and threw the serpentine belt. Camp host was understanding and super helpful. Had to get towed to a local shop for the repair. AAA couldn’t provide a tow and we had to find our own and get reimbursed.
This is exactly what happened to us in Laramie (see above). Husband had to short belt the engine.
We pulled into a KOA in South Dakota after a long day on the road pulling our 5th wheel. The next day after preparing to leave, I did a brake check only to learn the trailer hydraulic brakes were not working. I found a broken flexible hydraulic line had broken and all hydraulic fluid had been pumped out somewhere along the previous days drive.
We were fortunate in that the KOA moved some reservations around to allow us to stay another night, and we also found a shop only a few miles away that manufactured custom flexible brake lines. So I had them make two in order to have a spare, replaced the failed line and bled the brakes. Repairs didn’t take long but we’re glad KOA let us extend.
I kinda smiled at this question. For us, mechanical issues, no, but weather issues more than once. We have been stuck inside a campground 3 times because all the roads in and out were flooded, and once because of a downed tree across the entrance drive.
Not a campground. But we were towed to a truck stop in Laramie, WY and stuck there for 2.5 days, until my husband figured out a repair that got us back on the road. Not one shop/mobile service would even come look at our class A gasser.
we were delayed 2 different times. The first outing we couldn’t get either of our slides in. The 2nd time the leaf springs broke and we had to order parts. It took 2 days.
We’ve come close twice, just in the past 4 months! The first time, our passenger side landing gear would not retract on our 5th wheel and we had to jack it up to get it off the blocks and jimmy it until we could raise it. Thankfully we were only half an hour past check out and we found a campground where we could work on our rig to replace that side. A week ago, we went to move campsites and the motor went out on the landing gear (drivers side) and we had to really be creative to get hooked up and on our Andersen Hitch…we were like a couple of monkeys hopping and pushing the truck! Right now we are thankfully level and still hooked up to the truck while we await replacement parts. Yikes.
This fall on our way back from workamping in Skagway. Stopped in Watson Lake, left next the morning, lost a wheel bearing 30 miles south. Limped back to the CG for another night (that turned into three (Sunday and Monday holiday). Tuesday, drove to Whitehorse 250 miles away and return with parts. Installed Wednesday morning and left. 15 miles later another wheel bearing seized. Back to the CG, another trip to Whitehorse, bought two sets of parts. Installed and left Watson Lake. Got to Muncho Lake and…another wheel bearing. Limped into the campground. Had to go to Ft Nelson the next day as a stud sheard off the drum. Fixed and made it to winter stop 7 day late and 1300 miles add later.
Wow! What a trip! Is that where you picked up your name, Mr disaster, from?😉 I drove my two sons up to Skagway in our ’75 Suburban almost 40 years ago. The only problem we had with the Suburban was a strange noise as we were getting near Skagway. We took it to a shop in Skagway and spent a day longer in town than we had planned on while they checked everything out. They finally concluded it was a rock in the hubcap!🤣 (I can’t remember for sure, but I don’t think they charged us anything for the diagnosis and “repair”.) That was when there was about 200 miles of about 2-inch diameter “gravel” on the Cassiar Highway. I felt like I vibrated off a couple of pounds on that stretch of the road. Have a good night. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Pick-up battery deader than a door nail, a camp host drove me to a local Napa store for a new battery. The host mentioned, must be the site we were occupying because I was the 2nd camper with a vehicle issue that stayed there.
When leaving a campground in Colorado, our brakes would not release on my Diesel Pusher. After a call to my roadside assistance (thanks Coachnet), they dispatched a diesel mechanic to troubleshoot the problem. Unfortunately, it took another day to track down the correct part and make the repair. It’s actually a much longer story, but that is the Cliff Notes version. The campground was understanding but not happy.
We were leaving Lake of The Ozarks State Park last Vet’s Day weekend when the F150 ran sluggish leaving the campground. Check engine light came on & off intermittently. Called our mechanic who said go easy on the 60 mile trip home and bring it in.
Found out the next day something had chewed an engine wire during our stay!
There were squirrels everywhere and probably mice. They need to control their rodents, dagnabbit! 😄