Complaints over time
Complaints about the 2005 Tiffin Phaeton peaked in 2009, with 1 filed
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file. The lighter column runs through October.
Model year
2005 Tiffin Phaeton
Other, diesel, 4x2, built in United States. Owner complaints on file from Oct 26, 2009 to Oct 26, 2009.
Recall campaigns covering this model year517k vehicles or units across those campaigns
Owner complaints1Below the median 2005 other
Severity index0.02005 others average 8.5
First 24 months0Complaints in its first two years
Components
100% of complaints about the 2005 Tiffin Phaeton name engine and cooling
Owner complaints by component. Hover or focus a bar for the crash, fire, injury or death count.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file. A complaint can name more than one component; it is counted under the first.
Recalls
5 recall campaigns cover the 2005 Tiffin Phaeton
Check a specific vehicle by VIN on NHTSA's site: a campaign may cover only part of a model year's production.
| Campaign | Filed | Subject | Component | Vehicles | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11V-082 | Feb 8, 2011 | Population of refrigerators being addressed contains either a sensing algorithm or thermal switch to shut off power to the refrigerator when high… | Equipment | 10,683 | Not stated |
| 08V-509 | Oct 7, 2008 | Refrigerator may have a defect in the boiler tube | Equipment | 3,507 | Repair or modification |
| 05V-307 | Jul 5, 2005 | On certain motor homes containing a 50 amp transfer switch built by intellitec, the material used for the wire lugs was changed from nickel plated… | Electrical system | 265 | Part replacement |
| 05V-145 | Apr 12, 2005 | On certain recreational vehicles, the washer/dryer in the rear of the motor home can move | Equipment | 867 | Repair or modification |
| 04V-383 | Aug 3, 2004 | Seat belt assemblies on certain motor homes fail to comply with the loop load requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209 | Seat belts | 1,662 | Part replacement |
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.
Owner complaints
What owners reported about the 2005 Tiffin Phaeton
The full text of every complaint filed with NHTSA about this model year, newest first. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by NHTSA; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
1 complaint on file, page 1 of 1.
- Filed Oct 26, 2009Failure Aug 27, 200949,376 milesSarasota, FLCooling system
2005 ALLEGRO (TIFFIN) PHAETON ON FREIGHTLINER XC CHASSIS WITH CATAPILLAR C7 ENGINE: TRAVELING FROM SARASOTA, FL TO SAN DIEGO, CA STARTING AUGUST 18, 2009 THE ENGINE BEGAN OVERHEATING ON AN EVER MORE FREQUENT BASIS UNTIL AUGUST 27, 2009, WHEN TRAVERSING THE MOUNTAINS WEST OF SAN DIEGO ON INTERSTATE 8 WE WERE FORCED TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY EVERY ONE HALF TO ONE MILE TO COOL DOWN THE ENGINE TO A WORKABLE LEVEL. THESE FREQUENT STOPS CREATED A HAZARD FOR EVERYONE ELSE TRAVELING THAT STRETCH OF HIGHWAY AND CREATED A RISK OF ENGINE FAILURE AND/OR FIRE IN A GENERALLY REMOTE AREA. DURING ONE SUCH STOP WE DID SCRAPE THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE ON A GUARD RAIL UNDER A RAILROAD TRESTLE. THE DAMAGE HAS NOT YET BEEN ESTIMATED BUT I EXPECT IT TO BE APPROXIMATELY $3,000. THE PROBLEM WAS EVENTUALLY TRACED BY FREIGHTLINER SAN DIEGO TO A TOO SHORT CRANKCASE BLOWBY VENT ON THE ENGINE THAT ALLOWED CRANKCASE OIL MIST TO BE SPRAYED ON THE FORWARD SIDE OF THE RADIATOR BY THE COOLING FAN. SUBSEQUENTLY, DUST AND DIRT THROWN UP DURING DRIVING WAS ABSORBED BY THE OIL AND ESSENTIALLY BLOCKED THE AIR FLOW OVER THE RADIATOR. AFTER SOME MILES (OURS WAS AT ABOUT 49000+ MILES) THE BLOCKAGE BECOMES GREAT ENOUGH TO CAUSE ALMOST TOTAL FAILURE. GIVEN ITS LOCATION THE SIDE OF THE RADIATOR AFFECTED IS NOT VISIBLE TO INSPECTION WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT EFFORT. THE SOLUTION WAS TO REMOVE THE RADIATOR AND THE AIR CHARGE COOLER, CLEAN THEM AND REINSTALL THEM. IN ADDITION, FREIGHTLINER PROVIDED A REPLACEMENT FOR THE CRANKCASE BLOWBY TUBE THAT IS LONGER AND SENDS THE OIL BELOW THE RADIATOR (I.E., THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AT FREIGHTLINER). I DO NOT HAVE THE ORIGINAL TUBE. THE COST FOR THE CLEANING WAS $2,403.78 AND THE PART WAS $256.58 (DONE AT SEPARATE FACILITIES).*TR
NHTSA complaint 10289786
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file.
Investigations
1 NHTSA investigation on file
- PE05014 Preliminary evaluation, Equipment
POTENTIAL MOVEMENT OF WASHER/DRYER
Opened Mar 17, 2005, closed Apr 19, 2005 · led to a recall
Source: NHTSA ODI investigations file.
Service bulletins
12 manufacturer communications cover this model year
Technical service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer sent to dealers. A bulletin is not a recall.
- NHTSA #25E-004 (Cummins) Mar 12, 2025 · Other
CSA-043 FCCC Chassis with Cummins L9 Engine Low Pressure Fuel Hose Tiffin received from Daimler Campaign # F1016; Cummins Campaign # C7111. Cummins Inc. has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain Cummins L9 engines man… - Letter to dealer Nov 10, 2017 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
This was a letter to our dealers we sent out when we first heard of the Kidde fire extinguisher recall, even though it was still unofficial. We knew our coaches on the dealers' lots contained Kidde and could not be sold unreplaced. - 16AWG Jul 16, 2015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
RV: INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO INSTALL THE CHARGE SOLENOID WIRING IN A RV OR VEHICLE. *TA - WI-269 May 23, 2014 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
TIFFIN MOTORHOMES: EXHAUST TIP AND PIPES TO THE MUFFLER ON PHAETON MODELS NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED. *TA - WI-196 Mar 12, 2013 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
TIFFIN MOTORHOMES: TSB CONTAINS NOTIFICATION OF OWNER LETTER. SELECT DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON BELOW. SOME TIFFIN MOTORHOMES NEED DRIVER/PASSENGER SEATBELTS TIGHTENED ON THE MOUNTING BRACKETS LOCATED ON THE DRIVER/PASSENGER SIDEWALL. *TA - SB-36 Nov 24, 2015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
TIFFIN MOTORHOMES: TSB CONTAINS NOTIFICATION OF OWNER LETTER. SELECT DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON BELOW. TWO SCREWS WAS NOT INSTALLED ON THE AIR CONDITION UNITS ON THE ROOF. *TA UPDATED 11/24/15. *PE - C85-C86AC Jun 26, 2015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
TIFFIN MOTORHOMES: TSB CONTAINS NOTIFICATION OF OWNER LETTER. SELECT DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON BELOW. ALL TIFFIN MOTORHOMES WILL BE INSTALLING 2 BACK SCREWS OF THE C85 AND C86 A/C'S TO THE ROOF OF ALL TIFFIN MOTORHOMES. *TA. - SB-20 Mar 29, 2008 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
TIFFIN MOTORHOMES: THERE IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THE WATER HEATER BY PASS IN YOUR UNIT. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY IT WAS INCORRECTLY PLUMBED. CSC LETTER WAS RECEIVED. *PE - SB-18 Nov 29, 2007 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
TIFFIN MOTORHOMES: SPARTAN CHASSIS: THE LOCATION WHERE THE MUD FLAP ON CERTAIN PHAETONS COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A HOLE TO RUB IN THE TRANS OIL COOLER. CSC LETTER WAS RECEIVED. *PE - SB-21 Mar 18, 2008 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
TIFFIN MOTORHOMES SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. SWITCH BOX GROUNDING LUG. THE TAP SCREW IS NOT TIGHT ENOUGH. THIS COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS AT THE LOAD CENTER CAUSING A LOSS OF GROUND. CSC LETTER WAS RECEIVED. *PE - SB-23 Jun 6, 2008 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
TIFFIN MOTORHOMES SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. A WIRE IS NOT HOOKED UP AND NEEDS TO BE. THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM WILL WORK UNTIL ITS PROGRAM FOR A DESTINATION AND GET THE PATH TO THE DESTINATION. CSC LETTER WAS RECEIVED.… - 04024 Nov 11, 2004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
A DEFECT MAY EXIST IN SOME SEAT BELTS MANUFACTURED AND SENT TO TIFFIN MOTORHOMES. RECALL 04E-024 HAS BEEN ISSUED. *TT
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications files.