Most Common Problems with Phoenix Cruiser

The Phoenix Cruiser is a Class B+/C motorhome with a 7.3 V-8 gas engine and a Ford E-450 frame. It is from Phoenix USA RV. In comparison to other major line manufacturers, the workmanship and construction of this cruiser are quite nice.

But the cruiser is not without fault. Some of the most common problems with Phoenix Cruiser are city water leak, slide-out failure, vibrating AC, rainwater leakage, leaking valve extenders and many more.

Do you know why these problems occur? When do problems start to appear? And how do you solve these problems? In this article, I will collectively answer all these questions. Stay tuned till the end!

Problems and Solutions at a Glance

Problems with Phoenix CruiserSolutions
City Water LeakReplace the check valve.
Slide Out FailureFill drip spout with silicone. A system replacement.
Vibrating ACTighten the hold-down bolts.
Rainwater LeakageSecure rusted, rotted or damaged parts of the RV.
Leaking Valve ExtendersTighten the loose connection with a wrench.
Failure Of Water ValvesInstall new unit, Anderson Brass 4 Way Water Distribution Panel.  
Battery Disconnect Solenoid FailureBurned solenoid contacts need to be replaced.
Miscellaneous ProblemsTaking to the dealer shop.

Common Problems with Phoenix Cruiser and the Solutions

Several warranty issues occur within 35 days to three months (approximately) of purchase. 2017 has seen many complaints on Phoenix Cruiser. Some are summarized below:

1. City Water Leak:

When the hose is connected to city water and the valve is turned on, water slowly leaks past the filter and overflows the freshwater tank. As long as the city water is connected and turned on, it continues to overflow.

The Fix:

A new check valve is rather inexpensive. Remove the water line from the city water connection. Then punch out the old check valve components.

Following that, screw in a fresh new brass check valve on the inside, and reattach the water line you removed earlier with the water turned off.

2. Slide Out Failure:

The slide appears to function normally at first. It begins to hop and crack after a few cycles of opening and closing. It is as if some spur gears jumped a slot or two on the gear rack. You may feel like some spur gear teeth broke off.

When traveling at high speeds in the rain, it will leak like a sieve. The rubber gasket on the top seam and the drip spout on the leading edge are to blame for the problem.

The main culprit is the Lippert Schwintek Slide-Out System. The quality of slides varies by brand. Because they are badly conceived and produced, many slides should and will cause difficulties when examined attentively.

The Fix:

To prevent water from leaking backward via the drip spout, fill it with silicone. The repair includes a complete replacement of the slide-out system and motors (change with higher ratio motors).

3. Vibrating AC:

The AC, especially the one at the front vibrates. It makes enough annoyance to not let you talk. Sometimes the AC vibrates the entire RV with it. It is difficult to use the AC due to this.

The Fix:

The hold-down bolt is a object to start troubleshooting. Check to see if they are snug.

Remove the interior cover to reveal four bolts, one in each corner. They should be snug but not suffocating. This may assist with the issue.

4. Rainwater Leakage:

If you leave the slide extended during a downpour, water may enter and wet the carpet. It doesn’t just leak when there is a slide-out issue.

Moreover, even a small amount of dew can cause a bad leak on the center console and driver’s floor.

The Fix:

This issue may occur mainly due to rust. Holes form under the glass windshield trim due to faulty/inefficient primer and paint.

The leak could be in the doorway’s lower step. The timber rots quickly there. Thoroughly clean it and place some cardboard under the linoleum.

A leak in the sink drain may be causing rainwater leaks. The drain would have to be re-sealed as part of the fix.

5. Leaking Valve Extenders:

This problem results in flat tires, repetitively. One or both tires flat without an apparent reason may be attributed to leaking extenders. Or the connection to the valve stem may be loose on every single one.

The Fix:

Tighten the loose connection using a wrench a half-turn more than hand-tight. There must be enough pressure on the seal of the connection to acquire proper compression and prevent loosening of the connection.

6. Failure Of  Water Valves:

The water tank continues to fill and overflow. When the cruiser was connected to the City position, water continued to flow into the cruiser and out of the overflow on the passenger side.

The Fix:

Any dealer will send you a new assembly. But you might want to think about just taking the 200-RV valve out. Anderson Brass manufactures the 4 Way Water Distribution Panel.

They have a UTube installation of their 200-RV-RK valve. It’s done entirely on the outside, with nothing removed except the valve itself.

7. Battery Disconnect Solenoid Failure:

A solenoid failure causes the battery power to turn off. The battery power indicator light briefly illuminates before dissipating. You will have to resort to shore power.

Certain electrical burning smells might also exist.

The Fix:

Your solenoid has burned contacts and needs to be replaced. Change it with another much higher amperage.

8. Miscellaneous Issues:

Toilet flush issues, heating system malfunctioning, gasoline leaks causing fumes and smell, battery ground falling off due to over-torques screw heads are just some of the many problems.

Users have reported having as many as 16 problems fixed right after the purchase of the RV.

The Fix:

The only seemingly fix is to take it to the factory. There, the fixes are done under the warranty (until they are not).

What Majority of the Users Feel?

No RV is “aircraft-quality,” and the Phoenix Cruiser is a flawed machine. Especially if compared to truly high-dollar items like planes. Even when compared to automobiles, they are mass-produced but with extremely sophisticated processes and controls.

Looking at the complaints online, it is becoming clear that you might or might not receive a good instructor from this firm anymore. Accept frequent repairing as a part of the package.

The Cruiser owners, on the other hand, do not appear to be whiners. At least not in comparison to many others. They’re pretty ordinary consumers as it seems.

Final Thoughts

The only reason Phoenix owners are happy is that they demand less. In reality, a cruiser is an imperfect machine. So, Phoenix Cruiser problems will be regular.

But when you take it to the repair shop you can see that they jump to aid to make the vehicle run on streets again. Moreover, if you have to buy the cruiser, the V10 is a good machine!

Related Posts:

[su_list icon=”icon: mail-forward” icon_color=”#07cd56″]

[/su_list]

Similar Posts