Towing Solution For Jeep Cherokee
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US LLC (FCA) has announced plans for resolving a problem that sometimes occurs when 2014-16 Jeep Cherokees are towed four wheels down behind a motorhome.
FCA released a statement in response to inquiries by Family Motor Coaching magazine and concerns of a number of Jeep owners who reported problems when flat towing their Cherokees. The owners reported that the vehicle sometimes wobbles significantly, raising safety concerns. The wobble reportedly has occurred at slow speeds and at highway speeds, and has happened with a variety of motorhomes and towing systems. The only way to stop the wobble, owners have said, is to bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
The FCA statement said: “Under certain operating conditions, such as traveling excessively bumpy or poorly maintained roads, the flat-towed vehicle may not consistently track in line with the tow vehicle.” The cause, according to the statement: “The vehicle’s Electronic Power Steering (EPS) system is inactive while the vehicle is being flat-towed with the ignition in the ‘off’ position. Accordingly, the vehicle does not benefit from the system’s function.”
A Jeep official said the company knows of several dozen Cherokee owners who have experienced the problem. They will be contacted, and FCA will “provide a complimentary jumper wire harness and switch to ensure the vehicle’s EPS system has power to function while it is being flat-towed. These components have been engineered and validated by FCA US LLC and will be made available to all customers through MOPAR, as early as January 29. In addition, all Cherokee owners will be contacted directly by FCA US and provided with updated instructions for flat-towing. These instructions supersede all previous instructions. Also, the vehicle’s online owners manual will be updated.”
Family Motor Coaching brought the problem to the attention of Fiat Chrysler in September 2015 after an FMCA member contacted the magazine and provided a link to a video showing a Cherokee wobbling as it was being towed behind a motorhome. FCA assigned engineers and technicians to investigate and resolve the problem. For more information, Cherokee owners can call Jeep Customer Assistance Center at (877) 426-5337.
Imprints Help Celebrate National Park Centennial
It would take a monumental effort for even the most dedicated motorhomer to visit all 409 units of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) in 2016, its centennial year. Still, the Passport to Your National Parks program is offering a bit of an incentive: special centennial Passport cancellation stamps at national parks throughout the country.
Nearly all national parks participate in the program, which consists of a Passport guidebook, an annual series of commemorative sticker-style stamps, a companion mobile app, and the ink cancellation stamps.
At each NPS site, visitors can get their Passports marked with the special ink stamp. It features a round cancellation graphic with the name of the individual park around the top of the circle and “NPS Centennial” around the bottom. A middle line reads “1916-2016.”
The special cancellation stamps will be available through 2016. To see a sample of the stamp imprint and get more information, visit http://easternnational.org/what-we-do/passport.
Two Governors Receive Great Outdoors Award
Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead and Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon are the recipients of the 2015 Sheldon Coleman Great Outdoors Award, which is presented by the American Recreation Coalition to an individual whose efforts have contributed substantially to enhancing outdoor experiences in America. Only once before has the annual award gone to more than one person.
Gov. Mead’s efforts include supporting Great Outdoors Month; hosting the initial Wyoming Capital Campout; and enlisting the support of the state parks and tourism departments to produce a public service announcement urging people to enjoy Wyoming’s outdoors.
Gov. Nixon has supported the Katy Trail, the nation’s longest rails-to-trails project; expanded and improved Missouri’s state park system; and created the State Parks Youth Corps, a jobs initiative to enhance Missouri’s state parks and historical sites.
The award was established in memory of the late Sheldon Coleman, longtime chairman of the Coleman Company and a visionary champion of outdoor recreation and conservation.
Winnebago Appoints CEO, Buys Country Coach
Michael J. Happe became president and CEO of Winnebago Industries Inc. and was named to the board of directors of the Forest City, Iowa-based company, effective January 18, 2016. He succeeded interim CEO Larry A. Erickson, who continues as chairman of the board.
Mr. Happe is a 19-year veteran of The Toro Company, where he held a series of leadership positions. He most recently was executive officer and group vice president of Toro’s residential and contractor businesses.
The news of Mr. Happe’s appointment came three weeks after the December 1 announcement that Winnebago had purchased the motorhome production facilities, equipment, and intellectual property rights of Country Coach in Junction City, Oregon.
Winnebago officials said demand for the company’s motorhomes has made it difficult for its Forest City manufacturing facility to keep up. That “caused us to look elsewhere to find a location that had sufficient labor capacity to meet those demands,” Scott Degnan, vice president of sales and product management, said in a news release.
Winnebago will move production of select diesel products to the 200,000-square-foot Junction City facilities, with the transition expected to be complete in the second half of 2017. With the move, Winnebago expects to increase its production of Type A gasoline and Type C motorhomes in Forest City. The Junction City plant will handle increased production of diesel products as demand rises. And company officials noted that they ultimately plan to revive the Country Coach brand.
Winnebago’s total investment in the expansion — including land, buildings, modifications, equipment, and technology infrastructure — is estimated to be between $15 million and $20 million.
Tour Company Reveals Top RV Destinations
Fantasy RV Tours and Creative World Travel, which operates 50 tours to more than 40 locations, has compiled a list of the top five travel destinations for RVers, based on the number of information requests Fantasy receives each year. The list follows, starting with the most popular.
- Alaska: Many consider it the ultimate RV experience, with the chance to see grizzly and black bears, moose, bald eagles, and glaciers.
- The Kentucky Derby: Louisville offers weeklong festivities during Derby days.
- The Canadian Maritime Provinces: They consist of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia. Toss in Newfoundland, too, as a top destination.
- Polar Bear Migration, Manitoba, Canada: For part of this trip, RVers leave their vehicles behind and travel to remote areas by chartered plane or train for encounters with polar bears.
- The path of Lewis & Clark: It took the original expedition more than two years to travel from St. Louis, Missouri, to the Oregon coast. RVers on tour cover the route in 45 days.
FMCA members receive discounts on all caravans and rallies offered by Fantasy RV Tours, as well as savings on FMCA member-only tours offered through the FMCA Tour Connection, powered by Fantasy RV Tours.
For more information, visit www.fantasyrvtours.com/fmca.
Jayco Increasing Customer Service Space
A 36,000-foot expansion of the parts warehouse of Jayco’s customer service department in Middlebury, Indiana, is expected to be completed this spring. The expanded warehouse will consist of a 10,055-square-foot mezzanine and 26,018 square feet on the main floor. The addition will bring the customer service facility on Jayco’s main campus to approximately 110,000 square feet, or about 2.5 acres.
“The increase in space will allow us to cut lead times on parts shipping by allowing us to stock more parts, especially those which are critical to the use of our units,” said Dave Eash, a Jayco vice president. “In addition, we will be better equipped and more efficient in our parts warehouse, which will increase the number of parts orders we’re able to ship out in any given day.”