Paint bubbles?

[Blue Dogs]

Hi all,

So doing spring cleaning on the trailer (2014 38RL) and was shocked to see little paint bubbles on all the laminated surfaces. It's on the exterior doors, slides and sidewalks. Has anyone seen these? I have reported it to the dealer but don't have much hope for help as the coach is 1 year out of warranty. The bubbles are not localized but all over. There are none on the front or rear caps or metal side skirts. They are soft but none are broken. Any ideas of a cause?
Thanks in advance!
~~ Yale

[r time soon]

Yale, Do you have a painted unit or are the stripes and such actually graphics?? Vinyl graphics do bubble occasionally. Just helping to find you an answer.

Chris
2012 RW 36RL

[Blue Dogs]

Chris,
It's full body paint, no vinyl graphics what so ever.

[RomanyLife]

Hi Yale! HEY you have a FIVE YEAR structural and paint is structural. Keep us posted buddy. Yikes.

[Blue Dogs]

I hope you are correct ... I'm wondering if anyone else has seen this and knows the cause/fix. Just a repaint if there is a bonding issue won't fix it short of a complete strip ... this is not good ☹️

[ET156]

Yes I had bubblies on my front door and RW redid the door I have a 2016 39mb

[Char & Steve]

Originally Posted by ET156

Yes I had bubblies on my front door and RW redid the door I have a 2016 39mb

Was this a paint problem or something with the fiberglass?

[atom ant]

Strange it would show up now, and appears to be random. Are they soft or hard when you press on them?

[Ford truck guy]

Very strange it would happen with paint & clear coat, and not graphics.. I had that with my KZ, but it was the vinyl tape, and looked exactly like that..

Hope you find a fix, without spending money...

[xtasee]

I have seen these types of bubbles form on boats that are left in the water for extended periods with out "bottom paint". I can not tell from the pic if it a paint issue or a fiberglass problem either.

Please let us know how this turns out!

[Blue Dogs]

Originally Posted by atom ant

Strange it would show up now, and appears to be random. Are they soft or hard when you press on them?

They are soft. I got an email asking me to carefully use a heat gun to see if they shrink, they seemed to grow with heat so I stopped and reported the results to the dealer who is in communication with Crossroads.

Originally Posted by xtasee

I have seen these types of bubbles form on boats that are left in the water for extended periods with out "bottom paint". I can not tell from the pic if it a paint issue or a fiberglass problem either.

Please let us know how this turns out!

It's pretty clear they are paint bubbles they are on (at various amounts) the laminated surfaces only.

[ET156]

Steve, The bubbles were from the paint. RW had their people refinish the door in their shop. Our RW is on its way back to us from the Keystone factory they have had it for 2 months due to the bedroom slide leaking. They had to demo the inside and rebuild it with all new material .

[Blue Dogs]

UPDATE:
Well Redwood denied my initial claim saying they had contacted the paint company and the paint company told them in high humidity environments water can get under the paint and cause bubbles. I made a call to customer service, I ask if they were saying this is Normal in wet or humid climates after a very long time being placed on hold I was told that after talking it over to have the dealer submit another claim to a production manager. The dealer did as directed.

Well Today Redwood responded with this,

"THIS HAS BEEN DENIED, CRV the 2 year warranty expired 4/26/2016 on this coach, the paint is covered during that warranty period"

No other explanation given.

Reading through my owners manual there is No mention of body paint that I can find what so ever ... but I have not read every page which I will.

So apparently your full body paint on your Redwood is only warranted for 2 years and you should not park them anywhere there is moisture or rain.

Pondering what my next step is but wanted you all to have an update.

[spindrift]

Have you attempted to establish a "personal" relationship with anyone at RW that might be more willing to listen to your situation? Otherwise, you're saying Hello to the legal system.

[Blue Dogs]

I had some but they are now gone, when I call customer service and ask to talk with someone ... anyone I get a brick wall saying that the issues has been reviewed and declined by management so there is no one to talk with. I ask for a reason and got the same answer.
So apparently they prefer to go the legal rout. I certainly would never recommend Redwood to anyone when the people running it have no time for their customers.

[spindrift]

I feel your pain. It's a darn shame that they subject their customers to this kind of treatment, especially at this price point. I'm so very grateful that our rig hasn't suffered from some of these major flaws.

[baxterdusers]

Originally Posted by Blue Dogs

Hi all,

So doing spring cleaning on the trailer (2014 38RL) and was shocked to see little paint bubbles on all the laminated surfaces. It's on the exterior doors, slides and sidewalks. Has anyone seen these? I have reported it to the dealer but don't have much hope for help as the coach is 1 year out of warranty. The bubbles are not localized but all over. There are none on the front or rear caps or metal side skirts. They are soft but none are broken. Any ideas of a cause?
Thanks in advance!
~~ Yale

Hello Yale,
My 2014 Redwood has recently developed these same pimples in the paint. Have you (or others) come up with any explanation as to what is causing this? Thanks, Doug Baxter

[XCMARK]

I am only guessing , the paint most likely had a spec of dust in it and the bond from the fiberglass is broken the paint. knowing its urethane paint it is susceptible to adhesion issue. I would be upset knowing there in the paint , for now if I had to pay for a repair of this type I would hold off. I question if its poor prep pre primer/ paint that has caused this or dust under the paint. Urethane paint is very flexible even after years of hot sun .Urethane paints strip very easy with strait edge razor blades , the cars I have stripped with Sikens urethane paint in the past coils up like paper with a razor laying at about 10* to the surface and can be stretched about 25% before it cracks . If lays back down after a few heat cycles then it maybe its water trapped. I would not put direct heat on the bubble its only going to expand more in my opinion.


you could also try contacting the vender that painted the RV for Redwood , I would think that they may offer advice . Mine if I recall was painted at precision RV painting in Indiana. I would not get my hopes up that they will do any warranty work but I am sure they can help with a repair. Wish you the best of luck and keep us posted !