One small battery wire cold crimp came lose when I went over a railroad track at 45 MPH and total brake system and engine failure occurred. No adequate emergency braking fail-safe type system exists on this vehicle under this condition and the vehicle weighs well over 26000 pounds. I had to coast to a stop and luckily the highway was clear.
The worst 1999 Safari Continental problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Brakes3
- Tires1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes3
- Tires1
Recalls 4
Equipment: recreational vehicle/trailer
- What is wrong
- On certain motorhomes, fifth wheels and travel trailers equipped with norcold refrigerator cooling units model numbers 1200lr and 1200rim, these refrigerators can experience low cycle fatigue failure which can lead to the liquid solution slowly leaking from the sealed, pressurized cooling unit through a small crack.
- Risk
- If a leak occurs and the unit is continually operated, hydrogen gas may be expelled and can be ignited, resulting in a fire, possibly causing serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Norcold will notify its customers and provide a replacement cooling unit free of charge. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact norcold service center at 1‑800‑667‑3005 or monaco at 574‑862‑7211.
Recall number 03V166000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components
- What is wrong
- On certain motor homes, the brake assemblies exhibit elevated temperatures that can lead to catastrophic deterioration of the wheel end components such as bearings, races, spindles, knuckles, seals, hubs, rotors, patch bolts, calipers, brake pads, and ABS sensors.
- Risk
- This could result in loss of control, and/or the potential for a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the front and rear brake calipers for corrosion and replace or rebuild the calipers as necessary. The recall began on august 18, 2004. Owners should contact monaco at 1‑800‑685‑6545.
Recall number 02V278000 · Recall details
Service brakes, air: antilock
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: motor homes equipped with meritor wabco phase 1, d-version antilock brake system (ABS), fail to comply to the requirements of fmvss no. 105, "hydraulic and electric brake systems." an internal diagnostic system in the ABS may not detect an extreme wheel speed sensor air gap. Such a condition could possibly occur during (1) original assembly or (2) subsequent wheel end service.
- Risk
- This could disable the anti-lock function on the affected wheel without providing the required operator warning that the ABS function requires servicing.
- Remedy
- The ABS ecu will be removed and replaced on these motor homes. Meritor is conducting the owner notification and remedy scheduling for this campaign. Owner notification is expected to begin during april/may 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact meritor wabco at 1‑800‑535‑5560.
Recall number 01V130001 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: 1999 and 2000 motor homes manufactured between april 2 and november 20, 1999, and equipped with ABS systems with brake wiring harness part #2505168. The electrical connector which connects to the modulator was mis-wired causing the anti-lock brake modulator to react improperly while regulating hydraulic pressure to the appropriate wheel.
- Risk
- Failure of the anti-lock braking system could cause a loss of control of the vehicle in certain braking situations.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a wiring harness update, which properly routes the electrical signal from the ecu to the modulator. 7owner notification is expected to begin july 13, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact safari/beaver/harney at 1‑800‑344‑6332.
Recall number 00V173000 · Recall details
See all 4 recalls for the 1999 Safari Continental
Defect investigations
Wiring harness incorrectly installed
The ABS brake system was incorrectly wired
SQ00013
What 1999 Safari Continental owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
1999 safari contintental brakes are defective.***no answer required***. *mr the brakes overheated and ruptured the front hub oil seals, draining the oil from the hubs. Recall#02v278000.
On may 7, 2005, I was driving my 2000 safari motorhome which is equipped with a 1999 ford e-450 chassis. I was on I-64 at beckley, wv and driving app. 55 miles per hour. Five of the 6 tires on this vehicle are firestone steeltex r4s brand and one of them had an apperent tread separation, and subsequent blowout. I managed to get keep the vehicle under control, mainly because it was on the back and it is a dual wheel chassis. The tires have 38,000 miles and are 6 years old, but the treasd is still good. When the tread separation occurred, it torn off my fuel filler tube which leads to the gas tank, and also 4 braces which hold the body to the frame. It also caused some damage to the body. There was no wreack, nor any injuries, but we were very lucky. Traffic was heavy. I have 4 other tires on this vehicle that are the same, and now I do not feel safe in driving it. Is there some type of recall so that I can replace these tires?
Parking brake caliper mounting bolts loosen and fall out allowing the caliper to be partially dislodged from the rotor, when the service brake is released the caliper slips off the rotor and the vehicle is free to roll. There are many circumstances where this will result in a catastrophic accident. In discussing this with the representatives from the chassis builder (magnum), the bracket that supports the brake caliper is underdesigned and results in the bolts loosening from service loading. When the company shipped the first replacement caliper, they did not include a new or redesigned bracket. The vehicle was recently at the factory where they did two weeks of warranty work, but did not replace or repair the parking brake assembly, even though it was explained to them in detail. It is obvious they are not concerned or adequately informed as to the potential dangers of the parking brake failure. The automatic transmission is not equiped with a park feature.
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Questions about the 1999 Safari Continental
Is the 1999 Safari Continental reliable?
Owners have filed 4 complaints about the 1999 Safari Continental, 4.0 times a typical Continental model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Safari Continental?
Brakes, with 3 complaints. Next is tires (1).
How many recalls does the 1999 Safari Continental have?
4 recalls, covering equipment, service brakes, hydraulic and service brakes, air.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Safari Continental brakes?
Yes, 3 recalls: 02V278000, 01V130001, 00V173000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
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