Question 2023 Coachmen Pursuit 29SS

[Jerry and Sue]

We just purchased the above motorhome and it had 2800 miles on it. It has a strange knocking/banging sound you can actually feel in your foot if you are sitting at the dinette when going slow after a turn. We are completely baffled and have looked everywhere we can see to locate something causing the noise. Could it be a brake, parking brake? We are concerned about driving it back to the dealer where we purchased it (about 160 miles). We don't hear it while driving on the highway but we did hear it when test driving, common thought was it was something banging because it was empty. Now it is loaded and still the same noise. Any suggestions? We live in a small town and the only place to have the brakes checked is Les Schwab but they don't work on motorhomes. Thanks for any insights anyone can offer.

 

[Jerry and Sue]

Hello again...just an additional note about what we have done so far to troubleshoot the noise. We took out every drawer and opened every opening possible, checked under the dinette, etc. including going under the coach to check if there was a cable banging against a bin. The hood was loose so that has been corrected. The platform for the underbed storage seemed to bang when pushed so that is fully secured now. We are not new to RVing and have run out of ideas for places the noise could generate. It seems to travel fine, no pulling on brakes, everything works and we like the coach except this one issue.

 

[John&Andrea]

I would contact the dealer, make a list of the items that need to be addressed and head back. That is your best option in my opinion. Hopefully they will work with you.

 

[Jerry and Sue]

I would contact the dealer, make a list of the items that need to be addressed and head back. That is your best option in my opinion. Hopefully they will work with you.

Thanks, we have been in touch with them but they are 160 miles from us and we are concerned about driving it that far if it is serious. We have an appt. with our local mechanic we trust completely and will take it back to the dealer for repairs if necessary. They are very cooperative. We love the coach and it is just this one issue. We just wondered if anyone else has had the same issue.

 

[Jerry and Sue]

Just and update...we took the motorhome to our local wizard mechanic. He checked it all out and found that the sway bars were both very loose and banging. He tightened them to the factory recommended torque and now the noise is gone. He suspects they were not properly tightened at the factory. After ordering a new motorhome several years ago from another manufacturer and discovering that final quality control was very sorely lacking, it doesn't surprise us to hear quality control could be lacking in this case as well.

 

[Wemustrv]

Welcome to RVforums! Good news glad you have taken care of the problem. Let the new journeys begin.

 

[Boat Bum]

Ford F53 rear sway bar brackets are notorious for the bolts breaking and backing out, check these often. Also the manifold bolts, especially the driver side.

 

[Jerry and Sue]

Thanks, good to know. We had a F53 V10 for 17 years and never had a problem, but it was a Class B. We will keep an eye on it.

 

[Boat Bum]

I replaced my passenger rear sway bracket this year, one bolt snapped off and the other backed out; this I fixed myself. Also this year my inspection showed two manifold bolts snapped off, they said they do at least one a week (snapped missing bolts).

 

[Vint]

Good to hear you got the problem safely resolved.

Thanks for reporting back to the forum with the fix.

 

[Jerry and Sue]

I have another update. Turns out the noise was not only the stabilizer bars. It was still there when warmed up going about 2-4 mph. It also grabbed when in reverse backing into a downhill space. We tried numerous Ford dealers in Washington and Montana and none work on this chassis. Even Ford USA never called us back to help us find a place to work on the issue. Long story short, we finally came across an RV dealer in Liberty Lake Washington that works on chassis issues and Coach issues. It is about 200 miles from our home and luckily for us, we were not doing any damage to the brakes by driving it. Turns out the wheel that adjusts how tight the parking brake is needed to be loosened. The tech did it once and it was not enough, again onto the lift, and adjust again, The second time it was fixed. We can feel the difference when we put the parking brake on and it now makes no noise at slow speed nor grabbing backing up. Ford should do a recall as in our research we have found several people with this same problem. Some have had severe damage to rotors melting out of round, burning paint, and more. We intend to apply for reimbursement from Ford not because it was overly expensive to fix but because no one should have to buy a practically new coach and not be able to find ANYONE that works on the chassis at a Ford dealer. They should do a recall and be prepared to fix it. Ford told us our chassis was a 2022. It was made into a motorhome in 2023 and sold for the first time in July of 2024. They took it on one 1000 mile trip and traded it in on a 5th wheel (we think we know why!!). We purchased in June of 2025 with 2800 miles on it and Ford says we are out of the 3 year warranty. We were told to appeal if we choose. We choose. Thanks for listening!

 

[AbdRahim]

Indeed. Ford is strange. The warranty period begins when the MH manufacturer buys the chassis. So if the chassis sits for a year or more before a MH is built, then sits in a dealer lot for another six months or more, the customer is…. Well, you know.

All you can do is fix it, then enjoy. As far as service goes, look for a light truck service center, nearby that has a good reputation.

 

[ashtonexplores]

We just purchased the above motorhome and it had 2800 miles on it. It has a strange knocking/banging sound you can actually feel in your foot if you are sitting at the dinette when going slow after a turn. We are completely baffled and have looked everywhere we can see to locate something causing the noise. Could it be a brake, parking brake? We are concerned about driving it back to the dealer where we purchased it (about 160 miles). We don't hear it while driving on the highway but we did hear it when test driving, common thought was it was something banging because it was empty. Now it is loaded and still the same noise. Any suggestions? We live in a small town and the only place to have the brakes checked is Les Schwab but they don't work on motorhomes. Thanks for any insights anyone can offer.

Congrats on the new rig! The knocking you’re feeling could be a few things. Sometimes it’s driveline slack (u-joint or slip yoke) that thumps after a turn, or even a sway bar bushing or shock mount up front. A sticky parking brake shoe can also make a clunk when it releases.
Since you feel it through the dinette floor, it might even be something mounted underneath in that area (tank, bracket, etc.). If it’s still under warranty, I’d have the dealer look at it—worth documenting with a quick video so you can show them. For the 160-mile trip, I’d just take it easy; if it was a brake failure you’d usually notice pulling or heat at the wheels.

 

[John&Andrea]

I had one warranty issue repaired inside the Ford warranty in the first year of ownership. Two minor recalls as well, recalls will always get attention.
It is had to find a service center to do work. I have one about 20 miles for home and so far has been good. On the road I’m sure will be a different story. I hope we never need on the road.