FYI The RV fun never ends

[Joe Dutchstar]

Tonight there was a mighty loud explosion in the bathroom. The sink literally exploded. Glass everywhere.
Doesn’t help that we’ve been going since 5 AM. This is at 8:30 tonight.

 

[Rosy]

Crazy. Sorry to hear that happened to you. I'd be interested to know what the cause was when you eventually figure it out.

 

[turbopilot]

Grok's take:

Tempered glass vessel sinks, popular for their sleek look in bathrooms and kitchens, can sometimes shatter spontaneously without any obvious impact or warning. This "explosion" isn't literal but results in the entire sink breaking into thousands of small, pebble-like pieces—a safety feature of tempered glass designed to reduce injury from large shards. Reports of this happening date back over a decade, with incidents shared across forums, news outlets, and social media, though it's relatively rare.Why Does This Happen?The breakage is typically due to one or more of these factors:

• Nickel Sulfide Inclusions: During manufacturing, tiny impurities like nickel sulfide crystals can get trapped in the glass. These are harmless at first but expand slightly over time (especially with heat exposure), creating internal stress that eventually causes the whole pane to shatter. This is the most common culprit in spontaneous tempered glass failures.
• Thermal Shock: Sudden temperature changes, such as running hot water followed by cold (or vice versa), can exacerbate stresses in the glass, leading to breakage. Sinks are particularly vulnerable since they're exposed to frequent water temperature swings.
• Installation or Edge Damage: If the sink was over-tightened during setup (e.g., the drain assembly putting uneven pressure), or if it has micro-chips on the edges from handling, vibrations or daily use can trigger failure over months or years.

In many cases, owners report hearing a loud "bang" like a gunshot, with glass scattering across the room—sometimes even into adjacent areas. No major widespread recalls have been issued for all tempered glass sinks, but affected individuals often contact manufacturers for replacements under warranty.

 

[redbaron]

Glass, bathroom sinks exploded - iRV2 Forums

We were packing up to leave this morning when Lisa hears a loud crash. She goes to the bathroom and the outboard sink just exploded like a windshield. Glass everywhere. What a damn mess! 20 minutes

www.irv2.com

Not the first one. This is a warranty issue, defective product

 

[Joe Dutchstar]

Hopefully Newmar steps up. This effectively ends are trip for now. We will be in Nappanee on Tuesday, hopefully.

 

[Neal]

Bummer Joe. But I think you were in Newmar's range so the timing probably couldn't be better for you. Wishing you a quick fixup as I'm sure they'll take good care of you.

 

[sheridany]

@Joe Dutchstar, A good friend of mine had that happen to him less than a month ago in a brand new DS—same situation.

EDIT: I need to correct an incorrect statement. The dealer, who shall be unnamed, pushed back on replacing it under warranty even though the owner bought it from them. The owner contacted Newmar, and they agreed to send a replacement sink to the dealer. Then the dealer wanted the owner to pay the labor. He refused and said get it from Newmar. Newmar ended up paying it.

 

[redbaron]

@Joe Dutchstar, A good friend of mine had that happen to him less than a month ago in a brand new DS—same situation. He had to push Newmar to cover it.

That’s typical Newmar with any customer service action that is beyond the basic needs.

 

[turbopilot]

That’s typical Newmar with any customer service action that is beyond the basic needs.

I just can't get my head around putting a tempered glass sink in anything much less a moving, bouncing Class A motorhome.

 

[Neal]

That's what I wonder, do you replace it with the same or learn this lesson and go with something else?

 

[Joe Dutchstar]

We will see on Tuesday. Gearing up for a battle. Not going to rollover on charges or timing. None of this we don’t have time now stuff.

 

[Joe Dutchstar]

As I review the last 20 months or so of ownership of the DutchStar, it seems that the majority of trips is to correct deficiencies or outright failure of parts. This is my third visit to Newmar Service, added Spartan this year. I’ve been to JoSam twice, Cummins for third try at coolant leaks, Newmar could not get them fixed, twice, Eagle Pride to replace the steering box, a couple of visits to General RV in Orlando for various warranty repairs.
Seems excessive to me and darn expensive.
This first year series of visits I attributed to typical first year warranty issues.
But now well into the second year and the issues have not relented. Spartan flagged steering box and linkage needed new bolts and retorque.
Now exploding sinks!!!???
Is there an end to this? When does the fun part start?

 

[turbopilot]

This was exactly my experience with my first Class A in 2018, a Newmar New Aire. It took my 9 months to get the rig ready for the first trip. Local dealer was useless, Newmar tech support was awful. Luckily I sold it for near the purchase price during the pandemic RV bubble. What a relief to see it drive away. My experience may have been different if I lived near the mother ship. But out on the West coast I found a service wasteland. My biggest frustration with the failures was the finger pointing between Newmar and Freightliner. Newmar would not take ownership of all the problems in the coach.

 

[team bradfield]

Sorry to hear that Joe, we are at the opposite end, very happy with our rig. Most of our issues I could handle easily