Chevy Cruze Automatic No Longer Approved For Flat Towing
FMC recently was notified by several FMCA members that Chevrolet has issued a bulletin and supplemental owners manual page that advises owners not to flat tow Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, even though the owners manual states that the vehicle can be towed four wheels down.
The letter to owners states: “We are contacting you to make you aware that General Motors has received reports of transmissions overheating while towing 2011 model year Chevrolet Cruze vehicles, equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission, with all four wheels on the ground (dinghy towing). In a few cases, this had led to damage to internal transmission components, and required replacement of the transmission.”
The company advises that the vehicle should be towed with the rear wheels on the ground and the front wheels on a dolly.
This notice does not affect Cruze vehicles with manual transmissions, which can be towed four wheels down.
Cruze owners who have questions or concerns are directed to contact Chevrolet Customer Assistance at (800) 222-1020.
Refrigerator Cooling
We purchased a new 2008 Monaco Diplomat 40DPQ in August 2009 and have not been happy with the performance of the refrigerator. It is a Dometic NDA 1402 side-by-side unit that is located in the living room slideout. We had it serviced a few months after purchase and found it was missing insulation from the factory installation and that there was a loose wire on the circuit board. The refrigerator seemed to work a little better once repairs were made, but not like the refrigerator we had in our previous motorhome.
We live in Arizona and know that it can be difficult to cool down a refrigerator in order to load it with supplies. During my most recent test, I set the motorhome air conditioner at 76 degrees Fahrenheit and set the refrigerator at 5, its coldest setting. Thirty hours later “” with an outside temperature range of 90 degrees to 105 degrees “” the refrigerator was at 40 degrees and the freezer at 2 degrees. As soon as we opened the refrigerator to store supplies, the temperature jumped to 50 degrees, and it took forever for the refrigerator to cool down again.
When driving on trips for long periods of time, we notice that the refrigerator temperature actually can get warmer due to poor air circulation through the two outside vents located on the slideout wall. I had a short discussion with a fellow RVer, and he said he needed to put two computer fans with a switch in the lower vent to help circulation when driving. Before he got on the road he would turn on the fans, and they helped keep the unit cold during driving. I contacted a local service center, and they said they had heard of this and could do something in the $450 to $500 range, which I thought was excessive.
Have you heard of this problem before, and will the fans help? I am fairly handy and checked with a local computer store. They have fans that sell for about $20 each and a switch for $10, but I am not sure where I would hook them up for constant power while driving. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Larry Wagner, F309274
Avondale, Arizona
In order for a cooling unit to perform in a slideout, the installation must be done according to the installation instructions provided by Dometic:
A. No air space (zero!) above the refrigerator. B. Zero clearance on both sides. C. Dual fans factory installed at the proper places just below the condenser with auto temperature switch. D. A sweeping turn at the top for air to be directed at the upper vent.
The small, silent computer fans that you mentioned may provide some mental comfort, but they might actually hinder airflow, especially if installed near the bottom of the refrigerator. If anything, they should be located near the top of the access space behind the refrigerator. I suggest you use the fans that Dometic recommends. Make absolutely sure the doors have a perfect air seal and the clock is set correctly. With all of this, and if the cooling unit has not been damaged from overheating, the refrigerator has a chance. Refrigerators in slideouts are a real challenge.
Call Dometic Tech Service (800-544-4881) and talk with Al McGuire or Bob Hornor; they are most familiar with the NDA 1402 model.
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