CSR

Grand Design · NHTSA safety record

2017 Grand Design Solitude

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

10

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2017 Grand Design Solitude have filed 10 safety complaints with NHTSA between May 2017 and December 2025. The most complained-about system is the brakes, named in 4 of them (40%). The typical failure was reported at 3,600 miles, the median across the 8 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Recalls (2)

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:REFRIGERATOR

22V038000 · January 28, 2022

The defect
Grand Design RV, LLC (Grand Design) is recalling certain 2013-2021 Momentum, Solitude, and Reflection recreational vehicles. A 110-volt wire in the refrigerator cabinet may be improperly secured, which could result in the wire contacting the refrigerator cooling unit, causing an electrical arc.
The risk
An electrical arc increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace any damaged wiring, and properly secure the wires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 21, 2022. Owners may contact Grand Design customer service at 1-574-825-9679. Grand Design's number for this recall is 910026.

Grand Design RV, LLC · up to 43,421 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:REFRIGERATOR

20V523000 · August 28, 2020

The defect
Grand Design RV, LLC (Grand Design) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Solitude recreational trailers. The liquid propane (LP) supply line that runs through the exterior lower refrigerator compartment may contact the burner tube of the refrigerator, possibly damaging the line and causing an LP gas leak.
The risk
An LP gas leak increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Grand Design will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the LP supply line for damage, replacing it as necessary. All lines in the vicinity of the burner tube will be wrapped in a thermal foil heat barrier material, then secured away from the burner tube of the refrigerator with additional P-clamps, free of charge. The recall began September 17, 2020. Owners may contact Grand Design customer service at 1-574-825-9679. Grand Design's number for this recall is 910021.

Grand Design RV, LLC · up to 8,161 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Frame Flex on Grand Design Fifth Wheel Recreational Trailers

PE24029

Still open preliminary evaluation · opened October 9, 2024

the body structure

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received twenty-three complaints alleging excessive frame flex on model year 2017-2023 Grand Design fifth wheel recreational trailers, models Momentum and Solitude. Twenty-two of the complaints allege that excessive frame flex resulted in a cargo or entry door opening while in transit, some with objects lost on roadways, while six complaints also state that slideouts extended out partially. ODI has been in contact with both Grand Design and Lippert, the frame manufacturer. Grand Design believes that some frame flex, generally considered to be vertical movement in the upper deck area of the fifth wheel, is normal. However, Grand Design has developed a technical service bulletin (TSB), to evaluate concerns of excessive frame flex, defined as vertical movement greater than 3/8 inch. Per Grand Design, the frame flex is only occurring in the upper deck area of the fifth wheel and is resulting in cosmetic defects such as moving sidewalls, damage to cabinets, binding doors, etc. However, Lippert believes that the effects of frame flex may also extend back to the front axle of the trailer.While Lippert provides frames for multiple trailer manufacturers, the majority of complaints are for these Grand Design products. Cargo and entry doors that open and slideouts that extend while in transit increase the risk of injury or a crash. ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to evaluate the severity of the potential problem and to determine whether an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety exists. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 10.

SERVICE BRAKES 4 40%
SUSPENSION 4 40%
STRUCTURE 3 30%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 10%
WHEELS 1 10%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2017 at 4.

2017 2025
2017 to 2025

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

STRUCTURE

55,000 miles

The contact owns a 2017 Grand Design Solitude. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact became aware of a gap in the corner of the RV overhang, in the transition to the vehicle upper deck down to the lower deck. The contact became aware of movement underneath the fiberglass. Additionally, the contact stated that the bedroom doors were stuck, but upon setting the RV down on the jack stands, the doors became functional. There were several cracks in the aluminum frame and in the welds. The contact had contacted a welder, who performed welding on the defective areas. The RV was taken to the dealer, who sent more pictures of the failure to the manufacturer. The dealer

NHTSA complaint 11706718, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
The steel Frame of the 5th wheel trailer developed broken welds and cracked metal tubing. This information should be included in the following current investigation. ODI PE24029

NHTSA complaint 11633748. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION

8,000 miles

The contact owns a 2017 Grand Design Solitude RV. The contact stated that while driving, the rear axle suspension separated from vehicle. The contacted noticed that the rear axle shifted three inches towards the driver’s side. The vehicle was taken to a rest stop where an independent mechanic replaced the left and right leaf springs. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 8,000.

NHTSA complaint 11434056. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

940 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GRAND DESIGN SOLITUDE FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE BY ANOTHER DRIVER THAT THE REAR WALL OF THE TRAILER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND RATCHET STRAPPED THE BOTTOM OF THE REAR WALL ONTO THE SIDEWALL OF THE RV AND DROVE HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RV NEEDED TO BE INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 940. INVALID VIN.

NHTSA complaint 11415522. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

5,000 miles

BOUGHT NEW, AFTER 6 MONTHS OF USE THE BRAKES FAILED. THE LIPPERT AXLES ON THE COACH HAD FAILURE ON THE SEALS AND COATED THE BRAKES WITH GREASE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE ON A 16,000 TRAILER WITH NO BRAKES. LIPPERT KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON ALL OF THE TRAILERS WITH THEIR AXLES. MOST OF THE GRAND DESIGN COACHES ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM

NHTSA complaint 11071988. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY
NOTICE - LATE EMAIL.... 11/13/17 GRAND DESIGN RV 11333 COUNTY ROAD 2 MIDDLEBURY, IN 46540 GREETINGS, THIS LETTER IS REGARDING OUR 2017 SOLITUDE 375RES, VIN #[XXX]. WE PURCHASED THE UNIT IN FEBRUARY OF 2017 FROM LAZY DAYS RV IN TUCSON, AZ. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN UTAH WE FOUND THAT WE A BROKEN LEAF SPRING ON DRIVERS SIDE REAR AXEL AND THAT THE TIRE HAD BEEN DAMAGED. WE HAD THOSE REPLACED AT LES SCHWAB TIRES IN PROVO, UTAH AT OUR EXPENSE. THIS OCCURRED ON JUNE 14, 2017. I THEN CONTACTED THE FACTORY AND SPOKE WITH [XXX]. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THE PROBLEMS AND HE SAID THAT GRAND DESIGN WOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR REASONABLE COSTS. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE LEFT UTAH AND WENT CALDWELL, ID. AFTER ARRIVING THERE WE

NHTSA complaint 11066830, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Grand Design Solitude

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2023 18 6
2022 34 7
2021 30 4
2020 14 3

Other 2017 Grand Design models

Every Grand Design on this site — 24 vehicles, 60 recall campaigns and 1 open investigation .

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

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