Dometic Tec Tower - oven door problems

[John 47]

Earlier this year, we purchased a new van with a Dometic Tec Tower arrangement for the oven, fridge and freezer. I noticed at the time that the oven door was stiff but since it was stiff on all the vans we looked at, I assumed it was just the way it was. However, after two uses, the oven door sprung open and would not close properly. I phoned our dealer (Edghill Motors of Mansfield Woodhouse - very good!) and they informed me that they'd had a lot of problems with these hinges and would change them under warranty. The replacements that Dometic sent were identical to the originals and in order to minimise the possibility of a repeat problem, Edgehill recommended that I regularly apply WD40 to the hinges (through slots on the top of the door). There is clearly a design fault here but the WD40 trick certainly makes the door open more smoothly.

[Brambles]

WD40 may give short term lubrication but as it evaporates and is really not an effecive long term solution at all. You need a high temperature lubricant or grease. If you cannot get a small economic tube then you could always go for high temperature ceramic grease in a sachet for brake components., which you will get in most motor factors or accessory shops, or indeed a little bit from yor friendly local garage.

 

 

[John 47]

Brambles - 2013-09-11 7:08 PM

 

WD40 may give short term lubrication but as it evaporates and is really not an effecive long term solution at all. You need a high temperature lubricant or grease. If you cannot get a small economic tube then you could always go for high temperature ceramic grease in a sachet for brake components., which you will get in most motor factors or accessory shops, or indeed a little bit from yor friendly local garage.

 

 

Thanks for the info.

 

The problem is that the hinges are not readily accessible - or visible - and any lubricant has to be applied through a slot above the hinge, which is, I guess, why Edgehill recommended a spray. I'll certainly follow up your suggestion, though, and ask at our local motor factors shop.

[Brambles]

If they are properly lubricated with grease when asssemled into the door then you would not need to keep lubricating them. If you can only manage to spray lubricant in via the slot then you can get high temperature spray greases. WD40 will just dry out the hinge as it evaporates over a few weeks. If the hinges are subjected to heat then WD40 and most other normal temperature oils will degrade with temperature and become acidic and actually cause corrosion rather than reduce it.

[John 47]

The high temperature spray greases sound interesting - think I'll enquire about them. There is no doubt that there is a design fault because so many of these oven doors have gone wrong and, to be frank, I am not impressed with the Dometic tec-tower oven. The fridge and freezer are very efficient but the oven is too high, too small and not as effective as the one in our previous motorhome, so I don't think we'll be using it very much anyway. Thanks for the advice.

[Mad Mitch]

Apologies for resurrecting this historic thread, but I felt I should share our current problem with you. We too have had problems with our Dometic oven door , which is (was) very stiff. Whilst parked up in an area in the lovely Spanish town of Sanlucar de Barrameda yesterday one of the hinges broke, leaving the oven unusable. We have contacted Dometic UK, as trying to find local agents online produced addresses in Finland!

 

We have previously complained to Timberland, the suppliers of our Burstner, who confirmed that this was a known problem. We were already abroad at that time and presumed we could survive until our return. Our motorhome is just six months old.

 

We now await a response from Dometic, in the hope that this problem can be resolved easily and quickly.

 

Mad Mitch.

[BKen1]

Searching Dometic agents throws up this company in your area may be worth a try .They seem to do just about every manufacturer ,if they cant help they may point too who can.

 

 

 

Refrigeracion Mayorga

Postal address

C/Crucero Baleares 30

ES-11500 El Puerto de Santa María

Cadiz

 

Have you tried the local motor caravan agents

 

Caravanas Puerto

Ctra Nacional IV, Km 655

11500 El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz)

 

Coordenadas GPS:

36º 34` 54,29" N - 6º 12`56,06" O

http://www.caravanaspuerto.es/localizacion.htm

 

Brian

[Mad Mitch]

Hi Brian.

 

I'm very grateful for your reply. Co-incidentally we are intending to travel down to El Puerto de Santa Maria tomorrow so we'll attempt to make contact with your suggested Dometic agents. We have not had a reply from Dometic UK yet, but did not expect to until tomorrow.

 

Kind regards,

 

Sandy (Mad Mitch).

[Guest pelmetman]

John 47 - 2013-09-11 9:09 AM

There is clearly a design fault here but the WD40 trick certainly makes the door open more smoothly.

 

Yummy...........Roast beef with a hint of..... WD40 :-S

[Mad Mitch]

Both Dometic UK and then Dometic Spain responded quickly and warned the local agents that we would make contact - we are now in a very good campsite in El Puerto de Santa Maria near Cadiz. Although we had to communicate through I-pad translations they have been to see the oven and have reported back to Dometic suggesting that a replacement is required. The test now is t o see how long the process takes. We will certainly need to stay here until next week, which is no hardship.

 

Thanks again.

 

Sandy (Mad Mitch).