Owners have filed 10 complaints
about the 2019 Grand Design Imagine with NHTSA between 2019 and 2022.
The largest single group is the equipment & accessories.
Across this model's run it ranks 6 of 6 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 31
Against the median year of the Grand Design Imagine. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
How 2019 compares with every other Grand Design Imagine
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2019 Grand Design Imagine
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Equipment & Accessories
440.0%
Brakes
220.0%
Median failure at 5,000 miles
Other & Unspecified
110.0%
Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
110.0%
Suspension
110.0%
Median failure at 5,000 miles
Electrical System
110.0%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Aug 2019peak 3Sep 2022
Recalls on the 2019 Grand Design Imagine
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 20213286,666 units in Canada
Accessories
Issue: On certain travel trailers, the propane (LP) regulator could fail. If this happens, high-pressure propane could reach the appliances. Note: This recall only affects trailers equipped with a Winntec propane regulator. Safety Risk: Unregulated propane pressure can create the risk of an appliance fire. Corrective Action: Grand Design RV will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your travel trailer to a dealer, to replace the propane (LP) regulator.
Recall 201864913 units in Canada
Suspension
On certain travel trailers, the axles may not have enough grease on the inner hub bearings. This could cause the bearings to overheat and fail, potentially resulting in wheel lockup or separation. This may result in a loss of control causing a crash. In addition, a loose wheel assembly could strike another vehicle, stationary object, or bystander, causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will inspect all hub assemblies. If there is insufficient grease and the bearings are in new condition, the bearings will be repacked, and the hubs reinstalled. If the bearings show any signs of wear, the hubs and bearings will be replaced. If the axle beam shows any damage, it will also be replaced.
Recall 2018528145 units in Canada
Suspension
On certain trailers, the axle bearings may not have been properly installed. This could cause the bearings to overheat and fail, potentially resulting in wheel separation. A wheel separating from the vehicle could cause a loss of control and a crash. In addition, the wheel assembly could strike another vehicle, stationary object, or bystander, causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will repair or replace the axle hubs and bearings as necessary.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Eagle River, AR
EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER:LPG SYSTEMS
2019 GRAND DESIGN IMAGINE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO WINN-TEC REGULATOR SAFETY RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #11486369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Livingston, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
120 volt AC cable was installed in contact with absorption refrigerator coils. Vibration would eventually lead to short, arcing, and potentially fire, particularly if arcing caused breach of the refrigerator cooling unit containing hydrogen and ammonia . Pictures uploaded show the cable in contact with the refrigerator coils and the excess length of cable as installed. This problem is identical to that covered by Part 573 Safety Recall Report 22V-038, but my trailer was not included in the affected vehicles list. I believe my vehicle and others like it should be included.
NHTSA complaint #11464790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Livingston, TX
EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
120 volt AC cable was installed in contact with absorption refrigerator coils. Vibration would eventually lead to short, arcing, and potentially fire, particularly if arcing caused breach of the refrigerator cooling unit containing hydrogen and ammonia . Pictures uploaded show the cable in contact with the refrigerator coils and the excess length of cable as installed. This problem is identical to that covered by Part 573 Safety Recall Report 22V-038, but my trailer was not included in the affected vehicles list. I believe my vehicle and others like it should be included.
NHTSA complaint #11464790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Livingston, TX
EQUIPMENT
120 volt AC cable was installed in contact with absorption refrigerator coils. Vibration would eventually lead to short, arcing, and potentially fire, particularly if arcing caused breach of the refrigerator cooling unit containing hydrogen and ammonia . Pictures uploaded show the cable in contact with the refrigerator coils and the excess length of cable as installed. This problem is identical to that covered by Part 573 Safety Recall Report 22V-038, but my trailer was not included in the affected vehicles list. I believe my vehicle and others like it should be included.
NHTSA complaint #11464790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dallas, GA
EQUIPMENT
The contact owns a 2019 Grand Design Imagine. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V393000 (Equipment) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Northgate RV Center (442 Candy Ln, Ringgold, GA 30736, (706) 935-8883) was contacted and informed the contact that no parts were available for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the parts were not available. Parts distribution disconnect.
NHTSA complaint #11429699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Terre Haute, IN
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The 2019 Grand Design Imagine Travel Trailer is built of a Lippert chassis, this chassis combined with the commonly used Equal-i-zer sway control hitch is resulting in the trailer safety chains being damaged, which may cause serious damage, injury or death if the trailer becomes separated from the tow vehicle hitch. These chains are also linked to the trailer's emergency braking system. Grand Design should recall and cover the movement of the safety chain's attachment point further back on the trailer frame, to avoid safety chain failure due to damage that occurs when turning and pinching the chains. My small RV dealer in Indiana (Evans & Sons, Petersburg, IN) has seen four of five of these issues in addition to my trailer in the past year. They have reported this to Grand Design, as have I, but Grand Design is not covering the move of the safety chains attachment point further back on the trailer frame. In addition to my trailer and those my dealership have seen, there are several other photos of the same issue online. https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/showthread.php/36086-Repositioning-safety-chains
NHTSA complaint #11426821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The 2019 Grand Design Imagine Travel Trailer is built of a Lippert chassis, this chassis combined with the commonly used Equal-i-zer sway control hitch is resulting in the trailer safety chains being damaged, which may cause serious damage, injury or death if the trailer becomes separated from the tow vehicle hitch. These chains are also linked to the trailer's emergency braking system. Grand Design should recall and cover the movement of the safety chain's attachment point further back on the trailer frame, to avoid safety chain failure due to damage that occurs when turning and pinching the chains. My small RV dealer in Indiana (Evans & Sons, Petersburg, IN) has seen four of five of these issues in addition to my trailer in the past year. They have reported this to Grand Design, as have I, but Grand Design is not covering the move of the safety chains attachment point further back on the trailer frame. In addition to my trailer and those my dealership have seen, there are several other photos of the same issue online. https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/showthread.php/36086-Repositioning-safety-chains
NHTSA complaint #11426821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oceanside, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake linings which are available for inspection. The brake lining defects likely caused THREE tire blowouts due to excessive heat from the disintegrating brake linings, also a degradation of stopping performance. Upon performing annual wheel bearing service and brake inspection I found all four brake assemblies with brake lining partially disintegrated and in one case completely missing from the metal backing. This is NOT normal wear and tear but the breaking off of the lining from the metal backing plate. Nobody has inspected the linings but I have notified the RV trailer manufacturer, Grand Design and the manufacturer of the brake linings, Dexter Axle Co. I had THREE tire blowouts, one in September 2020 and two more recently causing significant damage to the RV travel trailer not to mention the p
NHTSA complaint #11420979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 5,000 milesRIO Rancho, NM
SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 GRAND DESIGN IMAGINE TRAILER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL BEARING WAS SEPARATING FROM THE AXLE. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO USED A TORCH TO REMOVE THE NUT FROM THE AXLE TO ACCESS THE WHEEL BEARING. THE MECHANIC ALSO HAD TO USE A GRINDER TO GRIND THE AXLE AND THE BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRAILER WAS WELL ENOUGH TO DRIVE HOME; HOWEVER, THE ENTIRE AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD REIMBURSE THE CONTACT FOR THE TRAILER REPAIRS. THE CONTACT ALSO INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THEY REFUSED TO COMPENSATE HIM FOR THAT PARTICULAR REPAIR. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V823000 (SUSPENSION); HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE AXLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.
NHTSA complaint #11252092 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 5,000 milesRIO Rancho, NM
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 GRAND DESIGN IMAGINE TRAILER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL BEARING WAS SEPARATING FROM THE AXLE. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO USED A TORCH TO REMOVE THE NUT FROM THE AXLE TO ACCESS THE WHEEL BEARING. THE MECHANIC ALSO HAD TO USE A GRINDER TO GRIND THE AXLE AND THE BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRAILER WAS WELL ENOUGH TO DRIVE HOME; HOWEVER, THE ENTIRE AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD REIMBURSE THE CONTACT FOR THE TRAILER REPAIRS. THE CONTACT ALSO INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THEY REFUSED TO COMPENSATE HIM FOR THAT PARTICULAR REPAIR. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V823000 (SUSPENSION); HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE AXLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.
NHTSA complaint #11252092 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.