FaultScore

FaultScore report

2016 Grand Design Momentum problems

Owners have filed 15 complaints about the 2016 Grand Design Momentum with NHTSA between 2016 and 2025. The largest single group is the body & structure. Across this model's run it ranks 7 of 9 worst.

B

FaultScore 30/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Grand Design Momentum.

How this is worked out

The numbers

15

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

2,500 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

100%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

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.

Complaint volume 19 vs 50 Severity 0 vs 50 Early failure 100 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 19
Against the median year of the Grand Design Momentum. 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 — 100
100% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 2016 compares with every other Grand Design Momentum

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2016 Grand Design Momentum

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Body & Structure 5 33.3%
Other & Unspecified 4 26.7%
Brakes 4 26.7%

Median failure at 2,200 miles

Wheels 1 6.7%

Median failure at 5,000 miles

Suspension 1 6.7%

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 2016 peak 3 Aug 2025

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Buffalo, MN

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The front left slide stopped working 3 weeks ago. Something appeared to be wrong with the wall but I was not sure. Yesterday I noticed the front left portion of the frame was flexing a significant amount. I started inspecting the frame and I am seeing broken welds

NHTSA complaint #11679251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Buffalo, MN

SUSPENSION

The front left slide stopped working 3 weeks ago. Something appeared to be wrong with the wall but I was not sure. Yesterday I noticed the front left portion of the frame was flexing a significant amount. I started inspecting the frame and I am seeing broken welds

NHTSA complaint #11679251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Buffalo, MN

STRUCTURE:BODY

The front left slide stopped working 3 weeks ago. Something appeared to be wrong with the wall but I was not sure. Yesterday I noticed the front left portion of the frame was flexing a significant amount. I started inspecting the frame and I am seeing broken welds

NHTSA complaint #11679251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Westminster, CO

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Frame tore/broke at welds where upper deck(living room) attaches to frame. Fiberglass on exterior tore as a result.

NHTSA complaint #11645284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Westminster, CO

STRUCTURE

Frame tore/broke at welds where upper deck(living room) attaches to frame. Fiberglass on exterior tore as a result.

NHTSA complaint #11645284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Zachary, LA

STRUCTURE:BODY

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - The frame is failing. It is available to be inspected but must be inspected on site. The camper is no longer safe to drive. After we heard a loud pop when attaching to the truck and seeing the pinbox move into the nose of the camper, we don't feel comfortable moving it. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? After speaking to others who have this same problem, there's the possibilities ranging from exterior doors flying open during transit (stuff in our basement coming out and hitting other vehicles) to causing a major (possibly fatal) accident if the welding to the pinbox completely fails. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No, they refuse to send a service technician to my location. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? These symptoms have shown since we bought the camper in March 2024, but we didn't know that they were symptoms of frame failure. - The exterior doors do not close properly anymore and don't seal properly. - The weather stripping on the sides of the filon fell out during transit and were loose in the wind. - A visible flex on the driver's side where the nose connects with the rest of the rig - Screws working themselves out - The pinbox is going inside the nose of the camper when attaching to the truck We've been in contact with Grand Design about this issue. Though we've stated that this camper is no longer safe to drive and have sent sufficient evidence of this issue they refuse to send a technician to my campsite to reinforce and transport this camper for repair. I have no safe way of transporting this rig to a dealership, but they insist that I drive it to be inspected.

NHTSA complaint #11617234 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pierce, CO

STRUCTURE:BODY

after pulling the camper home from a trip, we noticed that the molding was separating from the frame, after further inspection, we found that a weld was broken up on the frame that you can view from the front propane storage compartment. We contacted Grand Design and Lippert, we were told from Lippert to contact GD, we did that and GD has scheduled an SRT team to inspect our unit at the end of September. IN the meantime, we had a certified welder come and look at it and he told us it is a structural issue and he said not to pull the camper anywhere else, as it is a safety concern!! GD is telling me that they don't think it is a safety concern, but they haven't even looked at our camper. When we took the camper off of the truck, the split on the side near another storage compartment was made bigger!

NHTSA complaint #11610298 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bullhead City, AZ

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Our trailer is experiencing frame flex/and or frame failure. The front of the trailer is separating and also is affecting the bedroom sidewall. Also, the shackle broke and an equalizer broke. These are all know issues with Grand Design Momentums.

NHTSA complaint #11589808 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lawrenceburg, TN

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The frame has failed on our rv it is flexing when being pulled and we are afraid it may fail completely and break free from the pull vehicle. They are calling this frame flex and seems to be common please don't wait until a complete failure happens and people get hurt to address this issue.

NHTSA complaint #11570836 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lawrenceburg, TN

STRUCTURE:BODY

The frame has failed on our rv it is flexing when being pulled and we are afraid it may fail completely and break free from the pull vehicle. They are calling this frame flex and seems to be common please don't wait until a complete failure happens and people get hurt to address this issue.

NHTSA complaint #11570836 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 5,000 miles Wernersville, PA

WHEELS

MY 2016 GRAND DESIGN MOMENTUM 327M USES LIPPERT AXLES. THREE OF THE FOUR GREASE SEALS LEAKED AND WERE FOUND DURING A STATE INSPECTION. THE GREASE CONTAMINATED THE BRAKES. A 2018 STATE INSPECTION AGAIN SHOWED FAILED GREASE SEALS AND CONTAMINATED BRAKES. THE WARRANTY COVERED THE COST ON THE 2016 INSPECTION, BUT NOT THE 2018 INSPECTION. I CONTACTED GRAND DESIGN REGARDING THE ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THAT NEW MODELS WERE BUILT USING DEXTER AXLES TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AS A REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL MECHANICAL ENGINEER, I AM CONCERNED THAT I HAVE A CAMPER WITH A 16,000+LB GVWR THAT HAS LEAKING SEALS AND POSSIBLY FAILED BRAKES. I REQUESTED NEW AXLES, BUT GRAND DESIGN DID NOT RESPOND. I AM REQUESTING THAT NHTSA ISSUE A RECALL TO REQUIRE THAT THE ISSUE IS FIXED BEFORE IT CAUSES AN ACCIDENT. I FOUND A CLASS ACTION SUIT ALREADY FILED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE SO IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #11139349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 5,000 miles Wernersville, PA

SERVICE BRAKES

MY 2016 GRAND DESIGN MOMENTUM 327M USES LIPPERT AXLES. THREE OF THE FOUR GREASE SEALS LEAKED AND WERE FOUND DURING A STATE INSPECTION. THE GREASE CONTAMINATED THE BRAKES. A 2018 STATE INSPECTION AGAIN SHOWED FAILED GREASE SEALS AND CONTAMINATED BRAKES. THE WARRANTY COVERED THE COST ON THE 2016 INSPECTION, BUT NOT THE 2018 INSPECTION. I CONTACTED GRAND DESIGN REGARDING THE ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THAT NEW MODELS WERE BUILT USING DEXTER AXLES TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AS A REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL MECHANICAL ENGINEER, I AM CONCERNED THAT I HAVE A CAMPER WITH A 16,000+LB GVWR THAT HAS LEAKING SEALS AND POSSIBLY FAILED BRAKES. I REQUESTED NEW AXLES, BUT GRAND DESIGN DID NOT RESPOND. I AM REQUESTING THAT NHTSA ISSUE A RECALL TO REQUIRE THAT THE ISSUE IS FIXED BEFORE IT CAUSES AN ACCIDENT. I FOUND A CLASS ACTION SUIT ALREADY FILED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE SO IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #11139349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 1,900 miles Colorado Springs, CO

SERVICE BRAKES

AXLE SEALS LEAKED ALLOWING GREASE TO ENTER BRAKE DRUMS AND COAT SHOES, MAGNET AND DRUM. CONFIRMED BY LIPPERT COMPONENTS WHILE VEHICLE WAS AT GRAND DESIGN SERVICE SHOP.

NHTSA complaint #10984275 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 86 miles Salt Lake City, UT

SERVICE BRAKES

THE GREASE SEALS ON THE DRUMS LEAKED FROM THE FACTORY AND ALLOWED THE BRAKES TO BE CONTAMINATED. MORE DETAILS ARE AT HTTP://WWW.GRANDDESIGNOWNERS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP/8531-POLL-HOW-MANY-OF-YOU-HAVE-HAD-YOUR-GREASE-SEALS-FAIL?P=104942&VIEWFULL=1#POST104942

NHTSA complaint #10969958 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 2,500 miles Oregon City, OR

SERVICE BRAKES

AFTER READING ON THE GRAND DESIGN OWNERS FORUM ABOUT LEAKING GREASE SEALS ON THE WHEELS, I DECIDED TO DO AN INSPECTION OF MY BRAKES. I HAVE PUT ONLY 500 MILES ON MY TRAILER SINCE TAKING DELIVERY ON JUNE 8, 2016. I ASSUME THAT THE TRAILER WAS DELIVERED TO OREGON BY TOWING IT FROM THE FACTORY. I REMOVED THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE DRUM AND SURE ENOUGH FOUND A FAILED GREASE SEAL AND GLOBS OF WHEEL BEARING GREASE ON THE DRUM, BRAKE SHOES AND MAGNET.

NHTSA complaint #10897440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.