Complex Communication ChannelsIn order to initiate any warranty claim with Thor, you’re going to be faced with a tightly controlled communication process. You won’t find a straightforward way to put in a service request. Instead, Thor requires you to begin with a formal email when you want to file a complaint. That might seem simple, but it’s just the beginning of a very convoluted path that is specifically designed to deter you from making a claim.
Restrictive Repair AttemptsUnder Thor’s warranty policy, as an RV owner, you need to prove to them that the exact cause of a defect has failed to be fixed after three attempts or that your RV has spent at least 150 days in repair under warranty conditions. Keep in mind that these three repairs aren’t just for recurring problems—they need to be three failed attempts to fix the exact same underlying cause. On top of that, you need to have scheduled an appointment for that specific repair issue if you want it to count toward the tally. Thor conveniently labels any unscheduled fixes as “goodwill” repairs, and those won’t count toward your warranty claims.
Stringent Legal PrerequisitesEven if you follow all the required steps for a warranty claim to the letter, Thor gives you another hurdle you need to jump over before you can pursue any type of legal action. Every claimant must send a final, detailed written complaint via traditional mail that includes a specific list of information. Emails won’t be accepted. If you miss any detail, Thor has the right to dismiss your claim entirely.
Provable Loss CalculationIf you can make it through all of the other warranty requirements successfully and establish a legitimate claim, Thor’s policy then demands one more piece of documentation. You need to provide a conclusive letter that details your calculated financial losses. The calculation must adhere to an “independently verifiable” formula. If you don’t provide this precise calculation, you won’t get any recovery for damages. This leaves customers in a potential financial bind without any recourse.
Thor’s warranty stipulations appear to be a strategic move to minimize their responsibility and create as many obstacles as possible for consumers who want justice for faulty RVs. Complaints lodged with the Better Business Bureau for similar issues from previous years reflect a consistent pattern. Many report that Thor deflects blame to dealerships and prolongs parts delivery to nearly the entire duration of the warranty.
As an informed buyer, you need to be aware of these warranty pitfalls. If you find yourself trapped by Thor’s stringent policies, remember that you should get counsel from a law firm experienced in lemon laws. Your journey should be about enjoyment and relaxation, not legal battles and lost investments.