AI Damage1998 Coachmen Santara: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Coachmen Santara filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 40% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 20% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 20% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 20% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (40% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 5 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Dt*: the contact stated the engine stalled while driving 5 mph. The vehicle would not restart, and was towed to an authorized service dealer, where the fuel lifter pump was found to be the cause of the stalling. This was the 6th pump to be replaced in 8 years.
When applying brakes pedal goes to floor, resulting in extended stopping distance. Vehicle has been at 2 dealers for 11 months. Dealer replaced pads/ hose assembly/ master cylinder/ gaskets/ brake lines/ booster assembly/ calipers, and rear wheel cylinders. Did not remedy problem.
Pe00-020; while driving about 65 mph right inner rear tire had a tread separation wich just made a loud noise. Then, stopped/found out tread was gone. Ford, couchman motor home, 1998, firestone lt225/75r16 m/s. Another firestone steel tex tire had tread separation.
Brake pedal fell apart causing loss of brake control resulting in vehicle collision with several objects. (ohio traffic crash report) mjs.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Santara has 3 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 5, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Coachmen Santara?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, engine and cooling, fuel system. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (20%), stalls while driving (20%), vibration (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Coachmen Santara?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Coachmen Santara from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.