2006 Newmar Dutch Star: common problems

Owners of the 2006 Newmar Dutch Star filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and equipment. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 4

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 50% of all complaints
2 Equipment 25% of all complaints
3 Exterior lighting 25% of all complaints
4 Structure 25% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Electrical system: 2 complaints (50% of all).
Equipment: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Structure: 1 complaints (25% of all).

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Electrical system	2	0	0
Equipment	1	0	0
Exterior lighting	1	0	0
Structure	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.

This is 2nd recall for norcold refrigerator in our rv. Rv is in storage, building and used to live in. Frozen food in freezer, and no where else to store it. It is over 200 miles to closest repair place, and insurance on rv is for storage only and not driving.
Equipment · 2010-11-18 · NHTSA complaint #10366753
During our pretrip inspection we always check all lights prior to driving the vehicle. The center high mounted brake light led elements randomly fail to light. Sometimes the entire center high mounted brake light has failed to illuminate.
Exterior lighting · 2009-08-03 · NHTSA complaint #10279239
Water entering the compartment can pool on the floor and flood the bussman box, resulting in an electrical fire. If the bussman box is short circuited the vehicle engine cannot be started and may stop entirely.
Electrical system · 2008-08-29 · NHTSA complaint #10240210
Dt*: the contact stated when exiting the vehicle, the exterior patio light was switched on and the 77 year old contact fell to the ground injuring his left shoulder and both knees. The retractable steps of the vehicle retracted when the light switch was turned on.
Electrical system · 2006-11-17 · NHTSA complaint #10173758

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20061
20081
20091
20101

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Dutch Star has 7 complaints (26 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Newmar Dutch Star?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, equipment, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (25%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Newmar Dutch Star?

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 2006 Newmar Dutch Star 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.

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.