Do RV Owner’s Manuals Bite?

I’m not really sure what it is all about. RV manufacturers provide an owner’s packet with their RVs, or now at least an electronic version, with manuals for all the appliances, components, and systems, including a generalized RV owner’s manual that is provided across the manufacturer’s brands. But owners seldom read the information.

At seminars across North America, I have asked consumers, by a show of hands, who have read through their owner’s packet. Few to none raise their hands.

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And yet, I see people asking questions about things they have the answers to right at their fingertips in the owner’s packet on various forums.

As I have thought about this over the years, I have often made it a point to encourage everyone to review the owner’s packet. When I train techs, I tell them to show the new owners their packet during the walkthrough and emphasize how important it is to review it and ensure it is complete and in the RV for reference. If things are changed or added to the RV in the future, all the new manuals should be added to the packet.

The issue now is that finding the best answers online is difficult. There is so much bad or incomplete information that people can be led down an endless path of gobbeldy-gook. Well-meaning RVers all want to be smart and answer questions on forums, but by the time 50 or 500 people have responded, the person asking the question is no closer to having a usable solution. Then there’s the AI thing, which spews out nonsense, and then the marketing and sales swill that further muddies the water.

I always hope that people will do the right thing when communicating with others, but I also hope that people can be smart consumers of products and information. Doing a little research and knowing where to get important information can save you time, angst, and money.

The off-season is a perfect time to spend an hour or two in a comfy chair reviewing the owner’s packet and planning for the upcoming season. The manufacturers of products in the industry almost always have instruction, installation, and service manuals available online. Consider printing them out for your packet or bookmarking them in your smart device for easy reference. Some coachbuilders put everything on a USB jump drive, so you can add more data there. The downside is you have to have a way to read it when you’re out on the road, but this is often doable with USB adaptors and such. This way, you have original, accurate resources available to you when you need them.

Also, don’t forget apps like the LippertNOW App, which is available in the Apple and Android app stores. Since so many parts of our RVs are built and provided by Lippert, this comprehensive resource is super valuable to have at your fingertips!

Enjoy the journey!

The RV PHD Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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