# More Apache 700 problems - 2012 model.. !



## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

In previous posts I have mentioned that our year old 2012 Apache 700 had a issue with damp around the heki light and in the offside wall.
I went back to the Autotrail factory in January and they re-sealed the heki. The van is scheduled to go back to the factory in April for investigation on the side wall.
So we have departed for Morocco and already I have had to notify Autotrail that there is excesive heat above the cooker and the light fitting has "melted" plus the wood veneer is staring to peel..

Now this week, the ventilation fan on the toilet has packed up !

AND TODAY...
The trim above the cooker and in front of the mircowave cupboard has FELL OFF !! Investigations show that it's only glued on. So the heat off the cooker has obviously weakened the glue. Plus The roll up front on the cupboard comes down to stop on this piece of plastic trim !
So I suspect the roll door going up and down or just the jolting up and down making this roll door hit the trim could force it loose..

So if you have an apache 700 check the lights, trim and the veneer.


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## GMLS (Dec 2, 2010)

Sorry to hear of the problems. Same design as our Scout so I'll keep a look out


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## Philippft (Feb 16, 2008)

Hi,
We crack open the window when ever we use the gas hob and to date have not had any problems. I have seen other posts with similar problems
though, so would suggest some ventilation when cooking.


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## dolcefarniente (Jan 2, 2012)

We've spent around 50 nights in ours since purchase in June 12 and no problems yet. We use the oven and gas hobs extensively without opening the window but the gas is off if there's no pan over it. I guess it would only take a few seconds of open flame to cause the damage in the photos. Glueing the panel is ok but it should be on dowels at least. I've noticed a bit of movement there. Might be an idea to remove it , drill both and install dowels before re glueing. Re the damp - I read Tonka's post about it and bought a damp meter to check mine. Before I do , the probes are about 8mm. Do they need to be pushed in the material or just use the tips on the material ?


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

Philippft said:


> Hi,
> We crack open the window when ever we use the gas hob and to date have not had any problems. I have seen other posts with similar problems
> though, so would suggest some ventilation when cooking.


The oven on the 700 is right up the corner and covered over by the top cupboard and fits right up against a vertical wall.. We do open the rear window but again thats an issue as it's behind the glass lid... Our's did not show any signs for a year, it was only when the light fitting started to melt that i touched the wall while checking it and heard all the veneer crackle ! It's not broken as yet...
Just keep a watch out but your layout could be a lot different to the 700.


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

dolcefarniente said:


> We've spent around 50 nights in ours since purchase in June 12 and no problems yet. We use the oven and gas hobs extensively without opening the window but the gas is off if there's no pan over it. I guess it would only take a few seconds of open flame to cause the damage in the photos. Glueing the panel is ok but it should be on dowels at least. I've noticed a bit of movement there. Might be an idea to remove it , drill both and install dowels before re glueing. Re the damp - I read Tonka's post about it and bought a damp meter to check mine. Before I do , the probes are about 8mm. Do they need to be pushed in the material or just use the tips on the material ?


We cook a lot but never leave an open flame running.
The front trim is all plastic, so it will be hard to fit dowels, also the thickness of the "wood / cardboard" for the shelf is quite thin.

Ref damp, yes you do need to push in the pins.. 8mm sounds huge !!


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## dolcefarniente (Jan 2, 2012)

Meter is Maplin as recommended. Pins are going on 10 mm. Paranoid about damp now. Bought a new van expecting to never think about it


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

dolcefarniente said:


> Meter is Maplin as recommended. Pins are going on 10 mm. Paranoid about damp now. Bought a new van expecting to never think about it


Stupid me !! I thought you meant 8mm thick. Lol.. !!
You mean long ..! Obviously....

No you just have to get the pointy tips in the material.. Test it on some wood outside, you only need a slight pressure just to get the tips to penetrate a little..


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## Bill_OR (Feb 6, 2010)

Tonka,
We had the moulding under roll front locker come away on our Apache too. I just don't think there was sufficient adhesive applied. The roll front does have a habit of slamming down onto that moulding! I fixed it myself and it's been fine since.
Given your experience with damp I am forewarned for when ours goes in for its first service in April.
Bill


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## dolcefarniente (Jan 2, 2012)

Might as well share the odd problem we've had.Could save somebody some stress. A rear window blind tensioner came out and left the blind flopping. Managed to sort it but worth checking them all. Flick the bottom right and left corner covers off and LIGHTLY tighten the Allen key grub screw that grips the tension cord. Too tight and you'll go through it. Several were under tightened. I found anything in the nearside of the garage was damaging the strip light. Easy enough to extend the cables and run it across the back wall ceiling. Take the opportunity to continue the cables across in stick on trunking and add another light on the offside. Several 240v sockets failed intermittently. Traced it to loosening of the white plugs in the bottom drop down door of the cooker at floor level. We keep the extreme left and right of the space clear now to avoid knocking the connectors. Ok so far. Pleased with the van overall ( if no damp crops up ! ) If anybody is interested a worthy mod is a Ring RAC900 compressor. I mounted mine on the raised shelf in the garage and hard wired it back to the leisure battery (4mm2 cable minimum). It will reach all five wheels and fit the valves without adaptors. Blows to the required pressure and if the seal isn't broken when punctured I reckon it'd blow enough in to get to a garage.


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