Using our RT 200V in the Maine winter & tail light issues
Our plan is to take this RT out for a drive a couple/three times a week over the winter. It'll be parked on an level driveway with no tarp or anything else sheltering it.Is there anything special we need to do with all of the vents...especially the A/C vent. Worried about snow, sleet,freezing rain and, eventually, melting snow in the early Spring, getting into the vehicle and causing all kinds of havoc.We're already dealing with the leaking tail light assemblies (the Versatile, AKA "The Leaky Model" & "Bed Wetting Model") that have turned the bedding area into pretty much a sponge. Assuming we can correct that problem sooner than later, we'd like to keep the vehicle interior as dry as possible over the Winter months.
I'm wondering what folks here who have this model, or one similar, do about the open vents in the Winter if the vehicle is not sheltered.
As far as the leaking tail light assembly areas...it's a way too common issue with this model, and I'm surprised that RT never issued a recall to remedy the problem. Equally surprised that there was never a Class Action Suit filed because of it. In any event...really terrible design with these tail light assemblies and tech folks at RT offer no solutions other than find a dealer who will look at it. Good luck with that in these zip codes! In any event, RT's apparent design solution to this was to insert a tiny drain line in the assembly cavity. A drain line that actually runs INSIDE the vehicle behind
the fabric wall panels, and then, eventually, exiting out behind the rear bumper. Our drains are so clogged with debris from the leaking run off, that they don't drain at all. In fact, it's looking like the water-instead of going down the tube (it's clogged so shut that compressed air won't clear it out), runs down along the outside of the tube soaking anything it comes in contact with. Having to have a drain in a tail light seems insane to me. Why just not design it so that water can't get in? How many vehicles have drain lines in the tail light areas?
I really don't want to caulk around these lights with Crystal Clear because it would be such a hassle to remove them again to replace bulbs etc., and they are really a struggle to take out and put back in.- more great design.
For such a wonderful vehicle, it's really ashame that more thought wasn't put into the butt end of it.
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