Purchasing a travel trailer is an excellent way to explore your surrounding world at an affordable price. You won’t have to jump from hotel to hotel when you have a travel trailer and a campsite. The affordability and convenience of this travel option make it excellent for people who enjoy road trips.
The Coleman 17FQ is a great choice for people looking for a travel trailer for their next road trip. However, even though many people enjoy the Coleman 17FQ, there are problems you need to understand before purchasing this trailer.
Understanding common Coleman 17FQ problems before you experience them is the best way to stay prepared when you’re far away from home. Please continue reading to learn how to troubleshoot your Coleman 17FQ.
Coleman 17FQ Problems (Troubleshooting)
What is The Coleman 17FQ?
The Coleman 17FQ is a travel trailer you can hook up behind your daily driver. However, before you purchase this trailer, it’s important to check the towing capacity of your vehicle so that you don’t overload it. Overloading your vehicle can cause permanent engine damage that’s extremely expensive to replace.
If you go camping often, you’re most likely familiar with the Coleman brand name. This brand is also popular for producing coolers and other camping supplies. Even though this is a reputable brand, there are problems people experience with these trailers that you should understand.
Common Coleman 17FQ Issues People Experience
If you’re interested in purchasing the Coleman 17FQ, you must discover the most common problems people experience with these trailers. Teaching yourself how to troubleshoot your camper before your next road trip is the best way to prevent yourself from getting stranded.
Experiencing problems in the middle of your trip can cause extreme stress.
1. Difficult to Control
One of the main problems people express when operating the Coleman at 17 FQ is difficulty controlling this trailer. However, this trailer problem is not exclusive to the Coleman brand because it occurs whenever you have a hitch issue. Purchasing a weight distribution hitch is the best way to counteract this problem.
Another reason you could have trouble controlling your Coleman trailer is because you’re not used to towing vehicles. You need to adjust your driving style whenever you tow a vehicle behind your daily driver. If you don’t adjust your driving style, you could cause an accident by losing control of your trailer.
The main control problems people have with Coleman 17FQ is keeping it in its lane while they drive and braking on time. Both of these problems can cause an accident if you don’t take measures to fix them before it happens.
2. Appliance Problems
Just like the problem above, trouble operating appliances isn’t exclusive to Coleman products. The reason you have trouble using your appliances might not even be related to using a Coleman trailer. However, the Coleman 17FQ does use cheaper appliances that are more prone to breaking down than other RV appliance options.
The good news is that you can replace your RV and camper appliances whenever you want. So you’re not stuck with the same appliances forever, although purchasing high-quality replacements can get pricey. You can also try repairing some of your appliances if you’re sure the issue lies with them.
3. Bad Electricity
It can be extremely difficult to get a consistent power supply while camping because most people rely on generators and shore power.
However, you can have difficulty maintaining good electricity if the wiring throughout your Coleman 17FQ isn’t correct. Some people think they can adjust wiring without an electrician, but this isn’t a good idea.
If you don’t have experience working with wiring and electricity, it can be easy to make mistakes. Some of these problems are easy to fix independently, but more severe electrical issues require professional intervention.
How To Deal with These Common Issues
Now that you understand the most common Coleman 17FQ problems is time to talk about how you can fix them. Learning to fix these problems before they happen is the best way to keep yourself safe and secure while traveling. It’s no secret that traveling alone can be dangerous, but it’s more dangerous if you’re stranded.
Follow the troubleshooting methods below depending on your problem. These troubleshooting methods will help you resolve most issues you encounter in the Coleman 17FQ. Remember, many of the common problems you will experience with these trailers aren’t isolated to the Coleman brand.
1. Keep Tabs on Your Vehicle
Aside from maintaining your trailer, it’s important to maintain the vehicle that tows it. If you don’t keep up with routine maintenance, like checking your oil, coolant, and tires, you’re more likely to encounter problems.
In addition, it would be best to check your trailer and vehicle tire PSI every time you hit the road by using your dashboard.
You should also check your coolant and other fluids every time you get an oil change to keep things in proper condition. You might be surprised by the wear and tear your vehicle deals with when towing a larger trailer behind it often.
2. Check Your Coleman 17FQ Tires
Even though it’s important to maintain your regular vehicle tires, when you tow a larger vehicle like the Coleman 17FQ, tire maintenance becomes a top priority.
You’re likely traveling on several types of terrains with these trailers, and you can run over nails or wear out your tires quicker than the average person. You can use the penny trick to check the tread on your Coleman 17FQ tires.
Aside from tire tread, it’s important that you check the PSI on your vehicle often.
For instance, the tire pressure can run low during the cold season because cold air makes it difficult to retain pressure. So if you hit cold climates, you’ll want to keep an air pump on your person so you can top off your tires in a pinch.
3. Pay Attention to Towing Capability
Always check your vehicle’s towing capacity before purchasing a trailer. Some people falsely assume that their vehicles can tow at the Coleman 17FQ, only to stand corrected after they purchased this trailer. Just because your vehicle is large doesn’t mean it has a good towing capacity.
There are plenty of modern SUVs that don’t have good towing systems.
Never exceed the weight limit on your towing capacity because it can cause permanent damage to your vehicle. Additionally, Exceeding your towing capacity poses a hazard to yourself and others while driving. You don’t want your trailer to disconnect itself from your vehicle when you’re on the highway because it will cause an accident.
4. Consider Hiring an Electrician
If you experience frequent electrical issues in your Coleman 17FQ, it would be best to hire an electrician for assistance. A professional will have an easier time diagnosing and resolving these issues safely. If you try messing with the wires independently, it could lead to injury and worsen the situation.
There’s no shame in hiring a professional to handle electrical work. In fact, we highly recommend hiring professionals to handle these jobs so that you don’t waste time and money working on the wrong aspects.
5. Pay Attention to Energy Consumption
Whenever you own a trailer like the Coleman 17FQ, it’s important to pay attention to how much electricity your appliances consume. You should not run every appliance simultaneously because it could cause power surges. Travel trailers can only handle a limited amount of electrical output due to running on generators and shore power.
Understanding your Coleman 17FQ energy limitations is the first step you should take to take excellent care of your travel trailer. Becoming conscious of your energy consumption is a crucial part of trailer ownership.
6. Secure All Connections
Check the wiring throughout your appliances and generators to ensure everything is connected properly. You’ll also want to check your trailer connections to your vehicle to avoid any accidents. When every aspect of your Coleman 17FQ is secure, you won’t have to worry about as many problems.
Sometimes, connections can become loose while driving because you hit a bump in the road that jostles them. If you’ve driven on rocky terrain recently, it would be best to check your connections before you experience any problems.
7. Replace Outdated Appliances
Appliance problems are some of the most common problems people experience with the Coleman 17FQ because they use cheaper appliances. You can replace these appliances anytime so that you won’t have to worry about them not working at crucial moments. For example, it can be difficult to replace your appliances in the middle of a road trip.
Final Thoughts
Even though the Coleman 17FQ is an excellent trailer you can bring on your next vacation, there are plenty of problems you should diagnose and resolve. Understanding the most common problems people experience before your next road trip is the easiest way to prevent yourself from becoming stranded.
If you ever end up in a situation you don’t know how to resolve, it would be best to contact a roadside assistance company specializing in RV towing. You can have them tow your Coleman 17FQ to a mechanic specializing in outdoor vehicles.
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