Park It Outside! Massive Fire Risk Recall Hits RVers' Favorite Toad

RV LIFESTYLE PODCAST MONDAY NEWS EDITION June 16, 2026, 6:00 AM

OPEN

Good morning, and welcome to the RV Lifestyle Podcast Monday News Edition. I'm Mike Wendland, journalist, and a guy who has been living the RV lifestyle for more than 15 years with my wife Jennifer. Old habits di hard. As a reporter, I soure everything. At the end of the shownotes are links and sources to every story I report, so you can check my work nd find put even more.

Every story sourced. That’s how it should be. You might here my own opinions coming through based on my 15 years of doing the RV Lifestyle, but all the facts are shared for you to dig into.

It is a big week around here, and I mean that literally.

Right now, Jennifer and I are in Hocking Hills, Ohio, for our summer rally for members of RVCommunity.com. If you've never been to Hocking Hills, put it on your list. This is one of Ohio's most spectacular natural areas, deep in the southeastern part of the state, with ancient sandstone gorges, waterfalls, old-growth hemlock forests, and cave formations that look like something out of a fantasy novel. Recess Cave, Cedar Falls, Old Man's Cave, the covered bridges and the rolling Appalachian foothills. It is genuinely stunning terrain, and it makes for an incredible rally backdrop.

This is one of three big camping rallies we host every year in different parts of the country for our RVCommunity.com members. We did St. Augustine in the spring. Hocking Hills this summer. And we have Pigeon Forge, Tennessee coming up in late September. These are not tours where somebody leads you around by the hand. They are gatherings, campfire conversations, shared meals, and the kind of connections you just can't get on a Facebook group. These are members-only rallies and you can become one by going to RVCommunity.com.

Now, a heads up before we get into the news. Next Monday is Father's Day weekend, and Jennifer and I will be on the road heading home from Hocking Hills. So we are taking next Monday off. No news edition unless something major breaks. We will be back the following Monday with a full news rundown. We are keeping our regular Wednesday schedule, so Stories from the Road goes on as planned this week and next.

All right. Let's talk about what is happening in the RV world this week, because honestly, there is a lot going on.

This is the RV Lifestyle Podcast Monday News Edition, dropping every Monday morning at 6 AM with news, industry developments, campground updates, and what's happening at our National Parks. Find complete show notes and all source links at RVPodcast.com.

Here we go.

STORY 1: Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator Owners - Park It Outside

If you tow an RV with a Jeep hooked up at the back, or know someone who does, this story is for you, and you need to hear it. Jeeps are probably the most popular toads out there flat-towed behind an RV with all four wheels on the ground

Stellantis recalled just over 1.07 million Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators from model years 2021 through 2025 on June 9th, citing a fire risk tied to the electric power steering pump connector. And the detail buried in that official NHTSA notice is the one that should get your attention.

The fire can occur when the vehicle is parked and the ignition is off. The car does not need to be running. It just needs to be sitting there. Under the right failure conditions, you have got a fire starting under the hood of a vehicle you think is quietly parked in the driveway.

Stellantis is advising affected owners to park their vehicles outside and away from homes, garages, buildings, and other vehicles until repairs can be completed.

Here is the part of this story that I want to flag as a journalist. Stellantis investigated fires tied to this defect between May 2023 and April 2024, then closed the investigation, concluding the fires did not occur frequently enough to pose an unreasonable risk. They were wrong. Additional incidents surfaced, the investigation was reopened in August 2024, and NHTSA launched its own independent defect investigation in September of that same year. The company looked at the data, said it was not bad enough, and closed the file. Then more vehicles caught fire.

NHTSA has confirmed 51 fires it considers likely connected to this issue, along with one injury. And those 51 confirmed fires are the fraction of incidents that generated enough documentation to be traced back to the specific failure. The actual number is almost certainly higher.

Right now there is no official fix. Dealers will check the wiring harness and swap out parts if needed, but the full repair plan is still being developed. Stellantis says a remedy should be ready by July. Owner notification letters are scheduled to begin going out between July 9th and August 3rd.

If you own a 2021 through 2025 Jeep Wrangler or Gladiator, do not wait for the letter. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov right now. The recall number is 21D. The repair is free. And until you get it done, park it outside. The link is in the show notes at RVPodcast.com.

STORY 2: Olympic National Park - A Mystery Finally Solved

This next story does not involve RVs directly. But if you have ever hiked or camped in the backcountry, I think you will understand why it stopped me when I read it. Besides, it’s like one of tose forensic police frama TV shows.

In July of 2000, a researcher discovered human skeletal remains inside a sleeping bag in a tent in a remote section of Olympic National Park, along the Sol Duc River drainage. Found with the remains were binoculars, a day hiker pack, a shoulder bag, a folding saw, a blanket, and winter gear. Investigators concluded the man had likely been dead for somewhere between six months and four years. And then, despite every effort available at the time, the case went cold. For 26 years, nobody knew who he was.

The breakthrough came in 2024, when a forensic anthropologist with the King County Medical Examiner's Office submitted a DNA sample to Othram, a laboratory specializing in forensic genealogy. By 2025, the lab had identified possible family connections. Investigators reached out to relatives in multiple states, compared DNA samples, and finally got their answer.

The remains belong to Joseph Louis Serrao Jr., originally from Hawaii, who had been in Washington state prior to his disappearance. His family said their last contact with him was in 1998. The circumstances surrounding his death have not been disclosed.

The National Park Service said this case went nearly 30 years without resolution, but investigators never stopped working it, and they hope the identification brings some measure of closure to Joseph's family.

I hope so too.

Olympic National Park is one of the most remote and spectacular parks in the country. People go there precisely because it feels like true wilderness. And it is. Stories like this are a reminder that if you are heading into backcountry anywhere, tell someone where you are going, leave a detailed plan, and check in. Links to the full NPS release and coverage are in the show notes at RVPodcast.com.

MIDPOINT BREAK: RVCommunity.com

Before we get to the next stories, let me tell you about something Jennifer and I are really excited about.

Over the years, we've discovered that what makes RVing special isn't the RV. It's the people you meet along the way.

That's really why we created RVCommunity.com.

Like a lot of you, we got tired of social media. Too many ads. Too much arguing. Too many people talking instead of helping. We wanted a place where RVers could connect, share what they've learned, ask questions, and actually get thoughtful answers from people who've been there and done that.

What has happened is something we didn't completely expect.

The community has naturally become a gathering place for people in the second half of life. Folks who have worked hard, raised families, built careers, and are now determined to make the most of the years ahead. Some are retired. Some are still working. Many are discovering that RVing isn't just a hobby, it's the key to staying active, curious, and engaged with life.

The conversations go way beyond campgrounds and RV repairs. We talk about staying healthy on the road, traveling safely as we get older, managing costs, planning longer adventures, and making the most of the freedom we've worked so hard to earn.

Most importantly, we've built a culture that's remarkably positive. No politics. No personal attacks. No algorithms deciding what you should see. Just good people helping each other around a virtual campfire.

If that sounds like the kind of community you've been looking for, we'd love to have you join us.

You can learn more at RVCommunity.com

Now, let's get back to the news.

STORY 3: Zion National Park Just Closed the Door on Most Big Rigs

If Zion National Park is on your bucket list and you travel in a large RV, this story is for you, and you need to hear it before you go.

As of June 7th, Zion National Park is now restricting large vehicles from the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway between Canyon Junction and the East Entrance. That stretch includes the historic Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel, one of the most recognizable and scenic stretches of road at any national park in the country.

The limits are specific. Vehicles longer than 35 feet 9 inches, wider than 7 feet 10 inches, taller than 11 feet 4 inches, or over 50,000 pounds are banned from that section of road. For trucks with trailers, the overall combined length cannot exceed 50 feet. That covers the vast majority of fifth wheels, Class A motorhomes, and most large Class C rigs. The Beast and the Beauty? Not getting through.

Zion's own transportation manager put it plainly. She said, and I am paraphrasing here, that it does not matter how skilled a driver you are. If your vehicle physically does not fit on the roadway, you are not going to stay in your own lane. That is a direct quote from the park. And honestly, she is not wrong. The highway was built in 1930. It features tight curves, narrow switchbacks, and a tunnel engineered for vehicles far smaller than today's Class A motorhomes and fifth wheels.

Here is the good news. RVers can still visit Zion through the South Entrance. The campgrounds are still accessible. And the park has a shuttle system that can get you deep into the canyon without your rig. The road through the tunnel is not the only way in. But if you are planning to come in from the east, off Highway 89, your big rig is now going to have to go around, and that adds roughly an hour to your drive.

Check your dimensions before you go, and plan your route accordingly. All the specifics and NPS links are in the show notes at RVPodcast.com.

STORY 4: Diesel is Down - But the Pump is Still Broken for Big Rigs

I want to spend a few minutes on diesel fuel, because this affects every one of us pulling a trailer or driving a diesel pusher, and there is some reasonably good news here mixed in with a gripe I have been carrying around for a while.

As of the week ending June 8th, the national average for on-highway diesel was $5.21 a gallon. That is still painful. But it is meaningfully lower than where we were. I pulled into a fuel stop this past weekend heading to Hocking Hills and paid $5.39. A month ago I was paying close to $6.00 for the same fuel at the same kind of stop. That drop matters when you have a 43-gallon tank.

Why did it come down? The U.S. Energy Information Administration latest short-term energy outlook points to crude oil prices as the primary driver. Brent crude spiked to an average of $117 a barrel in April tied to supply concerns from the Strait of Hormuz situation. It dropped back to around $107 in May. Crude goes down, diesel eventually follows. We are seeing that now.

Regionally, the Gulf Coast is the cheapest part of the country right now at $4.79 a gallon, while the West Coast is running $6.29, and California is still at $6.94. If you are routing through the South this summer, take advantage of it.

Now here is my gripe. And I suspect a lot of you share it.

Most pay-at-the-pump transactions still cap out at $175. That limit goes back to 2022, when Visa and Mastercard raised the maximum pre-authorization limit from $125 to $175 in response to rising fuel prices at the time. Four years later, diesel is north of five dollars a gallon nationwide, and that ceiling has not moved.

Do the math with me. My tank holds 43 gallons. At $5.39 a gallon, a full fill-up runs $232. The pump cuts off at $175. So I have to stop, go back inside or re-swipe my card, start a second transaction, and finish the fill. Every single time. At a station that is already charging me over two hundred dollars to fill up.

The card networks set that $175 ceiling when the average pump transaction was under $125. The fuel price environment has changed completely. The ceiling has not. If stations can program their pumps to charge whatever they want per gallon, they can also program them to allow a transaction large enough for a real RV fill-up. It is not a technical limitation. It is a policy choice. And it is one that nobody with a big tank has any patience for anymore.

Government fuel data and regional price breakdowns are in the show notes at RVPodcast.com.

STORY 5: The RV Industry Just Quietly Lowered Its Own Forecast - And the Numbers Say It Is a Buyer's Market

This one came out of the RV Industry Association just this week, and if you are thinking about buying an RV this summer, you need to understand what it means for you.

RVIA just released its Summer 2026 edition of RV RoadSigns, the quarterly wholesale shipment forecast prepared by the ITR Economics research firm. The new projection calls for 300,000 to 328,100 wholesale RV shipments this year, with a median of 314,000 units. That median would be an 8.2% decline from the 342,200 units shipped in 2025.

To put that in context: at the start of 2026, the industry was forecasting growth. Now it is forecasting a meaningful decline. Shipments have been down year over year for seven consecutive months. The first four months of 2026 came in 13.5% below the same period last year. RVIA's own president cited higher financing costs, economic uncertainty, and inflationary pressure on household budgets as the reasons consumers are delaying purchases.

Here is what that actually means for the person standing on a dealer's lot this summer.

Dealers have inventory. Manufacturers have slowed production to try to keep pace with actual retail demand rather than stuffing the pipeline. The negotiating leverage has shifted toward the buyer in a way it has not in several years. At the industry's own Power Breakfast earlier this year, dealers themselves said buyers are more informed, more price-conscious, and less patient with confusing pricing and poor service than ever before. That is the industry admitting out loud that the old playbook is not working anymore.

This does not mean every dealer is going to roll over and hand you a great deal. But it does mean this is not 2021, when rigs were flying off lots at sticker and above. If you have been waiting for a better time to buy, the data says you are now in one. Do your homework, know what you want, and negotiate.

Full RVIA forecast data and links are in the show notes at RVPodcast.com.

CLOSE

That is a wrap on this week's Monday News Edition. ent forecast that quietly signals the best buying conditions in years.

Before I let you go, two quick things.

If you are not already getting our free daily newsletter, you are missing the fastest way to stay connected to everything we do at RV Lifestyle Media. Short, practical, and delivered every morning. No fluff, no clickbait. Just useful information for people who love this lifestyle. You can sign up free right now at RVLifestyle.com/newsletter. Takes about 30 seconds.

And if you want more than a newsletter, if you want a real community of experienced RVers who are out there doing it, especially if you are in that over-55 season of life where the road is finally yours to explore, come check out RVCommunity.com. Paid membership, ad-free, no algorithms, no drama. Just good people who love what we love.

Jennifer and I will be around the campfire at Hocking Hills this week. Remember, no news edition next Monday for Father's Day weekend, but we will be back the following Monday and we will have plenty to talk about.

Until then, Happy Trails.

SHOW Sources

STORY 1: Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator Recall

NHTSA VIN lookup tool: https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/recall/VIN NHTSA recall number 21D official page: https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls Stellantis recall announcement coverage: https://rvbusiness.com

STORY 2: Olympic National Park Remains Identified

NPS Investigative Services Branch release: https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/news CBS News coverage: https://www.cbsnews.com Othram forensic genealogy laboratory: https://othram.com

STORY 3: Zion National Park Large Vehicle Restrictions

NPS official large vehicles page: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/large-vehicles.htm RV Life detailed breakdown of size limits: https://rvlife.com/zion-2026-large-vehicle-rules-what-rvers-need-to-know UDOT Zion area road restrictions: https://zionarea.udot.utah.gov/road-restrictions-2

STORY 4: Diesel Prices and Pump Authorization Limits

EIA weekly diesel fuel price data: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook: https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo Regional diesel prices by PADD district: https://www.indexbox.io/blog/usda-diesel-price-data-regional-costs-range-from-479-to-694-per-gallon-for-week-ending-june-8-2026 Visa and Mastercard pump authorization limit explainer: https://clark.com/credit-cards/gas-credit-card-holds

STORY 5: RVIA Summer 2026 Wholesale Shipment Forecast

RVIA Summer 2026 RV RoadSigns forecast: https://www.rvia.org/rv-roadsigns-quarterly-forecast RV News detailed forecast breakdown: https://www.rvnews.com/rvia-forecast-lowers-wholesale-rv-shipment-projection RVBusiness coverage: https://rvbusiness.com/2026-wholesale-shipment-forecast-lowered-amid-soft-demand

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