RV Daily: A cautious reset, a modular van and a solar-controller recall

Elkhart closes with new models and cautious expectations

The RV industry’s fall gathering in Elkhart, Indiana, produced an upbeat product showcase without erasing a difficult sales backdrop. In its Open House reporting this week, RVBusiness found manufacturers and dealers discussing restrained plans for 2027 alongside new models. Many displays finished September 30, while some companies continued welcoming visitors later in the week.

RVIA's August shipment report gives shoppers some context: roughly 23,600 RVs shipped, down 16.4% from August 2025, with year-to-date shipments down 14.2%. Those figures count wholesale deliveries to dealers, rather than purchases by RV owners.

We'd keep an eye on the new floorplans, but make a buying decision around the specific RV in front of us. Compare its equipment, price and the support you'll get after the sale. A busy show and enthusiastic conversations are encouraging; they don't yet establish an industry-wide sales rebound.

Reflection owners: check the solar-controller recall

Grand Design’s September 24 filing with NHTSA identifies 16,128 potentially affected 2024–2027 Reflection trailers in recall 26V616, also called 910068. It concerns units with both a 12V/24V auto-detect solar controller and a 7-way bulkhead power center, not every Reflection built in those years.

The filing says the controller can select 24V on a 12V system, damaging the power center and associated circuits. That can compromise trailer brakes or exterior lighting; thermal damage may develop with little or no warning.

The planned remedy is a free firmware update that removes the 24V auto-detect mode. The filing says owners must verify lights and brakes after updating and before towing, and must not tow if either fails. Owner remedy notices are scheduled for November 16–20. Contact an authorized Grand Design dealer about applicability and remedy status; do not assume the update is available merely because the recall is filed.

Check NHTSA's recall lookup as well as calling the dealer. A recently announced campaign may not have every VIN listed yet, so don't treat a missing result as the final answer for a potentially affected trailer.

A camper van designed to change jobs through the day

Storyteller Overland has announced GEAR MODE, a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 AWD-based van aimed at people traveling with bulky equipment. The company’s September 30 release describes an interior that converts among cargo, bed, bench and table arrangements, with a rear gear-storage area and tie-down tracks.

The announced lineup has three trims, with manufacturer-listed starting prices of about $149,500 for STR, $171,500 for ADV and $187,500 for MAX. Storyteller plans to have vans at dealers in the fourth quarter. Ask about actual local stock and get an itemized quote covering taxes, fees and options before planning a purchase around that timing.

The flexible space is what catches our attention. We'd want to see how the cargo, sleeping and seating arrangements work for the gear we'd bring and the way we'd use the van. For now, the details come from Storyteller's announcement; we haven't road-tested it.

One occupant airlifted after Illinois RV–truck collision

An RV and a tractor-trailer were involved in a September 29 crash on I-55 near Livingston, Illinois. The Troy Times Tribune’s September 30 report, quoting Illinois State Police, says one occupant was airlifted to a regional hospital. WSMI also carried the police synopsis.

The reports did not establish the crash’s cause or assign fault. We have not verified a later injury update. Because accounts disagree on some lane and location details, those particulars are omitted here. The reported traffic disruption occurred September 29; this item is not a live closure advisory.

In Brantley County, RV shelter is part of a longer recovery

A September 29 Action News Jax report revisited Georgia residents still rebuilding after the Highway 82 wildfire earlier this year. The station described RVs providing temporary shelter and quoted the county manager on the effort to move families toward longer-term housing. The news here is the continuing recovery, not a new wildfire.

For the families rebuilding, temporary shelter is one step in a much longer job. The county's official recovery page directs affected residents to the Brantley County Commissioners Office and a multi-agency information center. We'd start with those official contacts to find out what help is available.

The county site lists 912-462-5256, extension 5, for recovery help. Check directly with that office for current services and eligibility.