DRAW-TITE DRAW-TITE Complaints

THIS IS A COMPLIANT IN REGARDS TO CREATING A SITUATION THAT COULD LEAD TO A FAILURE IN THE FUTURE. ETRAILER OF WENTZVILLE MO IS INSTRUCTED ME TO BEND A DRAW-TITE PART NUMBER 75282 RECEIVER STYLE HITCH THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO FIT A 2018 NISSAN FRONTIER PICKUP BUT DID NOT. THEY SENT A SECOND HITCH THAT FIT AS POORLY AS THE FIRST ONE, AND AGAIN SUGGESTED BENDING THE HITCH IN A STAIRWELL OR WITH A FLOOR JACK AND 2X4 BOARD TO MAKE IT FIT THE VEHICLE. THEY CLAIM THE HITCH "FLEXED IN TRANSIT" WHICH SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE. I REFUSED TO DO SO AND RETURNED THE DEFECTIVE HITCHES. MY CONCERN IS THAT THEIR ADVICE TO THE CONSUMER MAY WEAKEN THE HITCH AND CREATE A FAILURE WHILE TOWING A TRAILER.

DRAW-TITE GOOSENECK HITCH FOR 2005 DODGE RAM 2500 PICK-UP. THE FRAME MOUNTED U-BOLTS CONNECTING THE HITCH TO THE FRAME SHEARED OFF UNDER LIGHT TO MEDIUM LOAD. *TR

I WAS USING AN AFTERMARKET TRAILER WIRING HARNESS WITH MY 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON. THE CONVERTER UNIT THAT PLUGGED INTO THE CAR WIRING AND CONVERTED IT TO THE 4 FLAT CONFIGURATION FOR MY TRAILER FAILED BY SHORTING OUT AND CAUSED A FIRE. HAD I NOT REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON QUICKLY THE CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN A TOTAL LOSS. THE TRAILER WIRING HARNESS IS MANUFACTURED BY DRAW-TITE AND HAS A MODEL NUMBER OF 17499-101. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT DRAW-TITE DIRECTLY BUT HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. I WAS TRAVELING WITH MY 4 YEAR OLD SON AT THE TIME, AND THIS INCIDENT CAUSED US BOTH TO BE SCARED, AS ANY VEHICLE FIRE WOULD. *TR

WHILE TOWING MY 25 FOOT CAMPING TRAILER BEHIND MY CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, THE RECEIVER HITCH (MANUFACTURED BY DRAWTITE) BROKE AWAY CAUSING MY TRAILER TO RUN OFF THE ROAD, ACROSS A GRASSY AREA, COMING TO REST ONLY AFTER HITTING A VDOT FENCE , FENCE POLE AND A TREE. UPON EXAMINATION THE CENTER SECTION OF THE HITCH BAR HAD BROKE AWAY AND WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE TRAILER TONGUE, COMPLETE WITH SAFETY CHAINS, WEIGHT DISTRIBUTING BARS AND THE ELECTRIC BRAKE "BREAK-A-WAY" SWITCH ACTIVATOR CABLE WAS STILL ATTACHED. BOTH SIDES OF THE HITCH WERE STILL SECURED TO THE SUBURBAN. THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED AND CAME TO THE SCENE. THE TROOPER CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK, WHO HAD TO WINCH THE TRAILER BACK ONTO THE PAVEMENT, THEN TRANSPORT THE TRAILER TO A REPAIR FACILITY. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT CORNER AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRAILER. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE SUBURBAN, OTHER THAN THE BROKEN HITCH. THE TRAILER IS CURRENTLY AT THE REPAIR FACILITY AND THE SUBURBAN IS AT MY HOME AWAITING MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO SEND AN ADJUSTER OUT TO SURVEY THE DAMAGE AND MAKE AN ESTIMATE. AT THIS TIME, ALL THE PARTS ARE EITHER AT THE REPAIR FACILITY OF STILL ON MY SUBURBAN AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THROUGH THE DRAWTITE WEB SITE, THAT THEY HAVE A LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THEIR PRODUCTS.*JB

STEERING SEEMED LOOSE. DEALER REPLACED TRAC BAR, INNER AND LOWER TIE ROD ENDS, AND AN ADDITIONAL BAR. JUST AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED, MILEAGE 35,982 ON NOVEMBER 21, 2002. AS OF MARCH 5, 2003 FRONT END AND STEERING IS WORSE THAN WHEN IT WENT IN. VERY LOOSE FEELING, FREQUENT STEERING WHEEL CORRECTION NEEDED. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ESPECIALLY ON SNOW COVERED ROADS. VERY UNSAFE FEELING. DEALER WAS ASKED TO CHECK WORK THAT WAS PERFORMED ON NOVEMBER 0F 2002, ON JANUARY 30, 2003. THEY DID NOT LOOK INTO THE SITUATION. ALSO WOULD LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RADIATOR NEEDING TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH CRANK SHAFT SEAL, LOWER PAN GASKET, AND FRONT SEAL. THIS WAS WITH MILEAGE OF 38,105. THESE ITEMS SHOULD NOT FAIL WITH THIS LOW MILEAGE AND AGE!!!! OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING, AND CHRYSLER WILL NOT ADMIT TO ANY FAULT OF THEIR PRODUCT. I HAVE RECORDS AND PROOF OF DAMAGED ITEMS IF NEEDED. I AKSED CHRYSLER TO PAY FOR PARTS ONLY, BUT THEY REFUSED TO DO SO. THEY ALSO REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE THE SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS FRONT END ISSUE.*JB