BEAVER COACH Complaints

MY BRAKES STARTED SMOKING WHILE MOVING. IFOUND OUT THEIR WAS A RECALL YEARS AGO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED MONACO AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY NO LONGER HONOR THIS RECALL, MONACO STATED TO ME THAT WHEN THEY BOUGHT THE BANKRUPT COMPANY BEAVER MOTOR COACHES THAT THEY MADE A DEAL THAT IF THEY BOUGHT THE COMPANY THE RECALL DID NOT COME WITH THE COMPANY, THE RECALL WAS ON CATASTROPHIC CALIPER PROBLEMS.

NHTSA RECALL 12V060000 WAS ISSUED FOR DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL TRANSFER SWITCHES MANUFACTURED BY IOTA ENGINEERING (AN EXISTING COMPANY). NAVISTAR ON BEHALF OF MONACO RV WAS NAMED RESPONSIBLE FOR CORRECTING THIS DEFECT. MONACO COACH (A DEFUNCT COMPANY ACQUIRED BY NAVISTAR) INSTALLED THESE SAME TRANSFER SWITCHES IN LIKE MODEL MOTOR HOMES PRIOR TO THEIR FAILURE. FOR THOSE OF US WITH THESE DEFECTIVE SWITCHES INSTALLED BY MONACO COACH AND NOT MONACO RV WE ARE NOT BEING PROVIDED ANY PROTECTION BY THE NHTSA FOR A KNOWN PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T THE NHTSA NAMED IOTA ENGINEERING AS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACEMENT OF THESE DEFECTIVE SWITCHES? IOTA ENGINEERING CLAIMS THE FAILURES TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH MONACO'S INSTALLATION (MONACO RV AND MONACO COACH). IN AT LEAST ONE CASE, PROBABLY OTHERS, THE FAILURE IS DIRECTLY APPLICABLE TO IOTA ENGINEERING AND NOT THE INSTALLER OF THEIR PRODUCT. THIS LINK CLEARLY ILLUSTRATES A FAILURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRODUCT AND NOT THE INSTALLATION OF THE PRODUCT; HTTP://WWW.IRV2.COM/FORUMS/F115/REPLACING-IOTA-50R-TRANSFER-SWITCH-120387.HTML . MY TRANSFER SWITCH HAS NOT YET FAILED. I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT IT MAY AND SHOULD BE PART OF A RECALL WITH IOTA ENGINEERING BEING NAMED RESPONSIBLE. *TR

I HAVE WINDOW SEAL FAILURE ON ALL OF THE WINDOWS OF MY 1997 BEAVER COACH. THE SEALS HAVE ALL FAILED ON THE DUAL PANE WINDOWS CAUSING FOGGY CONDITIONS BETWEEN THE 2 PANES. IT DOESN'T REALLY CREATE A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW THAT HAS A FAILED SEAL AND CREATES A FOGGY CONDITION THAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OUT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WHEN I WAS CHANGING LANES. THE WINDOWS ARE MANUFACTURED BY SE-GI OF NORCO CALIF. I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHER RV'ERS OUT THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

BOSCH HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES ON 2002 BEAVER MONTEREY MOTOR HOME SUBJECT TO NHTSA RECALL 02V278000. RECALL PERFORMED BY MONACO IN OCTOBER 2004. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SIX FAILURES: THERMAL EVENTS CAUSE BY BRAKE LOCK UP. TWO FIRES. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM NOW BEING REMEDIED BY NHTSA RECALL 09V110000. IT IS THE SAME BOSCH BRAKES ON WORKHORSE CHASSIS MANUFACTURED BY NAVISTAR (WHO NOW OWNS MONACO RV, LLC). THEY APPEAR TO BEING RECALLED FOR THE SAME REASON...OVERHEATING DUE TO LOCK UP CAUSED BY PHENOLIC CALIPER PISTON ABSORBING MOISTURE AND STICKING. ACCORDING TO INFO AVAILABLE ORIGINAL RECALL REMEDY DID NOT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF CALIPERS; NEW RECALL APPEARS TO REQUIRE THAT. OLD RECALL SHOULD HAVE BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE. RECOMMEND RECALLING ALL MONACO RVS ORIGINALLY RECALLED BY 02V278000 FOR REPLACEMENT OF COMPONENTS NOT REPLACED ORIGINALLY. IT IS NOTED THAT SOME OF THE MONACO PRODUCTS RECALLED IN 2004 WERE ON WORKHORSE CHASSIS. HOW MANY OTHER RV CHASSIS USE THE SAME WESTPORT AXLES AND/OR BOSCH DISC BRAKE CALIPERS? IF THEY MERIT RECALL ON ONE RV CHASSIS THEY MOST LIKELY MERIT RECALL ON ALL. AFTER OUR MOST RECENT LOCK UP AND FIRE WE WERE ABLE TO LOCATE BOSCH CALIPER PART NUMBER 415-3222 WITH STEEL VICE PHENOLIC PISTONS. WE HOPE THAT WE HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM; THIS AFTER TWO FIRES AND $5000+ IN REPAIRS. *TR

WHILE HAVING A MODIFICATION DONE TO THE REFRIGERATOR ON A NORCOLD RECALL, I LOOKED INSIDE THE COMPARTMENT WHERE THE REFRIGERATOR RESIDES. ON THE CEILING, NEAR THE VENT OPENING, I NOTICED A CHARRED AREA IN THE CEILING MATERIAL, A WOOD PANELING. THE CHARRED AREA WAS ACTUALLY BURNED THROUGH THE WOOD PANELING AND INTO THE STYRENE INSULATION ABOVE. I DISCOVERED THE CHARRED AREA WAS ROUND, ABOUT 2" IN DIAMETER, AND DIRECTLY ABOVE WHERE THE FLUE PIPE FOR THE PROPANE COMBUSTION IN THE REFRIGERATOR ENDED. THE FLUE PIPE ENDS ABOUT 3" BELOW THE CEILING MATERIAL, AND THERE IS NOTHING THERE TO DIVERT THE HOT GASES OUT AND AWAY. WHILE THE REFRIGERATOR WAS OUT OF THE COMPARTMENT, I MADE A MAKESHIFT HEAT SHIELD THAT I ATTACHED TO THE CEILING, OVER THE CHARRED AREA. I AM ATTEMPTING TO PREVENT THE COMBUSTION GASES CREATED WHEN THE REFRIGERATOR IS RUNNING ON PROPANE, TO DO ANY FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE WOOD CEILING MATERIAL. I AM NOT COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE WITH MY REPAIR, AND I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE IT WAS ENGINEERED THAT WAY ON PURPOSE. I HAVE CONTACTED NORCOLD, THE REFRIGERATOR MANUFACTURER, AND MONACO COACH CORPORATION VIA E-MAIL REGARDING THIS ISSUE. MONACO COACH RESPONDED BY BLOWING ME OFF, STATING THE VENT OVER THE REFRIGERATOR WAS PROBABLY MISALIGNED DURING INSTALLATION AT THE BEAVER FACTORY, AND THAT THE COACH IS OUT OF WARRANTY, SO TOO BAD. I AM TRULY SURPRISED THE COACH HAS NOT CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND I AM CERTAIN THE PROBLEM EXISTS WITH ALL COACHES OF MY MODEL AND FLOORPLAN THAT CAME OFF OF THE ASSEMBLY LINE. THE ALIGNMENT OF THE VENT OVER THE REFRIGERATOR IS BUILT INTO THE ROOF STRUCTURE, AND THE ALUMINUM FRAMEWORK BEFORE THE ROOF IS INSTALLED AND COVERED WITH WOOD, INSULATION, AND FIBERGLASS. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BOTH MONACO COACH CORPORATION, AND THETFORD, THE MAKER OF NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BEAVER PATRIOT. THE CONTACT HAD HIS VEHICLE SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V278000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS) AT 41,101 MILES. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MAY 19, 2008. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS REPAIR WAS PERFORMED INCORRECTLY BECAUSE THE OLD PARTS WERE STILL ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY PERFORMED THE REPAIR AND WOULD NOT COVER THE NEW REPAIR FOR FREE, REGARDLESS IF IT WAS ORIGINALLY PERFORMED CORRECTLY OR NOT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 56,205.

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 02V278000 THIS RECALL DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER PERFORMED THE RECOMMENDED REPAIRS. HOWEVER, THE BRAKES ON MY VEHICLE CONTINUE TO OVERHEAT AND WE BELIEVE AN INVESTIGATION OF THE WEIGHT VS. STOPPING POWER OF THIS BRAKE SYSTEM BE MADE. I CONTINUE TO MAKE REPAIRS, AT MY EXPENSE, ON THIS VEHICLE. THE COST OF THE VEHICLE WAS $224,000.00. ALL OF THE MOTORHOME DEALERS ARE AWARE OF THE POOR BRAKE SYSTEMS. THEREFORE THE VALUE OF MY COACH IS SEVERELY AFFECTED. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER SOLD OUT TO MONOCO CORP. THE NEW MANAGEMENT WILL NOT WORK WITH US TO RESOLVE THIS ONGOING PROBLEM. THEY TELL US (MR. ROBERT RISBURGER) "ITS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE AND THE OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL COSTS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BEAVER BARON. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE SIX SMALL SCREWS THAT MOUNTED THE 26" TELEVISION POPPED OUT. THE TELEVISION WAS MOUNTED IN BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS. THE CONTACTS WIFE WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE TELEVISION UNTIL THE VEHICLE COULD BE PULLED OVER. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 18,790. THE CONSUMER STATED CONTACTED A COLLISION REPAIR FACILITY WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE METHOD OF REPAIR WOULD CONSIST OF MODIFYING THE ENTIRE CABINET AND INSTALL A NEWER FLAT SCREEN TV THIS MODIFICATION WOULD COS $1500 PLUS TO REPAIR NOT INCLUDING DAMAGES. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

2005 BEAVER SANTIAM COACH THAT SLIDING SIDES THAT CAME IN WITHOUT WARNING CUSTOMER STATED THAT OTHER CONCERNS AS WELL**NAR**CC THE CONSUMER STATED UPON PURCHASING THEIR DREAM MOTORHOME, SHE HAD SEVERAL MINOR THINGS WRONG WITH THE COACH SUCH AS: AWNING OVER THE PASSENGER DOOR BANGING, SCREEN DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE, LIVING ROOM TV WENT OUT, LOUD WHISTLING NOISE WHILE DRIVING, SEPTIC TANK WENT OUT, LEAK FROM REFRIGERATOR SHORTED OUT THE LIGHTS, AND AWNING ALSO NOT CLOSING CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS WRITING FOR AN OPINION AS A MORE CONVENIENT WAY TO REPAIR THE DEFECTS. *TR

OWNER IS CONCERNED THAT 14,600 LBS RATED FRONT AXLE INSTALLED IN A 42' 2005 MY VICKSBURG BEAVER (MONACO) VEHICLES MAY BE LOADED ABOVE ITS RATED CAPACITY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS FULLY FUELED, WITH DRIVER AND PASSENGER, AND CARRYING FULL TANKS OF FRESH WATER AND PROPANE (BUT NO WASTE WATER)