1995 COACHMEN CATALINA Complaints

OUR 1995 FORD COACHMAN MOTORHOME WAS BOUGHT IN 2010. WE WERE UNAWARE OF ANY CALLBACK UNTIL WE RECEIVED A LETTER JULY 23,2014. THIS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE NOV 2012-TOTAL LOSS AS WELL AS PART OF OUR HOME, 24 FT FILLED CARGO TRAILER , REG TRAILER, ETC OVER $100,000 LOSS. THE STATE & LOCAL FIRE CHIEF/MARSHALL REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE THE FIRE & RULED IT 'UNFOUNDED OR UNDETERMINED. HE JUST LOOKED AT IT & SAID I AM NOT EVEN GOING TO BRING A DOG IN OR DO ANYTHING WITH THIS. CLEAN UP YOUR YARD. MOST OF THE FIRE RESTORATION CO REFUSED TO COME GIVE AN ESTIMATE AS THEY STATED OUR INSURANCE 'DOESN'T PAY'. THEY CURRENTLY HAVE A GRADE ONLINE OF A D IN REGARDS TO CLAIMS. OUR INSURANCE REFUSED TO PAY ANYTHING & ARGUED IMMENSELY AFTER WE SUBMITTED 75 PAGES, TOOK OVER 1,000 PICTURES, OUR CITY BORO FINED US, OUR NEIGHBORS HARASSED US OVER THIS, WE HAVE INCURRED NUMEROUS COSTS & HARASSMENT DUE TO THIS FIRE LOSS. WHEN WE CALLED FORD LAST WEEK AFTER RECEIVING THE LETTER-THEY TOLD US WE HAD TO HIRE AN INVESTIGATOR-TO 'EVALUATE' OUR CLAIM. SINCE OUR BORO FINED US - WE WERE FORCED TO START TEARING IT DOWN BEFORE WE EVEN KNEW ABOUT THE RECALL. THE BORO FURTHER STATES WE MUST REMOVE & GET RID OF THE REST OF IT NO MATTER WHAT AND THEY 'DON'T CARE'. *JS

THERE WAS AN EXHAUST SMELL IN THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED THAT GASKET ON THE MANIFOLD BURNED OUT AND CAUSED A LEAK. THE GASKETS WERE REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. OWNERS MANUAL STATES IF YOUR VEHICLE IS EQUIPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC 4-SPEED AUTOMATIC (E4OD OR 4R70W) TRANSMISSION, OPERATE IN OVERDRIVE. ETC, (PAGE 247 OF OWNERS MANUAL.) TRANSMISSION FAILED AFTER PULLING A 2,000 LB TRAILER AND CONTENTS FOR APPROXIMATE 2400 MILES. THIS IS WELL BELOW THE TOWING CAPACITY OF THIS VEHICLE. PROBLEM IS: SOME FORD DEALERS SAY THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER PULL IN OVERDRIVE REGARDLESS OF TRAILER WEIGHT AND SOME SAY THAT THIS TRANSMISSION IS OK TO PULL IN OVERDRIVE AS STATED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. THE SAME WITH R/V DEALERS. THERE IS NO SET CONSENSUS AS TO WHAT GEAR TO PULL IN. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 39740 MILES WHICH IS ABOUT 3000 MILES OVER THE 36000 MILE WARANTEE AND BEING A 1995 VEHICLE IT IS 5 YEARS OVER THE YEAR WARANTEE. BUT EITHER CASE, AT 39,740 MILES IT IS A LITTLE PREMATURE AND EVEN IF PULLING A TRAILER THE OWNERS MANUAL SHOULD STATE NOT TO PULL IN OVERDRIVE.

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DESIGN OF THE AXLE ON THE VEHICLE CAN NOT PROPERLY HOLD THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS HAD FOUR TIRES REPLACED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. NLM *YH