2000 COACHMEN LEPRECHAUN Complaints

DRIVING DOWN I75 NORTH OF TAMPA IN COACHMAN MOTORHOME , IT STARTED SHAKING THEN SHAKING GOT WORSE AND WORSE, I SLOWED TO 15 MPG AND EASED TO SHOULDER STOPPED VEHICLE AND LOOKED AT BACK TIRES , AND FOUND THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE ON THE DRIVERS INSIDE DUAL TIRE. I CHECKED BACK AND THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE ROAD AND NO VISIBLE PUNCTURE DAMAGE TO TIRE. IT JUST BLEW APART. WHEN THE TREAD SEPARATED IT CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE COACH. THE BOX FOR THE SEWER CONNECTIONS WAS BADLY DAMAGED AND THE FILLER TUBE FOR THE FUEL TANK WAS HIT AND PULLED IN DESTROYING THE GAS CAP AND ADJACENT AREA . OTHER PIECES HIT VARIOUS PARTS OF THE REAR BENDING AND DISTORTING THE UNDERCARRIAGE.*JB

DT: CONTACT STATED THE 4 FIRESTONE TIRES ON 2000 COACHMAN, LEPRECHAUN MODEL SS314 BLEW OUT. THE MOTOR HOME HAS A 1999 FORD E450 CHASSIS. TON HE FIRST TIRE THE ENTIRE BELT CAME OFF, AND HIT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. ON THE SECOND TIRE THE STEEL WIRES CAME THROUGH THE TREAD , BUT THE BELT DID NOT COME OFF. THE THIRD TIRE WAS THE SAME AS THE SECOND TIRE. THE 4TH TIRE HAD A 8'' INCH TEAR ON THE SIDEWALL. THE TIRE HAD ONLY 7,000 MILES ON IT. WAS SENT OFF TO FIRESTONE FOR AN ADJUSTMENT OR REPLACEMENT, AND FIRESTONE REFUSED TO ADJUST OR REPLACE THE TIRE BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT COACHMAN HAD PUT TOO MUCH WEIGHT ON THE MOTOR HOME, AND THAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE TIRE PROBLEM. THEY REFUSED TO GIVE CALLER THIS REASON IN WRITING. HE HAD NOT TALKED TO COACHMAN. WHEN THE MOTOR HOME HAD 20,000 MILES ON IT, CONSUMER STATED IT STARTED TO SHIMMY BADLY. TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT ALIGNED, AND THEY TOLD HIM THE FRONT END WAS SO HEAVY, THEY HAD TO SEND OUT AND HAVE CUSTOM MADE CAMS MACHINED TO DO IT. *AK

THE VEHICLE HAD FOUR SEPARATE TIRE BLOWOUTS ON THE REAR WHEELS DUE TO THE SIDEWALL CRACKING AND SPLITTING. THREE BLOWOUTS WERE ON THE INSIDE REAR TIRES AND ONE BLOWOUT ON THE OUTSIDE REAR TIRE. TIRE INFO: FIRESTONE LT225/75R16 ORIGINAL 1ST FAILURE- 425 MILES 3RD FAILURE- 7000 MI . *NLM