COACHMEN Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 COACHMEN CHAPARRAL. THE REAR AXLE ON THE TRAILER WAS MISALIGNED WITH THE FRONT AXLE. THIS CONDITION CAUSED ABNORMAL TREAD WEAR ON ONE OF THE REAR TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE AXLES WERE WITHIN THEIR TOLERANCE LIMIT, SO THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 COACHMEN AURORA. THE ABS BRAKES HAVE FAILED DUE TO HEAT BUILD-UP. HE RECEIVED A NOTICE FOR WORKHORSE RECALL#50901-C. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN MAY 2009 AND A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. WORKHORSE CONCLUDED THAT ONLY AN INTERIM REPAIR COULD BE MADE SINCE THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000. UPDATED 11/06/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES OVERHEATED WHICH CAUSED THEM TO DRAG. UPDATED 11/09/09*JB

AS MY HUSBAND AND I WERE COMING BACK FROM BRANSON, PULLING OUR 2006 COACHMEN CAPTIVA TRAVEL TRAILER , WE STOPPED FOR LUNCH IN LEBANON, MO AND AFTER GETTING BACK ONTO THE HWY THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED: I WAS DRIVING AND PULLED ONTO HWY 44 EAST BOUND, (MILE MARKER 129) AT APPROX 1:30,P.M., AFTER ABOUT 3 MILES I HEARD A FAINT NOISE AND WITH THAT LOOKED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR AND NOTICED A PIECE OF RUBBER BOUNCING ON THE PAVEMENT. I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THAT WAS ODD AS I DIDN'T REMEMBER SEEING ANY RUBBER IN THE ROAD THAT I WOULD HAVE RUN OVER. THEN AT THAT POINT THE NOISE WAS LOUDER AND I LOOKED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR AND NOTICED ALL THE DEBRIS COMING FROM THE AREA OF THE CAMPER TIRES. AT THAT POINT I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER, (MILE MARKER 133). WE GOT OUT AND AS MY HUSBAND WAS ASSESSING THE DAMAGE I CALLED *55. THE FRONT TIRE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAMPER LOST TREAD AND WENT THROUGH THE FLOOR OF THE CAMPER. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE THE VISIBLE DAMAGE DONE IS TO THE FLOOR, FURNACE, PLUMBING UNDER THE SINK, THE SINK AND CABINETS ARE PULLED AWAY FROM THE WALL, WIRING UNDERNEATH THE REFRIGERATOR. MY POTS AND PANS WERE DENTED AND THE FLATWARE DRAWER WAS OPEN AND PIECED WERE STREWN EVERYWHERE. THE ENTRANCE DOOR TO THE CAMPER DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY. THE STATE PATROL OFFICER WAS BRYAN G ARNOLD, TROOP I HEADQUARTERS, ROLLA MO, BADGE # 123, ZONE 5 COMMANDER. HE DID NOT WRITE A REPORT BUT SAID HE COULD BE CONTACTED AT ANYTIME TO TALK OF THE SITUATION, 573 368-2345. THE INFORMATION ON THE TIRE IS AS FOLLOWS: MAXXIS RADIAL M8008ST205/75R14, THIS BRAND TIRE IS NOT INCLUDED ON YOUR TIRE LIST. I CALLED 1 888 327 4236 AND WAS TOLD TO INCLUDE THE TIRE INFORMATION IN THIS SECTION AND JUST PICK A TIRE AT RANDOM TO FINISH OUT THE REPORT. ALL THE TIRES THAT WERE ON THE CAMPER WHEN WE BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW ARE OF THE SAME BRAND AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ALL OF THEM REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 COACHMEN VIKING POP-UP CAMPER (NA). THE VEHICLE HAS CARLISLE USA TRAIL SIZE 4.80-12 (LOAD RANGE C)(NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TREAD SEPARATED ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH. HE WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE TIRE WAS ALMOST SEPARATED INTO TWO PIECES. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000. UPDATED 08/04/09. *LJ THE DEALER PROVIDED A REPLACEMENT TIRE. UPDATED 08/06/09. *JB

ONE YEAR OF OWNERSHIP..........SPARK PLUG WIRE BURNED UP. TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP.........CALIPER BURNED UP PRIOR TO A TRIP, MY MECHANIC "NOTICED" THE WIRE AND REPLACED IT. SERVICED FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, SMELLED THE BURN, FOUND THE BROKEN CALIPER. REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER (SAME MODEL). TOLD THAT THE REMANUFACTURED CALIPERS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL OCTOBER '09. *TR

WE OWN A 1999 COACHMEN MIRADA MOTORHOME WITH A LARGE SLIDEOUT FOR A DINETTE AND SOFA. WE WERE DRIVING UP A NARROW WINDING ROAD IN A REMOTE AREA ON THE WAY TO KERNVILLE, CA WHEN, FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE SLIDEOUT EXTENDED FULLY (ABOUT 2 FEET FROM THE MAIN CHASSIS.) WE WERE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AT THE TIME AND HAD JUST GONE AROUND A RIGHT BEND IN THE ROAD (THE SLIDEOUT IS ON THE LEFT OF THE COACH.) IF THERE HAD BEEN A VEHICLE PASSING IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY RESULTED IN A FATAL ACCIDENT. WE HAD TO STOP THE COACH, PUSH THE SLIDE OUT IN MANUALLY AND BLOCK IT WITH WOOD TO PREVENT IT SLIDING OUT AGAIN BECAUSE IT APPEARED TO BE FREE FLOATING. WE CURRENTLY HAVE STIERS RV REPAIRS IN BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA EVALUATING THE COACH. WE CALLED COACHMEN SERVICE TO REPORT THE PROBLEM, JASON TOLD US THAT FAILURES HAPPEN! WE UNDERSTAND US TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY RAY LAHOOD IS ORDERING A FULL REVIEW OF MOTORCOACH SAFETY. WE FEEL HE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND FIND OUT IF COACHMEN HAS A HISTORY OF SLIDEOUT FAILURES UNDER WARRANTY OR ON LATER MODELS. PLEASE GET BACK TO ME AND LET ME KNOW IF THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE REPORTED TO ANY OTHER AGENCY. WE ARE ALSO GOING TO WRITE TO COACHMEN AND OFFICIALLY REPORT THE PROBLEM. WE WILL CONTACT YOU AS SOON AS WE HEAR WITH AN UPDATE. WE JUST WANT TO NOTIFY YOU SO OTHERS ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR JEAN AND KEN DICKEY

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 COACHMEN LEPRECHAUN MOTOR HOME. WHILE DRIVING GREATER THAN 35 MPH, THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE VEHICLE MOVED FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER TOO MUCH. HE TOOK THE MOTOR HOME TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING BOX; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE COACHMEN BODY WAS TOO OVERLOADED FOR THE FRAME, WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO DIP DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE FRAME SHOULD BE MADE WITH DIFFERENT SPECIFICATIONS AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 COACHMEN 241FK-LITE RV. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL RM2652. THE REFRIGERATOR WAS OPERATING PROPERLY WHEN THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08E032000 (EQUIPMENT). THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO NOTIFY THE DOMETIC CUSTOMER CENTER FOR OVER A MONTH, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN SPEAKING WITH A REPRESENTATIVE CONCERNING THE RECALL DEFECT. CURRENTLY, THE REFRIGERATOR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE RECALL. THE MILEAGES AND PART NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 3/5/09 *CN UPDATED 03/10/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 COACHMEN CATALINA. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL RM2652. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REFRIGERATOR WAS NOT COOLING PROPERLY. HE ALSO SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF AMMONIA. HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08E032000 (EQUIPMENT) AND NOTIFIED THE DOMETIC CUSTOMER CENTER. THE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RECALL KIT; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REMEDY WOULD NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE PART NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN.

MID NOVEMBER 2008 THE REFRIGERATOR IN MY COACHMAN CAMPER TRAILER QUIT WORKING. I DISCOVERED THAT THE COOLANT LIQUID HAD LEAKED OUT. I HAD NOT YET GOTTEN IT IN FOR REPAIRS WHEN I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM DOMETIC ON JAN 2, 2009 FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THIS WAS MY FIRST NOTICE OF THIS PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH AFTER CALLING DOMETIC , I DISCOVERED THAT THEY HAD BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS. UPON CONTACTING DOMETIC I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE HEAT SHIELD ONLY AFTER I HAD THE REPAIRS DONE OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. HOW CAN THEY TAKE THE POSITION THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE REPAIRS WHEN IT IS CLEAR THAT THE DEFECT AND BREAKDOWN OF THE EQUIPMENT IS ENTIRELY DUE TO THEIR FAULTY EQUIPMENT AND NEGLIGENCE? IS THERE A COURSE OF ACTION TO BE TAKEN TO RECTIFY THIS SITUATION OTHER THAN HIRING AN ATTORNEY? THE CAMPER INFO IS AS FOLLOW: 2001 COACHMAN CATALINA 249QB MODEL # 041 # . THE REFRIGERATORS INFO IS : DOMETIC MODEL # RM2652 SERIAL # 10203991. *TR