COACHMEN Complaints

GENERAL TIRE LMT 400, 225/70R 19.5 TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS ON 2002 COACHMEN RV WITH FORD CHASSIS. FIRST ON INTERSTATE REAR INNER DUAL BLOWOUT SHOWING SIDEWALL ZIPPER OF APPROX 6 INCHES, TIRE HAD 13000 MILES ON JULY 17, 2003. SECOND INCIDENT ON IN TOWN ROADWAY BLOWOUT OF INNER DUAL SHOWING SIDEWALL ZIPPER PF APPROX 6 INCHES, TIRE HAD 500 MILES. NOTIFIED GENERAL OF BOTH INCIDENTS, FIRST INCIDENT TOOK TIRE TO GENERAL DEALER STATED WAS NOT FAULT OF TIRE BUT OF MOUTING OR UNDERINFLATION. TIRE SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACED BY FORD DEALER. FORD NOTIFIED WITH DETAILS. SECOND INCIDENT GENERAL NOTIFIED DIRECTED TO TAKE TIRE TO LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO WHEN CONTACTED STATED DEALERSHIP DID NOT HAVE FACILITIES FOR RVS REFUSED TO SET APPOINTMENT FOR REVIEW. BASED ON TWO INCIDENTS WITH SAME PROBLEM I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT DRIVING VEHICLE WHICH HAS SIX OF THESE TIRES UNTIL SOMEONE CAN EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *SCC. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED 3 TIRE BLOW OUT ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *JB

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.

VEHICLE TIRE EXPLODED. *MR THE VEHICLE HAD GONE DOWN A 25 FOOT EMBANKMENT TO ANOTHER ROAD TO A PARKING LOT. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. *SCC. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME, THE TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *JB

WHEN GOING OVER EXPANSION JOINTS ON THE FREEWAYS, THE VEHICLE GALLOPS SEVERELY. THE FRONT TIRES ACTUALLY LEAVE THE GROUND. THE AXLE WEIGHTS ARE OUT OF PROPORTION, DUE THE FACT THAT IT'S A REAR DIESEL PUSHER. THE AXLE WEIGHTS ARE AS FOLLOWS: FRONT 4240 REAR 11,500 THE PLATE IN THE VEHICLE STATES THAT THE GVW SHOULD BE: FRONT 6000,: REAR 10000 THIS WEIGHT WAS TAKEN WITH THE GREY AND BLACK HOLDING TANKS EMPTY, AND THE FRESH WATER TANK ABOUT 3/4 FULL. THE GENERATOR TANK WAS 3/4 FULL, AND THE DIESEL TANK WAS AT 1/4 FULL. ALL HEAVY ITEMS BEING CARRIED IN THE VEHICLE SUCH AS TOOLS, CANNED GOODS, ETC. WERE LOCATED IN THE FRONT AREA OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS CAN BE CORRECTED BY ADDING 1000 LBS. OF LEAD TO THE FRONT END, IN REMOVABLE INGOTS, BUT SECURED SO THEY WOULDN'T COME OUT IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS ISN'T CHEAP TO DO, AND SO FAR COACHMAN ISN'T OF ANY HELP. THE VIN # IS: [XXX]. I'M PLANNING TO HAVE THE EXTRA WEIGHT ADDED, BUT WOULD LIKE COACHMAN TO REIMBURSE ME FOR IT. *JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

FOR THE SECOND TIME I HAD A SHOULDER SEPARATION, BUT THIS TIME TRVELING AT 35 MILES PER HOUR IN A SMALL TOWN, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THE PREVIOUS INCIDENT WAS IN EARLY MARCH 2003, SPEED 60 MILES PER HOUR, WHEN THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE WENT THE SAME WAY, BUT WITH NO DFAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. 3 OTHER TIRES APPEAR READY TO SEPERATE, ACCORDING TO A LOCAL TIRE SERVICE CENTER.THE TIRE SIZE IS LT 225/75R16MS. THESE ARE ORIGINAL TIRES WITH 10/32 NDS TIRE TREAD REMAINING. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATEL 22000 MILES.*AK

MOTORHOME ON FORD E450 CHASSIS FORD VIN # [XXX]. POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE INSTALLED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE EDGE OF THE BRACKET THAT ATTACHES THE STEERING DAMPENER TO THE STEERING CONTROL ARM RUBBED THE HOSE CAUSING IT TO SUDDENLY RUPTURE RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND HYDRA BOOST TO BRAKING SYSTEM. FORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED AS I BACKED THE MOTORHOME OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY RATHER THAN ON THE INTERSTATE OR A MOUNTAIN ROAD. IF THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE INSTALLED IN THIS MANNER THEN FORD MAY HAVE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM BREWING. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. I FEEL THAT RUNNING POWERSTEERING AND BRAKE BOOST OFF THE SAME HYDRAULIC PUMP IS DANGEROUS. A HOSE , BELT OR PUMP FAILURE CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND BRAKES AT THE SAME TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB

THE VEHICLE SHAKED, VIBRATED, AND WANDERED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *JB THIS WOULD HAPPENED WHILE GOING STRAIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CONSUMER HAD TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. SCC