COACHMEN Complaints

THE SIDING OF THE 5TH WHEEL BEGAN TO PEEL OFF AND INSULATION FLEW OUT DUE TO FLAW IN INSTALLATION BY THE MANUFACTURER. YH

EXPERIENCED TWO TIRE BLOWOUTS RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO UNDERCARRIAGE AND SIGNIFICANT RISK OF FIRE EXPLOSION DUE TO LOCATION OF MAIN LP SUPPLY LINES. RV TIRES HAD LESS THAN 10,000 MILES WITH EXCELLENT TREAD AND PROPER INFLATION PER MANUFACTURER SPECS. APPROXIMATELY 130 MILES INTO TRIP, RIGHT INSIDE REAR TIRE LOST COMPLETE TREAD BUT NOT AIR PRESSURE. WHEN CHANGING TIRE, NOTICED DAMAGE TO UNDERCARRIAGE AND EXPOSED LP LINES AND ELECTRICAL WIRES THAT WERE MOUNTED IN THE WHEEL WELLS. THESE LINES WERE COVERED WITH A THIN PIECE OF SHEET METAL THAT THE TIRE QUICKLY DESTROYED. AFTER FIRST REPAIR, EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT OF THE LEFT REAR INSIDE TIRE WITH COMPLETE AIR LOSS. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE MAIN LP SUPPLY LINE (BENT AND CRIMPED) AGAIN DUE TO ITS INAPPROPRIATE LOCATION IN THE WHEEL WELL WITHOUT PROPER PROTECTION. LUCKILY, THE PROPANE LINE DID NOT RUPTURE BUT REQUIRED COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. THE MAIN FUEL TANK FILLER TUBE IS ALSO LOCATED IN THE WHEEL WELL. THIS IS A VERY POOR DESIGN AND POSES SIGNIFICANT RISK OF EXPLOSION WHEN EXPERIENCING TIRE BLOWOUTS. VEHICLE CHASSIS AND BRAKES WERE ALSO CHECKED BY AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND WITH BRAKE OVERHEATING THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO TIRE PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE HAS ALSO BEEN WEIGHED AND WAS NOT OVERLOADED AND THE TIRE PRESSURES WERE CONFIRMED BY A ROAD SERVICE REPAIR TECHNICIAN.( DOT NUMBER: VDILIXD257 TIRE SIZE: LT22575R16 )

FRONT TUBING WHICH IS THE FRAME CRACKED COMPLETELY WHERE THE KING PIN HITCH IS FASTENED. FRAME TUBING ON OPPOSITE SIDE CRACKED & WELDS IN REAR OF KING PIN BRACKET BROKE LOOSE FROM BOTTOM TO TOP ABOUT HALF WAY UP. COACHMENT OFFERED TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH AN ENHANCEMENT KIT. THE ENHANCEMENT KIT WAS ORIGINALLY OFFERED ON 2/24/97, UNDER THE OWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAM NP002-FIFTH WHEEL PIN BOX FRAME MODIFICATION. IT TARGETED CERTAIN 94 AND 95 INDIANA PRODUCED COACHMEN FIFTH WHEEL TRAILERS. IN COACHMEN'S LETTER TO 94-95 OWNERS, THEY STATE "IN RARE AND SEVERE CONDITIONS, A "PROGRESSIVE" FRAME FLEX IS POSSIBLE IN WHICH THE GOOSE NECK AREA OF THE FIFTH WHEEL FRAME COULD BEGIN TO SAG ONTO THE BED OF THE PICK-UP, OVER THE HITCH. THIS CONDITION MAY DEVELOP AFTER EXTENDED USE, OVERLOADING, OR UNEVEN WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION." OUR 1996 TRAILER HAS NOT BEEN EXPOSED TO ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS. IT HAS ~ 10,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF VERY WELL. THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM, BUT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THIS CAN CAUE FATAL ACCIDENTS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. WHY A KIT? THEY CAN BUILD IT RIGHT, INITIALLY. IT IS NOT AGAINST THE LAW IN NM, FOR PASSENGERS TO RIDE IN A FIFTH WHEEL. WHAT IF OUR KIDS WERE IN THE FIFTH WHEEL AT THE TIME OF THE BREAK? WHAT IF WE HAD NOT NOTICED THE SAGGING FIFTH WHEEL, CONTINUED ON THE HIGHWAY AT EVEN 35 MPH AND THE TRAILER BROKE LOOSE? THE ISSUE IS ONE OF SAFETY. EVEN IF COACHMEN FIXES THE FIFTH WHEEL, WE WILL NOT FEEL SAFE IN IT. *AK

THE FRONT END WILL NOT KEEP LINED UP AND WEARS OUT TIRES CONSTANTLY . WE HAVE ALREADY PUT 4 SETS ON THE FRONT END. COACHMEN DEALER REMOVED THE AIR BAG SUSPENTION A REPLACED IT WITH HEAVY DUTY SPRINGS AND REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS AT 35000 MILES AFTER IT WAS ALIGNED AND TIRES REPLACED TWICE. THIS STILL DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM IT STILL WORE OUT TIRES TO THE POINT ONE BLEW ON THE INTERSTATE, THE LAST TIME IT WAS ALIGNED WE WERE TOLD WAS AJUSTED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE. THE TIRES ARE STILL WEARING OUT. THE UNIT ANLY HAS 55000 MILES ON IT AND NOW WE ARE TOLD MAYBE A NEW FRONT END WOULD HELP!!! IT IS NOW NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTEE AND WE ARE AFAID TO GO ANYWHERE WITH IT !! HELP !!!!!( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 8R19.5 )

THE FRONT END WILL NOT KEEP LINED UP AND WEARS OUT TIRES CONSTANTLY . WE HAVE ALREADY PUT 4 SETS ON THE FRONT END. COACHMEN DEALER REMOVED THE AIR BAG SUSPENTION A REPLACED IT WITH HEAVY DUTY SPRINGS AND REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS AT 35000 MILES AFTER IT WAS ALIGNED AND TIRES REPLACED TWICE. THIS STILL DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM IT STILL WORE OUT TIRES TO THE POINT ONE BLEW ON THE INTERSTATE, THE LAST TIME IT WAS ALIGNED WE WERE TOLD WAS AJUSTED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE. THE TIRES ARE STILL WEARING OUT. THE UNIT ANLY HAS 55000 MILES ON IT AND NOW WE ARE TOLD MAYBE A NEW FRONT END WOULD HELP!!! IT IS NOW NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTEE AND WE ARE AFAID TO GO ANYWHERE WITH IT !! HELP !!!!!*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 8R19.5 )

EXPERIENCED 2 FAILURES OF THESE TIRES. THE FIRST AT 22345 MILES, AND THE SECOND AT 26400 MILES. ON BOTH OCCASIONS THE TIRE HAD NEARLY COMPLETE TREAD SEPERATION. THESE BOTH OCCURRED ON REAR OD MATORHOME AND WERE BOTH ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. BOTH INSTANCES OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 65 MPH. THIS CREATED A VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS CONDITION NOT ONLY TO ME BUT TO OTHER MOTORISTS BEHIND ME (FLYING RUBBER). PLEASE ADVISE ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE. WILL CONTACT MANUFACTURE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LT225/75R1 )

WHILE DRIVING MOTORHOME IT JUST DIED. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE MOTORHOME WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REBUILT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE CONSUMERS TRAVEL TRAILER (2000 CATALINA LITE TRAVEL TRAILER) BOLT THREAD STRIPPED CAUSING THE ANGLE IRON TO FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING, THE REST OF THEM WERE LOOSE AND ABOUT TO FALL OFF. NLM

THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE IS 1997. CONSUMER LIGHT FIXTURE OVER THE BED ON DRIVER'S SIDE GETS REALLY HOT AND BURNS THE MATRESS IN MOTOR HOME, LIGHT IS ONLY A FEW INCHES UP FROM MATRESS. CONSUMER FEELS THIS MAY START A FIRE. *AK

TIRES (LOADSTAR 5.30 X 12) ARE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR SIZE AND WEIGHT OF CAMPER RESULTING IN TWO TIRE BLOW OUTS. *MJS