2004 DUTCHMEN TRAILER Complaints

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE USING THE TRAVEL TRAILER, ONE OF THE TIRES BLEW OUT. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER, TWO OTHER TIRES BLEW OUT. THE TIRES HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE MANUFACTURED BY CARLISLE TIRE AND RUBBER CO, LT RADIAL. THE SERIAL NUMBERS WERE B36CDB80895, B36AAN0360, AND B36CDB0870. *AK (12/05/05) *SC

DT: THE CONSUMER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE TRAVEL TRAILER. WHILE USING THE TRAILER, A FAILURE ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE OCCURRED. THE FRONT TIRE WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE REAR TIRE WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT, AND THE TREAD TO SEPARATE. HE REPLACED THE TIRE WITH A SPARE TIRE UNTIL HE COULD REACH A TIRE DEALER. THE TIRE DEALER ADVISED HIM THAT THE OTHER TIRES WERE ABOUT TO DO THE SAME THING. WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE TIRE MANUFACTURER,THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY ON THE TIRES AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE CONSUMER HAD ANOTHER SAFETY CONCERN WITH THE TRAILER IN WHICH WHILE REPLACING THE TIRES, HE FOUND A SOFT COPPER TUBING THAT HAD GONE THROUGH THE WHEEL WELL. THIS TUBING CONNECTED THE GAS LINE TO THE WATER HEATER. THERE WAS NO SHIELD OR COVERING FOR THIS TUBING. THE CONSUMER HAD NOT CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER TO INFORM THEM OF THIS CONCERN. *AK (11/29/05) THE CONSUMER WAS ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE FACT THAT WHEN THE TRAILER WAS BEING TOWED, THE LP GAS HAD TURNED ON. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THIS WAS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS. *SC

FOR OUR FIRST LONG DISTANT TRIP FROM NC TO TX IN OUR 2004 VICTORY LANE DUTCHMEN 35SRV 5TH WHEEL CAMPER, WE CHECKED ALL TIRES (CARLISLE LT235 85R16) AND PRESSURE BEFORE LEAVING. THIS WAS ON 03/21/2005 WHEN THE FIRST BLOWOUT OCCURRED THAT ENDED UP CAUSING OVER $1800.00 IN DAMAGE AND WE HAD LESS THAN 500 MILES ON ALL THE TIRES. WE HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT ABOUT 60-65 MPH ON I-40. THE TIRE COMPLETELY SEPARATED AND BLEW APART. HAD TO PULL OVER 3 LANES ON I-40 TO THE SHOULDER AND CHANGE THE TIRE WHICH WAS CLOSE TO WINSTON-SALEM AT AN EXIT RAMP THAT HAD A BOTTLE NECK OF TRAFFIC AT RUSH HOUR. WE CHANGED THE TIRE AND HAD TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER SPARE TO BUY. ON THE WAY BACK FROM TX TO NC, WE HAD ANOTHER BLOWOUT OF CARLISLE TIRE #2 ALMOST IN THE SAME LOCATION. WE STILL HAD UNDER 2000 MILES ON THE TIRES. HAD TO LOOK AND PAY FOR ANOTHER SPARE TIRE. ONLY MADE A COUPLE MORE LOCAL TRIPS AFTER THAT TO THE NEAREST CAMPGROUND UNTIL 10/14/2005. WE MADE A TRIP TO MYRTLE BEACH ABOUT 155 MILES AWAY. WE HAD TRAVELED ABOUT 100 MILES GOING ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN A BLOWOUT OF CARLISLE TIRE #3. CHANGED TIRE WITH SPARE AND WAS LOOKING TO BUY ANTHER SPARE WHEN ANOTHER BLOWOUT OF CARLISLE #4 HAPPENED ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER. NO SPARE THIS TIME. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AND COULD NOT GET OFF THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO SHOULDER TO MOVE TO. WE GOT LUCKY AND A MAN CAME BUY ON A TRACTOR AND HELPED US GET TO A PLACE TO GET A TIRE. THIS COST US MOST OF THAT VACATION DAY JUST CHANGING AND LOOKING FOR TIRES. AND WE STILL HAD UNDER 3000 MILES ON THE OLDEST TIRES THAT HAD A BLOWOUT. WE HAVE NOT BEEN REIMBURSED FOR ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TIRE PROBLEMS AND IT HAS CAUSED MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO RAISE MY PREMIUMS AND CEDE MY POLICY TO THE NC INSURANCE FACILITY. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON OTHER FORUMS, THESE TIRES ARE A VERY POOR QUALITY/DEFECTIVE AND IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THERE IS A SERIOUS INJURY. *NM

LEAVING FROM HOME ON JUNE 29, 2005 FOR CAMPING 4 HOURS AWAY. OUR DUTCHMEN 5TH WHEEL IS 2 YEARS OLD AND WE HAVE CAMPED IN IT AROUND OUR AREA 5 TIMES SINCE WE PURCHASED IT. WE WERE TRAVLING DOWN I-40 WHEN WE HEARD A LOUD BANG, DIDN'T THINK IT WAS US SINCE OUR TIRES WERE NEW. I LOOKED IN THE SIDE MIRROR AND SAW INSULATION AND KNEW A TIRE HAD EXPLODED. WE PULLED OVER, MY HUSBAND PUT ON THE SPARE, GOT BACK ON THE ROAD. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER A SECOND TIRE EXPLODED. WE MADE IT TO AN EXIT AND A SUPER CENTER WAL-MART. THE OTHER TIRES AT THAT POINT HAD DEVELOPED AN ORANGE TINT TO THEM. AFTER THE MECHANIC INSPECTED THEM, WE WERE ADVISED NOT TO TRAVEL ANY FURTHER ON THE REMAINING TIRES. AT THAT POINT WE HAD 4 BRAND NEW TIRES PUT ON. THERE HAS BEEN DAMAGE DONE UNDERNEATH OUR CAMPER. OUR CAMPER DEALER HAS FAXED AN ESTIMATE OF DAMAGES TO CARLISLE TIRE & WHEEL. WE ALSO SAVED THE TIRES AND UPS PICKED THEM UP AND DELIVERED THEM BACK TO CARLISLE TIRE & WHEEL. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE TIRE COMPANY AND SENT THEM ALL THE DOCUMENTATION. NOW I'M WAITING ON A RESPONSE AND WAS NOT GIVEN A TIME FRAME AS TO WHEN THAT WILL BE.

I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS COMPLAINT BELONGS WITH NHTSA OR ANOTHER AGENCY. THE ISSUE INVOLVES THE 120 VOLT AC WIRING OF A TRAVEL TRAILER (RECREATIONAL VEHICLE) AND WOULD NOT POSE A HAZARD WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. SPECIFIC TRAILER MODEL IS A DUTCHMEN AEROLITE A30BHSL; THIS IS NOT LISTED IN THE DROP-DOWN BOXES AS A MODEL SELECTION. I DO NOT HAVE THE VIN WITH ME (IT'S IN MY TOW VEHICLE AT HOME, CAN BE PROVIDED UPON REQUEST). I DO HAVE A SERIES OF DIGITAL PHOTOS (UNRETOUCHED) THAT SHOW THE AFFECTED AREA. AFTER A TRIP WITH MY TRAILER, I PARKED IT AT HOME AND STARTED INVESTIGATING AN OVERLOAD IN MY 12 VOLT SYSTEM. I COULD NOT FIND ANY ISSUES WITH THE 120 V AC TO 12 V DC CONVERTER. HOWEVER, I FOUND A BURNED WIRE NUT ON THE FLOOR OF MY TRAILER. INVESTIGATING FURTHER, I FOUND THAT THE 120 V AC WIRING APPEARS TO HAVE ARCED RESISTIVELY (HOT TO GREEN SAFETY GROUND) UNDERNEATH THE DINETTE IN THE SLIDE-OUT ROOM. I USE THESE SPECIFIC TERMS BECAUSE NO CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS TRIPPED AND THE WIRE NUTS SHOW OBVIOUS SIGNS OF BURNS. THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER USED AN SOJ (EXTENSION CORD) TYPE CABLE BETWEEN TWO JUNCTION BOXES, AND THIS CABLE IS NOT SECURED ANYWHERE BETWEEN OR INSIDE THE TWO JUNCTION BOXES. ONLY THE WIRE NUTS HOLDING THE THREE CONDUCTORS OF THE SOJ CABLE TO THE ROMEX FIXED WIRING HOLD THIS CABLE IN PLACE. THE CABLE IS USED BECAUSE IT IS LINKING THE STATIONARY TRAILER FLOOR WITH THE SLIDE-OUT ROOM. I THINK THAT THE CIRCUIT ARCED BECAUSE OF THE MOVEMENT OF THE SLIDE-OUT ROOM PULLING THE SOJ CABLE. I HAVE OWNED THE TRAILER FOR JUST OVER A YEAR AND HAVE DEPLOYED AND RETRACTED THE SLIDE-OUT ROOM DOZENS OF TIMES--IT'S NECESSARY TO DO SO TO USE THE TRAILER AS A TEMPORARY LIVING QUARTERS. THE TRAILER IS AT AN RV DEALER (POULSBO RV, RIDGEFIELD WASHINGTON) RIGHT NOW, BEING REPAIRED. I HAVE VOICED MY OPINION TO THE DEALER THAT I THINK THIS IS A POOR DESIGN THAT COULD BE UNSAFE, AND HAVE ASKED THEM TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE AT NO CHARGE.

OF 5 (5) TIRES ON OUR TRAVEL TRAILER, FOUR OF THEM BLEW IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. TWO IN ONE WEEKEND.*AK

WHILE DRIVING FRONT/REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND CHANGED THE TIRE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. DUNLOP, CARLI, 235/85R16. *AK

2 OF THE 4 TIRES ON OUR 2004 FOUR WINDS (DUTCHMEN) WINNERS CIRCLE 5TH WHEEL RV 35 FOOT UNIT. TIRES WERE MADE BY CARLISLE (RADIAL TRAIL 16" SERIES), AND AFTER RESEARCH IT WAS FOUND THESE CERTAIN TIRES (OURS INCLUDED) HAD A HISTORY OF FAILURES. BOTH TIRES FAILED CAUSING BLOWOUTS, 1 TIRE WAS NEARLY DISENGRATED, THE OTHER HAD A SECTION 7X12" MISSING FROM IT. THE OTHER TWO HAD NOT BLOWN OUT, BUT AFTER THEY WERE INSPECTED BY A TIRE DEALER, IT WAS NOTED THEY WOULD HAVE FAILED SHORTLY WAS NOTED THEY FAILED DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. CAUSED MASSIVE DAMAGE ($3-5K POSSIBLY MORE) DAMAGE TO TRAILER. DUE TO WEIGHT OF TRAILER (NOT OVERLOADED - WAS BEING HAULED NEARLY EMPTY), FRAME DAMAGE MAY HAVE OCCURED AS THERE ARE SIGNS OF THE FRAME HAVING TWISTED. FAILURES HAPPENS 315 MILES APARTS, AND THE TIRES HAD LESS THAN 2000 MILES ON THEM, ALL PRESSURES WERE NOTED AS GOOD AND IN OPERATING/LOAD RANGE. A 4 TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH 4 LIKE TIRES FROM BF GOODRICH. IT IS UNKNOWN IF THERE WERE ANY INJURIES OR DAMAGES TO OTHER CARS FROM DEBRIS OR PARTS FROM TRAILER YET. SPEED OF TRAVEL WAS AROUND 60-65 ON A FLAT LEVEL SURFACE. ALL FOUR TIRES FAILED, THE 2 THAT BLEW OUT WERE THE: FRONT RIGHT, AND REAR LEFT TIRES. *LA