DUTCHMEN Complaints

1)8 TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 8000 MILES ON EACH TIRE. FIRST NOTICED IS UNUSUAL TREAD WEAR AND BULGES IN THE TIRE CASING. BULGES CAN BE EITHER IN THE TREAD OR THE SIDEWALL NEAR THE RIM. 2)FAILURES HAVE BEEN TIRES GOING FLAT, TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE SIDEWALL. I HAVE HAD TWO SETS OF FOUR TIRES SUPPLIED BY THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER DUTCHMEN EXHIBIT THIS PLY SEPARATION AFTER APPROXIMATELY 8000 MILES. 3)ALL THE TIRES HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED, FIRST TIME BY THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER ALL AT ONCE AND THE SECOND SET ONE AT A TIME AFTER FAILURE WHILE ON THE ROAD. FOUR ORIGINAL DEFECTIVE AND ONE NON-DEFECTIVE TIRE WAS RETURNED THRU THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER, OF THE SECOND SET I HAVE ONE DEFECTIVE AND ONE SPARE WITH LESS THAN 178 MILES ON IT AND TWO OTHER DEFECTIVES ARE BEING HELD BY THE DEALERS WHO REPLACED THE TIRES, THE LAST DEFECTIVE HAS BEEN SENT TO RECYCLE. THE TIRE ID IS TRAIL EXPRESS "POWER TOWING" DOT CODE 1KMM16A 1311 SIZE ST235/80R16 LOAD RANGE E. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MODEL NUMBERS ARE YTR06 AND/OR HA109. UPDATED IVOQ 11/08/11. *KB

CPSC# I180089A. 2004 DUTCHMEN AEROLITE A30GS TRAVEL TRAILER. CONSUMER FEELS THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO HAVE A HOT WATER HEATER BY THE ONLY DOOR. THE CONSUMER FOUND THE EXHAUST BLOWS INTO THE CAMPER HE IS CONCERNED THAT A CHILD COULD ACCIDENTALLY BUMP INTO IT. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED HIS DAUGHTER RECEIVED A BURN WHEN SHE TRIED TO ENTER THE CAMPER, BUT LOST GRIP OF THE HANDLE. SHE NOW HAS A PERMANENT SCAR. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 WHICH WAS HITCHED TO A 2011 DUTCHMEN RUBICON TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THE FURNACE EXHAUST DUCT WAS NOT INSTALLED DURING PRODUCTION AND THE EXHAUST FUMES ENTERED THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE CONTACT HAD POTENTIAL HEALTH CONCERNS RELATED TO THE CARBON DIOXIDE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THERE WAS NO FAILURE MILEAGE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DUTCHMEN DUTCHMEN TRAILER, EQUIPPED WITH BCT HI RUN TIRES (NA), TIRE SIZE 225 75 R15, DOT NUMBER 0J20FB13709. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 TO 70 MPH WHEN A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AND THE CONTACT OBSERVED SHRAPNEL FROM THE TIRES THROUGH THE WINDOW. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE HAD EXPERIENCED SEVERE TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DUTCHMAN EXPRESS. THE TIRES WERE COOPER DISCOVERER LOAD RANGE E, THE TIRE SIZE WAS 225/75/R16, AND THE DOT#UE1LC5M0309. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. HE DROVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND NOTICED THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING ON THE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE POSSIBLY DEFECTIVE. THE FIVE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO SEND THEM THE OLD TIRES AND THEY WOULD WORK WITH HIM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 07/27/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRES FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE RV ORIGINALLY CAME WITH GENERAL TIRES LOAD RANGE D WHICH HE REPLACED WITH COOPER LOAD RANGE D N 2005. UPDATED 08/01/11

PURCHASED A DUTCHMEN TRAVEL TRAILER AND HAD IT DELIVERED TO NORTHERN MICHIGAN IN APRIL OF 2008. IN SPRING OF 2010 CAMPING SEASON, ONE OF THE TIRES WENT UNEXPECTEDLY FLAT. A SPLIT VALVE STEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. NOW, IN MAY OF 2011, ANOTHER TIRE IS FLAT. UPON INSPECTION, THE VALVE STEM IS SPLIT. CHECKING THE TIRE NEXT TO IT BY TOUCHING THE VALVE STEM, IT TOO STARTED TO HISS AIR AND PROCEEDED TO GO FLAT. THE OTHER TWO TIRES ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE TRAILER LOOK OK BUT BOTH TIRES HAVE A VISIBLE SPLIT IN EACH VALVE STEM. ANY ATTEMPT TO MOVE THE VALVE STEM WILL CAUSE THE TIRE TO GO FLAT. WHILE IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE A RANDOM VALVE STEM FAILURE, HAVING FIVE FAILURES IS NOT. ALL FIVE DURO TIRES CAME AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT. AND HAVE LESS THAN 300 MILES ON THEM. *TR

OVER WINTER MONTHS MY 2008 AEROLITE TRAVEL TRAILER HAD THE VINYL FLOORING CRACK N RIP OPEN AND THE SHOWER STALL CRACK. FACTORY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID IT WAS EXTREME COLD DAMAGE AND KNEW ABOUT AND SEEN IT BEFORE. FACTORY SAYS ITS CAUSED BBY THEM NOT GLUING THE ENTIRE FLOOR DOWN ONLY THE EDGES SO IT SHRINKS AND BREAKS. IT IS ALSO MY PROBLEM TO COVER REPAIRS. *TR

2011 DUTCHMEN COLEMAN CAMPER. CONSUMER EXPRESSES DISCONTENT REGARDING REPAIRS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED TWO OF THE DOOR LOCKS DID NOT WORK, AND THE BATTERY WENT FROM FULL CHARGE TO LOW VERY QUICKLY, INDICATING ONE OF THE ELECTRICAL UNITS WAS DRAINING THE BATTERY AT A LARGER RATE THAN NECESSARY. *JB

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE BEFORE DAYLIGHT I HAD A LIPPERT REAR AXLE FAILURE ON MY 2008 DUTCHMEN NORTH SHORE FIFTHWHEEL RV, WITH LESS THAN 3000 MILES ON IT. THE U-BOLTS HOLDING THE REAR AXLE IN PLACE DID NOT SUFFICIENTLY HOLD IT. THIS ALLOWED THE AXLE TO ROLL OVER BACKWARD AND COCK SIDEWAYS. THAT IN TURN CAUSED THE REAR TIRES TO RUB AGAINST THE TRAILER FRAME AND BLOW OUT CAUSING A LOT OF DAMAGE. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY CONCERN. I WAS TOLD BY THE SELLING DEALER'S, GENERAL MANAGER THAT THEY HAD SOLD 6 OF THESE SAME UNITS AND 2 OF THOSE 6 UNITS HAVE HAD THE SAME FAILURE. OBVIOUSLY DUTCHMEN MFG. INC., AND LIPPERT COMPONENTS, INC. HAVE AN EXTREME SAFETY PROBLEM, AND AT THIS POINT BOTH LIPPERT AND DUTCHMEN REFUSE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. *TR UPDATED 06/30/11 *BF *TR

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WITH WHOM I CAN FILE A COMPLAINT. I HAVE DEFECTIVE TIRES ON MY 2003 DUTCHMEN RV AND HAVE HAD TWO TIRES OF THE SAME TYPE (GENERAL TIRES LT-225-75R16, AMERI*550AS) SEPARATE THE TREAD FROM THE CASING WHILE PARKED BESIDE MY HOME. I REPLACED BOTH TIRES IN FRONT WHEN THE FIRST ONE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NOW THE ONE IN THE REAR DID THE SAME THING. I WAS JUST FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I NOW FEEL I MUST REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES IN THE BACK AND THE SPARE AS A MATTER OF SAFETY. WHO DO I ADDRESS THIS TO. I APPEARS THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION SUITE TO MAKE THE TIRE MANUFACTURE REPLACE OR PAY FOR THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES. MY TIRES HAVE ONLY 10,000 MILES ON THEM AND A LOT OF TREAD. I ALSO TOOK PICTURES OF THE TIRE BEFORE, AND THE ONE NOW TO DOCUMENT THIS. *TR