2002 FOUR WINDS CHATEAU Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FOUR WINDS CHATEAU SPORT RV. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE MICROWAVE INVOLUNTARILY ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT INQUIRED WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ABOUT THE FAILURE AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE MICROWAVE WAS UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HER MICROWAVE SERIAL NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V449000 (EQUIPMENT: RECREATIONAL VEHICLE). THE VEHICLE MICROWAVE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 35,000.

GENERAL TIRE AMERI*550 AS LT225/75R16 M+S TREAD SEPARATION ON FREEWAY. RIGHT OUTSIDE REAR TIRE OF DUAL TIRE CONFIGURATION ON 2002 FOUR WINDS MOTORHOME. AIR PRESSURE WAS 65 COLD - NITROGEN FILLED. FELT VIBRATION AT FIRST, THEN THE TREAD RIPPED OFF WHILE TIRE STILL MAINTAINING AIR. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD, INSPECTED, AND LIMPED OFF THE FREEWAY. I CHANGED IT WITH A SPARE. THERE IS SOME DAMAGE UNDER THE MOTORHOME DUE TO FLYING PIECES OF RUBBER. THERE ARE 15K MILES ON THE TIRE AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. DON'T KNOW THE EXACT WEIGHT BUT NOWHERE CLOSE TO BEING OVERLOADED. OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS 90, APPROXIMATE TIME FROM COLD START TO SEPARATION WAS 45 MINUTES. TIME ON FREEWAY AT 65 MPH WAS 15 MINUTES. *JB

A SERIOUS TIRE BLOW OUT ALMOST CAUSED A MOTORHOME TO OVER TURN. THIS HAS BEEN THE THIRD BLOW OUT WITH THE SAME TIRES. STEELTEX RADIAL R4S, LT225/75R16, LOAD RANGE E M/S. WHILE REPLACING THE BLOWN OUT TIME THE WE DISCOVERED THREE MORE OF THE IDENTICAL TIRES WERE WITHIN MILES OF BLOWING OUT. *NM