GULF STREAM Complaints

AFTER 6000 MILES OF USE, THE TIRE MOUNTED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE REAR AXLE (UNIT IS A TRAVEL TRAILER WITH 2 AXLES - FORE AND AFT) WAS NEAR BALD FROM THE CENTER INWARD. THE REMAINING 3 TIRES ON THE UNIT WERE WEARING NORMALLY, HAVING AT LEAST TWO-THIRDS TREAD LIFE REMAINING. AFTER DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM AS A BENT AXLE, THE SELLING DEALER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, GULFSTREAM COACH OF NAPPANEE, INDIANA. THE DEALER WAS ADVISED THAT THE AXLE MUST HAVE BEEN BENT DURING USE AND GULFSTREAM WOULD NOT REPLACE IT UNDER WARRANTY. THE AXLE WAS MANUFACTURED BY LIPPERT COMPONENTS OF GOSHEN, INDIANA. WE WERE QUITE CERTAIN THAT WE DID NOT CAUSE THE AXLE TO BE BENT, BUT WERE UNABLE TO PROVE THIS (HOW COULD WE?). THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS AGAINST THIS LIPPERT AXLE AS USED ON GULFSTREAM VISA TRAILERS POSTED ON VARIOUS FORUMS (EXAMPLE - HTTP://WWW.GSOWNERS.COM/VIEWTOPIC.PHP?F=4&T=3444). WE CONTEND THAT THESE AXLES WERE MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY, AND THAT LIPPERT SHOULD AGREE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THEM UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

PURCHASED NEW VISA 2013 TT IN INDIANA NEAR FACTORY ON 7/13/2012. 2 WEEKS LATER HIT THE ROAD FOR PHOENIX TO GO TO WORKSITE. BLEW OUT FIRST TIRE IN AMARILLO TX (OTHER TIRE WAS RIGHT BEHIND) HAD TO USE THE SPARE AND PURCHASE ANOTHER TIRE IN TX. DEFECTIVE AXLE --WORE DOWN TIRES COMPLETELY DOWN TO THE THREADS-BOTH SIDES (UNEVEN WEAR). FRIDGE STOPPED COOLING ON PROPANE ENROUTE AND COMPLETELY IN PHOENIX (NO BAFFLING WAS FOUND ACROSS TOP DEAD SPACE FOR INSULATION-FAN HAD TO BE ADDED. AUG 26TH, AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED COOLING AND CAMPER NO LONGER LIVABLE/USABLE. HAS BEEN IN SHOP SINCE. HAVE USED THIS TT TOTAL OF 4 WEEKS! MY WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY NOT HAVING THIS TT AVAILABLE FOR WORK/USE. COMPLETE LEMON AND LOST MY SAVINGS ON THIS JUNK. FOUR THOUSAND DOWN ON THIS TT WENT TO A SCUMBAG DEALER (OUTPOST RV) WHO CHARGED ME 1500 DOLLARS B/C I SLEPT ON TOP OF THIS CAMPER'S "NEW BED" OVER NIGHT ON HIS LOT. ENTIRE EXPERIENCE HAS DEAD-ENDED MY CAREER AS A TRAVELER, AND WIPED OUT MY SAVINGS. "WARRANTY" DOES NOT BEGIN TO COVER THE GRIEF/STRESS I EXPERIENCED ON THE ROAD BY MYSELF WITH A DOG, A CAT, AND WHAT'S LEFT OF MY WITS. STILL WAITING FOR HOUSING ON AN INDIAN RESERVATION WHILE VISA CAMPER CONTINUES WITH "REPAIRS"....I WILL NEVER TRUST GULFSTREAM OR OUT POST RV AGAIN IN THIS LIFETIME. NO CLUE HOW THIS CAMPER WOULD CHANGE MY ENTIRE LIFE AS I KNEW IT ONLY A FEW SHORT MONTHS AGO. THIS ECONOMY SURE BRINGS OUT THE WORST IN PREDATORY SALES PEOPLE/MANUFACTURES. I ACTUALLY TRUSTED THEM TO 'TAKE CARE" OF THEIR CUSTOMER; TO GIVE ME A DEPENDABLE AND SAFE PRODUCT...FOR THE MONEY I WORKED SO HARD FOR. EVEN THOUGHT I WAS DOING SOME GOOD INVESTING MY MONEY IN A DEPRESSED PART OF THE COUNTRY. DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS DEALING WITH SURVIVING MEMBERS OF THE BARNUM BAILEY CLAN...SUCKER Q MINUTE...YUP, I GUESS THAT WAS ME. HAHAHAHA....EXCUSE ME NOW WHILE I GO CRY MY EYES OUT NOW...THANKS. *TR

WE PURCHASED THE CAMPER MARCH 15, 2011 AND HAD BEEN USING IT FOR A WHILE AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER, BECAUSE I FELT THERE WAS TIRE WEAR ON THE INSIDE EDGE AND WE WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY OVER-LOADED. SO WE TOOK IT HOME AND REMOVED SOME ITEMS THAT WE COULD LIVE WITHOUT AND CONTINUED TO USE IT. ON A TRIP TO FLORIDA, WE HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT ON -95 IN GEORGIA ON JAN 19, 2012. WE HAD THE TIRE CHANGED AND CONTINUED OUR TRIP. WHEN WE ARRIVED HOME, I CHECKED THE TIRES AND FOUND BOTH OF THE TIRES ON THE CAMPER WERE WORN ON THE INSIDE, SO I TOOK THE CAMPER TO A LOCAL TIRE STORE AND HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON ALL THREE WHEELS, INCLUDING THE SPARE, AS THE TIRE STORE FELT THE PROBLEM COULD BE QUALITY OF TIRES. SO, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, WE TOOK A TRIP TO PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND AND WHEN WE ARRIVED HOME, I FOUND THE TIRE WEARING ON THE INSIDE AGAIN. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND TOOK THE CAMPER TO THEM, WHERE THEY INSPECTED IT AND WEIGHED IT AND FOUND THE TRAILER WEIGHT WAS FINE, BUT THE CAMPER MANUFACTURER AND THE AXLE MANUFACTURER SAID THE AXLE WAS BEYOND THE WARRANTY DATE. SO, WE HAD THE AXLE REPLACE OURSELVES. I AM PICKING THE CAMPER UP ON SATURDAY. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE COST WILL BE AS OF NOW. IN THE MEAN TIME, I CHECKED THE INTERNET AND FOUND A WEBSITE SITE AND IF YOU CHECK TRAVEL TRAILER YOU WILL FIND A NUMBER OF VISA OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WE HAVE BEEN HAVING...UPDATED 09-19-12 *BF

NEIGHBOR ALERTED ME TO THE NOISE OF A TIRE BLOWING OUT RV WAS IN A RV PARK AND ON JACKS, REPLACED TIRE OLD PART NOT AVAILABLE THIS ALSO HAPPENED ON THE ROAD IN 2010 SAME TIRES. *TR

DESPITE HAVING BEEN TOWED ONLY 3,200 MILES, THE VISA 19 ERD'S DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE INNER 2 TO 2 1/2 INCHES OF TREAD DOWN TO THE CORDS. THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE ON THE TRAILER SHOWED SIMILAR, THOUGH LESS DRASTIC WEAR. FORTUNATELY WE WERE ON A LOCAL ROAD WHEN IT HAPPENED RATHER THAN INTERSTATE 95 WHERE WE WERE HEADED. PRESSURE IN THE TRAILER'S TIRES HAD BEEN CHECKED BEFORE EACH DAY'S TRAVEL TO MAINTAIN THE 50 TO 53 PSI SPECIFIED BY THE TIRE MANUFACTURER. WE NEVER OVERLOADED THE TRAILER. FRESH, GREY AND BLACK WATER HOLDING TANKS HAD ALWAYS BEEN EMPTIED BEFORE TRAVELING. ITEMS CARRIED IN THE TRAILER HAD BEEN WEIGHED INDIVIDUALLY, TOTALED AND DISTRIBUTED WITHIN THE TRAILER (60% FORWARD OF THE AXLE AND 40% REARWARD). AT NO TIME DID THE CARGO EXCEED 605 LBS. WHICH IS ONLY 60% OF THE TRAILER'S 1018 LBS. STATED CARGO WEIGHT LIMIT. OTHER OWNERS OF 19 FT. VISAS HAVE POSTED SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET, AND MOST HAVE POINTED TO PROBLEMS WITH THE LIPPERT 3500 GAVW AXLE. GIVEN HOW EVIDENT THE TOE OUT IS ON OUR VISA, WE MUST AGREE THAT THE AXLE IS FAULTY. THE POTENTIAL FOR BLOW OUTS, CRASHES AND DEATH OR INJURIES WARRANTS AN INVESTIGATION. *TR UPDATED 09/11/12*LJ UPDATED 09/12/2012 *JS *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A GULF STREAM CRESCENDO RV WITH AN AFTER MARKET TRIMARK LOCK, MODEL NUMBER: 060-0650. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR IT FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT IN ORDER TO OPEN THE DOOR HE HAD TO DISMANTLE THE LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD CON TACT HIM AT A LATER DATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 71,155. UPDATED 10/15/12 *CN

I HAVE HAD A TOTAL OF 4 CARLISLE TIRE BLOWOUTS AND THE RECENT WAS A TREAD SEPARATION ON 7-21-12. 3 YEARS AGO, CARLISLE REPLACED MY 4 BLOWOUTS WITH 10 PLY ST225/75/R15. TIRES ARE ON 2006 CANYON TRAIL 5TH WHEEL. ON 7-21-12, I HAD TREAD SEPARATE ON ONE TIRE. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT MY OTHERS WILL GO VERY SOON NOW. ALL TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 1000 MILES ON THEM. ALL TIRES ARE PROPERLY INFLATED, NOT OVERLOADED, AND DRIVEN AT 55 MPH. THEY ARE LIFTED OFF GROUND DURING WINTER MONTHS AND ALWAYS COVERED WHEN PARKED. THESE TIRES NEED SERIOUS REVIEW. ALTHOUGH NO ONE WAS INJURED, MY TRAILER DID SWERVE AROUND BETWEEN LANES WHICH LUCKILY NO ONE WAS NEXT TO ME OR THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURIES OR DEATH. THESE TIRES ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND THIS IS MY 6TH PROBLEM WITH THE SAME MAKE AND SIZE TIRES. PLEASE CONDUCT A PROMPT REVIEW OF THIS AND ALL OTHER CARLISLE TIRES. PREVIOUSLY THE TIRES CAUSED $1800 DAMAGE TO TRAILER, I HAVE NOT GOT AN ESTIMATE ON THIS LATEST YET SINCE IT JUST HAPPENED BUT I AM SURE $ WILL BE THE SAME AS IT APPEAR ABOUT THE SAME DAMAGE AGAIN. I AM FED UP WITH CARLISLE AND SOONER OR LATER SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF THEIR TIRES. PLEASE LOOK IN TO THIS - SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE VERY FAST BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 GULF STREAM SUN VOYAGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED DUE TO A FRACTURED THROTTLE CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,300. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

MAKE; HI RUN TIRES SP 205 75 R/15 TRAILER USE ONLY 5TH WHEEL CAMPER 24.5.FT. THREE TIRES,FIRST TIME RIGHT REAR SECOND TIME LEFT FRONT & LEFT REAR JUNE 30,2012 TIRES HAVE ONLY ABOUT 6 THOUSAND MILES. VERY LITTLE AMOUNT OF THREAD WEAR ALL ARE AT 50 PSI . ALL BLOW OUTS DID CAUSE DAMAGE TO UNDER CARRIAGE. VERY HARD TO STOP AT HIGH WAY SPEED WITH OUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT* JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GULF STREAM SUN VOYAGER RV. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH AND AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD ABNORMALLY AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT HAD TO DOWNSHIFT IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES OVERHEATED AND BEGAN SMOKING BEFORE IGNITING. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V092000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: SWITCHES: BRAKE WARNING). PER THE RECALL, THE DEALER WAS TO REPAIR THE BRAKE LINING, ROTORS AND OTHER COMPONENTS IF THEY WERE DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF THE RECALLED COMPONENT. THE CONTACT'S ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD ONLY MAKE REPAIRS TO THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS AND THE REAR AXLE SEAL. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE REAMING FAILURES OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM WOULD BE REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT WAS ADVISED THAT HE WOULD HAVE COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS ALTHOUGH THE RECALL STATED OTHERWISE. THE DEALER CONTINUED TO INFORM THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000. UPDATED 6/15/12 *CN