HEARTLAND Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HEARTLAND BIG COUNTRY TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE CONTACT HIRED A ELECTRICIAN TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE ELECTRICIAN STATED THERE WAS DEFECTIVE AND LOOSE WIRING UNDER THE CAMPER THAT WAS CAUSING SPARKING UNDERNEATH THE CAMPER. THE ELECTRICIAN ALSO STATED THE FAILURE WAS SO SEVERE THAT THE CAMPER COULD HAVE EXPLODED. ADDITIONALLY, THE SHOWER WAS LEAKING IN THREE DIFFERENT PLACES. THE CONTACT HIRED A CERTIFIED MECHANIC TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC STATED THE SHOWER WAS NOT SEALED CORRECTLY AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE WATER DAMAGE, INCLUDING A MOLD PROBLEM. THE TRAILER WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ELECTRIC FIFTH WHEEL RV TRAILER BRAKES NOT FUNCTIONAL DUE TO WEAK MAGNETS. MY RV SERVICE SAYS THIS IS COMMON WITH MANY LIPPERT TRAILER BRAKES. CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER (HEARTLAND) AND ASKED FOR HELP. THEY REFUSED DUE TO THE TRAILER BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. ASKED THEM TO CONTACT LIPPERT. LIPPERT REFUSED TO HELP STATING THAT THE BRAKES HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED. THIS IS NOT TRUE. LIPPERT SHOULD STAND BEHIND THIS INFERIOR PRODUCT. THESE BRAKES ARE BEING USED IN THOUSANDS OF RVS AND THEIR PREMATURE FAILURE CAUSES UNWARRANTED RISK TO PROPERTY AND HUMAN LIFE. *TR

WITH ONLY 7000 MILES ON TOW MAX TRAILER TIRES, ST235/80R-16/10 HIGHWAY BW, RIGHT FRONT TIRE ON FRONT AXLE SEPARATED WITH ALMOST ALL OF THE REMAINING TREAD GONE. NEW TIRE PUT ON - WE PAID $100 - REBATED $70 FROM TIRE COMPANY. ON 1/23/14, ONLY 3000 MILES LATER, NOTICED LEFT FRONT TIRE, SAME AXLE, SEPARATING. DROVE TO QUALIFIED TIRE STORE AND EXPECTED TO HAVE THAT TIRE REPLACED, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FIRST TIRE REPLACED, THE REMAINING 3 TIRES WERE ALL SEPARATING AND VERY CLOSE TO BLOWING OUT. HAVE GONE ON OUR OWNERS FORUM AND READ ABOUT SO MANY OTHER RV OWNERS HAVING DANGEROUS ISSUES WITH THIS BRAND. HAVE CONTACTED THE RV MANUFACTURER AND THEY SEEM TO THINK GETTING 7000 MILES ON A TIRE IS GOOD. REALLY??? WE WANTED THEM TO AT LEAST GIVE US A FEW DOLLARS BACK ON THESE TIRES SINCE WE WANTED TO BE SAFE AND UPGRADED TO A TIRE THAT CAN HANDLE THE WEIGHT OF OUR RV. BY THE WAY, WE HAD OUR TRAILER AND TRUCK PROFESSIONALLY WEIGHED AT A RALLY HOSTED BY OUR RV MANUFACTURER AND WERE TOLD WE WERE UNDERWEIGHT!!! WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOU INVESTIGATE THESE TIRES AND PERHAPS READ THE OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS. IT'S A DANGEROUS SITUATION PUTTING INADEQUATE TIRES ON AN RV. *TR

THIS IS THE THIRD FAILURE OF THE SAME MODEL RV TRAILER WHEEL IN 30 MONTHS. TWO FAILED IN THE LAST FIVE MONTHS. ALL THE WHEELS HAVE CRACKED IN THE SAME AREA OF THE WHEELS. THE WHEELS HAVE BEEN UNDER NORMAL USE FOR THE PAST 52 MONTHS DURING MORE THAN 20,000 MILES OF TRAVEL. THESE WHEELS WERE SOLD WITH MY 2009 HEARTLAND RV CYCLONE, MODEL 4012. THE WHEELS ARE 12 HOLE ALUMINUM 16X6.5J, 8 BOLT, MODEL TR4, DISTRIBUTED BY THE TREDIT TIRE AND WHEEL CO, INC. THE TREDIT TIRE AND WHEEL CO, INC. HONORED THEIR REPLACEMENT POLICY ON THE FIRST TWO WHEELS. I HAVE PURCHASED FIVE NEW REPLACEMENT WHEELS OF A DIFFERENT MODEL WITH HIGHER RATINGS TO MATCH MY LAST REPLACEMENT WHEEL. I HAVE PICTURES OF TWO DEFECTIVE WHEELS FOR REFERENCE. MARKINGS ON WHEEL: TTW INC TR4 SANHUA 16X6J 66084-6H 66082-8H MAX LOAD 3042 LBS UPDATED 02/06/2014*LJ

ON AUGUST 30 2013 WHILE MERGING WESTBOUND ONTO INTERSTATE 40 FROM EXIT 196 IN MORIARTY NM AT 7:35 PM I SAW (FROM MY RIGHT SIDE MIRROR) A HUGE PIECE OF TREAD FLYING OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAMPER. SINCE I WAS ONLY MERGING ONTO I40, MY SPEED NEVER EXCEEDED 45 MPH. WHEN THE TREAD FLEW OUT FROM THE WHEEL, IT JETTISONED APPROXIMATELY 6 FEET INTO THE AIR. A TRACTOR-TRAILER WAS IN THE LEFT LANE AND MADE A HARD LEFT ONTO THE ROAD?S SHOULDER TO AVOID THE FLYING TREAD. HAD THIS BEEN A CAR AND THE DRIVER NOT NOTICED THE TIRE COMING APART, IT COULD HAVE HIT THE CAR?S SIDE OR WINDSHIELD. AFTER THE ROADSIDE SERVICE CHANGED THE TIRE OUT BY PUTTING ON THE SPARE, WE DID AN INSPECTION ON THE REMAINING FOUR OEM TIRES STILL IN SERVICE. WE DISCOVERED ONE TIRE THAT WAS EXCESSIVELY OVERSIZED AND ROUNDED OUT, INDICATING IT TOO WAS ABOUT TO GIVE WAY, (MOUNTED ON THE RIGHT, REAR AXLE). LUCKILY, THE ROADSIDE SERVICE HAD A TRAILER TIRE (SAME TIRE TYPE THAT I PURCHASED AT DISCOUNT TIRE AFTER THE FIRST TIRE FAILURE) AND A TIRE CHANGER IN HIS VEHICLE. I PURCHASED IT FOR $172.15, THE ROADSIDE SERVICE TOOK THE SECOND FAILED TIRE OFF THE RIM AND REPLACED IT WITH THE NEW TIRE. THE TOY HAULER HAS A18,000-POUND GVW AND AT NO TIME WAS THE WEIGHT ANYWHERE NEAR THIS MARK. I DID NOT HAVE A ?TOY? OR SMALL CAR IN THE GARAGE AREA. ADDITIONALLY, PRIOR TO PULLING THE TOY HAULER, I EMPTIED BOTH GRAY TANKS, BLACK TANK, AND KEEP ONLY A FEW GALLONS OF FRESH WATER ON-BOARD. HEARTLAND AND TBC?S ENGINEERS SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO SEE IF THESE 10 PLY TIRES ARE ADEQUATE FOR THE TOY HAULER?S DESIGN. SHANDONG HENGDENG RUBBER AND PLASTIC CO. LTD LOCATED IN CHINA MANUFACTURED THE TIRES BETWEEN MARCH ? APRIL 2011. THE TIRE SEPARATED AND A HUGE PIECE OF TREAD JETTISONED FROM UNDER MY TOY HAULER COULD HAVE CAUSED A GRAVE BODILY INJURY/DEATH ACCIDENT MUCH LESS INVOLVING YEARS OF COST AND LITIGATION TO ALL PARTIES INVOLVED. *TR

WE WERE TOWING A 2012 HEARTLAND CYCLONE 300C 5TH WHEEL TOY HAULER TRAILER EQUIPPED WITH TOW MAX 235/80 R16 TRAILER TIRES IN APRIL, 2013 ON CA HWY 60 NEAR RIVERSIDE, CA WHEN THE LEFT REAR TRAILER TIRE BLEW. THERE WAS NO SIGN THAT I STRUCK AN OBJECT OR RAN OVER ANYTHING. LUCKILY I HAD EXITED FREEWAY AND CAUGHT FLAT BEFORE ANY DAMAGE OCCURRED. ALL 4 TRAILER TIRES HAD 80 PSI AND TRAILER WAS NOT OVER LOADED. I CHANGED FLAT TIRE WITH SPARE UNTIL REPLACING IT WITH A GOODYEAR MARATHON OF THE SAME SIZE. IN NOVEMBER, 2013, WHILE TOWING THE SAME TOY HAULER TRAILER MY WIFE AND SON WERE FOLLOWING ME IN HER CAR ON CA HWY 395 HEADING TO RIDGECREST, CA WHEN SHE NOTICED MY RIGHT REAR TRAILER TIRE GOING FLAT. MY SON CALLED ME ON MY CELL PHONE TO ADVISE ME OF THIS SITUATION. I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO THE NEXT SMALL TOWN AND FOUND BOTH TOW MAX TRAILER TIRES ON THE RIGHT SIDE COMPLETELY FLAT. AGAIN, THE TRAILER WAS NOT OVER LOADED AND I DID NOT STRIKE OR RUN OVER ANYTHING AND HELD 80 PSI. THE STEEL BELTS WERE PROTRUDING THROUGH THE CORNERS OF THE TREAD ON BOTH TIRES. WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT THERE WAS A TIRE REPAIR SHOP NEARBY THAT WAS ABLE TO SELL US TWO NEW TRAILER TIRES (NOT TOW MAX) AND HAVE US BACK ON THE ROAD WITHIN AN HOUR AND A HALF. *TR

WE PURCHASED OUR 5TH WHEEL NOV 4, 2012 - EXPERIENCED OUR FIRST TIRE BUBBLE 12/10/2013; SECOND TIRE BUBBLE 12/19/2013. WE HAD BEEN ADVISED BY SEVERAL BIGHORN OWNERS THAT THEY REPLACED THEIR "CHINA" TIRES PRIOR TO HITTING THE ROAD, BUT CASUAL INSPECTION ON MY PART INDICATED THAT THE POWER KING TIRES INSTALLED WERE SUFFICIENT FOR THE APPLICATION - I WAS INCORRECT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS POSTS ONLINE THAT THESE TIRE MFG MISREPRESENT THEIR TIRE'S ADEQUACY. THE TIRE DEALER THAT REPLACED MY TIRES ( THEY ARE A DEALER AND INSTALL POWER KING ON SMALLER RIGS ) CONFIRM THAT THESE TIRES ARE OVERSTATING THEIR ABILITY TO CARRY THE RATED LOAD. FORTUNATELY OUR BUBBLES APPEARED ON THE EXTERIOR WALLS- WE DISCOVERED BOTH PRIOR TO DEPARTURES. APPARENTLY OTHER OWNERS HAVE NOT BEEN SO LUCKY AND HAVE SUFFERED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THEIR RIGS. *TR

RIGHT AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE WE TOOK IT UP NORTH IN ARIZONA CAMPING. DURING THIS TRIP A TIRE SHREDDED AND THE SPARE HAD TO BE PUT ON. AFTER GETTING BACK WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. AFTER A HEATED CONVERSATION THEY REPLACED THE TIRE. WE THEN FOUND OUT FROM THE PARTS REPRESENTATIVE AND SEVERAL SALESPEOPLE THAT THE TIRES WE HAD WERE NOT SAFE FOR THIS VEHICLE. WE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO SEE IF WE COULD GET AN ADJUSTMENT FOR BETTER TIRES. THEY TOTALLY REFUSED. OUR VEHICLE IS A 40 FOOT TOY HAULER. WE FOUND OUT THAT THE TIRES THE MANUFACTURER IS PUTTING ON THESE VEHICLES ARE BARELY ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THIS WEIGHT. THIS VEHICLE WHEN LOADED WITH PERSONAL ITEM, FOOD CLOTHING ETC AND A 4 WHEEL DRIVE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE FAR TOO HEAVY FOR THE MANUFACTURERS TIRES. WE WERE VERY LUCKY THAT WE DID NOT FLY OFF THE HIGHWAY IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA. FORTUNATELY WE MADE IT HOME SAFE AND SOUND. WE HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE TIRES AT OUR OWN EXPENSE IN ORDER TO HAVE A SAFE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THE DOUBLE AXLE THAT WE HAVE IS NOT SUFFICIENT. IT HAS A TENDENCY TO SWAY WHEN TRAVELING. HOW CAN THIS MANUFACTURER SELL AN UNSAFE VEHICLE LIKE THIS? *TR

THIS SPRING (2013) THE BRAKES ON MY FIFTH WHEEL RV TRAILER APPEARED TO BE WEAKENING. AFTER A FALL CAMPING TRIP IT SEEMED I HAD NO TRAILER BRAKES. A TEST REVEALED THAT FULL EMERGENCY BRAKING INDUCED BY PULLING THE BREAKAWAY PIN WOULD NOT LOCK UP THE BRAKES. FURTHER TESTS SHOWED THAT ELECTRIC MAGNETS IN ALL FOUR BRAKES WERE FUNCTIONING BUT NOT CAUSING ENOUGH BRAKING TO LOCK UP THE WHEELS. I FOLLOWED UP BY TAKING THE TRAILER TO MY LOCAL RV DEALER WHO CHECKED THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND CONFIRMED THAT THE MAGNETS WERE TOO WEAK TO MAKE BRAKES FUNCTION PROPERLY. HE SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES ON LOW MILEAGE UNITS WHICH HAVE THE SAME LIPPERT BRAKES AS MY UNIT. I BOUGHT THIS TRAILER NEW AND IT HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED. IT HAS LESS THAN 6000 MILES ON IT AND IS NOW NOT SAFE TO TOW BECAUSE IS HAS VIRTUALLY NO BRAKES. THE BRAKE COMPONENTS USED WERE NOT ADEQUATE FOR US IN A 10,000 LB PLUS RV AND LIPPERT IS RESPONSIBLE. *TR

POWERKING TOWMAX TIRE DISTRIBUTED BY DYNAMIC TIRE CORP BLEW OUT AND TORE UP THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE 5VER. THE OTHER THREE TIRES WERE EXAMINED AT A TIRE SHOP AND FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE ALSO, BROKEN BEADS. SENT BACK TO DYNAMIC FOR INSPECTION, OF COURSE THEY DETERMINED I WAS EITHER OVERLOADED OR THE TIRES WERE OVER OR UNDER INFLATED. I'M VERY CAREFUL REGARDING MY TIRES, I CHECK THEM BEFORE EACH TRIP AND EACH STOP. I MAKE SURE THEY ARE CORRECTLY INFLATED AND I'M NOT OVERLOADED. JUST POORLY MANUFACTURED TIRES AND I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THEM TO BE PLACED ON ANY RV. SAFETY IS IMPORTANT AND THEY, DYNAMIC TIRE CORP, SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. *TR