HEARTLAND Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HEARTLAND NORTH TRAIL RUNNER TRAILER EQUIPPED WITH DURO BIAS ST205/75/14 (N/A). THE CONTACT DETECTED THAT ALL FOUR TRAILER TIRES TREAD BELT EXHIBITED SEVERE CRACKS AND DRY ROTTED. ADDITIONALLY, THE SPARE TIRE EXHIBITED THE IDENTICAL DEFECT. THE TIRES DEFECT OCCURRED PREMATURELY. THE TIRES HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THERE WAS NO MILEAGE ON THE TRAILER. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN OF THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE TRAILER STARTED TO VIBRATE. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND DISCOVERED THE TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE TIRE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER. THE TIRE DID NOT HAVE A BLOW OUT..IT DID NOT LOSE ITS AIR UNTIL IT WAS SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE TIRE HAD ONLY ABOUT 4000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS INFLATED ACCORDING TO GUIDELINES AND CHECKED EVERYTIME WE STARTED OUT DRIVING. IT WAS JUST CHECKED 154 MILES PRIOR TO THE TREAD COMING OFF. THE TRAVEL TRAILER WAS NOT OVERLOADED. HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH THE TIRE MAKER AND THEY PICKED UP THE TIRE TO RUN TESTS. THEIR FINDINGS OF COURSE WERE THEY WERE NOT AT FAULT BUT WOULD RECOMMEND WE CHANGE ALL TIRES. ( WHICH WE DID BEFORE THEY SUGGESTED IT BECAUSE WE DID NOT TRUST THE REST OF THE TIRES ON THE TRAILER.) THEY DID OFFER AS A GOOD WILL SIGN TO BUY US ONE NEW TIRE IF WE SIGN A RELEASE OF LIABILITY. THAT DOESN'T PAY FOR THE DAMAGES OR THE 4 NEW TIRES WE PUT ON THE TRAILER. EVERYONE WHO LOOKED AT THE TIRE EVEN THE GUY WHO REPLACED THE TIRE SAID THAT THE TIRE SHOULD NOT HAVE SEPARATED LIKE THAT. I THINK THE TIRE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT BY SOMEONE ELSE. THAT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE IF I DID NOT KNOW THE FEEL OF MY TRUCK AND TRAILER AND KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG RIGHT A WAY. THE TIRE WAS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IN THE REAR OF A TWO AXLE TRAILER SO I DID NOT RUN OVER SOMETHING BECAUSE THE FRONT TIRE WOULD HAVE HIT IT FIRST AND I KNOW THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE ROAD. ALTHOUGH THE INSURANCE HAS PICKED UP THE BILL FOR THE REPAIRS I DON'T THINK ITS RIGHT AND THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TIRE. *TR

FROM JUNE 8, 2010 TO AUG 4, 2010 I HAD 4 TREAD SEPARATIONS RESULTING IN 4 BLOWOUTS. MISSION TIRES. *TR

APRIL 2007, TIRE BLOWOUT ON NEW 2008 HEARTLAND CYCLONE 5TH WHEEL TRAILER MDL 4012, FORCE OF THE BLOWOUT BENT FRONT AXLE. DISCOVERED AXLE RATING 5200 AND TIRES SIZE 225 75R15 D RATING 65PSI, TIRES INSUFFICIENT FOR WEIGHT OF TRAILER, TRAILER NEEDS E RATED 80PSI TIRES. CONSULTED WITH SAFETY EXPERT FROM RECREATIONAL VEHICLE SAFETY EDUCATION FOUNDATION WHO VERIFIED THE TIRES DID NOT MEET THE STANDARDS OF FEDERAL GUIDELINES AS TO THE WEIGHT IT COULD SUPPORT OF THE AXLES RATED AT 5200LBS. CONFERENCE CALL WITH SAFETY EXPERT AND REPS FROM HEARTLAND WHO ARTICULATED THE SPECS OF THE TRAILER, AND AGAIN THE SAFETY EXPERT COMMUNICATED THE TIRES WERE UNSAFE AND INSUFFICIENT FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER. HEARING WHAT THE EXPERT HAD TO SAY HEARTLAND NOW CHANGED THEIR STORY TO A POSSIBLE TYPO AS TO THE WEIGHT OF THE AXLES THEY SHOULD BE RATED AT 5080 LBS. END RESULT HEARTLAND AGREED TO REPLACE MY TIRES WITH 7 NEW TIRES AND WHEELS WITH A E RATING AND A 80 PSI ELEMENT TO MEET THE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AS OUT LINED BY THE SAFETY EXPERT. HEARTLAND SHIPPED THE TIRES THE DEALER PUT THEM ON THE 5TH WHEEL. NOV 23 ,2009 I WAS INFORMED BY A TIRE COMPANY THE VALVE STEMS ON MY TIRES WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION THEY WERE FOR A 65 PSI TIRE NOT AN 80 PSI TIRE THAT THEY WERE INSTALLED IN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I FEEL HEARTLAND IS PUSHING THE ENVELOPE PUTTING PEOPLES LIVES IN DANGER. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN WILLING TO CORRECT THE VALVE STEM ISSUE, BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO RECORDS OF EVER SENDING THE REPLACEMENT TIRES OUT. AND NOW I RECEIVED A REGISTERED LETTER WITH A NEW FEDERAL STICKER TO PUT ON MY 5TH WHEEL WITH A NEW AXLE RATING DOWN TO 5080. I TRULY BELIEVE THEY KNEW THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES AND INSTEAD OF UPGRADING THE TIRES THEY WORKED THE SYSTEM TO GET A NEW FEDERAL STICKER APPROVED INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE TIRES. I ALSO JUST FOUND OUT THAT SAME COACH HAS BEEN RE-ENGINEERED TO USE 16 IN TIRES WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HEARTLAND CYCLONE RV. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A RECURRING FAILURE OF THE TIRES WEARING PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HE RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE REGARDING NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V077000 (EQUIPMENT: OTHER: LABELS). THE CONTACT WAS NOT PLEASED WITH THE RECALL REMEDY. HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE UNDER THE IMPRESSION IT COULD WITHHOLD A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF WEIGHT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THEY COULD NOT SEND HIM TIRES TO SUPPORT A HEAVIER WEIGHT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HEARTLAND CYCLONE RV. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V077000 (EQUIPMENT: OTHER: LABELS) AND LATER RECEIVED A VEHICLE LABEL STATING THE VEHICLE AXLES COULD ONLY SUSTAIN 5,080 POUNDS EACH AND NOT THE INITIAL NOTED WEIGHT OF 5200 POUNDS EACH. THE CONTACT WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDING ONLY A STICKER FOR THE NEW WEIGH CAPACITY. HE BELIEVED THE TIRES AND RIMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AS WELL. THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRES WERE NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE WEIGHT LOAD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,500. UPDATED 10/28/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HEARTLAND PUT THE WRONG TIRES/RIMS ON HIS MAKE AND ,MODEL RV. THE CONSUMER STATED 16 INCH TIRE AND RIMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THE RV. UPDATED 11/01/10*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HEARTLAND CYCLONE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR RECALL 10V077000 (EQUIPMENT: OTHER: LABELS). THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND A STICKER TO REPLACE THE INCORRECT ONE. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A 5,200 POUND AXLE FOR THE VEHICLE SO THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE AXLE AS WELL AS THE LABEL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HEARTLAND BIG COUNTRY RV, 3550TSL MODEL. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FRAME CRACKED, THE FLOOR SUNK AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S JACK COLLAPSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE DRIVERS SIDE JACK WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER ADVISED HE WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE PANEL FAILURE AND RECOMMENDED HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER IN A DIFFERENT STATE FOR FURTHER REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THIS WAS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF A CRACKED FRAME IN THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

5TH WHEEL TRAILER GVWR STATED BY MFGR IS 18,000. THE 3 INDIVIDUAL AXLES ARE RATED AT 5200# EACH TOTALING 15,600# MAX.. TIRES ARE GOODYEAR MARATHON ST225/75R15 D-RATED MAX LOAD IS 2540 AT PSI 65 COLD TOTALING 15,240# MAX. UNIT HAS HAD TIRE SEPARATION AND BLOW OUTS. REMAINING TIRES ON UNIT WERE INSPECTED BY GOODYEAR WINGFOOT COMMERCIAL TIRES AND 4 OF 6 ON THE GROUND WERE SUSPECTED OF SUFFERING BELT BREAKDOWN/SEPARATION AFTER LESS THAN 6,000 MILES. INITIAL INCIDENT RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO RV TRAILER IN THE AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $2,800. ADDITIONALLY, REPLACING FAILING/SUSPECT TIRES COST $636. AXLES PROVIDE 2,400# AND TIRES 2,760# UNDER THE MANUFACTURES STATED GVWR OF 18,000# . *TR

YOUR SYSTEM DID NOT ALLOW FOR ME TO SELECT THE PROPER MODEL OF TIRE, SO I HAVE TO SELECT WHAT WAS THERE. THE PROPER MODEL IS KLEVER. PURCHASED 2005 HEARTLAND LANDMARK TRIPLE AXLE FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER IN JUNE 2006. TRAVELED FROM TX TO WA AND USED IT IN LOCAL AREA FOR CAMPING FOR THREE YEARS. MOVED BACK FROM WA TO TX IN NOV 2009 AND HAD TWO SEPARATE BLOW OUTS WHERE THE TREAD OF TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE CASE. TIRES ARE KENDA KLEVER 235/85R16, AIR PRESS AND TORQUE WAS CHECKED EACH STOP. OVER ALL THE TRAILER HAD LESS THEN 5K MILES ON IT. REPLACED THE TWO TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND. OLD TIRES ARE AVAILABLE FOR STUDY. AS FAR AS I KNOW THE TIRES DID NOT STRIKE UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES. OVERALL DAMAGE TO TRAILER IS OVER 4K. *TR