HEARTLAND Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 (NA) HEARTLAND LANDMARK TRAILER. WHEN THE CONTACT TOOK THE TRAILER TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE A BIKE RACK WELDED ON, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR SPRINGS HAD COLLAPSED. IN ADDITION, THE ROCKER ASSEMBLY ATTACHMENT WAS TOUCHING THE GAS LINE ON THE FRAME OF THE TRAILER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE TRAILER HAS NOT YET BEEN USED BY THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT APPLICABLE.

ENROUTE TO DISNEY WORLD ON 10/27/07 ON I-95 HAD BLOWOUT OF TRAIL AMERICA TIRES ON PASSENGER REAR OF TRAVEL TRAILER. DID MAJOR DAMAGE TO TRAILER. BOUGHT REPLACEMENT SPARE IN ORLANDO. ON RETURN TRIP ON 11/3/07 HAD SECOND BLOWOUT. PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE OF TRAVEL TRAILER. TRAIL AMERICA TIRES IMPORTED BY JCA CORPORATION. DID ADDITIONAL MAJOR DAMAGE TO TRAILER. OVER $4,000.00 TOTAL DAMAGE TO TRAILER. HAD TO PURCHASE REPLACEMENT TIRES IN JACKSONVILLE, FL TO GET HOME AT COST IN EXCESS OF $1,400.00. NOTIFIED JCA CORPORATION. RETURNED ALL FIVE TIRES TO THEM FOR TESTING. THEY REQUESTED COST OF TIRES AND COST OF DAMAGE TO TRAILER. SUPPLIED TO THEM. THEY NOW REFUSE TO EVEN COMMUNICATE WITH ME AND HAVE, AFTER 4 SPECIFIC REQUESTS REFUSED TO RETURN MY TIRES. NUMEROUS OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD TRAIL AMERICA TIRES IMPORTED BY JCA CORPORATION HAVE HAD PROBLEMS. THERE IS DEFINITELY A DEFECT IN THESE TIRES AND I AM OF THE OPINION THAT SINCE TRAIL AMERICA TIRES WERE NOT LISTED IN YOUR LIST OF TIRES AND THEY HAD NO DOT NUMBER STAMPED ON THEM THAT THEY WERE ILLEGAL. *TR

THE FOLLOWING IS CONCERNING A 2007 HEARTLAND, CYCLONE RV. THIS THREE AXLE UNIT HAS MISSION 225/75R15 TIRES .DEC. 2006 - UNIT PURCHASED. JAN. 2007 TRAVEL TN TO CA. UPON RETURNING IT WAS FOUND THE TIRES ON THE UNIT WERE WEARING TO THE BELTS. FEB. 27 TO APRIL 05, 2007 UNIT AT TENNESSEE RV FOR REPAIR. REAR AXLE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE TIRES. AUG. 09, 2007. TRAVEL FLORIDA FROM TN. PASSENGER SIDE CENTER TIRE SUFFERS A BLOW OUT. ROADSIDE SERVICE CALLED AND THE SPARE MOUNTED. AUG, 2007 TRAVEL FLORIDA TO TN DRIVERS SIDE SUFFERED A BLOWOUT. SERVICE WAS CALLED AND A NEW TIRE OBTAINED. AUG 17, TO DEC. 04, 2007. UNIT AT TENNESSEE RV FOR REPAIR TIRES AND DAMAGE RESULTING FROM BLOWOUTS. REPAIRS MADE, FRONT & CENTER AXLES REPLACED. TIRES CHANGED DUE TO WEAR. SPEAKING WITH HEARTLAND RV'S THE UNIT WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED SCALE AND THE TOTAL WEIGHT WAS 14,640. HEARTLAND ADVISED THAT AN ADDITIONAL 2000 POUNDS WAS AVAILABLE FOR EQUIPMENT. DEC. 31,2007 TRAVEL TN TO CA. UNIT TAKEN TO A SCALE AND CERTIFICATE 13,360 TRAILER AXLE WEIGHT. A TIRE PRESSURE SYSTEM INSTALLED TO MONITOR TIRES. ARRIVAL IN CA, FOUND REAR AXLE AGAIN WEARING TIRES. JAN. 28, 2008 TRAVEL CA TO AZ.,13,540 REAR AXLE WEIGHT. JAN. 31, 2008 EMAIL REQUEST SENT TO HEARTLAND RV'S STATING THE TIRES WERE AGAIN WEARING. HEARTLAND ADVISED REAR PASSENGER TIRE AT 50% LOSS, DRIVERS TIRE AT A 25% LOSS IN TREAD. HEARTLAND ASKED TO RESPOND WITH RECOMMENDATIONS. FEB. 06, 2008 A SECOND EMAIL SENT TO HEARTLAND AS NO RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED FROM FIRST REQUEST. FEB. 13, 2008 TRAVEL AZ TO TX.,13,840 REAR AXLE WEIGHT. FEB 17, 2008 TRAVEL TX TO GA., 14,020 REAR AXLE WEIGHT. IN KENTWOOD, LA DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE SUFFERED BLOWOUT WITH DAMAGE TO THE UNIT. ROADSIDE SERVICE CALLED. ALL TIRES WERE CHECKED FOR PRESSURE LEVELS. DRIVERS FRONT 69LBS, DRIVERS CENTER 67 LBS, PASS. FRONT 70LBS, PASS. CENTER 70LBS, PASS. REAR 69LBS. MEASUREMENT TAKEN AFTER THE BLOWOUT SO EACH TIRE WAS STILL HOT FROM 4 HOURS OF TRAVEL ON THE ROAD. *TR

I HAVE A 2006 LANDMARK 5TH WHEEL RV MADE BY HEARTLAND IN INDIANA. A WATER LEAK WAS FOUND UNDER THE UNIT JUST BEHIND THE BACK WHEELS. AFTER TAKING IT TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED, THE WATER TANK FELL OUT WITH THE SUPPORT LANDING ON THE REAR AXLE. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE RV WAS MOVED FROM THE PARKING AREA TO THE SERVICE SHOP AREA. THE SHOP HAD ANOTHER 2005 LANDMARK THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM - WATER TANK SUPPORT LAYING ON THE REAR AXLE. THEY FOUND THE WELDS ON WERE JUST SPOT WELDS AND NOT ADEQUATE TO SUPPORT THE WATER TANKS. MY WIFE MET ANOTHER COUPLE IN TOWN THAT HAD A 2006 LANDMARK AND HAD THE WATER TANK SUPPORT FAIL AND WAS LAYING ON THE REAR AXLE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING THIS SUMMER. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER TWO, BUT OUR WATER TANK WAS NEVER FILLED ABOVE HALF FULL AT ANY TIME SINCE WE PURCHASED IT. THIS IS 3 IN THE CITY OF TUCSON ALONE THAT I KNOW OF. THIS TYPE OF THING SHOULD BE COVERED BY A RECALL SINCE IT IS CERTAINLY A HAZARD ON THE HIGHWAYS. THE COMPANY DOES NOT STAND BEHIND ITS RVS SINCE THE 1 YEAR WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. HEARTLAND IS NOT ON THE LIST OF MANUFACTURER'S SO I'M USING ANOTHER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LANDMARK GRAND CANYON (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE STATED THAT THE TIRE BLEW OUT AND EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FIFTH WHEEL WAS DAMAGED. LANDMARK WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL WINLAN INTERNATIONAL INC. REGARDING THE TIRES. UPDATED 12/11/07

WE PURCHASED A NEW 2005 FIFTH WHEEL, MANUFACTURED BY HEARTLAND, ELKHART, IN IN JULY OF 05. WE DROVE IT APPROX. 3,000 MILES BACK TO TUCSON AND PLACED IT IN COVERED STORAGE UPON OUR ARRIVAL IN TUCSON. IT SAT COVERED UNTIL MAY 15TH OF 2007 DUE TO MEDICAL REASONS. WE LEFT JUNE 8TH FOR A SUMMER TRIP NORTH. OUR TRIP THIS SUMMER TOOK US APPROX 6,500 MILES. THE FIFTH WHEEL IS A TRIPLE AXLE AND WHILE DRIVING SOUTH THROUGH ILLINOIS ON HWY 70 NEAR GREENVILLE THE REAR AXLE TIRE LITERALLY EXPLODED AND THEN WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON NEW MEXICO #54 APPROX 90 MILES NORTH OF LAS CRUCES THE FRONT AXLE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. THE TWO BLOW OUTS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FIFTH WHEELS BODY AND TRIM. BOTH TIRES WERE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FIFTH WHEEL. THE MANUFACTURER IS REFUSING TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY AT THIS TIME. THE TIRE NAME IS KENDA WHICH IS NOT LISTED IN YOUR SITE AND THE SIZE LT235/85R16. MADE IN CHINA. I HAVE CALLED KENDA'S OFFICE IN OHIO BUT THEY DISCLAIM ANY RESPONSIBILITY AND STATE THAT THERE IS "NO WARRANTY" BUT ADVISED ME TO REPLACE ALL OF THE TIRES ON THE FIFTH WHEEL. THESE TIRES HAVE TRAVELED LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. HEARTLAND RV'S ARE THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER. I WAS NOT ABLE TO ENTER THE CORRECT DATE AND MODEL PER YOUR LIST BUT IT WAS MFG IN 2005, IS A LANDMARK BRAND AND MONTICELLO MODEL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HEARTLAND BIGHORN 5TH WHEEL. THE VEHICLE HAS WINLAND BCT J43, SIZE 235/85R16 TIRES (NA). WHILE DRIVING 68 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE AND DISCOVERED THE TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE. THE TIRE THEN BLEW OUT AND FLATTENED. THE TIRE PRESSURE AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WAS 110 LBS. AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED, HE NOTICED THAT THE STEEL BELT WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT THE AXLE WAS BENT. DURING THE SECOND FAILURE, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. BOTH FAILURES WERE REPAIRED BY GOODSAM ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF BOTH TIRES. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 2,500. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 3,000. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HEARTLAND CYCLONE, MODEL 3795. THE VEHICLE HAS MISSION TIRES, SIZE ST2257515 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, A PASSENGER SEATED IN THE REAR NOTICED SMOKE AND RUBBER FLYING PAST THE WINDOW. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR CENTER TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND THE CONTACT REPLACED THE FAILED TIRE WITH THE SPARE. THE CONTACT DROVE SIX MILES TO THE NEAREST REPAIR SHOP. WHEN HE ARRIVED, THE TIRES HAD BUBBLES AND WERE VERY SOFT. ALL SIX TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. NO VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HEARTLAND CYCLONE MODEL # 4012. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHICH CAUSED A TIRE TO BLOWOUT. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S REPORT THE TIRES SHOULD BE 16 INCHES TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT'S TIRES ARE 15 INCHES. THE DRY WEIGHT OF THE COACH WAS 13,696 LBS, UNLOADED. THE TIRE ID NUMBER WAS 225/75/R15. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE 400 LBS MORE THAN THE RECOMMENDED WEIGHT. THE TOYHAULER CARGO'S CAPACITY WAS 2,500 LBS. THE FUEL CAPACITY WAS 50 GALLONS WITH A WATER WEIGHT CAPACITY OF 100 GALLONS. THE TIRES WERE UNDERRATED AND POSED A SAFETY CONCERN. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE INSUFFICIENT FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE UNACCEPTABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE NORMALLY. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT HAVE THE TIME TO REDESIGN AND REPOSITION THE AXLE ON THE TIRE. ALSO, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER BLOWOUT FAILURES. THERE WAS PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE ELECTRICAL WIRES WERE VISIBLE IN THE VEHICLE, AND THE SHEET METAL WAS REPLACED. THE REPAIRS COST $1,700. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 300. *AK

TRAILER BRAKE SEALS PRONE TO LEAKAGE RESULT IN GREASE GETTING INTO TRAILER BRAKES AND BRAKES NOT EFFECTIVE. *JB