2001 MONACO COACH DIPLOMAT Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MONACO DIPLOMAT LE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS REFRIGERATOR FAILED TO WORK. HE CALLED A LOCAL TECHNICIAN TO COME OUT AND INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A COOLANT LEAK. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE REPAIRED OR THE CONTACT COULD PURCHASE A NEW UNIT. THE CONTACT CHOSE TO PURCHASE A NEW UNIT; HOWEVER, THE OLD UNIT WAS NOT REMOVED BECAUSE IT WAS INOPERABLE. ON APRIL 9, 2008, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY A HISSING SOUND AND A STRONG AMMONIA ODOR. HIS GRANDSON NOTICED A FIRE IN THE AREA OF THE REFRIGERATOR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT AND HIS FAMILY THAT THEY COULD NOT STAY IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE FUMES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. MONACO STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THE DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08E030000 (EQUIPMENT), BUT HIS UNIT WAS IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THE DEFECTED UNITS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 31,000.

WINDSHIELD POPPING OUT, TOILET LEAKING, POWER INVERTER NOT WORKING PROPERLY,FRONT JACKS LEAKING, MUFFLER FALLING OFF, SKYLIGHT OVER SHOWER LEAKING. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE DRIVER OF THE COACH WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH THE RIGHT REAR OUTER TIRE BLEW OUT, IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE COACH. THE COACH WENT UP ON AN EMBANKMENT. THE PASSENGER IN THE COACH WAS NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT. THE DOOR WAS RIPPED FROM THE HINGES THROWING THE PASSENGER ONTO THE EMBANKMENT. THE PASSENGER WAS RAN OVER BY THE COACH AND BY THE VEHICLE THE COACH WAS TOWING. THE PASSENGER WAS KILLED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE COACH WAS INSPECTED BY A FORENSIC EXPERT AND DETERMINED THE WELDING ON THE DOOR FRAME WAS SHAVED OFF SO THE DOOR WOULD FIT INTO THE FRAME CAUSING THE DOOR TO BE WEAKENED. UPDATED *JB *CN

*DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW HAD POOR VISIBILITY DUE TO A SEPARATION OF THE DOUBLE PANEL GLASS. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THIS IS A 2001, MONACO, DIPLOMAT RV. *AK UPDATED 12/27/2005 - THE CONSUMER EXPLAINED THAT THE GLASS WAS CLOUDY, WITH MOISTURE BETWEEN THE PANES, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDOW, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. *NM

3RD UPDATE TO OD ID #8005766. THE GOODYEAR PRODUCT SERVICE BULLETIN (PSB 2002-20), DATED JULY 10, 2002, WAS FOR THE 1999-2001 40 FT. MONACO WINDSOR MOTOR HOME WITH 275/70R22.5 LR H TIRES. OUR 2001 40 FT. DIPLOMATE LE HAS THE SAME TIRES AND WEIGHS APPROXIMATELY THE SAME. THE WHEELBASE ON THE 40 FT. WINDSOR IS 270 INCHES, THE WHEELBASE ON THE DIPLOMAT LE IS 256 INCHES, WHICH MAKES IT 12 INCHES SHORTER THAN THE WINDSOR AND WITH MORE WEIGHT TO THE REAR OF THE MOTOR HOME, WHICH COLD BE ONE OF THE CAUSES OF THE STEERING PROBLEM. I TALKED WITH AN ENGINEER FROM GOODYEAR AND HE SAID OUR MOTOR HOME, WITH 125 LBS. OF AIR IN THE TIRES AND RUNNING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS IN 90+ DEGREE WEATHER, WOULD BE COMPARABLE TO THE "FIRESTONE FORD ROLLOVER" PROBLEM, WITH THIS SIZE TIRE AND AIR PRESSURE. (HE ALSO INDICATED HE WOULD HAVE TO DENY THIS SHOULD HE BE ASKED BY ANY SAFETY AGENCY). GOODYEAR DOES HAVE A TIRE WHICH IS A SIZE BETWEEN WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND WHAT THEY ARE PUTTING ON THE WINDSOR (WHICH IS TOO LARGE FOR OUR MOTOR HOME). I TALKED WITH AN ENGINEER FROM MICHELIN AND HE SAID THE MICHELIN 275/80R22X2A2 WOULD BE A LOT SAFER TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. THAT TIRE IS 41 INCHES IN DIAMETER AS COMPARED TO OUR 37 INCHES IN DIAMETER, AND WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STEER BETTER. WE'VE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE AT MONACO RALLYS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH STEERING AND TIRES, BUT THEY SAID MONACO TOLD THEM IF THEY REPORTED ANY PROBLEMS TO THE GOVERNMENT, THEY WOULD NO LONGER TRY TO HELP THEM. WEIGHT & MEASUREMENT CHARTS FOR MONACO COACHES CAN BE FOUND AT HTTP://WWW.MONACOCOACH.COM. MONACO ONLY MADE THE DIPLOMAT LE IN 2001 AND 2002 AND THEN STOPPED. WE FEEL THIS HAD TO DO WITH THE POOR QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT ALTHOUGH THEY DENY THIS.

2ND UPDATE TO OD ID 8005766. THE GOODYEAR TIRE REPLACEMENT, WE ARE TOLD, WAS NOT A RECALL AND DID NOT INCLUDE OUR COACH. HOWEVER, WE FEEL BECAUSE THE TIRE SIZES BEING REPLACED WERE THE SAME AS OURS, WE SHOULD BE INCLUDED. MONACO STATES THEY DID NOT TELL GOODYEAR NOT TO REPLACE THE TIRES, GOODYEAR CHOSE NOT TO PUT LARGER TIRES ON. WE HAVE ALSO SOUGHT TO HAVE THE MONROE SHOCKS REPLACED AND WERE TOLD BY MONROE THAT ROADMASTER WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THEM OFF AND SEND THEM BACK; HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE LEGAL DISPUTE, ROADMASTER WILL NOT DO THIS. THE SHOCKS ARE UNDER WARRANTY. WE ARE STILL BEING TOLD TO CONTACT A MONROE DEALER. HOWEVER, WE STILL FEEL THAT BECAUSE MONACO HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING SINCE WE'VE HAD THE MOTOR HOME, THEY SHOULD BE MORE COOPERATIVE WHEN OUTSIDE AGENCIES TRY TO ASSIST US. WE FEEL THE MOTOR HOME IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE STEERING.

UPDATE TO OD ID 8005766. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET OUR STEERING PROBLEM SOLVED WITH MONACO BUT THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE WE HAVE A LAWSUIT PENDING (THE LAWSUIT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE STEERING PROBLEM). WE RECENTLY LEARNED THAT GOODYEAR HAS A RECALL (PSB#2002-20) ON OUR TIRES, WHICH ONLY HAVE 15,000 MILES ON AND ARE BADLY WORN, BUT MONACO WILL NOT AUTHORIZE THE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE OF OUR LAWSUIT. WE WANT TO UPDATE THIS COMPLAINT SO, IN THE EVENT WE ARE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WE HAVE ON RECORD THAT MONACO HAS REFUSED TO ADDRESS THIS STEERING PROBLEM.

IT HAS BEEN ALIGNED NUMEROUS TIMES,STEERING PUMP HAS BEEN CHANGED. STILL CAN NOT HOLD THE VEHCLE IN ONE LANE ON HIGHWAY. FACTORY SAYS ALL COMPONENTS ARE "WITH IN" SPECS.

THERE IS A CONSTANT PROPANE SMELL INSIDE VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER 5 TIMES, WATER HEATER BURNER AND RELAY WERE REPLACED. BUT CONSUMER CAN STILL SMELL THE PROPANE.*AK

VEHICLE EXHIBITS CONSIDERABLE SWAY AND WANDERING WHILE IN MOTION, STEERING GEAR RATED UP TO 9000 LB FRONT AXLE, ACTUAL AXLE WEIGHT 10460, INSTALLED 12,800 LBS. *YD