MONACO COACH Complaints

CAREFREE OF COLORADO MOTORIZED SUNSHADE MOUNTING FLANGE DISINTEGRATED CAUSING THE DEPLOYED SUNSHADE TO FALL DOWN BLOCKING THE VIEW OF HALF THE WINDSHIELD ALMOST RESULTED IN A THREE VEHICLE ACCIDENT. CONTACTED CAREFREE OF COLORADO AND THEIR POSITING WAS THAT IF THE SCREWS WHERE TOO TIGHT, OR THAT THE ORIGINAL SCREWS WERE NOT USED THEN WAS SOMEONE ELSE'S FAULT. AS A RETIRED AIR FORCE MECHANIC THAT SPENT THREE YEARS AS A AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR I CAN ASSURE YOU THE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF LIFE/LIVES FROM A CAREFREE OF COLORADO MOTORIZED SUNSCREEN PLASTIC MOUNTING FLANGE FAILING ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION IS GREAT/EXTREME AND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE INSPECTIONS/REPAIRS BE ACCOMPLISHED BY CAREFREE OF COLORADO. IN ADDITION, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE SCREWS, THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY WERE INSTALLED IN NO WAY CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE OF THIS POORLY DESIGNED PLASTIC MOUNTING FLANGE. THE LACK OF ENGINEERING IN THIS PRODUCT SOLELY CONTRIBUTED TO ITS FAILURE.*CW

NOTED AN ARTICLE IN FAMILY MOTOR COACH MAG CONCERNING A POSSIBLE FAILURE MODE OF THE MONACO TRAILING ARM ASSEMBLY FOR A 4 AIRBAG CONNECTION TO THE REAR AXLE. TOOK IT TO BRAZEL'S IN CENTRALIA, WA. FOR INSPECTION. THEY FOUND CRACKS IN BOTH TRAILING ARMS. HAD THEM REPLACED FOR REENGINEERED ONES THAT WERE MANUFACTURED BY SOURCE MFG. MY QUESTION IS HOW DOES MONACO GET BY WITH NOT COVERING A DESIGN FLAW THAT COULD HAVE CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS IF I HAD WAITED UNTIL IT ULTIMATELY FAILED. MONACO KNEW OF THE PROBLEM SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE MY COACH WAS MANUFACTURED ( MINE IS A 2005 CAYMAN. THE FAILURE WAS KNOWN IN 2003. THEY CONTINUED TO MANUFACTURE THE COACH WITH A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE AND NOW BECAUSE OF THEIR FINANCIAL PREDICAMENT THEY NO LONGER FEEL THAT IT IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THE REPAIR WITH A PART THAT SOLVES THE PROBLEM. THANK GOODNESS THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED BEFORE I HAD A FAILURE WHILE ON THE ROAD. THERE ARE HORROR STORIES OF OTHERS THAT WERE NOT SO FORTUNATE. *TR

I OWN A 2002 MONACO CAYMAN MOTOR HOME WITH A CRACK IN THE TRAILING ARMS WHICH I WILL HAVE TO GET FIXED OUT OF POCKET. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE RIGHT UNDER RECALL 05V053000. I ONLY LEARNED ABOUT THIS THRU FAMILY COACH MAGAZINE. WHEN I CALLED A MONACO & HOLIDAY RAMBLER DEALER ,THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THE PROBLEM. FROM THE INTERNET THERE HAS BEEN SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS. THESE COACH OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED AS WELL AS DEALERS THAT MAY HAVE THESE UNITS ON THEIR LOT. SOURCE MFG.(541)9350308 HAS A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM IF YOU NEED FURTHER INFO. I HOPE THIS IGNORED PROBLEM DOES NOT CAUSE ANY DEATHS OR INJURIES. *TR

THE SLIDE OUT HYDRAULIC PUMP ON OUR 2009 MONACO MOTORHOME FAILED AND LEAKED HYDRAULIC FLUID. THIS PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT FIRE AND SAFETY ISSUE. MONACO DECLARED BANKRUPTCY AND LIPPERT INDUSTRIES, THE MANUFACTURER OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP, HAS REFUSED TO WARRANTY THIS UNIT IN SPITE OF IT BEING 15 MONTHS OLD FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. THE MOTORHOME WEBSITE BLOGS ARE REPLETE WITH FAILURES RELATIVE TO THIS HYDRAULIC PUMP. NOT ONLY SHOULD THE COMPANY SOLVE THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THEIR PRODUCT BUT THEY SHOULD WARRANTY THE SAME. MY MOTORHOME IS A 2009 MONACO CAMELOT . THE OLD UNIT IS AVAILABLE AND I AM WAITING FOR A NEW PUMP WHICH LIPPERT IS CHARGING ME $1,489.00 FOR. BASED ON WHAT I HAVE READ I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THE NEW PUMP WILL NOT FAIL AS MANY OTHER HAVE EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. *TR

TRAILING ARMS AND WELDS CRACKING ON REAR AXLE CREATING U-BOLTS TO LOOSEN, AIR BAG DAMAGE AND AXLE TO SHIFT (DOG-TRACKING) ALSO SHIFTS CHASSIS CREATING WINDSHIELD TO CRACK AND ALIGNMENT, TIRE AND PROPER BRAKING IS AFFECTED (4 TIMES NOW AND 6 WINDSHIELDS LATER) INSTALL ALL NEW DESIGNED TRAILING ARMS,NEW U-BOLTS BUT WILL NEED TO REDIRECT MUFFLER TO OTHER SIDE OF COACH DUE TO LOW CLEARANCE AND TIRE DISTANCE AND GET U-BOLTS TIGHTENED AFTER 500 MILES AGAIN (CHECKING AXLE ALIGNMENT BEFORE SNUGGING--MINE SHIFTED AGAIN BUT DIDN'T CRACK THIS TIME--ONLY 10800 MILES ON THIS MONACO SAFARI COMPRESSION TOY HAULER ROADMASTER CHASSIS THAT CHOSE TO GO BANKRUPT SO-O-O NO REIMBURSEMENT FROM MANUFACTURER OR RECALL REPAIRS AND COSTS FROM $3800-6000.00 !!!!!!!! *TR

THE STRAPS HOLDING THE 12V CABLE CONNECTING THE HOUSE BATTERIES TO THE HOUSE FUSE BOX FAILED, RESULTING IN THE CABLE FALLING ONTO THE DRIVESHAFT AND WEARING THROUGH TO THE BARE COPPER. THIS CREATED A SHOWER OF SPARKS AND ULTIMATELY SHORTED OUT ALL 12V POWER TO THE HOUSE PORTION OF THE RV. SIMILARLY, THE STRAPS HOLDING A 12V CABLE HARNESS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FAILED, RESULTING IN THE CABLE HARNESS FALLING ONTO THE ENGINE MANIFOLD AND MELTING THROUGH TO THE BARE COPPER. THIS CAUSE THE ENGINE ELECTRONICS TO MALFUNCTION, INCLUDING THE ELECTRONIC DASHBOARD DISPLAY. POWER WAS TEMPORARILY LOST WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

MONACO MOTORHOMES ON THEIR ROADMASTER CHASSIS. SOMEONE WELDED THE BRAKE LINE BRACKET IN THE WRONG PLACE. FRONT AIR BRAKE LINE WAS CUT BY LINKAGE. UNKNOWN HOW MANY MOTORHOMES WERE MADE THAT WAY. BRACKET NEEDED TO BE WELDED TO SAFE LOCATION. *TR

WE PURCHASED A NEW 2008 MONACO MOTOR HOME IN JUNE OF 2009. ON A TRIP TO NEWBURGH NY WE ENCOUNTERED RAIN. UPON ARRIVING AT OUR DESTINATION THE AUTOMATIC STEP DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE COACH DOOR WAS OPENED TO EXIT. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE THE STEP IS DESIGNED TO OPERATE AUTOMATICALLY WHENEVER THE DOOR IS OPENED AND THERE ARE NO WARNINGS SIGNALING OPERATIONAL FAILURE.THE COACH IS APPROXIMATELY 18 INCHES FROM THE GROUND AND A FALL FROM THIS HEIGHT WOULD BE LIFE THREATENING. I FOLLOWED THE MANUFACTURER'S TROUBLE SHOOTING CHECK LIST TO ATTEMPT TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED THAT THE UPPER PLATFORM OF THE STEP HAD RETAINED WATER WHICH LEAKED DOWN INTO THE LIGHT AND THE CONTROL MODULE MOUNTED UNDER THE STEP. THE LIGHT LENS WAS COMPLETELY FULL OF WATER. I REMOVED THE LENS AND DRAINED IT OUT. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME THE MODULE DRIED OUT SUFFICIENTLY FOR IT TO WORK. INITIALLY, I E-MAILED THE MANUFACTURER FOR WARRANTY REPLACEMENT OF THE DAMAGED COMPONENTS. THE MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE DENIED THAT THEY HAD EVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE ,OFFERED NO HELP WHATSOEVER AND REFUSED TO ADMIT TO ANY WARRANTY CULPABILITY. SUBSEQUENTLY I SENT A REGISTERED LETTER TO MR. JASON LIPPERT THE PRESIDENT/CEO OF DREW INDUSTRIES, MANUFACTURER OF THE PRODUCT. A FEW DAYS LATER I RECEIVED THE REPLACEMENT PARTS REQUESTED PLUS A TUBE OF SILICONE SEALANT. THERE WERE NO INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY THE SEALANT OR REPLACE THE PARTS OR HOW TO REMEDIATE THE WATER RETAINAGE PROBLEM. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE NEW CONTROL MODULE HAS A SEALANT THROUGHOUT THE AREA WHERE THE ELECTRICAL WIRING ENTERS THE MODULE INDICATING TO ME THAT SOME EFFORT WAS BEING MADE TO SEAL NEWER UNITS FROM WATER INTRUSION. I'M CONVINCED THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND IS CHOOSING TO IGNORE IT AND DENY ANY RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION AND COULD LEAD TO BODILY INJURY OR DEATH. THE MANUFACTURER IS DREW INDUSTRIES 2730 COLLEGE AVE GOSHEN IND. 46528. *TR

TRAILING ARM WELDS ON REAR AXLE BROKEN 3 TIMES AND CREATING DOG-TRACKING OF CHASSIS AND U-BOLTS LOOSENING, AIR BAG AND STRUT DAMAGE AND SHIFTING OF CHASSIS WHICH ALSO IMPAIRS PROPER OPERATION OF SLIDES, DOORS, LIFT GATE OPERATION, ALSO HAS CAUSED 7 WINDSHIELDS TO CRACK SO FAR. ONLY 10800 MILES ON UNIT AND WEAR AND TEAR ON TIRES AND BRAKES, UNIT HAS BEEN REPAIRED EACH TIME, BUT INFORMED THAT RV IS STILL UNSAFE AS IS!! NOW AT DEALERSHIP PURCHASED IT FROM FOR FINAL ACTION. *TR

RV TRAILING ARM FAILURE, RIGHT SIDE ONLY. NO ADVANCE NOTICE . JUST BANG-BROKE.THEN VERY DANGERIOUS DRIVING TO GET TO REPAIR SHOP NEARBY. WAS UNAWARE OF MONACO RECALL UNTIL AFTER THIS EVENT HAPPENED. *TR