MONACO COACH Complaints

THE WELDS ON THE FRAME CRACKED AND CAUSED THE FRONT TIRE ON A 2 AXLE 5TH WHEEL TO GO TREAD TO TREAD WITH THE BACK TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING AND SAID THAT THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. I PAID A WELDING SHOP TO STRAIGHTEN THE BENT PART AND REWELD IT. WE ALSO FOUND THAT SOME AREAS WERE NOT WELDED AT ALL. *TR

2002 MONACO SIGNATURE CAUGHT FIRE. CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY DESIGN OF THE EXTERNAL LIGHTING CIRCUITRY. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE THIS MATTER INVESTIGATED. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED ALL OF THE CURRENT NEEDED TO POWER THE EXTERNAL LIGHTS RAN THROUGH A SMART WHEEL CONTROLLER LOCATED IN THE FORWARD RUN-BAY. THE CONTROLLER WAS DESIGNED TO HANDLE THE CURRENT LOAD OF THE EXTERNAL LIGHTS ON THE MOTORHOME BUT NOT ADDITIONAL LOAD OF A TOW VEHICLE. *JB

MOTOR HOME NEVER HANDLED RIGHT FROM WHEN WE PICKED IT UP ON 11/11/08. AFTER ATTEMPTS TO ALIGN IT DID WORK AND ONE VERY NERVE RACKING TRIP-VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP IT DRIVING STRAIGHT, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SUSPENSION BEAM WAS BROKEN IN HALF. IT APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW. THE MANUFACTURE SENT NEW PARTS AND THE OLD ONES ARE AVAILABLE. IN ADDITION, THIS COACH HAD ISSUES WITH SENSORS FOR THE LEVELING JACK ALARMS(ALARM WENT OFF WHILE DRIVING) FUEL GAUGE SENSOR AND AIR BRAKE GAUGE ALSO FAILED ON THE SAME TRIP. *TR

THERMAL BRAKE FAILURE ON US HWY 19 WEST OF BURNSVILLE, NC. ON 22 SEPT. 2008. THE RIGHT FRONT CALIPER OVERHEATED AND CAUSED A BURNED BRAKE SMELL, STRONG PULL OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, AND A RESULTANT ABS SENSOR FAILURE. THE PISTON FAILED TO RETRACT CAUSING THE BRAKE PADS TO DRAG ON THE ROTOR RESULTING A HEAT BUILD UP, SMOKE BILLOWED FROM THE WHEEL WELL AND THE ROTOR GLOWED RED. THIS IS MY FIRST FAILURE. HOWEVER, SEVERAL FELLOW OWNERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR BRAKE FAILURE. A 2004 RECALL REPLACED SOME BAKE PARTS. I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN! I AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING HAVING THE FOUR CALIPERS REPLACED AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $1250. AFTER ATTENDING SEMINARS, SPEAKING WITH OTHER OWNERS, AND SEVERAL TECHNICIANS, I BELIEVE MONACO CONTINUES TO HAVE BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH MOTOR HOMES THAT HAVE BOSCH BRAKE CALIPERS INSTALLED. *TR

I OWN A 2001 MONACO KNIGHT WHICH I BOUGHT IN 2006. WE TOOK A TRIP WITH OUR RV ON 9/19/2008 AND THE BRAKES SEIZED UP. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, BEARINGS AND OIL RESERVOIR TO FAIL. WHILE DRIVING I SMELLED SOMETHING, SO I STOPPED TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THE WHEELS WERE ACTUALLY SMOKING, IT HAD NOT BROKE OUT INTO A FIRE YET, BUT I AM SURE IT WOULD HAVE IF I KEPT DRIVING. I SEARCHED THE WEB AND FOUND RECALL NUMBER 02V278000, MONACO'S RECALL NUMBER R02175 WHICH DESCRIBED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED MONACO AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PRIOR OWNER HAD THE BRAKES CHECKED AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME. THIS MOTOR HOME HAS ONLY 20,000 MILES AND NOW BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM I NOW HAVE TO HAVE THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, AND THE INTERNAL PARTS OF THE FRONT AXLES REPLACED, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 21,000 MILES ON IT SHOULD NEED. THIS PROBLEM IS EXACTLY WHAT THE ORIGINAL RECALL WAS TO PREVENT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS RECALL REISSUED AND HOLD MONACO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS THAT I BELIEVE WERE NEVER PERFORMED UNDER THE ORIGINAL RECALL. *TR

THE MOTORHOME LIGHTS ARE NOT RELAY ISOLATED FROM THE TOW PACKAGE. TURNING THE MOTORHOME LIGHTS ON, WHILE TOWING A TRAILER, CAUSED AN OVERLOAD OF THE SUPPLY CIRCUIT AND CAUSED A FIRE IN THE FORWARD RUN BAY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MONACO WINDSOR COACH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT EXCEEDS THE LEGAL WEIGHT LIMIT ON THE FRONT AXLE. THE LEGAL WEIGHT LIMIT IS 18,000 LBS. AND THE VEHICLE HAS BETWEEN 20,000-23,000 LBS. THE CONTACT REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER AND TO MONACO, BUT WAS NOT OFFERED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

SEPARATION OF FIREWALL FROM FLOOR BOARDS. THIS IS A STRUCTURAL FAILURE AND ALLOWS EXHAUST GAS FROM GENERATOR TO ENTER INSIDE OF MOTORHOME. MECHANIC AT RECENT OIL CHANGE AND GENERATOR SERVICE NOTICED SCREWS MISSING FROM FIREWALL TO FLOOR BOARD CONNECTION. THERE IS A HORIZONTAL SEPARATION OF APPROXIMATELY 1/8 INCH AND A VERTICAL SEPARATION OF 3/16 INCH. ALL OF THE SCREWS, EXCEPT FOR ONE, WHERE MISSING OR SHEARED OFF. THERE IS NOW A GAP BETWEEN THE FLOOR BOARD TO FIREWALL MOUNTING. UPON STARTING THE GENERATOR TO VERIFY OPERATION AFTER OIL CHANGE AND SERVICING, DIESEL EXHAUST FUMES COULD BE SMELLED INSIDE THE MOTOR HOME. THE GENERATOR WAS RUN FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AND THE YOU COULD SMELL THE DIESEL EXHAUST FUMES IN THE FRONT HALF OF THE MOTOR HOME. I CONTACTED MONACO COACH CORP. TWICE, ONCE BY PHONE AND ONCE BY EMAIL TO THEIR TECH SUPPORT. THE CALL TO MONACO WAS ON 10 JULY 2008 AND I TALKED WITH BOB PIERSON (1-877-466-6226). HE STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT MONACO WOULD DO AS THE COACH IS 6 YEARS OLD. HE STATED THAT I COULD SEND THE PICTURES TO HIM AND HE WOULD LOOK AT THEM AND FORWARD THEM UP THE LADDER. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. I THEN CONTACTED MONACO BY EMAIL, EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM AND ENCLOSED THE PICTURES. I GOT AN AUTOMATED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THE EMAILS AND NOTHING ELSE. I HAVE TRIED TO REPLACE THE SCREWS, GOT 2 INSTALLED AFTER JACKING THE FIREWALL UP TO BE ABLE TO INSTALL REPLACEMENT SCREWS, BUT THE CENTER SECTION AND THE DRIVERS SIDE, I WAS NOT ABLE TO INSTALL SCREWS AND THE FIREWALL STILL REMAINS UNATTACHED. THERE STILL IS A GAP, HORIZONTALLY OF ABOUT 1/8 INCH AND VERTICALLY OF ABOUT 1/8 INCH FROM THE CENTER SECTION ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE DRIVERSIDE WALL, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE. THE COACH HAS APPROXIMATELY 44,000 MILES ON IT, 85 % HIGHWAY OR INTERSTATE, 15 % COUNTY OR CITY ROADS. ONLY GRAVEL ROAD TRAVEL HAS BEEN IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND RV PARKS. MONACO COACH NUMBER # 131966. *TR

CAREFREE POWER SMARTVISOR SERIAL # 2057433572 PART # QF040MA24L MANUFACTURED5/2004 MOUNTING BRACKETS ON BOTH ENDS BREAK. SHADE FALLS DOWN IN FRONT OF DRIVER OR PASSENGER WHILE DRIVING. SHADE IS APPROXIMATELY 40' LONG AND WEIGHS AROUND 7 POUNDS. HAVE TALKED TO MANY RV OWNERS WITH THIS SHADE AND THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME SITUATION. MOST JUST REMOVE AND DISCARD FOR SAFETY REASONS. DRIVING A 26,000 POUND RV DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE THIS 40" AND SEVEN POUND OBJECT DANGLING IN FRONT OF YOU IS UNNERVING. CAREFREE OF COLORADO HAS REDESIGNED SHADE AND MOUNTING BRACKETS BUT WILL NOT RESPOND TO MY INQUIRY OF GOODWILL REPLACEMENT TO NEWER AND SAFER DESIGN. KATHY THE WARRANTY MANAGER WILL NOT RETURN CALLS AND THE OWNER OR HER BOSS IS SHIELDED FROM CONSUMER CALLS. KATHY HAS IGNORED MY CALLS PLACED 8/27/08 RHONDA AT CAREFREE OF COLORADO SAID THEY ONLY PRODUCED THIS MODEL FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. *TR

DRIVING ON FREEWAY. BACK OF MOTORHOME SWAYS VIOLENTLY. HAD TO SLOW TO30 MPH AND NURSE COACH INTO REPAIR SITE. REAR TRAILING ARM HAD BROKEN,LEAVING REAR AXLE FREE TO MOVE. FORTUNATELY ONLY ONE OF THE ARMS HAD BROKEN. *TR