2004 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR Complaints

TIE ROD BOOT SEALS ARE CRACKING AND DISINTEGRATING AND NOT HOLDING GREASE AND ARE UNSAFE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. NEWMAR ISSUED A TSB ON 10-19-2006 FROM TRW TO THIS PROBLEM BUT APPARENTLY NOT ALL EFFECTED OWNERS WERE SENT THIS TBS. I NEVER RECIVED ONE AND MY VEHICLE IS IN THIS GROUP. THERE ARE MANY MOTOR HOMES BEING DRIVEN ON THE ROAD AT THE PRESENT WITH THIS UNSAFE PROBLEM. ACCIDENTS ARE GOING TO START HAPPENING AND TRW AND SPARATAN SHOULD STEP UP AND DO THE RECALL THE RIGHT WAY AND NOT HANDLE IT AS A "SILENT RECALL". *TT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR RV. THE CONTACT AND HIS WIFE SMELLED AMMONIA IN THE VEHICLE, BUT DID NOT KNOW WHERE IT ORIGINATED. THE SMELL PERSISTED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, CAUSING THEM BOTH TO SUFFER SEVERE HEADACHES. HE INSPECTED THE UNIT AND NOTICED AMMONIA BLOWING OUT OF THE COOLANT SYSTEM. THE FAILURE CONTINUED UNTIL ALL OF THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS EMPTIED. THE CONTACT'S NEIGHBOR INFORMED HIM ABOUT THE POSSIBLE FAILURE WITH THE DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR IN THEIR VEHICLE BECAUSE A WEEK EARLIER, THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE NEIGHBOR'S VEHICLE. DOMETIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE UNIT. EVEN THOUGH THE UNIT CAUGHT FIRE, DOMETIC WAS ONLY WILLING TO INSTALL A HEAT SHIELD AND THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.

MOTORHOME DOES NOT MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS OF FMCSA REGULATION 571.120 STANDARD 120. *MR THE VEHICLE HAD COME EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN TIRES (XZA-1 LRH 275X70X22.5 TIRES). PUBLISHED DATA BY MICHELIN SHOWED THAT THE CONSUMERS TIRES WERE RATED AT 6365 LBS AT 120 PSI. THE CERTIFICATION LABEL SHOWED THAT THE GAWR OF THE FRONT AXLE WAS 13200 LBS. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT HE'S AT RISK OF TIRE FAILURE IF HE LOADED THE VEHICLE TO THE PURCHASE GROSS WEIGHT OF 33,200 AND UNDER INFLATE THE TIRE TO 120 PSI. (NEWMAR WOULD HAVE TO AGREE TO A LAGER SIZE TIRE INSTALLATION) *SC *JB

CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS TRAILER, ACCORDING TO THIS PUBLICATION. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. FMCSA REGULATION 571.120, STANDARD 120, THE MAXIMUM SUM, NOT TO BE CERTIFICATION FOR 1300 POUNDS FOR AXLE. MICHELEN TIRE, 275/70221/2 LOAD RANGE H. *AK