THOR MOTOR COACH Complaints

WHILE STATIONARY, FIRST LARGE WINDOW BEHIND DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE OFF, AT THE TOP HINGE, FOR NO REASON. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS HARM TO FELLOW MOTORISTS. AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED, I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS WEBSITE AND THE ABILITY TO REPORT.*DT

WHILE TRAVELING ON A INTERSTATE THE VEHICLE SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. THE MOTOR SHUT OFF AND WE LOST ALL POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. ALL POWER INSIDE AND OUTSIDE SHUT OFF SO WE HAD NO LIGHTS ON THE EXTERIOR TO SEE OR SIGNAL OTHER VEHICLES. I HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE.

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO YEARS, THE VEHICLE HAD AN ON-THE-HIGHWAY DOUBLE LEFT (DRIVER'S) SIDE REAR-TIRE BLOWOUT. THE MUDFLAP LOCATED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE TIRES (OSTENSIBLY TO PROTECT THE PROPANE TANK) WAS WORN FROM FRICTION -- CAUSED FROM BEING PRESSED AGAINST THE ROTATING TIRES. THE OME TIRES IN THE FIRST INCIDENT WERE MANUFACTURED BY MICHELIN. THE REPLACEMENT TIRES IN THE SECOND INCIDENT WERE FROM GOODYEAR.

THERE IS A CABINET MOUNTED ON THE CEILING THAT IS ABOVE THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SIDE THAT HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY SECURED. THERE ARE COMPLAINTS AND PICTURES FOUND ON THE FACEBOOK GROUP FOR THOR OWNERS. I DECIDED TO CHECK MINE AND IT WAS LOOSE AND WHEN I OPENED THE DOORS ALL OF THE SCREWS LOCATED ON THE FRONT SIDE HAVE BEEN PULLED DOWN FROM THE CEILING. I HAVE CONTACTED THOR BY EMAIL AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF IT FELL DOWN WHILE DRIVING.

THE REAR SPEED SENSOR ON MY 2018 THOR GEMINI RV WITH THE MERCEDES BENZ 3500 SPRINTER CHASSIS WENT BAD KNOCKING OUT MY ABS, STABILITY CONTROL AND CRUISE CONTROL ON A LONG TRIP. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DOING A STEADY 60-65 MPH. MY SPRINTER ONLY HAS 8,000 MILES ON IT. I'VE READ THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES SO I THOUGHT I WOULD REPORT IT.

ON AUGUST 12, 2020, I WAS DRIVING HWY 330 TO BIG BEAR LAKE, CA, WHEN A SMALL FIRE OCCURRED IN MY 2018 THOR CHATEAU. MY WIFE AND I FIRST NOTICED THE SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC. SHE INVESTIGATED THE INTERIOR OF THE RV WHILE I SEARCHED FOR A SAFE TURN-OUT OFF THE HIGHWAY. SHE EVENTUALLY SAW SMOKE FLOWING FROM THE REAR OF THE RV. WITHIN FOUR MINUTES WE WERE OFF THE HIGHWAY AND DISCOVERED SMOKE COMING FROM A PASSENGER-SIDE COMPARTMENT DIRECTLY ABOVE THE EXHAUST EXIT PIPE. UPON OPENING THE COMPARTMENT IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE EXHAUST EXIT PIPE HAD MELTED THE PLASTIC STORAGE COMPARTMENT AND WAS ALSO BURNING THE CONTENTS OF THE COMPARTMENT. I QUICKLY REMOVED THE REMAINING CONTENTS AND WAS PREPARED TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT THE FIRE SUBSIDED ONCE THE SMOLDERING ITEMS WERE REMOVED. THE EXHAUST EXIT PIPE SITS ABOUT 2 INCHES BELOW THE PLASTIC STORAGE BOX YET THERE IS NOT A HEAT SHIELD IN PLACE. IT WAS CLEARLY THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE. I HAVE PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF THE DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED AND ALSO OF THE DAMAGED PROPERTY. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED IN SOUTH CAROLINA FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE IN 2016 YET THOR IS STILL PRODUCING AND SELLING RVS WITH THE SAME ISSUE AT LEAST UP UNTIL THE MANUFACTURE DATE OF MY PARTICULAR 2018 THOR CHATEAU RV. *DT*JB*DT*AS

A BICYCLIST ALERTED US AT 0630 THAT OUR RV WAS ON FIRE AS IT SAT PARKED, OFF AND UNPLUGGED IN OUR DRIVEWAY. WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE RV WAS IN FLAMES AND WE EVACUATED OUR HOME SECONDS BEFORE THE RV EXPLODED ABOUT 5 FEET FROM OUR BEDROOM WINDOW. 7 FIRE TRUCKS RESPONDED. THE FIREFIGHTERS SAID THAT IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A METAL ROOF, OUR WHOLE HOUSE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN FLAMES BECAUSE OF THE HOT EMBERS ON THE ROOF. OUR HOME, CAR AND LANDSCAPING SUFFERED DAMAGE AS WELL FROM THE FLAMES. AT FIRST, WE WERE JUST HAPPY THAT NO ONE WAS IN IT AND THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT AFTER A FEW DAYS PASSED, I REALIZED THAT THIS EVENT WAS CATASTROPHIC AND WE ARE NOW LEFT WITH DAMAGES FROM A FAULTY PRODUCT AND THE EMOTIONAL TOLL OF ALL THE "WHAT IF" SCENARIOS!*DT*JB

WHEN PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AFTER A 1HR DRIVE, THE ONLY EXIT DOOR THE VEHICLE HAS DID NOT OPEN, PREVENTING US FROM EXITING THE VEHICLE. OTHER CAMPERS PARKED IN THE SAME LOT WERE UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FORM THE OUTSIDE BUT ABLE TO HAND ME TOOLS TO TAKE THE LOCK APART FROM THE INSIDE AND OPEN THE DOOR USING PLIERS AND A SCREW DRIVER. THE DOOR LATCH MADE OF A ZINC OR SIMILAR DIE CASTING HAND BROKEN IN HALF PREVENTING THE RETRACTION OF THE LATCH AND KEEPING THE DOOR LATCHED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 THOR FOUR WINDS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DETACHED FROM THE RV WITHOUT IMPACT. THE CONTACT STATED THEY WERE ABLE TO PRESERVE THE WINDOW DUE TO THE LOCKS ON THE WINDOW REMAINING LATCHED, PREVENTING THE WINDOW FROM TOTALLY DETACHING FROM THE RV. THE RV WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE RV WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RECALL RELATING TO THE FAILURE INCLUDED ONLY THE 2020 MODELS, NOT THE 2019 MODELS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.*DT*JB*DT

MY GRANDSON WAS LOCKED IN OUR MOTORHOME BECAUSE THE ONLY DOOR IN OUR COACH BROKE IN HALF INSIDE OUR DOOR. WE HAD TO BREAK A WINDOW ON OUR SLIDE OUT TO GET HIM OUT. REPLACED THE LOCK AND WINDOW AT OUR EXPENSE NOT TO MENTION I HEARD THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND SAFETY HAZZARD