WESTERN Complaints

WESTERN RV INSTALLED AN INADEQUATE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE STEERING BOX IN OUR 2007 ALPINE MOTOR COACH. IT IS THE OPINION OF SERVICE TECH'S THAT THIS BRACKET WILL FAIL AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME DUE TO STRESS FRACTURES, POSING A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

DEFECTIVE STEERING BOX SUPPORT WITH INADEQUATE WELDS THAT PRODUCED EXCESSIVE MOTION OF THE BRACKET. BRACKET MADE OF MATERIAL NOT THICK ENOUGH TO PROHIBIT MOTION. EXCESSIVE MOTION OF SUPPORT WILL LEAD TO CRACKING OF BRACKET RESULTING IN POTENTIAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. *TR

I AM AWARE OF THE FACT THAT OTHER ALPINE COACHES OF LIKE VINTAGE HAVE FOUND WHAT APPEARS TO BE A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE STEERING BRACKET, AND THIS IS A MATTER OF CONCERN TO ME. *TR

FAILURE: STEEL BRACKET HOLDING THE POWER STEERING BOX TO THE FRAME DEFLECTS EXCESSIVELY WHEN OPERATING THE STEERING WHEEL OF MY MOTORHOME. THIS LEADS TO STRESS CRACKING OF BRACKET WELDS, STRESS CRACKING OF THE BRACKET'S REAR MOUNTING FLANGE, AND HAS LEAD TO ONE SUBSTANTIAL BRACKET FAILURE AFFECTING STEERING SAFETY FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE: ALL THE TIME CORRECTIONS: NOTHING DEFINITIVE HAS BEEN DONE. I HAVE ADDED A PROTOTYPE RETROFIT STIFFENER BETWEEN THE STEEL BRACKET & FRAME AND AM TESTING THAT AT THIS TIME. *TR

THE STEERING BRACKET ON MY 2004 ALPINE MOTOR HOME CRACKED AND I HAD IR REPLACED WITH ANEW ONE THAT WAS REINFORCED. THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM & I'M NOT SURE WHAT I DID HAS MADE MY MOTOR HOME COMPLETELY SAFE. *TR

WE HAVE DISCOVERED A VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT PERTAINS TO ALL LATE MODEL ALPINE COACH MOTORHOMES, MANUFACTURED BY WESTERN RV OF YAKIMA WASHINGTON. THE MANUFACTURER IS ONE OF MANY THAT IS NOW OUT OF BUSINESS, SO A RECALL THROUGH ORDINARY CHANNELS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. HOWEVER THE PROBLEM AFFECTS AN INADEQUATE MOUNTING BRACKET FOR THE STEERING BOX THAT RESULTS IN SEVERE SWAY AND STRESS ON THE MOUNTING BRACKET. WE HAVE BOTH VIDEO EXAMPLES, AND EMAIL REPORTS FROM MANY ALPINE OWNERS THAT SUBSTANTIATE THE SCOPE AND SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY NO ONE IS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS OF PRESENTING THIS ISSUE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND I AM DOING SO WITH THIS SUBMISSION. THIS HAS NOT TO DATE RESULTED, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, OF AN ACTUAL ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE TO LIFE OR PROPERTY. BUT IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS IS LIKELY TO OCCUR, ABSENT YOUR INTERVENTION INTO THIS SITUATION. BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, I AM A FORMER CORPORATE ATTORNEY, AND A FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION. I'M CERTAIN YOU RECEIVE MANY UNMERITORIOUS REPORTS OF SAFETY ISSUES, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASSURE YOU THIS DEFINITELY DESERVES YOU FURTHER CONSIDERATION. IF YOU CAN ADVISE WHERE I CAN SEND DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF THIS PROBLEM (LIKELY AFFECTING SOME HUNDREDS OF MOTORHOMES), I WOULD APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. THIS WOULD SEEM TO BE RIGHT ON TARGET WITH YOUR RECENTLY ANNOUNCED CAMPAIGN TO ADDRESS SAFETY ISSUES INVOLVING MOTORHOMES. YOUR GUIDANCE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. TOM GONSER *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ALPINE LEGEND FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER. THE VEHICLE HAS TREDIT BCT JB 43 WINLAND TIRES, SIZE LT 235/85/R16- 14PR. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. SHORTLY AFTER, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE THREAD SEPARATION. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE TIRES SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE TRAILER BECAUSE IT WAS NOT CAPABLE OF HOLDING THAT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT. DUE TO THE BLOW OUT, THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND METAL SUPPORTS UNDERNEATH THE TRAILER WERE DAMAGED. ALL OF THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE BECAUSE THE DEALER STATED THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 WESTERN ALPINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WINDOWS HINDER HIS VISION. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH. THERE IS MOISTURE BETWEEN THE WINDOWS, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SEE IN OR OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

1998 ALPINE COACH RECREATIONAL VEHICLE HAD A RECALL FOR THE REFRIGERATOR. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE REFRIGERATOR WAS REPLACED BEFORE THE RECALL AND WANTS REIMBURSEMENT. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE UNIT WAS EXAMINED AND IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE YELLOW RESIDUE AND LEAKAGE AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. *JB

I PURCHASED A 2006 ALPINE AVALANCHE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT THE ALPINE COACH'S USE AN ELECTRONIC MULTIPLEXING MODULE THAT RUNS EVERYTHING ON THE COACH SIDE. IT ALSO AFFECTS THE ENGINE OPERATION, CRUISE CONTROL, BRAKES ETC. ON MAY 4 WE WERE DRIVING FROM BUTTE, MONTANA TO SALT LAKE CITY WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WENT OFF, THE ENGINE TURNED OFF AND WE WERE LEFT RIDING DOWN A HILL AT 65 MPH. IF I HAD NOT HAD EXPERIENCE DRIVING TRUCK I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THE MODULE IS MADE BY VANSCO AND IS MODULE 2820. THERE IS A COMPLAINT AND ACTION WITH A RECALL NUMBER FROM WESTERN RV #CSAR-1056. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WESTERN RV IS OUT OF BUSINESS AND VANSCO SAYS THAT THEY CANNOT SELL THE PART BECAUSE IT IS PROPRIETY COMPONENT TO WESTERN RV. THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LEGAL ISSUE WITH A DEFECT COMPANY. MY CONCERN IS THAT I CAN DRIVE MY HOME AS WELL AS THE OTHER 2000 CUSTOMERS, BUT IT IS NOT SAFE. DO YOU FOLKS THINK YOU CAN HELP US MOVE VANSCO TO GIVING HELP TO THE STRANDED CUSTOMERS OF WESTERN RV. *TR