NHTSA Complaint #10025422 — 1995 DUTCHMAN 1203

CABLE FOR LIFT SYSTEM ON DUTCHMEN CAMPER SNAPPED WHILE RAISING CAMPER. CAP WEIGHS 500 POUNDS & WAS 4 FEET IN THE AIR WHEN CABLE SNAPPED. THIS IS A SAFTEY ISSUE, AS YOUR HANDS HAVE TO BE UNDER CAP WHILE IT IS BEING RAISED/LOWERED TO TUCK IN/PULL OUT FABRIC OF CAMPER...AND ALSO WHY INSTALLING COVERS FOR SUPPORT BRACKETS. IN OTHER WORDS, IF THE CABLE SNAPS YOU HAVE 500 POUNDS OF CAP COMING DOWN ON YOUR HANDS...WHICH COULD BE SEVERED BECAUSE THERE IS A METAL ON THE CAP AND THE CAMPER EDGE WHERE THE CAP AND CAMPER BODY MEET. CAP CAME DOWN SO HARD AFTER CABLE SNAPPED, THAT THE CAMPER CAP WAS RUINED. ALSO, I INSPECTED THE CABLE AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS SHREDDED FROM RUBBING AGAINST SOMTHING IN THE LIFT SYSTEM EVERY TIME CAMPER WAS LOWERED AND RAISED. THE CAMPER IS EIGHT YEARS OLD AND I HAVE USED THE CAMPER (RAISED AND LOWERED IT) LESS THAN A DOZEN TIMES. AFTER THIS ACCIDENT, I WENT THROUGH MY OWNER'S MANUAL AND FOUND NOTHING IN THERE REGARDING MATIENCE OF THE CABLE LIFT SYSTEM, OR WHAT TO DO IF THE LIFT/CABLE SYSTEM FAILS. I HAVE OWNED CAMPERS BEFORE I PURCHASED THIS DUTCHMEN CAMPER AND HAVE NEVER HAD OR HEARD OF THE CABLE SNAPPING ON THE LIFT SYSTEM...THIS IS DANGEROUS!*AK