NHTSA Complaint #10126175 — 2005 AIRSTREAM SAFARI

ON FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2005, WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH CHICAGO, OUR AIRSTREAM TRAVEL TRAILER BRAKES BEGAN INTERMITTENTLY LOCKING WHILE BRAKING. LATER, WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON I-57, BREAK CONTROLLER BEGAN PERIODICALLY REPORTING AN OPEN CIRCUIT AND WHEN THE BREAKS WERE APPLIED, THE CONTROLLER REPORTED SHORT CIRCUIT. WE ARRIVED AT AN AIRSTREAM DEALER WHERE A TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO PERFORM A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRSTREAM BREAK WIRES. AFTER REMOVING THE BREAK DRUMS, THE TECHNICIAN OBSERVED THAT THE THREE METAL CLIPS WHICH HOLD THE TWO WHITE WIRES FOR THE MAGNETIC BREAK WERE NOT SECURED TO THE BREAK ARMATURE. FURTHER, OBSERVATION REVEALED THAT THE BREAK PADS ON THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL HAD RUST DEPOSITS INDICATING THAT THE BREAKS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN IN OPERATION FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION, TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THAT THE INSULATION ON ONE OF THE WHITE WIRES HAD WORN THROUGH FROM THE CHAFING OF THE BREAK MECHANISM, WHICH ULTIMATELY WAS MAKING CONTACT WITH METAL CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT. TEMPORARY REPAIR WAS MADE UNTIL A REPLACEMENT PART COULD BE OBTAINED.