NHTSA Complaint #10133530 — 2005 FLEETWOOD PIONEER

I PURCHASED A 30FT TRAVEL TRAILER THAT WAS DISCLOSED (BROCHURE) TO HAVE A 1025LBS TONGUE WEIGHT, THE COACH WEIGHT WAS DISCLOSED (BROCHURE) TO WEIGHT 6500LBS. THE ACTUAL DRY TONGUE WEIGHT IS 2040LBS AND THE ACTUAL TRAILER WEIGHT IS 9000LBS. THIS IS A TREMENDOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS TRAILER AS THE LIMITS FOR A CLASS V HITCH IS 1200LBS. A CLASS V HITCH IS THE BEST HITCH THAT IS MADE FOR A BUMPER STYLE HITCH. THERE IS A STANDARD THAT IS USED FOR ALL HITCH MANUFACTURES FOR THE TRAILERS AND THE TRUCKS THAT TOW THE VEHICLES. FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE SAEJ684C STANDARD-AKA J684C STANDARD. FLEETWOOD DOES KNOW THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM AND ADMITS THAT IT IS A PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER SUGGESTS THAT THEY ADD 1000LBS TO THE REAR BUMPER OF THE COACH, ATTEMPTING TO LIGHTEN THE TONGUE WEIGHT OF THE COACH. THERE IS ONE PROBLEM WITH THIS AS THE UNIT ALSO CARRIES 120 GALLONS OF WATER JUST IN FRONT OF THE TRAILER AXLES WHICH COULD POSSIBLY ADD 1000LBS OF WEIGHT TO THE TONGUE. THIS PROBLEM IS KNOW THROUGHOUT THE RV INDUSTRY THAT FLEETWOOD''S HAVE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM AND IF LEFT ALONE WILL CAUSE HARM POSSIBLY DEATH TO DRIVERS ON THE ROAD.