NHTSA Complaint #10135359 — 2005 FLEETWOOD TIOGA SL

WE PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 26' FLEETWOOD TERRA MOTORHOME. ON THE FIRST TRIP IT WAS A BIT HARD TO MANAGE AT SPEEDS ABOVE 55 MPH. I BLAMED INEXPERIENCE AND WEATHER CONDITIONS, ALTHOUGH OTHER RIGS WERE PASSING ME LIKE I WAS STANDING STILL. FOUR HUNDRED MILES TRAVELED. AT 53 MPH EXITING THE FREEWAY AT A REST AREA. THE ENTIRE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF. THIS WAS THE WHEEL DRUM AND BRAKE ASSY. IT LODGED ITSELF UP IN THE COOLING OF THE MOTORHOME. IT ALMOST CRASHED AND NEARLY FLIPPED OVER. A FIRE WAS PUT OUT AT SCENE PRETTY QUICKLY. I WAS TOLD A BAD WHEEL BEARING CAUSED THE PROBLEM. WE WERE GIVEN A NEW COACH (SAME MODEL) AFTER 5 WEEKS OF ARGUING. THE NEW COACH HAD THE TRANSMISSION BLOW UP AFTER WE DROVE IT 81 MILES. IT WAS REPAIRED AND I BROUGHT IT HOME TO FIND OUT THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT INSTALLED. WHILE IN PARK IT WENT INTO REVERSE AND DID CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE COACH AND MY NEIGHBORS YARD. TAKEN BACK TO GET PARK INSTALL. WITH THE REPAIRED TRANSMISSION AND REPAIRED PARK WE WENT OUT ON ANOTHER TRIP. UPON OUR RETURN A VERY NOTICEABLE GROWLING IS HEARD IN THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL. YOU CAN NOT HEAR OR FEEL THIS AT HIGHWAY SPEED. IT DID START HAVING A BIT MORE STABILIZED ISSUE LATE IN OUR 500 MILE TRIP. THE ONLY WAY TO FULLY STABILIZE WAS TO SLOW TO ABOUT 50-55MPH. I FEEL THAT THE SAME WHEEL ON THE NEW COACH HAD IT BEEN DRIVEN LONGER, THAT THE WHEEL WOULD HAVE COME OFF THE COACH EXACTLY THE SAME. WE FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ALIVE AND I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT MUST BE LOOKED INTO THOROUGHLY. THE VEHICLE IS A TERRA WHICH IS NOT IN THE VALID LIST OF TYPES!*JB