NHTSA Complaint #10145726 — 2000 FOUR WINDS HURRICANE

BOTH WALLS OF THE DRIVER'S CABIN ON THE 2000 MODEL HURRICANE RV SEPARATED FROM THE FLOOR SUCH THAT THE ROADWAY BELOW COULD BE SEEN AS ONE DROVE DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT CRUISING SPEEDS. THE DASHBOARD SEPARATED FROM THE FRONT/SIDE WALLS AND WAS "FREEFLOATING". ROAD NOISE WAS LOUD AND DUST, RAIN WATER,ETC. ENTERED THE VEHICLE. THE RV FLOATED BACK-AND-FORTH ON THE HIGHWAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN CROSS WINDS OR LARGE TRUCKS PASSED. THE ENTIRE RV SHOOK CONSTANTLY AND RATTLED BECAUSE THE BODY OF THE RV WAS NOT ATTACHED IN THE FRONT TO THE FLOOR. THE RV BODY BOUNCED AS IT WENT DOWN THE ROAD, BECAUSE NOTHING WAS SECURING IT TO THE FLOOR. FOUR WINDS TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD SUPPLY THE PARTS AND PAY LABOR TO MAKE REPAIRS. FOUR WINDS TOLD ME THEY HAD DEVELOPED A REPAIR KIT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT DECLINED TO SAY HOW MANY RVS HAD REQUIRED THE REPAIR. LATER, FOUR WINDS TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE LABOR. STAFFORD TEXAS' ARCHER RV'S SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME HE HAD REPAIRED SEVERAL HURRICANES, AND THAT FOUR WINDS HAS SINCE MODIFIED HOW THEY ATTACH THE WALLS TO THE FLOOR. I DON'T KNOW IF OTHERS HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT, BUT IN MY OPINION AND MY EXPERIENCE, THE WALLS BEING SEPARATED FROM THE FLOOR AND THE RESULTING BEHAVIOR OF THE RV CONSTITUTED A SAFETY CONCERN. I THINK THIS MATTER DESERVES TO BE REVIEWED AND A RECALL MADE. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT MY RV'S PROBLEM HAD BEEN ONGOING FOR SOME TIME, BASED UPON HIS EXPERIENCE. I BELIEVE HE WAS RIGHT, BECAUSE THE BEHAVIORS OF THE RV THAT I WORRIED ABOUT FOR MANY, MANY MILES WERE RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE WALLS WERE REATTACHED. I'M THANKFUL THAT I NEVER LOST CONTROL OF THE RAP AS A RESULT OF ITS BEHAVIOR, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF CLOSE CALLS THAT, LOOKING BACK AND KNOWING WHAT I KNOW NOW, I BELIEVE WERE AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *NM