NHTSA Complaint #10151221 — 2002 HOLIDAY RAMBLER ENDEAVOR

THE ALUMINUM RADIATOR INTERCOOLER FAILED ON MY MOTORHOME, CAUSING AN EXCHANGE OF ANTIFREEZE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID. ETHYLENE GLYCOL ENTERED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DESTROYING CLUTCH PLATES AND SOLENOIDS, RESULTING IN A $5713 REPAIR BILL. THE SYMPTOMS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE WERE THE INTRODUCTION OF EXTREMELY HARD SHIFTING, BOTH UP AND DOWN, FORCING ME TO LEAVE THE FREEWAY. AT SLOW SPEEDS ON SURFACE STREETS, HOWEVER, THE DETERIORATION IN THE TRANSMISSION WAS SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE VIOLENT SLAMMING SHIFTS, WHICH WERE STRONG ENOUGH TO KILL THE ENGINE WHEN SHIFTING DOWN TO FIRST GEAR. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE PASSING THROUGH KENT, WASHINGTON WHEN THIS OCCURRED WHERE PACIFIC POWER PRODUCTS, THE ALLISON TRANSMISSION DEALER, IS LOCATED. THIS IS A KNOW FAILURE AREA FOR MOTORHOMES MANUFACTURED UNDER THE MONACO NAME WITH CERTAIN ALUMINUM RADIATORS. BECAUSE MONACO WAS ABLE AVOID MAKING THIS A REGISTERED RECALL WITH THE NHTSA, THEY HAVE HIDDEN BEHIND THE PROTECTION OF TIME LIMITS ISSUED WITH TSB 124, NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 10003083. INADEQUATE EFFORTS TO NOTIFY ALL POTENTIAL OWNERS IS MORE THAN APPARENT IN MY JUDGMENT. AS SUPPORT FOR MY CONTENTION, NEITHER THE PREVIOUS INDIVIDUAL WHO OWNED THE COACH WHEN THE TSB WAS ACTIVE, NOR I, KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BULLETIN, IN SPITE OF THE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES POSSIBLE FOR FAILING TO COMPLY. AND THE DISINTEREST ON THE PART OF MONACO IS MOST EVIDENT CONSIDERING I WAS IN THE MONACO SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN HARRISBURG, OREGON FOR THREE DAYS FOR OTHER REPAIRS, ENDING ON FEBRUARY 16, WHEN I LEFT THE FACTORY TO HEAD HOME, BUT NEVER MADE IT. *NM