NHTSA Complaint #10162211 — 1996 UNKNOWN UNKNOWN

THE FAILURE CONCERNED A VIKING POP-UP TRAILER, 1996 LEGEND 2380. THE DEFECT INVOLVED THE LIFT SYSTEM. THIS LIFT SYSTEM IS A MANUAL CABLE SYSTEM AND TWO CORNERS SNAPPED, WHICH CAUSED THE ROOF (OVER 100 LBS) TO FALL ABOUT 4 FEET (OR TO THE LEVEL OF THE UNOPENED TRAILER). A CO-OWNER WAS IN THE TRAILER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND WAS STRUCK ON THE HEAD AND NECK AS IT FELL. AFTER TALKING WITH A VIKING SERVICEMAN, WE REALIZED THAT ALL FOUR CORNERS ARE ON SAME SYSTEM, AND ALL CORNERS COULD POTENTIALLY SNAP ONE AFTER THE OTHER CAUSING THE ENTIRE ROOF TO FALL. I CONTACTED VIKING AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS SAFETY PROBLEM, AND THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS NEEDED TO FIX THE CABLE SYSTEM. THEY DID HOWEVER, OFFER TO SEND SOME SUPPORT BARS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. THE CABLES ON THE LIFT SYSTEMS MANUFACTURED IN 1996 AND PREVIOUS YEARS MAY SNAP WITH NO WARNING. NOTHING IN THE LITERATURE GIVEN TO US AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE WARNED OF THIS POSSIBILITY, AND NO SUBSEQUENT INFORMATION WAS GIVEN BY VIKING THAT SUPPORT BARS ARE NEEDED TO PREVENT THE ENTIRE ROOF FROM FALLING WITHOUT PROVOCATION. I'M FILING THIS COMPLAINT TO HELP PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO OTHER FAMILIES WHO OWN A VIKING TRAILER WITH THIS TYPE OF LIFT SYSTEM. ** NOTE ** COACHMAN HAS PURCHASED VIKING TRAILERS, AND I WAS UNABLE TO FIND VIKING TRAILERS AS A ITEM TO CHECK IN THE "MANUFACTURERS SECTION", SO I CHECKED "UNKNOWN". *JB