NHTSA Complaint #10173744 — 2006 PILGRIM OPEN ROAD

MY 2006 PILGRIM OPEN ROAD 394RD4S-5 5TH WHEEL TRAILER, PURCHASED IN CALGARY, AB, CANADA, SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC PIN-BOX FAILURE WHILE MY FAMILY AND I WERE ON VACATION IN CALIFORNIA IN JULY OF THIS YEAR. ON ARRIVAL IN SAN DIEGO, WE DISCOVERED THE PIN-BOX HAD GONE FROM A 45 DEGREE ANGLE TO HORIZONTAL AND WAS PUSHED UP INTO THE FRONT CAP OF OUR TRAILER, RESULTING IN THE TRAILER NEARLY SITTING ON THE GUNWHALES OF OUR DODGE RAM 3500 AND THE FLOOR OF THE BEDROOM ABOVE THE HITCH BUCKLED UPWARDS. THE STRUCTURE WAS FIELD-REPAIRED ON-SITE BY LIPPERT COMPONENTS INC., THE FRAME MANUFACTURER, AND THE UNIT MOVED TO LA FOR SHOP REPAIRS. ON RETURN TO CANADA, I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER INCIDENT OF EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM AT OUR DEALERSHIP AND SEVERAL MORE DISCUSSED ON THE INTERNET ON USER SITES (ONE OF WHICH IS ALSO A 2006 OPEN ROAD). NEITHER PILGRIM INTERNATIONAL NOR LIPPERT COMPONENTS INC. ARE ABLE TO CONFIRM THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM (MATERIAL, DESIGN, WORKSMANSHIP), SO OUR 'REPAIRED' UNIT CONTINUES TO BE A LIABILITY AND WE ARE RELUCTANT TO TAKE IT ON THE ROAD AGAIN. THE PROSPECT OF 8 TONS OF TRAILER COMING LOOSE AND TAKING OUR TRUCK WITH IT INTO EITHER ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR OFF THE ROAD IS A CONCERN, TO PUT IT MILDLY. *NM