NHTSA Complaint #10181179 — 2000 NATIONAL RV SURFSIDE

ON 1/27/07 WHILE DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY ON MY 2000 NATIONAL RV SURFSIDE WE STARTED SMELLING PROPANE GAS, AT FIRST WE THOUGHT IT WAS COMING FROM THE STOVE. WE CHECKED IT AND FOUND NOTHING, WHEN WE MADE IT TO OUR DESTINATION AS I GOT OFF THE RV I SMELL PROPANE GAS IN THE EXTERIOR SO DECIDED TO CHECK THE TANK. WHEN I OPENED THE PROPANE DEPARTMENT I HEARD THE TANK HISSING, SO I THOUGHT MAYBE A FITTING HAD COME LOOSE, BUT AFTER CHECKING THE TANK WITH SOAP AND WATER I FOUND THAT IT WAS LEAKING FROM A BRACKET WELDED TO THE TANK FOR MOUNTING. ON 01/29/07 CONTACTED NATIONAL RV TO REPORT THE PROBLEM AND BASICALLY THEY TOLD ME I WOULD NEED TO PURCHASE A NEW TANK SINCE IT WAS NOT COVERED ANYMORE. I TOLD THEM THAT I FELT THE REASON THE TANK CRACKED WAS BECAUSE THE WAY IT WAS MOUNTED (RIGID) TO THE BRACKETS AND FRAME. THEN THE REPRESENTATIVE ADVISED ME TO CALL THE LP TANK MANUFACTURE IN CHICAGO, WITCH I DID TODAY (01/30/07) AND I TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM. THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM TANK MANUFACTURE ADVISED ME THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE WAY NATIONAL RV MOUNTED THE TANK (RIGID) WHICH IS WHAT I THOUGHT ALL ALONG. SHE ALSO SUGGESTED I CALL NATIONAL RV BACK AND TRY TO HAVE THEM REPLACE THE TANK AND MOUNTED IN A SAFER WAY, SO I DID. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE OWNER SERVICE SUPERVISOR, HE TOLD ME THAT I WAS OUT OF LUCK AND WOULD BE GLAD TO SELL ME A TANK FOR $678.33 + SHIPPING. MY REASON FOR FILING THIS COMPLAINT IS TO HOPEFULLY THIS GETS LOOKED INTO BY NHTSA AND HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE AND NO LIVES WILL BE LOST. *NM