NHTSA Complaint #10214890 — 2004 FLEETWOOD JAMBOREE

I OWN 3 JAMBOREE 29 FOOT CLASS C MOTORHOMES. ON AUGUST 22 2007 THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING WHEN THE GREY HOLDING TANK DROPPED OFF. THE TANK WAS THEN RUN OVER BY THE TRAILER WE WERE PULLING. BY THE TIME WE FOUND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER WE FOUND THE TANK GONE WITH ONLY 2 OF THE 3 STRAPS THAT HOLD IT IN PLACE CONNECTED AND DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. WE RETURNED TO FIND ONLY THE 3RD STRAP, OR PARTS OF IT, AND A BLOCK OF WOOD THE MANUFACTURER HAD USED AS A SPACER. THIS WAS A CONCERN AS THE POLY TANK IS 2 BY 3 FEET AND THE METAL FRAME ABOUT THE SAME. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAD OCCURRED 3 WEEKS EARLIER ON A DIFFERENT COACH. WE FOUND WATER LEAKING FROM THE TANK CONNECTION TO THE DRAIN PIPE AS 2 OF THE 3 STRAPS HAD FAILED. THE TANK WAS SUPPORTED BY THE LONE 3RD STRAP AND THE DRAIN PIPE WITH WAS CRACKED AND LEAKING. THE 2 BROKEN STRAPS HAD FAILED WHERE THEY BEND THROUGH THE TUBING OF THE METAL FRAME. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE METAL STRAPS RUB ON THE METAL FRAME AND OVER TIME WILL FAIL. THE 3RD VEHICLE IS ALSO A 2006 AND THE CONCERN ON THIS VEHICLE IS THAT THE TANK IS SPACED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE BY A 6-7 INCH PLYWOOD BOX THAT HAS SLIPPED OUT OF POSITION WHICH MAY CAUSE THE TANK AND FRAME TO SWAY OR MOVE WHICH SILL CAUSE FRICTION WHERE THEY MEET THE STRAPS CAUSING THEM TO WEAKEN AND BREAK. THE 2004 IS STILL NOT REPAIRED AS I HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH FLEETWOOD, THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT REPAIRING. IT IS CURRENTLY AT GIANT RV IN CORONA. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY AS THEY STATE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT FAILURE OF STRAPPING IS DUE TO MISENGINEERING. THE COST TO REPAIR ARE AT $2400. WHY THIS IS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM: THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT A METAL STRAP RUBS AGAINST A METAL FRAME CAUSING WEAKENING OF THE STRAPS THAT WILL LEAD TO BREAKAGE. THE STRAPS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO BE TIGHTENED AND IF THEY ARE NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY, TOO LONG OR TOO SHORT, THEY WILL MOVE AND CAUSE WEAKENING AND FAILURE. *TR