NHTSA Complaint #10240805 — 2002 MONACO COACH KNIGHT

SEPARATION OF FIREWALL FROM FLOOR BOARDS. THIS IS A STRUCTURAL FAILURE AND ALLOWS EXHAUST GAS FROM GENERATOR TO ENTER INSIDE OF MOTORHOME. MECHANIC AT RECENT OIL CHANGE AND GENERATOR SERVICE NOTICED SCREWS MISSING FROM FIREWALL TO FLOOR BOARD CONNECTION. THERE IS A HORIZONTAL SEPARATION OF APPROXIMATELY 1/8 INCH AND A VERTICAL SEPARATION OF 3/16 INCH. ALL OF THE SCREWS, EXCEPT FOR ONE, WHERE MISSING OR SHEARED OFF. THERE IS NOW A GAP BETWEEN THE FLOOR BOARD TO FIREWALL MOUNTING. UPON STARTING THE GENERATOR TO VERIFY OPERATION AFTER OIL CHANGE AND SERVICING, DIESEL EXHAUST FUMES COULD BE SMELLED INSIDE THE MOTOR HOME. THE GENERATOR WAS RUN FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AND THE YOU COULD SMELL THE DIESEL EXHAUST FUMES IN THE FRONT HALF OF THE MOTOR HOME. I CONTACTED MONACO COACH CORP. TWICE, ONCE BY PHONE AND ONCE BY EMAIL TO THEIR TECH SUPPORT. THE CALL TO MONACO WAS ON 10 JULY 2008 AND I TALKED WITH BOB PIERSON (1-877-466-6226). HE STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT MONACO WOULD DO AS THE COACH IS 6 YEARS OLD. HE STATED THAT I COULD SEND THE PICTURES TO HIM AND HE WOULD LOOK AT THEM AND FORWARD THEM UP THE LADDER. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. I THEN CONTACTED MONACO BY EMAIL, EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM AND ENCLOSED THE PICTURES. I GOT AN AUTOMATED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THE EMAILS AND NOTHING ELSE. I HAVE TRIED TO REPLACE THE SCREWS, GOT 2 INSTALLED AFTER JACKING THE FIREWALL UP TO BE ABLE TO INSTALL REPLACEMENT SCREWS, BUT THE CENTER SECTION AND THE DRIVERS SIDE, I WAS NOT ABLE TO INSTALL SCREWS AND THE FIREWALL STILL REMAINS UNATTACHED. THERE STILL IS A GAP, HORIZONTALLY OF ABOUT 1/8 INCH AND VERTICALLY OF ABOUT 1/8 INCH FROM THE CENTER SECTION ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE DRIVERSIDE WALL, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE. THE COACH HAS APPROXIMATELY 44,000 MILES ON IT, 85 % HIGHWAY OR INTERSTATE, 15 % COUNTY OR CITY ROADS. ONLY GRAVEL ROAD TRAVEL HAS BEEN IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND RV PARKS. MONACO COACH NUMBER # 131966. *TR