NHTSA Complaint #10241742 — 2002 GULF STREAM TRAVEL TRAILER

WE OWN A 2002 CONQUEST CAMPER WHICH WAS DAMAGED WHEN WE HAD 2 TIRE BLOW OUTS WHILE TRAVELING FROM MICHIGAN TO KENTUCKY IN MAY 2008. WE LEFT THE CAMPER IN KENTUCKY UNTIL JULY 22, 2008, AT WHICH TIME WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO MICHIGAN. WE THEN TOOK THE CAMPER TO THE DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED IT AT FOR AN ESTIMATE OF THE DAMAGE. AN AGENT WENT OUT TO VIEW THE CAMPER. THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS SINCE ADVISED THAT THEY WILL NOT FIX OUR REFRIGERATOR WHICH WAS DAMAGED IN THE INCIDENT. THE INSURANCE SENT AN APPRAISER OUT TO VIEW THE CAMPER REFRIGERATOR, WHO ADVISED THAT THE REFRIGERATOR WAS ON RECALL FROM DOMETIC (06E076000). WE THEN CONTACTED DOMETIC, WHO CALLED AND ADVISED THAT SINCE OUR CAMPER WAS OVER 6 YEARS OLD, THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE. AFTER THE REFRIGERATOR WAS DAMAGED, THE WALL NEAR THE REFRIGERATOR IN OUR CAMPER BECAME VERY HOT. THAT IS WHEN WE CHECKED AND THE REFRIGERATOR WAS NOT COOLING. WE THEN DISCONNECTED THE REFRIGERATOR. OUR FAMILY COULD HAVE DIED FROM THIS INCIDENT. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE AMMONIA BASED INGREDIENT IN THE COOLANT UNIT IS VERY TOXIC. THE REFRIGERATOR CANNOT BE REPAIRED - WE MUST HAVE A NEW UNIT. THIS UNIT WAS UNDER RECALL. WE DID NOT RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF THIS RECALL. OUR INSURANCE WILL NOT COVER IT DUE TO THE FACT THE REFRIGERATOR IS UNDER RECALL. NOW WE MUST FIGHT THE ISSUE WITH DOMETIC. ALL IN ALL, OUR FAMILY WAS VERY LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. BUT THIS IS DOMETIC'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INSTALL A NEW REFRIGERATOR. WE UNDERSTAND THAT OTHER UNITS HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND DAMAGED CAMPERS. YOUR INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR