NHTSA Complaint #10270164 — 2002 WINNEBAGO SIGHTSEER

IN TRYING TO START THE MOTOR HOME, I NOTED THE IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO TURN THE KEY, IT STARTED. WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED A PUNGENT ODOR, INDICATIVE OF BURNING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM BELOW THE STEERING COLUMN. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND BURNT WIRING AND CONNECTORS BELOW THE STEERING COLUMN. THE IGNITION SWITCH APPARENTLY OVERHEATED, DISTORTED AND CONTINUED BURNING IN PLACE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WORKHORSE, THE CHASSIS MANUFACTURER, SELLS AN AFTERMARKET KIT TO MITIGATE THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS SWITCH IS OVERLOADED AND THE LOAD SHOULD BE DECREASED ON IT, OR THE SWITCH SHOULD BE DESIGNED WITH THE INCREASED LOAD COMPENSATION INCLUDED. WINNEBAGO/WORKHORSE SHOULD BE SUPPLYING A "FIX" FOR THIS PROBLEM AND INFORMING THE MOTORING PUBLIC OF THE DANGER INHERENT IN THE FLAWED DESIGN OF THIS IGNITION SYSTEM. *TR