NHTSA Complaint #10291585 — 2005 BLUE BIRD WANDERLODGE M450 LXI

THIS LETTER IS AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A FORMAL PETITION REGARDING THE INCOMPLETE, UNSAFE REPAIRS AND MODIFICATIONS TO THE 2005 TO 2007 BLUE BIRD WANDERLODGE 450 LXI THAT ARE BEING DONE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REMEDY THE CONDITIONS OF THE NHTSA RECALL. THE ORIGINAL RECALL, 07V586000, INDICATED THAT THE FRONT AXLE ON THE 450 LXI COULD BE OVERWEIGHT. BLUE BIRD STATED IN SUBSTANCE THAT ITS RV WAS OVERWEIGHT ON THE FRONT AXLE WITHOUT CARGO BUT WITH THE STANDARD 4 PASSENGERS AND FULL WATER (USING PRE-2008 DEFINITION OF CCC). THE TIRE SAFETY FACTOR WAS NOT AN ISSUE IN THE RECALL BUT SURFACED WITH THE LATER COMPLAINT. THE TIE ROD WEAKNESS WAS NOT A CAUSE OF THE RECALL BUT WAS A RESULT OF THE NEED TO INCREASE THE AXLE RATING. (I.E. IT WAS ONE OF THE REMEDIES). THE TIE RODS WERE SAFE AT AN AXLE LOAD OF 16,000 LBS AND NO TIE ROD RECALL WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IF THE 16,000 LB. AXLE WAS SUFFICIENT AS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED. THE RECALL WAS BASED ON THE AXLE BEING IN EXCESS OF ITS RATING AND THE MOTORHOME COULD NOT BE SAFELY USED WITH REASONABLE LOADING AND DESIGNED PURPOSE OF THE VEHICLE. IN DOING THE MANY LEVELS OF 'FIXES', BLUE BIRD HAS FOUND IT NECESSARY TO REDUCE THE 'NO CARGO', WEIGHT OF THE MOTORHOME IN ORDER SHOW AN APPARENT DECREASED FRONT AXLE LOAD AND TO SHOW SOME CAPACITY IN THE STORAGE COMPARTMENTS. THE UNLOADED WEIGHT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO A NON-STANDARD, 2 PASSENGERS AND 1/4 TANK OF FRESH WATER. (RIVA) THE NEW BAY WEIGHT LIMIT PLACARDS ARE MISLEADING IN THAT THEY DO NOT REFLECT THE FACT THAT THEY REFER TO THE TOTAL WEIGHT IN THE ENTIRE BAY AREA, BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES AND IN THE VERTICAL AREA ABOVE THE BAY, IN THE COACH. OWNERS ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS AND MAINTAINING THESE LIMITS IS UNREASONABLE. THE LIMITS CAN BE EASILY OVERLOADED, EVEN BY PANTRY ITEMS ALONE. THE OVERLOADING OF THE FRONT TIRES IS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. ONE OF THE 'FIXES' WAS TO MODIFY THE HADLEY AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM SO THAT IN DRIVE MODE. *TR