NHTSA Complaint #10308149 — 2004 FOREST RIVER CEDAR CREEK

DOMETIC RV REFRIGERATOR MOD. NO. RM2852 (ALREADY UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN ID 06E076000) TO INSTALL A HEAT SHIELD, DOES NOT ADDRESS THE DEFECTIVE COIL CRACKING, ONLY JUST DIVERTS THE FLAME FRONT IF AMMONIA IS RELEASED AND CATCHES FIRE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE COIL RELEASING SO MUCH AMMONIA THAT IT IRRITATED MY EYES AND REQUIRED VENTING RV TO RID IT OF THE FUMES. FORTUNATELY REFRIGERATOR WAS IN ELECTRIC MODE, NOT GAS SO NO FIRE. AFTER FINDING OUT ABOUT RECALL (WAS NEVER INFORMED OF BY DOMETIC AS REQUIRED UNDER TERMS OF RECALL) AND CONTACTING DOMETIC I WAS INFORMED BY THEIR REPRESENTATIVE THAT UNDER THE TERMS OF RECALL AGREED TO BY THEM AND THE NHTSA THEY WERE ONLY REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE HEAT SHIELD FREE OF CHARGE, NOT REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE COILS. ESPECIALLY IF YOUR UNIT IS OUT OF WARRANTY YOU ARE OUT OF LUCK TO GET COIL REPLACED AT NO CHARGE IF IT HAS FAILED BECAUSE OF CRACKED COIL. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS RECALL IS FLAWED, IN SO FAR AS IT HAS ALLOWED DOMETIC TO COVER-UP A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT WITHOUT BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACEMENT OF DEFECTIVE PART WHICH CAN RESULT IN POTENTIAL FIRE. I THEREFORE REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA RE-OPEN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS RECALL AND REQUIRE DOMETIC TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE PART(S), THE ENTIRE COIL ASSEMBLY, THAT WILL FAIL OR HAVE ALREADY FAILED CREATING THE FIRE HAZARD, WHICH CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF ENTIRE RV DUE TO FIRE AND POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH OF THE OCCUPANTS. *TR