NHTSA Complaint #10324947 — 2008 MONACO COACH DIPLOMAT

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) THIS COMPLAINT INVOLVES A LARGE PATIO AWNING MANUFACTURED BY CAREFREE OF COLORADO. THE MODEL OF THE AWNING IS THEIR ECLIPSE MODEL. THE ONLY THING THAT HOLDS THE AWNING IN PLACE ON THE RV, AS IT IS GOING DOWN THE ROAD, IS THE MOTOR. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CASES OF MOTOR FAILURE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SHAFT, THAT HAVE LED TO THE PATIO AWNING DEPLOYING WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY, CREATING A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION TO THE MOTORING PUBLIC, THE MOTORHOME PASSENGERS, AND ESPECIALLY ANY VEHICLE IN THE IMMEDIATELY VICINITY OF THE TRAVELING MOTORHOME, AND THE DRIVER TRIES TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND PULL OFF TO STOP. THESE INCIDENTS ARE ON GOING, AND IT IS UNKNOWN HOW MANY ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN CAUSED, OR WHAT TYPE. OBVIOUSLY IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, WHICH COULD CERTAINLY LEAD TO A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SITUATION, AND POSSIBLY COMPEL THE MANUFACTURER, CARFREE OF COLORADO TO TAKE SOME STEPS TO REMIDY THE SITUATION, POSSIBLY BY MAKING AVAILABLE SOME T;YPE OT LOCKING DEVICE OTHER THAN JUST A SHAFT, FLATTENED ON ONE OR TWO PLACES TO HOLD THE AWNING IN PLACE AS THE VEHICLE TRAVELS DOWN THE ROAD AT 60 OR 70 MPH, SOMETIMES INTO A WIND BLOWING 50 MPH. [XXX] *TR