NHTSA Complaint #10326915 — 1999 SUNDOWNER VALUESPORT

CONSUMER COMPLAINT SAFETY RECALL1999 SUNDOWNER STOCK FRAME COMPLAINTS COMPLAINT NUMBER: 10258279 INCIDENT DATE: FEBRUARY 9, 2009 DATE ADDED TO FILE: FEBRUARY 10, 2009 DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPLAINT: POWDER COATING IMPROPERLY APPLIED FOR SUNDOWNER HORSE TRAILERS, 1999 AND FORWARD. VEHICLE INVOLVED: 1999 SUNDOWNER VALULITE 3-HORSE TRAILER. THE TRAILER FRAME HAS EXCESSIVE CORROSION AS THE RESULT OF WATER TRAPPED UNDERNEATH THE POWDER COAT. BY THE TIME THE RUST SHOWS, THE FRAME HAS CORRODED TO A POINT OF NO LONGER BEING STRUCTURALLY SOUND. MEATLLOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE FRAME AND POWDER COAT SHOW IMPROPER BONDING AS WELL AS POROUS POWDER COATING, ALLOWING WATER TO REACH THE STEEL SUBSTRATE. IN THIS CASE, THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED PRIOR TO DEATH OR INJURY, BEING THE OWNER IS A MATERIALS SCIENTIST. HE WAS ABLE TO RECOGNIZE EXCESSIVE DEGRADATION OF THE FRAME, EVEN IN A WELL MAINTAINED TRAILER PARKED FOR 6 MONTHS. HE HAS TRACKED FRAME THICKNESS (CORROSION RATE) AS WELL AS DOING SEM ANALYSIS OF POWDER COAT AND SPALLING FROM FRAME RAILS. MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDATION IS TO SAND BLAST AND REPAINT FRAME. THIS FURTHER COMPROMISES STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AS IT THINS THE WEBBING FURTHER, REDUCING LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY. AT THE SAME TIME, IT DOES NOT ADDRESS ANY DEEPER PITTING OR INTRAGRANULAR CORROSION IF NOT DONE PROPERLY (E.G. PER ASTM STANDARDS). THE MANUFACTURER SUGGEST CONTACTING NHTSA IF THE BUYER FEELS THAT A DEFECT CONSTITUTES A SAFETY ISSUE. I FEEL THAT THIS STRUCTURAL DEFECT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, GIVEN THAT THESE HORSE TRAILERS ARE HAULING HEAVY ANIMALS. OUR TRAILER IS THE MODEL: VALULITE WHICH IS NOT LISTED ON THE PULLDOWN MENU. *TR