NHTSA Complaint #10347285 — 2004 FLEETWOOD TIOGA SL

THE DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR IN OUR 2004 TIOGA CLASS C RV STOPPED WORKING WITH NO WARNING WHILE IT WAS PARKED ON A LEVEL SURFACE. WHEN THE COVER WAS OPENED FOR MAINTENANCE WE DISCOVERED A YELLOWISH DEPOSIT AND EVIDENCE OF LEAKAGE FROM THE BOILER TUBE. WE WERE INFORMED THAT THIS MODEL WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL DUE TO NUMEROUS REPORTS OF FATIGUE CRACKS AND BAD WELDS IN THE BOILER TUBE OF THE COOLING UNIT. WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS DEFECT AT ANY TIME. AS INSTRUCTED ON THE DOMETIC WEBSITE, WE BROUGHT THE RV TO CAMPING WORLD SERVICE CENTER, WHICH IS CERTIFIED TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. WE WERE TOLD THAT ALL DOMETIC WILL DO IS PROVIDE A METAL SHIELD TO PREVENT FIRES CAUSED BY THIS INTERNAL DEFECT. THEY WILL DO NOTHING TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE TO OUR REFRIGERATOR THAT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. ADDING A $40 HEAT SHIELD TO A NOW NON-WORKING REFRIGERATOR IS USELESS AND DOES NOTHING TO REPLACE OUR CANCELLED VACATION PLANS. AS MOST OF OUR CAMPING TRIPS ARE DRY CAMPING (NO ELECTRICAL HOOKUPS), WE RELY ON LP GAS TO RUN THE REFRIGERATOR AND ARE CONCERNED THAT OUR FAMILY WAS PLACED IN SERIOUS DANGER OF FIRE WITH NO ATTEMPTS BY THE MANUFACTURER TO NOTIFY US SO THAT WE COULD HAVE HAD IT REPAIRED BEFORE IT DAMAGED THE ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM. UPDATED IVOQ 08/19/10*JB *TR