NHTSA Complaint #10348292 — 2009 UTILITY VS2RA

PURCHASED AN 8 X16 CAR HAULER FROM QUALITY TRAILERS 4 LESS ON NOVEMBER 10,2009. TRAILER WAS USED FOR HAULING VEHICLES TO AND FROM SHOP LOCATION WITH NUMEROUS ADJUSTMENTS TO RECEIVERS, HITCHES, TIRES, SHOCKS, AND STABILIZER BUSHINGS ON OUR 1985 FORD F250 TO TRY AND ADJUST FOR A CONSTANT TAIL WAGGLING ISSUE. ON JULY 8, 2010 WE WERE HAULING A1997 FORD RANGER WITH NO ENGINE IN IT BACK TO OUR SHOP LOCATION. UPON TURNING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY THE REAR AXLE ON THE TRAILER BROKE WITH THE VEHICLE STILL ON THE TRAILER. WHEN WE LOOKED TO SEE WHY THIS HAPPENED WE NOTED THAT THE AXLE HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY WELDED. WE CONTACTED BOTH QUALITY TRAILERS 4 LESS AND LONE WOLF TRAILERS WHO ARE OUT OF ALABAMA AND THE HOLDER OF THE WARRANTY FOR OUR TRAILER. AFTER 3 DAYS WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM LONE WOLF TRAILERS ADMITTING THAT THEY KNEW OF SOME OF THE TRAILERS HAVING FAULTY AXLES . AT THIS POINT IN TIME AFTER APPROXIMATELY 6 EMAILS AND 4 PHONE CALLS WE ARE NO CLOSER TO A RESOLUTION OF THIS SITUATION. WE FEEL THEY NEED TO BE REPORTED SIMPLY ON THE BASIS THAT THEY KNEW OF FAULTY AXLE SITUATIONS AND YET THEY DID NOT CONTACT US THE CONSUMER TO LET US KNOW OF THIS POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SAFETY HAZARD. IF THIS BREAKAGE HAD OCCURRED ON THE INTERSTATE OR ANY OTHER BUSY ROADWAY AND NOT IN OUR DRIVEWAY I AM QUITE SURE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT IT. WE DID NOT FILE A POLICE REPORT AS THE ONLY DAMAGE DONE WAS TO THE TRAILER ITSELF AND HAPPENED ON OUR PROPERTY. WE FEEL THAT THEY NOT ONLY PUT OUR SAFETY BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN MANY OTHERS ON THE LINE BY NOT NOTIFYING US OF THE KNOWN AXLE PROBLEMS AND NEED TO BE CHECKED OUT IMMEDIATELY. *TR