NHTSA Complaint #10381119 — 2004 WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER

I OWN A 2004 WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER WPG38R. I INCURRED WHAT AMOUNTED TO A PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM ON MY ON A GENERATOR, DIRECTLY CAUSED BY WINNEBAGO IGNORING ONAN'S "RECOMMENDED" INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. THOSE INSTRUCTIONS SPECIFICALLY STATE A SUPPORT BRACKET BE INSTALLED IF THE TAILPIPE ASSEMBLY IS MORE THAN 18" LONG. THE TAILPIPE ASSEMBLY ON THIS UNIT IS 25" LONG. THE FIX, IF CAUGHT EARLY ON COST ME $725.00. MY REAL CONCERN INVOLVES SAFETY. ONAN WARNS IN THEIR INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS " A HOT EXHAUST PIPE CAN CAUSE ---- SEVERE PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH. I ALSO ASSUME IT CAUSE CARBON MOXIDE POISONING OR HEAT/ FIRE DAMAGE TO THE MOTOR HOME. WINNEBAGO PUT IN WRITING TO ME THEY HAD ALL THEIR MODEL YEARS INSTALLATIONS APPROVED AND INSPECTED BY ONAN.. ONAN PUT IN WRITING TO ME THEY DIDN'T APPROVE OR INSPECT ANY INSTALLATIONS FOR ANY CUSTOMER. WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THIS INFORMATION, A WINNEBAGO CUSTOMER SERVICE REP ( BRIAN) TOLD ME THEN THE LACK OF THE SUPPORT INSTALLATION MUST HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY WINNEBAGO'S ENGINEERS. THEY ( WINNEBAGO) CONTINUED TO DENY ANY RESPONSIBILITY AS MY MOTOR HOME WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. ACCORDING TO ONAN'S WARRANTY THEY EXCLUDE ANY EXCEPTIONS TO THEIR INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. MY WARRANTY THEREFORE WAS VOIDED THE DAY WINNEAGO INSTALLED THE GENERATOR ON MY UNIT AND OTHERS OF SIMILAR LENGTH. A WINNEBAGO TECHNICAL SUPPORT MAN TOLD ME VERBALLY OVER THE PHONE THAT UNIT CERTAINLY SHOULD HAVE A SUPPOPRT BRACKET INSTALLED. HE THEN WENT ON WINNEBAGO'S MANUFACTURING INSTRUCTIONS FOR MY MODEL AND STATED HE WAS SURPRISED IT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THEIR INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. ONE OF THEIR INITIAL STATEMENTS TO ME OVER THE PHONE WAS "IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF WINNEBAGO, THINK AGAIN". THEY MAINTAINED THAT STANCE EVEN WHEN I SUBMITTED TO THEM THE SUPPORT INFORMATION I HAD COLLECTED THAT STATED THEY WERE AT FAULT. IT TOOK A LETTER FROM MY ATTORNEY AND A LOCAL TV STATION TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS AND REIMBURSE ME THE $725. *TR