NHTSA Complaint #10401123 — 2007 WINNEBAGO TOUR

MY MOTOR HOME (MH) HAS A DIESEL ENGINE. ACCESS TO THE ENGINE IS THROUGH A REAR ACCESS DOOR AT THE BACK OF THE MH. WHILE GETTING SERVICED ABOUT ONE MONTH AGO, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR THAT THE REAR ACCESS DOOR FELL APART WHEN THE SERVICE TECH OPENED THE DOOR. IT SUBSEQUENTLY WENT TO A MH REPAIR FACILITY TO REPAIR THE REAR ENGINE BAY DOOR. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE MH REPAIR FACILITY TOLD ME THAT HIS LOCATION HAS REPAIRED MANY ENGINE REAR ACCESS DOORS ON MY PARTICULAR MH BRAND. HE FURTHER TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE MAKER OF THE MH PAINTS AND CLEAR COATS THE REAR ENGINE BAY DOOR PARTS, AND THEN GLUES THEM TOGETHER. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE GLUE IS ON TOP OF THE CLEAR COAT, IT FAILS AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS. APPARENTLY, AS I WAS TOLD BY THE MH REPAIR SERVICE MANAGER, THE GLUE CANNOT ADHERE "LONG TERM" TO THE CLEAR COAT. EVENTUALLY, AS MINE DID, THE ENTIRE REAR ENGINE BAY DOOR FALLS APART. HE TOLD ME THAT HIS FACILITY HAS REPAIRED MANY OF THESE OVER THE YEARS, AND MY MAKER OF MY MH ( AND OTHERS) HAVE NOT ALTERED THE DESIGN. WHAT IF I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND A MOTORCYCLE WAS BEHIND ME? IT COULD VERY WELL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. EVEN IF THE PARTS, SOME OF WHICH ARE HEAVY, HIT AN AUTOMOBILE, IT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR DEATH. I DO NOT BELIEVE FOR A MOMENT THAT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS THAT THE MAKER OF MY MH IS NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FIX ALL MH OF THIS DESIGN. OR, AT THE VERY LEAST, INFORM ALL OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM AND THE PROPER FIX WITH A LETTER SENT TO THEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR