NHTSA Complaint #10451138 — 2008 TIFFIN PHAETON

WE HAVE FOUND CRACKS AND/OR FRACTURES ON THE ROOF OF OUR 2008 TIFFIN PHAETON QSH MOTOR HOME. THESE CRACKS ARE MOSTLY ALONG THE CURVED EDGE OF THE FIBERGLASS ROOF. THIS DEFECT SEEMS TO BE CAUSED BY POOR QUALITY MATERIALS AND POOR DESIGN BY TIFFIN MOTOR HOMES LEADING TO CRACKS DUE TO "FLEXING" OF THE VEHICLE STRUCTURAL FRAME DURING TRAVEL. THIS VEHICLE DEFECT HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED TO TIFFIN BY MANY OWNERS OF THEIR PRODUCTS BEGINNING IN 2007 (AND PERHAPS BEFORE) THROUGH 2011 MODELS BASED ON INFORMATION FROM DEALERS AND OTHER MOTOR HOME OWNERS. THESE CRACKS LEAD TO MOISTURE SEEPING THROUGH TO INTERIOR WALLS AND COULD CREATE AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE DUE TO MOLD WITHIN THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BEHIND THE INTERIOR WALLS. TIFFIN MOTOR HOMES HAS NOT NOTIFIED ANY VEHICLE OWNERS OF THIS DEFECT; THEREFORE, CAUSING MANY OF THESE VEHICLES TO BE SOLD BY CURRENT OWNERS TO OTHER CONSUMERS THAT ARE NOT AWARE OF THE DEFECT AND POTENTIAL MOLD ISSUES. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT TIFFIN IS "REPAIRING" THIS DEFECT THAT INVOLVES MOST ALL OF THEIR DIESEL PUSHER MODELS, BUT ONLY IF THE OWNER BRINGS THE RV TO THEIR RED BAY, AL, SERVICE FACILITY, WITH SERVICE APPOINTMENTS SEVERAL MONTHS OUT AT THIS TIME. THIS PUTS UNDUE HARDSHIP AND EXPENSE ON MOST OWNERS AND WILL, MOST LIKELY, LEAD TO A LOW RATE OF REPAIR OF THIS DEFECT ON MANY VEHICLES. TIFFIN MOTOR HOMES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND REPORT THIS STRUCTURAL DEFECT TO ALL CURRENT OWNERS OF MODELS IMPACTED AND PROVIDE QUALIFIED SERVICE FACILITIES NATIONWIDE TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT, INCLUDING CERTIFIED MOLD REMEDIATION. TIFFIN SHOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO REPORT HOW THIS MAJOR STRUCTURAL DEFECT HAS BEEN CORRECTED, IF IT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN CORRECTED, BY ENGINEERING AND DESIGN CHANGES IN CURRENT MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. *TR