NHTSA Complaint #10508774 — 2008 FOREST RIVER BERKSHIRE

MY 2008 FOREST RIVER BERKSHIRE 390QS MOTORHOME (FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS WITH A CUMMINS 340 HP, 6.7 ENGINE) WITH 13,200 MILES ON IT SUDDENLY OVERHEATED FORTUNATELY ON A 2 LANE ROAD. THE UNIT WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT THE 4 BOLTS THAT HELD THE FAN HUB IN PLACE HAD SHEARED CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. HE INFORMED ME THAT IN HIS OPINION 4 BOLTS CANNOT HANDLE THE STRESS PLACED ON THE FAN HUB. HE FURTHER SUGGESTED THAT I CONTACT FREIGHTLINER TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS. I PROCEEDED TO DO THAT AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS NO RECALL BUT WAS TOLD THAT THEY DO NOW OFFER A NEW FAN HUB WITH 5 BOLTS. THIS TELLS ME THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I FURTHER FOUND OUT ON THE FOREST RIVER FORUMS WEBSITE THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AS THE BOLTS COULD AGAIN SHEAR OFF WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHER SPEEDS ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY CAUSING ACCIDENTS, INJURY, AND, PERHAPS, DEATH! COSTS TO REPAIR THIS WORK IS CONSIDERABLE AS IT REQUIRES REMOVAL OF ENGINE ACCESSORIES AND INTERNAL FLOORING. I HAVE NO IDEA AS TO WHAT OTHER MANUFACTURERS HAVE THE SAME CHASSIS AND ENGINE CONFIGURATIONS AS I HAVE. *TR