NHTSA Complaint #10538058 — 2013 ITASCA NAVION

THE EXHAUST SYSTEM FELL OFF OUR NEW MOTOR HOME WHILE TRAVELING 55MPH ON A RELATIVELY SMOOTH INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN GOOD WEATHER. WE HEARD A LOUD THUMP AND FELT THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE LURCH UPWARD AND PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. THE ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM (ABOUT 14 FEET OF STEEL) WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SINGLE LANE OF TRAFFIC ABOUT 200 YARDS BACK. I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE DEBRIS BEFORE ANY FOLLOWING DRIVERS STRUCK THE DEBRIS. THE INNER TIRE OF THE RIGHT DUALS WAS DAMAGED WITH A DEEP GOUGE, DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF THE STEEL CORDS, POSING THREAT OF A BLOWOUT. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CRUSHED INTO THE ONAN PROPANE GENERATOR THAT SITS BEHIND THE RIGHT DUALS. FORTUNATELY, THE PROPANE SYSTEM REMAINED INTACT, BUT HAD IT BEEN BREACHED, THERE WOULD BE OBVIOUS RISK OF EXPLOSION/FIRE. WE INITIALLY ASSUMED WE HIT SOMETHING, OR RAN OVER SOMETHING, BUT THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE ANYWHERE ON THE VEHICLE TO SUPPORT THAT HYPOTHESIS. IT APPEARS THE EXHAUST HANGER SYSTEM FAILED.