NHTSA Complaint #10604950 — 2014 TRAILMANOR TRAVEL TRAILER

PROBLEM IS WITH TRAILMANOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC 1202 MCGHEE LANE JACKBORO, TN 37757 FACTORY INSTALLED SUBURBAN WATER HEATER SW4D THAT RIPPED OUT OF THE SIDE PANEL OF MY RV SKIN RESULTING IN OVER $6,000 IN DAMAGE. TRAILMANOR REPAIRED THE DAMAGE, BUT NOT THE ROOT CAUSE THAT AFFECTS ALL TRAILMANOR RV OWNERS PRIOR TO JUNE 2014. INSTRUCTIONS HTTP://WWW.LSRV.INFO/DAVID/SUBURBAN%20WATER%20HEATER%20MANUALS/INST%20OPER%20204315%20SW4D%20%206-15-07%20REV%20NEW.PDF SUBURBAN INSTALLATION MANUAL WARNING! INSTALLATION OF THIS APPLIANCE MUST BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THIS MANUAL. THE ROOT CAUSE FAILURE WAS THE FRONT CHALK (PAGE 3 FIGURE 2) MISSING WHEN I STOPPED. PHYSICS DICTATES THE 87LBS OF WATER/UNIT TO CONTINUE TO WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AS THE RV SLOWS DOWN. ACCELERATION DID NOT AFFECT THE UNIT DUE TO THE REAR MISSING CHALK, BECAUSE IT WAS TIGHTLY AGAINST THE CABINET AND THE WATER/UNIT HAD RESISTANCE. THE MOUNTING STRUCTURE (PAGE 2 FIGURE 1) IS SECONDARY BUT CRITICAL TAKING LESS G-FORCE (MAKING TURNS). ALSO, THE 11 SCREWS THAT THEY DID USE FLUSH DOOR FRAME WERE JUST IN A THIN PEACE OF ALUMINUM RV SKIN WITH FOAM INSIDE. I AM SURPRISED THAT I AM THE FIRST TO REPORT IT. TRAILMANOR'S SOLUTION TO MY COMPLAINT/DAMAGE IN APRIL 2014 WAS TO JUST INSTALL THE MOUNTING STRUCTURE (PAGE 2 FIGURE 1), IN A MODIFIED CONFIGURATION WHERE THE MOUNTING STRUCTURE IS IN THE WALL, BUT PUTS TOO MUCH TORQUE ON THE WALL STRUCTURE AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING IT AGAIN AND STILL UNSAFE. AFTER PERSISTENCE TO GET THE CHALKS (PAGE 3 FIGURE 2) INSTALLED IN JUNE 11,2014. TRAILMANOR STATED THAT BOTH WILL BE PART OF ALL FUTURE INSTALLATIONS. WHAT ABOUT ALL OF THE OTHER CUSTOMERS THAT DO NOT KNOW OF THIS DEFECT THAT COULD DAMAGE THEIR RV, CAUSE AN UNSAFE CONDITION WITH THE GAS CONNECTIONS WHEN THE WATER HEATER MOVES AROUND.