NHTSA Complaint #10894169 — 2016 FOREST RIVER SANDSTORM

OUR INITIAL OUTING IN OUR NEW 2016 SANDSTORM 24GSLCWAS TO A FRIEND'S HOME, OUR UNIT PARKED ON THEIR DRIVEWAY AND ENDED WITH PULLING TWO SLEEPING CHILDREN FROM A COMPLETELY SMOKE ENGULFED UNIT. IT WAS 100+ DEGREES THE DAY WE PURCHASED OUR SANDSTORM THUS DID NOT INSPECT THE HEATER, ONLY THE AC. UNFORTUNATELY, THE UNIT WAS NOT CLEANED AFTER MANUFACTURING AND THE LAYER OF PLASTIC PIECES THAT HAD FALLEN ON TOP OF THE HEATER MELTED AND CAUSED LITERALLY THE ENTIRE UNIT TO FILL WITH SMOKE. (WE HAD TO REMOVE THE FRONT COVER TO ACCESS THE HEATER WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING.) I HAD TURNED THE HEATER ON LESS THAN A MINUTE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, TAKEN OUR DOG OUT TO POTTY AND RAN BACK AS SOON AS THE FIRE ALARMS BEGAN GOING OFF. IT TOOK 4 ADULTS TO CLEAR THE UNIT AND BEGIN TROUBLE SHOOTING WHERE THE PROBLEM CAME FROM. IF I HAD NOT BEEN CLOSE TO THE UNIT, MY CHILDREN COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT FROM THE INCIDENT. MY EXPECTATION FROM PURCHASING A NEW UNIT IS THAT IT IS READY FOR USE AND THE PROPER SAFETY MEASURE ARE TAKEN TO ENSURE THE UNIT IS FREE FROM HARM CAUSED DURING MANUFACTURING BEFORE DELIVERY.