NHTSA Complaint #11012912 — 2017 FOREST RIVER CLIPPER CAMPING TRAILER

18 APRIL 2017, AFTER AN APPROXIMATELY 5-MILE DELIVERY TRIP TO OUR HOME IN AYR, ONTARIO WITH A NEW CAMPER TRAILER, THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER OF THE CAMPER BODY WAS FOUND TO BE COMING LOOSE FROM ITS CHASSIS. THREE WOOD SCREW FASTENERS HAD WORKED THEIR WAY OUT AND SEVERAL ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE CHASSIS HAD NEVER BEEN INSTALLED. PRIOR TO A PENDING 3-MONTH JOURNEY, THE DEALER REPLACED ALL CHASSIS-TO-BODY FASTENERS WITH MORE SUBSTANTIAL ONES OF LARGER DIAMETER. LATE JUNE, ON SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, AFTER 2417 MILES OF TRAVEL, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REPLACEMENT CHASSIS-TO-BODY FASTENERS HAD ALSO WORKED LOOSE RENDERING THE CAMPER PRONE BECOMING A HIGHWAY HAZARD. ALL LOOSE FASTENERS WERE REMOVED, THE HOLES PACKED WITH HARD WOOD SLIVERS, THEN REPLACED SECURELY. TO DATE SOME MINOR TIGHTENING HAS BEEN REQUIRED BUT NO FASTENERS HAVE WORKED THEIR WAY OUT. OUR SAFETY CONCERN HAS BEEN REPORTED TWICE TO THE DEALER (SEE ATTACHED FILE) WITH NO RESPONSE TO-DATE. THE MANUFACTURER MAY HAVE TAKEN APPROPRIATE ACTION TO RECALL AND CORRECT THIS DEFECT, BUT AS WE HAVE HEARD NOTHING IN THAT REGARD WE ARE NOW REPORTING THIS CONCERN DIRECTLY TO THE NHTSA. *JS