NHTSA Complaint #11061282 — 2016 GRAND DESIGN REFLECTION

IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, I PURCHASED A 2016 GRAND DESIGN REFLECTION 313RLTS TRAVEL TRAILER (USED) FROM A GRAND DESIGN DEALER (PALM BEACH RV, WEST PALM BEACH, FL). VIN: [XXX]. I HAVE DRIVEN THIS TRAILER APPROXIMATELY 2,000 MILES. I NOTICED THAT THE TRAILER WASN'T BRAKING AS GOOD AS IT SHOULD BE, SO I TOOK IT IN TO A LOCAL RV REPAIR SHOP (RVTECH, FT. MYERS, FL) TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. UPON INSPECTION, THEY DISCOVERED THAT ALL FOUR OF MY GREASE SEALS HAVE FAILED, AND THAT THE BACKING PLATES AND BRAKES WERE SPLATTERED WITH GREASE, THE DRUM ASSEMBLIES WERE SCORED, THE BRAKE PADS WERE DAMAGED AND NEEDED REPAIR. HE ALSO SAID IT APPEARED THAT THE MAGNETS WERE ACTUALLY DIGGING INTO THE METAL, CREATING FURTHER SCORING. I'M NOT A MECHANIC, BUT THEIR EXPLANATION OF THE DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE WAS THAT IT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE GREASE SEALS FAILING. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS INDEED A VERY WELL KNOWN PROBLEM - THE GRAND DESIGN OWNER'S FORUM HAS 92 PAGES ON A SINGLE THREAD ABOUT IT. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM, AND I'VE BEEN DRIVING A 10,000 LB TRAILER WITH BASICALLY NO BRAKES. WHY DIDN'T GRAND DESIGN NOTIFY THEIR DEALERS OF THIS PROBLEM, AND HAVE THE DEALERS CHECK TO SEE IF ANY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS HAD THIS PROBLEM? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR