NHTSA Complaint #11065976 — 2016 TIFFIN ALLEGRO

THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 18 VERTICAL POSTS (SQUARE STEEL TUBE) THAT CONECT AND SUSPEND THE COACH FLOOR FRAME APPROXIMATELY 1.5 INCHES ABOVE THE CHASSIS RAILS. PER TIFFIN SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES, THESE POSTS ARE TO BE WELDED TO THE CHASSIS ON BOTH SIDES WHERE THE SQUARE STEEL TUBE INTERFACES THE CHASSIS RAIL BY APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES. ON 1/15/18, I PERFORMED AN INSPECTION OF THESE WELDS BASED ON MANY DOCUMENTED CASES FROM OTHER TIFFIN ALLEGRO OWNERS OF FAILED HOUSE-TO-CHASSIS WELDS, AND I FOUND ALL 18 POSTS WELDED ON ONLY ONE SIDE AND ONE FAILED WELD THAT HAD A COMPLETE FULL-LENGTH CRACK. TIFFIN IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS MANUFACTURING ERROR AS MANY COACHES HAVE EXPERIENCED WELD FAILURES ON ALL PASSENGER SIDE POSTS RESULTING IN A COLLAPSE OF THE HOUSE ONTO THE CHASSIS RAIL. THIS PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN AS VEHICLE HANDLING CAN BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY SUCH A COLLAPSE. MANY OF THESE COACHES HAVE RETURNED TO TIFFIN'S RED BAY SERVICE CENTER IN ALABAMA WHERE MECHANICS CORRECTLY SECURE THE POSTS WITH WELDS ON BOTH SIDES OF EACH POST. TIFFIN HAS NOT NOTIFIED ANY OWNER OF THIS MANUFACTURING ERROR AND THE ASSOCIATED SAFETY RISKS. FURTHERMORE, THEY REFUSE TO AUTHORIZE A REASONABLE AMOUNT FOR OTHER SERVICE CENTERS TO PERFORM THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. INSTEAD, ONCE QUESTIONED ABOUT THESE FAULTY WELDS, THEY ENCOURAGE THEIR CUSTOMERS TO TRAVEL TO THEIR ONE FACILITY IN ALABAMA SO THEIR OWN MECHANICS CAN PERFORM THE REPAIRS AT NO CHARGE.