NHTSA Complaint #11099852 — 2001 FOUR WINDS FOUR WINDS 5000

MY 2001 FOUR WINDS 5000 MOTOR HOME EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE MAIN DOOR LOCK MECHANISM MANUFACTURED BY TRIMARK CORPORATION ON FRIDAY 6/1/18. THE DOOR LOCK IS TRIMARK MODEL #060-0650. THE FAILURE MODE RESULTED IN THE DOOR TO BE LOCKED SHUT FROM BOTH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE RV. THE INTERNAL COMPONENT THAT FAILED IS THE "PLUNGER" THAT IS MADE FROM DIE-CAST ZINC, NOT STEEL. THE PLUNGER FAILED IN A MANNER THAT MADE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO EXTRACT THE PLUNGER FROM THE DOOR STRIKER PLATE, WHICH IN TURN MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN DOOR FROM EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO OPEN WAS TO REMOVE THE FACE PLATE ON THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND LITERALLY CUT AWAY WITH A DREMEL TOOL AND DRILL MOTOR ENOUGH MATERIAL SURROUNDING THE BROKEN PLUNGER TO BE ABLE TO GRAB THE PLUNGER WITH A NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS AND EXTRACT IT FROM THE DOOR STRIKER PLATE (SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS). IT TOOK OVER TWO HOURS TO COMPLETE THIS EFFORT TO OPEN THE DOOR. NOTE IN THE PHOTOS THE DESIGN OF THE BROKEN PLUNGER, WITH THE 1/2" THICK END MATED WITH THE .095" THIN END, ALL MADE OUT OF ZINC POT METAL. SUCH AN INFERIOR DESIGN SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN RELEASED INTO THE MARKETPLACE, KNOWING FULL WELL THE FAILURE MODE WAS FOR THE DOOR TO BE LOCKED FROM BOTH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS PURE NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF TRIMARK CORPORATION FOR THE ZINC VERSION OF THE PLUNGER TO EVER BE DESIGNED AND RELEASED FOR PRODUCTION. THE COMPANY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE FACT THERE ARE LITERALLY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RV ON THE ROAD TODAY WITH TRIMARK MODEL #060-0650 DOOR LOCKS THAT COULD FAIL IN A MODE THAT TRAPS THE RV OCCUPANTS (AND POSSIBLY THEIR PETS) INSIDE THEIR VEHICLES, OR PREVENTS THEM FROM ENTERING THEIR VEHICLES FROM THE OUTSIDE.