NHTSA Complaint #11101594 — 2011 COACHMEN FREELANDER

MY 2011 COACHMEN FREELANDER HAD A FAILURE OF THE MAIN DOOR LATCH/LOCK MECHANISM MANUFACTURED BY TRIMARK CORPORATION MODEL #060-0650. THE FAILURE RESULTED IN US BEING LOCKED OUT OF THE MOTORHOME IN THE DARK OF NIGHT IN A REMOTE AREA OF THE SIERRA'S CA. AFTER JIMMYING A WINDOW OPEN AND GAINING ACCESS INTO THE MOTORHOME, I PROCEEDED TO TAKE THE INSIDE LATCH PLATE OFF. AFTER REMOVING THE PLATE, I FOUND THE PROBLEM, 'A BROKEN PLUNGER'; IT WAS THE THIN METAL IN THE PLUNGER THAT HAD BROKEN. WHEN I ARRIVED BACK INTO TOWN I DID SOME INTERNET RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM? SO, I CONTACTED TRIMARK AND THEY SAID THE REPLACEMENT # 37575-01-K HAS A STEEL PLUNGER FOR $200 VS THE DIECAST ZINC ALLOY FOR AROUND $100. I CHECKED THE MARKET, AND NO ONE HAS A STEEL VERSION OTHER THAN DIRECTLY FROM TRIMARK; LET'S MAKE IT CHEAP SO IT BREAKS, THEN MANUFACTURE A BETTER ONE BUT ONLY SELL DIRECT AND CHARGE TWICE AS MUCH. WHEN I ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL SHE SAID I DON'T KNOW CONTACT THE SELLER OF THE RV? WHEN I SAID IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE CAN YOU WORK WITH ME, SHE SAID NOTHING. I CAN REALLY SEE THIS BEING A LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION IN MANY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES FOR HUMANS AND THEIR PETS.