NHTSA Complaint #11185668 — 2017 THOR PALAZZO

WE PURCHASED A 2017 THOR PALAZZO 36.1 MOTOR HOME IN JAN 2017. SAW THAT A TRIM RING WAS PUT ON THE FLOOR OF THE REAR BATH. WE ASSUMED THIS WAS FOR ACCESS TO THE REAR DIESEL ENGINE. WE DISCOVERED THAT ALTHOUGH THE TRIM RING WAS SCREWED DOWN NO ACCESS TO THE DIESEL ENGINE WAS CUT OUT. WHEN WE CALLED THOR CUSTOMER SERVICE WE WERE TOLD THE THOR PALAZZO MODEL DID NOT HAVE SPECS FOR AN ENGINE ACCESS PANEL. WE ASKED THEN WHY A TRIM RING INSTALLED? THEY DID NOT HAVE AN ANSWER TO THIS. FAST FORWARD TO FALL 2018 WE HAD A SMALL COMPRESSOR LEAK IN THE ENGINE SO TOOK TO FREIGHTLINER NW TO REPAIR. THEY SAID THE INTERIOR ENGINE ACCESS SHOULD HAVE BEEN CUT OUT AT THOR TO WORK ON ENGINE AND FOR SAFETY (FIRE OR OTHER). FREIGHT LINER NW SHOWED US A PICTURE OF UNDER THE REAR BATH WHERE THERE IS AN ACCESS PANEL. THOR JUST PUT FLOORING AND TRIM RING OVER WITHOUT CUTTING OUT ACTUAL PANEL. WROTE A REVIEW ON YELP THOR MOTOR COACH TO VOICE OUR FRUSTRATION. THOR CONTACTED US AND SAID THEY WILL APPROVE TO CUT OUT INTERIOR ENGINE ACCESS.THEY ARE ONLY APPROVING 1 1/2 HRS. OF LABOR TO DO SO NO MATERIALS. THIS WILL COST MORE TO CUT OUT BUT ADDITIONAL WILL BE AT OUR EXPENSE. WE FEEL THIS IS A NEGLECTED WILLFUL ACT IN PRODUCTION THAT CAN HAVE NOT ONLY EXPENSE BUT CAUSE POSSIBLE HARM OR WORSE TO THE CONSUMER. WE ARE HOPING THAT THIS WILL LEAD TO A RECALL TO CHECK FOR ENGINE ACCESS PANELS IN THOR MOTOR COACH DIESEL MOTOR HOME MODELS.