NHTSA Complaint #11233258 — 1999 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR

WHILE ON A DOWNGRADE WITH THE ENGINE BRAKE ENGAGED AND IN 4TH GEAR, AT ABOUT 1900 RPM, THE SIDE MOUNTED FAN EXPLODED SENDING PLASTIC AND METAL PARTS OUT THE REAR OF THE MOTORHOME SHOWERING THE VEHICLE BEING TOWED AND ANOTHER VEHICLE FOLLOWING BEHIND. UPON INSPECTION THE FAN, WHICH IS DRIVEN BY A HYDRAULIC PUMP, WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ATTACHED BY TWO BOLTS TO A CROSS BAR BETWEEN THE RADIATOR AND THE ENGINE. THE BOLT HOLES IN THE HYDRAULIC PUMP WERE ELONGATED AND BOTH BOLTS HAD SHEARED OFF ALLOWING THE PUMP TO FALL DOWN WHICH RESULTED IN THE FAN BLADES HITTING THE CHASSIS FRAME AND CAUSING THE FAN TO BOUNCE AROUND THE COMPARTMENT HITTING THE RADIATOR AND PIPING AND THE INTERCOOLER PIPING. THIS HYDRAULIC SYSTEM IS ALSO PART OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. UPON BEING TOWED BACK TO RAPID CITY, SD THERE WAS ANOTHER DUTCHSTAR (A 2000) AT THE FREIGHTLINER DEALER WITH THE SAME FAILURE. REPLACEMENT PARTS CONSISTED OF A HYDRAULIC DRIVE MOTOR, RADIATOR AND INTERCOOLER PLUS ALL THE REPLACEMENT FLUIDS FOR BOTH. I RETAINED THE HYDRAULIC DRIVE MOTOR IF NEEDED. IF THE FAN HAD SEVERED THE HYDRAULIC LINE THAT WOULD HAVE DISABLED THE STEERING SYSTEM WITH LOSS OF THE ABILITY TO STEER. ALSO IF THERE WERE NOT A VEHICLE BEING TOWED THAT TOOK THE BLOW OF MOST OF THE PARTS COMING OFF THE ENGINE THE VEHICLE BEING DRIVEN AND FOLLOWING BEHIND COULD HAVE RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT.