NHTSA Complaint #11329249 — 2017 THOR MOTOR COACH MIRAMAR

I WAS DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON LOOP 303 ARIZONA AT APPROX 60 MPH IN THE MOTORHOME WHEN VEHICLES PASSING STARTED MAKING HAND GESTURES AS IF SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH MOTORHOME. I PULLED THE MOTORHOME ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROADWAY AND UPON EXITING AND BEGINNING TO CHECK THE OUTSIDE OF THE MOTORHOME I FOUND ON THE DRIVER SIDE ONE OF CARGO DOORS OUTER SKIN HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CARGO DOOR BACK TO THE HATCH HANDLE WHICH HAD STOPPED THE DOOR SKIN FROM COMPLETELY COMING OFF. THE CARGO DOOR WAS THE FIRST DOOR ON DRIVER SIDE FRONT THAT IS FOR THE COACH BATTERY COMPARTMENT. AT TIME OF INCIDENT THERE WAS LIGHT TRAFFIC AND WEATHER DRY WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE WIND. IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE DOOR SKIN DEBONDED AND SEPARATED FROM THE DOOR AND THE WIND BEGAN TO PEEL, PUSH THE DOOR SKIN BACK. THE DOOR HATCH HANDLE WAS WHAT STOPPED THE DOOR SKIN FROM BEING TOTALLY REMOVED AND STRIKING A VEHICLE OR MOTORCYCLE. (HAVING 27 YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT MADE THIS INCIDENT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.) IN SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THOR MOTORHOMES HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE ONE I KNOW OF CLAIMED TO HAVE FILED WITH NHTSA. *TR