NHTSA Complaint #11351410 — 2021 FOREST RIVER R-POD

WORKING WITH ONE OF THE LATEST FAILURES I THINK WE HAVE POTENTIALLY IDENTIFIED THE CAUSE OF THE 195/196 R-POD FROM WINDOW FAILURES. IT IS NOT FROM ROCKS OR ROAD HAZARDS. TEMPERED GLASS DOES NOT NORMALLY BREAK THE WAY IT HAS BEEN ON THE 195/196 R-PODS FRONT WINDOWS; THIS TYPE OF BREAKAGE IS GENERALLY CAUSED BY STRESS IN THE GLASS NOT SOMETHING LIKE A ROCK STRIKE. WHEN I INSPECTED MY WINDOW AND FRAME, I FOUND ON THE FRAME INSIDE MY POD, ON THE SIDE OF MY WINDOW, A BEND IN THE FRAME RESULTING IN AN UNEVEN SEATING SURFACE FOR THE WINDOW. THIS WOULD RESULT IN UNEVEN LOADING OF THE GLASS WHEN DRIVING (WIND LOAD) WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY RESULT IN THE BREAKS PEOPLE ARE SEEING (TEMPERED GLASS DOES NOT LIKE STRESS LOADING). SEE THE PHOTO BELOW OF MY WINDOW FRAME AND THE BEND; I HAVE NOT HAD THE GLASS BREAK YET. THROUGH THE FACEBOOK OWNERS GROUPS, WE HAVE FOUND THOSE WITH BROKEN WINDOWS, WHERE JUST THE GLASS WAS REPLACED, OR THOSE THAT STILL HAVE THE BROKEN WINDOW, HAVE THIS BEND. THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE ARE ALSO FINDING THIS BEND IS NOT IN ALL 195/196. FROM WHAT I CAN TELL THIS SEEM TO BE EITHER A DEFECT IN THE FRAME MANUFACTURING OR IN MANUFACTURING INSTALLATION WHERE THE FRAME IS FORCED TO FIT THE SHAPE OF THE FRONT CURVE OF THE POD. THERE IS A SECONDARY FRAME INSIDE (I LABELED IT 'SCREEN FRAME?') THAT HAS LOTS OF BENDS ON THE SIDES, I DON'T THINK THIS HAS ANY IMPACT ON THE GLASS, BUT DOES INDICATE THAT THE FRAME WAS TWISTED TO GET INSTALLED. FOREST RIVER TOLD ME THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW THE CAUSE AND THAT NHTSA WAS INVESTIGATING SO THEY DID NOT WANT TO KNOW WHAT I HAD FOUND.