NHTSA Complaint #11463931 — 2020 THOR MOTOR COACH ARIA

THE FRESH WATER TANK, WHICH WAS ONLY HALF FULL OF WATER, BROKE THROUGH THE FLOOR ALLOWING THE TANK TO DROP DOWN TO THE ROAD. I WAS PULLING INTO A GAS STATION TO FILL UP WITH FUEL. LUCKILY IT HAPPENED BEFORE I GOT ON THE INTERSTATE AND WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED. THE TANK IS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE REAR DUAL TIRES ON THE PASENGER SIDE OF THE MOTORHOME. AT A HIGHER SPEED, IF THE TANK DRAGGING ON THE GROUND WOULD HAVE COME LOOSE I WOULD HAVE RUN OVER THE TANK WHICH PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CAUSED LOOSING CONTROL OR EVEN FLIPPING THE MOTORHOME OVER ON ITS SIDE. THE FLOOR APPEARS TO BE A 1/8” MASONITE PANEL HELD UP BY SCREWS THAT IS USED TO SUPPORT 100 GALLONS OF WATER when full. That is 830 lbs. of water plus the tank weight. THERE IS NO METAL SUPPORT GOING ACROSS THE CENTER OF THE TANK underneath so the entire tank is held by the Masonite and screws. THOR CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD US IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOT THEIR PROBLEM. EXTENDED WARRANTY SAID IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT AND NOT THEIR PROBLEM. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THOR WOULD NOT LET US TALK TO A SUPERVISOR . I HAD ALREADY NEGOTIATED A DEAL ON A NEW ONE BUT HAD NOT SIGNED PAPERS YET. THE DEALER ESTIMATE WAS $10,000 DOLLARS of which I HAD TO PAY $5,000 TO KEEP THE DEAL. DEALER INDICATED TO ME THAT EIGHT OTHER UNITS OF THIS MODEL HAS HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN. THE FLOOR IS DROPPING DOWN AT SEVERAL OTHER PARTS OF THE BASEMENT FLOOR. THIS APPEARED WITHIN SIX MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE ARIA. THE THOR MOTORHOME SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AT THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS TRADED. I HAD TO USE A BINDING RATCHET strap TO HOLD THE FLOOR AND THE TANK UP OFF THE GROUND WITH THE TANK EMPTY.