NHTSA Complaint #11633521 — 2021 GRAND DESIGN IMAGINE

After reading of other owners of similar and identical models like mine having frame cracks, I made a point to inspect my trailer’s I beam chassis and I discovered horizontal cracks within the I beam, one on each side, over the suspension area. Every picture I have seen looks just like mine, a rusty L shaped crack adjacent to a crossmember welded on the backside of this area. You can see the shape of this crossmember through the surface of the I beam, indicating the metal is quite thin. It took me only a couple minutes to find, as I knew exactly where to look, based on the numerous stories I’ve read about. Upon further inspection, I also found suspect welds that look burned through the frame, leaving a hole behind. This makes me question the quality of the rest of the trailer’s frame. There is also a crossmember at the front of the trailer with a distinct bend in it at the bottom, where the top remains fairly straight. This, to me, is another indication that the frame is flexing and causing this member to fold as a result. After discovering this, I later learned many other owners have the same issue, and one had a complete A frame failure in that area. Also, I have discovered that all four of my trailer’s leaf springs are flattening out, and they remain this way with all personal items removed from the unit. As it sits now, it is within a handful of pounds of the original purchase weight, and the leafs have not sprung back. We have an appointment scheduled directly with the manufacturer in Indiana to have these issues repaired, among a laundry list of less safety related issues we’ve experienced since ownership. We’ve known of these major issues since August of 2024 and have waited 6 months for our appointment for repairs. We have declined from using this trailer during this time as we don’t have confidence that it can safely be towed. I am to understand, the wait time is due to a large influx of other trailers being brought in for major repair.