NHTSA Complaint #712772 — 1995 UNKNOWN UNKNOWN

EXCERPT FROM LETTER EMAILED TO MANUFACTURER: I OWN A 95 KARAVAN KVU-2000-WS UTILITY TRAILER WHICH IS USED ON A NON-COMMERCIAL BASIS TO OCCASIONALLY HAUL MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. IN THE CURRENT CONSUMER REPORTS MAGAZINE I READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT MANUFACTURER'S HIDDEN RECALLS AND WARRANTIES ON VEHICLES AND TODAY WATCHED A CASE ON THE PEOPLE'S COURT THAT DEALT WITH AN UNSAFE UTILITY TRAILER. THESE TWO THINGS GOT ME THINKING ABOUT AN INCIDENT I HAD WITH THE TRAILER IN 1997. UP TO THAT POINT I HAD ONLY USED THE TRAILER WITH LOADS OF A FEW HUNDRED POUNDS, BUT I WAS MOVING A LOAD OF SLATE ROOF SHINGLES WHICH WERE STACKED OVER THE AXLE BUT THE STACK WAS TOWARDS THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I DON'T KNOW THE TOTAL WEIGHT , BUT DEFINITELY DID NOT EXCEED THE TRAILER'S 1450 LB. CAPACITY SINCE AFTER IT BROKE DOWN THE ENTIRE LOAD WAS TRANSFERED TO MY S-10 PICKUP TRUCK WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. HALF WAY THROUGH THE 20 MILE TRIP I NOTICED THAT THE LEFT WHEEL WAS LEANING OUT AT THE BOTTOM. I PULLED OVER AND COULD SEE THAT THE PLATE WITH THE SHAFT IN IT THAT IS WELDED TO THE AXLE HAD PULLED AWAY AT THE BOTTOM AND SIDES AND THE TIRE WAS RUBBING THE SIDE OF THE TRAILER'S FENDER. THE ONLY PLACE THE WELD WAS STILL INTACT WAS AT TOP. FORTUNATELY I WAS CLOSE TO A SHOP THAT DID CUSTOM WELDING FOR THE COMPANY I WORK FOR. THEY REPAIRED THE TRAILER AND WHEN I PICKED IT UP I WAS TOLD THE WELD WAS DEFECTIVE. THE WELD HAD TORN AWAY CLEANLY FROM THE STEEL PLATE. I DON'T HAVE ANY PICTURES AND CAN ONLY RELATE WHAT I WAS TOLD(I KNOW IN SOLDERING THIS CONDITION IS CALLED A COLD JOINT). SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE BEEN WORRIED THAT THE WELD ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRAILER WILL ALSO TEAR AWAY. I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE TRAILER SHOULD THE WELD COMPLETELY FAIL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WAS THIS MODEL TRAILER OR ANY OTHER EVER RECALLED BECAUSE OF BAD WELDS? WHAT CAN BE DONE TO INSURE THAT THE OTHER WELD ISN'T ALSO DEFECTIVE?