2002 ALFA FIFTH WHEEL — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THIS IS A FOLLOWUP TO A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT REPORT I FILED ON 6/10/04. I WILL INCLUDE THE DOT NUMBER OF THE ONLY TIRE I HAVE LEFT OF THE DEFECT TIRES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY ON A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP ON 6-21-04 WITH MY 2002 ALFA SY30RLDS TANDEM AXLE 5TH WHEEL TRAILER, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEELWELL. TOOK UNIT TO A TRUCK STOP AND THEY FOUND 2 TIRES WITH TREAD SEPARATIONS COMING TOGETHER AND RUBBING CAUSING THE SMOKE. THEY WERE REPLACED. ON THE SAME TRIP ON 7-10-04, THERE WAS A REPEAT CONDITION UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE TRAILER. THOSE TIRES WERE ALSO REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE ALL MERIT ALL COUNTRY RADIAL A/S LT 235/85R16 AND MOUNTED ON THE TRAILER WHEN PURCHASED NEW AT THE DEALER IN MAY OF 2002. THE TIRES HAD APPROXIMATELY 4450 MILES ON THEM AT THE FIRST SEPARATION AND 6900 MILES AT THE 2ND SEPARATION. AIR PRESSURE WAS SET AT 80 PSI AT THE START OF THE TRIP. THE AXLES AND TRAILER WEIGHTS WERE WELL UNDER MAXIMUM CARRYING CAPACITY. TOP TRAVEL SPEED WAS IN THE 60-65 MPH RANGE. WE HAVE ONLY ONE TIRE LEFT AS THE SPARE. THE OTHERS WERE NOT KEPT DUE TO THE STORAGE PROBLEMS CREATED BY THE TRIP. JMS

FIRST, SOME QUALITY-CONTROL ISSUES: "AWNING WOULD NOT LOCK ON ONE SIDE  FIXED THROUGH WARRANTY "THE STEP BETWEEN THE LIVING ROOM AND BEDROOM WAS SQUEAKING  FIXED THROUGH WARRANTY "THE FLOOR IN THE BEDROOM SQUEAKED  STILL SQUEAKING. "THERE WERE TWO 9 GAS CYLINDERS IN THE OVERHEAD CABINET THAT DID NOT FIT PROPERLY. REPLACED WITH A DIFFERENT MODEL OF GAS CYLINDER AND FITS BETTER BUT STILL NOT CORRECT. "THE SHOWER DRAIN P-TRAP WAS BROKEN DUE TO LACK OF BRACING UNDER TUB PAN  FIXED MYSELF. "THE DCI BOARD CONTROLLING THE HEATER WAS DEFECTIVE  FIXED THROUGH WARRANTY. "THE PEDESTAL WHICH SUPPORTS THE MATTRESS IN THE BEDROOM HAD NUMEROUS STAPLES PROTRUDING FROM THE WOOD  FIXED MYSELF. "STAPLES PROTRUDING THROUGH CARPET  FIXED MYSELF. "NO HEAT COMES OUT OF THE HEATING VENT IN THE BEDROOM.  STILL OCCURRING. BUT OUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THE 20-AMP GFI BREAKER IS NUISANCE-TRIPPING EVEN WITH NO LOAD ON ANY OF THE FOUR RECEPTACLES IT CONTROLS  SEVERAL WORKMEN THROUGH OUR WARRANTY AND A FEW PAID FOR OUT OF OUR POCKET HAVE ATTEMPTED TO DIAGNOSE AND/OR FIX THE PROBLEM TO NO AVAIL. GEWEKE RV IN LODI GAVE US ONE NEW PIGTAIL AND ONE NEW CIRCUIT BREAKER AND WE PURCHASED 3 GFI RECEPTACLES, A GFI BREAKER, A STANDARD BREAKER AND SOME GROUND WIRE OUT OF OUR POCKET. THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IS OUR PRIMARY CONCERN. THE NUISANCE-TRIPPING OCCURS RAIN OR SHINE, UNDER LOAD OR NO LOAD AT ALL. WE HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT ALPHA AND THEY WERE EXTREMELY RUDE AND TOLD US IT WAS A WARRANTY PROBLEM. I CONTACTED MBA, OUR WARRANTY SERVICE, AND THEY SAID SINCE THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM FIRST BEGAN WITHIN A MONTH AFTER PURCHASE, THAT IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT AND ALPHA SHOULD HANDLE IT. *CB

THIS IS A CLASS A MOTORHOME, MODEL CYA, THIS COMPLAINT FORM DOES NOT HAVE ALL ALFA LEISURE MODELS LISTED DO FIFTH WHEEL WAS CHOOSEN. THE FRONT AND END FIBERGLASS CAPS WHICH ALFA LEISURE INC (MANUFACTURER) CLAIMS TO BE GEL-COATED LIKE THE REST OF THE COACH ARE NOT AND HAVE WORN TO THE POINT OF DEGRADING EVEN WITH WAXING TWICE A MONTH, AND WASHING AT LEAST MONTHLY.ALFA LEISURE HAS BEEN CONDUCTING LONG TERM TESTING BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT IN THE MEAN TIME MY COACH HAS BEEN DEGRADING ACCORDINGLY.ALFA LEISURE INC. HAS YET TO SOLVE OR CAUSE A FIX TO OCCUR WITH THIS PROBLEM WHICH UNDER ARIZONA STATE LEMON LAW THE CONSUMER IS PROTECTED FOR 24 MONTHS FROM THE IN-SERVICE DATE OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE ASKED ASSISTANCE FROM BOTH ALFA LEISURE INC AND MBA(ALFA'S EXTENDED WARRANTY VENDOR) SO FAR WITH NO RESPONSE FROM EITHER ONE.*AK