1999 COACHMEN MIRADA — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

WE OWN A 1999 COACHMEN MIRADA MOTORHOME WITH A LARGE SLIDEOUT FOR A DINETTE AND SOFA. WE WERE DRIVING UP A NARROW WINDING ROAD IN A REMOTE AREA ON THE WAY TO KERNVILLE, CA WHEN, FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE SLIDEOUT EXTENDED FULLY (ABOUT 2 FEET FROM THE MAIN CHASSIS.) WE WERE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AT THE TIME AND HAD JUST GONE AROUND A RIGHT BEND IN THE ROAD (THE SLIDEOUT IS ON THE LEFT OF THE COACH.) IF THERE HAD BEEN A VEHICLE PASSING IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY RESULTED IN A FATAL ACCIDENT. WE HAD TO STOP THE COACH, PUSH THE SLIDE OUT IN MANUALLY AND BLOCK IT WITH WOOD TO PREVENT IT SLIDING OUT AGAIN BECAUSE IT APPEARED TO BE FREE FLOATING. WE CURRENTLY HAVE STIERS RV REPAIRS IN BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA EVALUATING THE COACH. WE CALLED COACHMEN SERVICE TO REPORT THE PROBLEM, JASON TOLD US THAT FAILURES HAPPEN! WE UNDERSTAND US TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY RAY LAHOOD IS ORDERING A FULL REVIEW OF MOTORCOACH SAFETY. WE FEEL HE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND FIND OUT IF COACHMEN HAS A HISTORY OF SLIDEOUT FAILURES UNDER WARRANTY OR ON LATER MODELS. PLEASE GET BACK TO ME AND LET ME KNOW IF THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE REPORTED TO ANY OTHER AGENCY. WE ARE ALSO GOING TO WRITE TO COACHMEN AND OFFICIALLY REPORT THE PROBLEM. WE WILL CONTACT YOU AS SOON AS WE HEAR WITH AN UPDATE. WE JUST WANT TO NOTIFY YOU SO OTHERS ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR JEAN AND KEN DICKEY

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS (ON THE SAME TRIP) I EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AT 60 MPH DUE TO THE FRONT WHEELS OF MY MOTOR HOME HITTING STAGGERED BUMPS IN THE ROAD THAT SET OFF A HARMONIC VIBRATION. THE FRONT WHEELS WERE OSCILLATING FROM LOCK TO LOCK (I HEARD THEM HITTING THE STOPS) WITH NO INPUT FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. BRAKING EFFECT WAS ALSO SEVERELY REDUCED. I THOUGHT THE VEHICLE WAS GOING TO COME APART - THE NOISE WAS THAT DRAMATIC! THE WHEELS CONTINUED TO OSCILLATE UNTIL THE VEHICLE SLOWED TO 20 MPH. FORTUNATELY THE ROAD WAS STRAIGHT OR I WOULD HAVE LEFT IT FOR SURE! I CALLED COACHMEN (MOTORHOME MANUFACTURER) WHO REFERRED ME TO FORD (THE UNIT HAS A FORD SD53 CHASSIS). FORD INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD NO REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THIS UNIT. BUT THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT 1999 WAS THE ONLY YEAR THAT THEY HAD NOT INSTALLED A STEERING STABILIZER. UP TO 1998 HAD ONE, 2000 AND LATER HAD ONE. THEY WERE NOT RECEPTIVE TO MY REQUEST THAT THEY RETROFIT MY UNIT WITH THIS ITEM AT THEIR EXPENSE AND DID NOT AGREE THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE! I VISITED MY LOCAL DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT A STABILIZER KIT WAS AVAILABLE FOR MY UNIT. I PAID FOR THE KIT WHICH THEY ORDERED. NEXT DAY I GOT A CALL FROM THE DEALER TO SAY THE KIT WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE! TO THE DEALER'S CREDIT, THEY FOUND ONE AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP THAT I WENT AND PICKED UP AND INSTALLED MYSELF. HAS IT SOLVED THE PROBLEM - NOT SURE AS I HATE TO DRIVE THE UNIT ANY MORE! LOSING CONTROL OF SEVEN TONS OF VEHICLE (PLUS A TRAILER) AT 60MPH ON A BUSY FREEWAY IS NOT SOMETHING I WISH TO REPEAT!*AK