2005 COUNTRY COACH INTRIGUE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION DRIVEN POWER TAKE OFF (PTO) AND HYDRAULIC PUMP WHICH RUNS THE COOLING FAN. THE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE PTO AND PUMP INDICATED THE PTO SHAFT SPLINES FAILED DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION AND CAUSED THE HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILURE. IN TALKING TO THE MECHANICS AT COUNTRY COACH I LEARNED THAT OTHER 05 INTRIGUES HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND THAT IT SOMETIMES OCCURS A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE COOLING FAN TO STOP WHICH RESULTED IN THE ENGINE OVERHEATING AND A UNSCHEDULED ROADSIDE STOP. ADDITIONAL OPERATION WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ENGINE SHUTDOWN WHICH, IF IT OCCURRED IN A BUSY TRAFFIC SITUATION, COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION DRIVEN POWER TAKE OFF (PTO) AND HYDRAULIC PUMP WHICH RUNS THE COOLING FAN. THE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE PTO AND PUMP INDICATED THE PTO SHAFT SPLINES FAILED DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION AND CAUSED THE HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILURE. IN TALKING TO THE MECHANICS AT COUNTRY COACH I LEARNED THAT OTHER 05 INTRIGUES HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND THAT IT SOMETIMES OCCURS A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE COOLING FAN TO STOP WHICH RESULTED IN THE ENGINE OVERHEATING AND A UNSCHEDULED ROADSIDE STOP. ADDITIONAL OPERATION WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ENGINE SHUTDOWN WHICH, IF IT OCCURRED IN A BUSY TRAFFIC SITUATION, COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

I PURCHASED A NEW 2005 COUNTRY COACH INTRIGUE IN SEPT OF 2004. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SELLING DEALER IN JUNCTION CITY, OR. FOR RECURRING PROBLEMS ON 11/18/04 THAT INCLUDED AN INSTABILITY PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT END. THE COACH BOTTOMED OUT AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN HITTING DIPS. THE MANUFACTURER OK'D TO ADJUST FRONT SHOCKS. THEY "RAISED COACH ON LIFT ADJUSTED KONI SHOCKS 2 TURNS SHIFTER. WHEN I LEFT THERE THE PROBLEM WAS STILL PRESENT. ON 7/29/05 THE COACH WAS RETURNED TO COUNTRY COACH FOR RESOLUTION OF THIS SAME PROBLEM. THEY ADJUSTED KONI FRONT SHOCK #88-1641. THE PROBLEM WAS STILL PRESENT. ON 10/13/2005 A STRESS CRACK - DRIVERS SIDE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD APPEARED. IT WAS VERIFIED AS A STRESS CRACK BY 2 LOCAL COUNTRY COACH AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTERS THAT THERE WERE NO ROCKS ETC. - JUST A STRESS CRACK. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD. AT THIS SAME TIME THEY NOTICED THE LEFT REAR END WAS LEANING...AND GOT AUTHORIZATION TO REPLACE THE LEFT REAR KONI SHOCK WHICH WAS BROKEN. I CONTEND THAT THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP TO THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND SHOCK ABSORBER PROBLEMS. ON 4/14/2006 I TOOK THE COACH BACK TO THE DEALER WITH THE SAME STRESS CRACK - LEFT SIDE - PROBLEM. THIS TIME COUNTRY COACH REFUSED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM SO I DID TURN IT OVER TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY. WHILE THERE THE LEFT SHOCK AND LEVELING ARM AND BALL JOINT WERE FOUND TO BE BROKEN. BOTH REAR SHOCKS , LEVELING ARM AND BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED AND CHARGED TO ME. THE DEALER SAYS THAT WHEN THE AIR BAGS ARE INFLATED TO RAISE THE VEHICLE - IT PULLS THE SHOCKS APART. AS OF THIS DATE - 5/20/2006 - I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE NEW WINDSHIELD INSTALLATION. THERE IS A REAL SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE COUNTRY COACH DUE TO IT'S PROCLIVITY TO BOUNCE ALL OVER THE ROAD AND FOR AN IMPLODING WINDSHIELD. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING ON BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. THE WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE BY THE MANUFACTURER, TWICE BY THE LOCAL DEALER AND TWICE BY INDEPENDENT GLASS DEALERS. THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THE FAILURE IS CAUSED BY STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. ONCE THE WINDSHIELD IS REPLACED IT SOON FAILS AGAIN BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SUPPORT IN THE STRUCTURE OF VEHICLE. UPDATED 2/24/2006 - THE VEHICLE FRONT END HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER FAILED TO ASSEMBLE AND/OR TORQUE THE BEARING ASSEMBLY CORRECTLY. THE BEARINGS HUB ASSEMBLY, SPINDLE AND A-ARM ASSEMBLIES WERE ALL REPLACED. COUNTRY COACH REFUSED TO SEND THE CONSUMER REPAIR DOCUMENT FOR THIS WORK. THE AXLE SEALS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. AT DELIVERY SEVERAL ITEM WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, BROKEN, MISSING, MISADJUSTED, IMPROPERLY INSTALLED WIRED INCORRECTLY, LOOSE AND/OR OVER TIGHTENED FASTENERS TO THE POINT OF STRIPPING THE FASTENERS ABILITY TO SECURE. MISSING STEERING COLUMN BOOT. THE SMART TIRE READING WAS INCORRECT. THE BEDROOM CEILING WAS LOOSE AND SAGGING. THE TRANSMISSION OIL SENDING UNIT WAS WIRED TO THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND THE ENGINE TEMP SENDING UNIT WAS WIRED TO THE TRANSMISSION GAUGE. THE FUEL LINE INTO THE FUEL FILTER WAS NEVER SEATED PROPERLY CAUSING FUEL LEAK. THE DRIVE TIRES WERE RUBBING THE FRAME. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING ON BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. THE WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE BY THE MANUFACTURER, TWICE BY THE LOCAL DEALER AND TWICE BY INDEPENDENT GLASS DEALERS. THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THE FAILURE IS CAUSED BY STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. ONCE THE WINDSHIELD IS REPLACED IT SOON FAILS AGAIN BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SUPPORT IN THE STRUCTURE OF VEHICLE. UPDATED 2/24/2006 - THE VEHICLE FRONT END HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER FAILED TO ASSEMBLE AND/OR TORQUE THE BEARING ASSEMBLY CORRECTLY. THE BEARINGS HUB ASSEMBLY, SPINDLE AND A-ARM ASSEMBLIES WERE ALL REPLACED. COUNTRY COACH REFUSED TO SEND THE CONSUMER REPAIR DOCUMENT FOR THIS WORK. THE AXLE SEALS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. AT DELIVERY SEVERAL ITEM WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, BROKEN, MISSING, MISADJUSTED, IMPROPERLY INSTALLED WIRED INCORRECTLY, LOOSE AND/OR OVER TIGHTENED FASTENERS TO THE POINT OF STRIPPING THE FASTENERS ABILITY TO SECURE. MISSING STEERING COLUMN BOOT. THE SMART TIRE READING WAS INCORRECT. THE BEDROOM CEILING WAS LOOSE AND SAGGING. THE TRANSMISSION OIL SENDING UNIT WAS WIRED TO THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND THE ENGINE TEMP SENDING UNIT WAS WIRED TO THE TRANSMISSION GAUGE. THE FUEL LINE INTO THE FUEL FILTER WAS NEVER SEATED PROPERLY CAUSING FUEL LEAK. THE DRIVE TIRES WERE RUBBING THE FRAME. *NM