1995 DUTCHMEN TRAILER — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

WE HAVE A 1995 DUTCHMEN POPUP CAMPER, MODEL 1204. DURING A CAMPING TRIP THIS WEEK, WHILE TRYING TO RAISE THE ROOF ON THE POPUP CAMPER, THE SIDE BOLTS ON TWO SIDES OF THE CAMPER (4 BOLTS TOTALED) PULLED THROUGH THE ROTTED WOOD UNDER THE ROOF AND ALLOWED THE CAMPER TOP TO DROP. FORTUNATELY, WE SCRAMBLED AWAY FROM THE CAMPER JUST IN TIME. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED DEATH OR SEVERE INJURY. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION, THE WOOD ON THE SIDES AND FRONT AND BACK OF THE CAMPER ROOF IS BASICALLY DANGEROUS, SO THE CAMPER PROBABLY WILL SIT IN OUR GARAGE WHERE IT WAS STORED...UNUSABLE AND A TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY. DUTCHMEN SHOULD BE AWARE OF HOW UNFAIR THIS IS TO A CONSUMER AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE DIES OR IS VERY SERIOUSLY HURT! *TR

WE HAVE A 1995 DUTCHMAN POP UP CAMPER, I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEM COLLAPSING AND THE ROOF BEING DRY ROTTED THIS ALSO HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY (JULY 2004) THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT. THIS CAMPER IS DECAYING AND A PIECE OF GARBAGE BECAUSE OF FATLY MANUFACTURING. IT WAS FIXED AND HAD TO HAVE OUTSIDE BRACKETS PUT ON BECAUSE THE WOOD IS SUCH PORE CONDITION, IT IS ONCE AGAIN UNUSABLE BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE ROOF AGAIN, THEY TOLD US IT NEEDS A NEW ROOF. PLEASE INVESTED AND HELP ALL OF USE THAT HAVE THESE CAMPERS. THANK YOU, WILEY & MARY VANHOOSER. *JB

THE ROOF TOP HAD ABSORBED WATER AND THE WOOD ROTTED ON THE SIDES NEXT TO THE LIFT ARMS AND CAUSED THE ROOF TO BE VERY DANGEROUS TO RAISE AND NOT SAFELY USABLE AFTER ONLY A YEAR AND HALF OF NEW PRODUCT PURCHASE AND BEING DEALER SERVICED. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON 7-12-05 REGARDING THE GAS REFRIGERATOR ON 1995 DUTCHMEN TRAILER. HE CONTACTED THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AFTER RECEIVING THE RECALL LETTER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET THE PARTS SINCE THEN. THE MANUFACTURER KEPT TELLING THE DEALER THEY WILL HAVE THE PARTS IN THREE WEEKS, AND ANOTHER TIME IT WILL BE FOUR WEEKS. THE RECALL WAS IN REGARD TO A PART CALLED THE CONTROLLED GAS VALVE. THE RECALL STATED THAT THE CONTACT NOT USE THE REFRIGERATOR BECAUSE OF A CHANCE OF AN EXPLOSION OCCURRING. THE CONSUMER COULD NOT USE THE TRAILER BECAUSE OF THIS DELAY, AND WISHED TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE UNTIMELY REPAIR WORK FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE REFRIGERATOR IS NORCOLD, REFERENCE NUMBER: 77776269.*AK

**COPY OF EMAIL TO THOR CORP** A LITTLE BACK GROUND, DURING OUR WARRANTY PERIOD, WE CONTACTED THOR INDUSTRIES REFERENCE LEAKING WATER INTO THE ROOFING SYSTEM. I WAS TOLD BY CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT A RECALL OF THE ROOFS WAS ORDER AND NOTICES WERE SENT TO OWNER. WHEN I MENTIONED THAT WE NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE ABOUT RECALL, YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE REP STATED THAT "BECAUSE WE DIDN'T RESPOND, WE WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL". I ASKED WHICH ADDRESS THEY SHOWED ON FILE (WHICH WAS THE CORRECT ADDRESS), SHE MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. BECAUSE OF THE RESPONSE, I JUST WENT OUT AND RE-CHALKED THE ROOF (AND RE-CHALK, AND RE-CHALKED, YEAR AFTER YEAR). THE PLASTIC COVERING OF THE ROOF HAS CRACKED IN SO MANY PLACES THAT NO MATTER HAVE MUCH I CHALK WATER HAS STILL CONTINUED TO LEAK. THE CAMPER IS USE ONCE A YEAR FOR 4 DAYS DURING A STATE HORSE SHOW. THE REST OF THE TIME, THE CAMPER IS COVERED. WELL, THIS PAST WEEKEND, WHILE AT THE SHOW, THE ROOF COLLAPSED (THANK GOD WE HAD THE EXTRA SUPPORT ARMS IN PLACE) TRAPPING MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER IN THE CAMPER. DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH, WE FIND THAT THIS ISN'T THE FIRST INSTANCE OF ROOF COLLAPSE DUTCHMEN HAS EXPERIENCED (SEE LINK: HTTP://WWW.KILLERPOP-UP.COM/ ) [XXX] **REPLY FROM THOR CORP** DEAR [XXX]: I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR BOTH THE ISSUES YOU HAVE HAD WITH YOUR TRAILER AND FOR THE APPARENT MISINFORMATION YOU HAVE RECEIVED. I AM VERY INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHO GAVE YOU THE INFORMATION THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE ROOF OF YOUR TRAILER. WE HAVE NOT EVER ISSUED A RECALL ON THE ROOF OF YOUR TRAILER. AS FOR THE STATEMENT THAT YOU HAVE NOT CONTACTED US IN A TIMELY MANOR, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND SINCE WE DID NOT EVER ISSUE A RECALL. AGAIN WE DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE THIS HAS CAUSED, HOWEVER SINCE THE LEAK ISSUE IS RELATED TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE WE ARE UNABLE TO ASSIST IN THE REPAIRS. *NM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR