2000 MONACO COACH SIGNATURE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MONACO COACH SIGNATURE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE TAG AXLE FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRS. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000. **TR *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MONACO SIGNATURE. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE SERVICE BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR TO IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HE PLACED BRICKS BEHIND THE TIRES TO KEEP THEM FROM ROLLING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ROTORS SEPARATED FROM THE HUB. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE, AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT IT WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN GOOD DRIVING CONDITION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. UPDATED 07/29/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY BRAKE TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT. UPDATED 07/29/08. *JB

AUTOMATIC BRAKE SLACK ADJUSTERS ON DRIVE AXLE DO NOT FUNCTION. SINCE DISCOVERING THIS PROBLEM I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE SLACK ADJUSTERS MANUALLY ADJUSTED. PROBLEM WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL I HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN ROAD IN COLORADO DUE TO ENGINE OVERHEATING. THE GRADE AT THAT POINT WAS APPROXIMATELY 3% AND THE COACH BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS AFTER SETTING THE PARKING BRAKE. PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD ADEQUATELY AFTER PROPER ADJUSTMENT OF SLACK ADJUSTERS. I HAVE NO WAY TO TEST THE HOLDING POWER OF THE PARKING BRAKE, HOWEVER WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE AND ENGINE SET AT HIGH IDLE (APPROXIMATELY 1,000 RPM) THE BRAKES WILL NOT HOLD THE COACH FROM MOVEMENT. *NM

AUTOMATIC BRAKE SLACK ADJUSTERS ON DRIVE AXLE DO NOT FUNCTION. SINCE DISCOVERING THIS PROBLEM I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE SLACK ADJUSTERS MANUALLY ADJUSTED. PROBLEM WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL I HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN ROAD IN COLORADO DUE TO ENGINE OVERHEATING. THE GRADE AT THAT POINT WAS APPROXIMATELY 3% AND THE COACH BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS AFTER SETTING THE PARKING BRAKE. PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD ADEQUATELY AFTER PROPER ADJUSTMENT OF SLACK ADJUSTERS. I HAVE NO WAY TO TEST THE HOLDING POWER OF THE PARKING BRAKE, HOWEVER WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE AND ENGINE SET AT HIGH IDLE (APPROXIMATELY 1,000 RPM) THE BRAKES WILL NOT HOLD THE COACH FROM MOVEMENT. *NM

WHILE TRAVELING EAST ON I 40, 70 MILES EAST OF BARSTOW CA MY ALTERNATOR MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE ISOLATOR BAR TO MELT CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR TO SEND 25 VOLTS THROUGH THE COACH BURNING UP THE COACH BATTERIES AND STARTING A FIRE IN THE CABINET ABOVE THE DRIVERS HEAD. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY SAFELY AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, ALSO SEVERAL SWITCHES BURNED UP. AT THIS TIME THE INVERTOR, SOLENOID, NUMEROUS FUSES, AND THE ELECTRONIC BOARDS IN THE AC BURNED OUT. I GOT THE VEHICLE PARKED SAFELY AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE RUNNING BY REPLACING THE ALTERNATOR & ISOLATOR. HOWEVER THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPAIR THE OTHER DAMAGE. I WENT TO ANOTHER REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THEY REPLACED THE INVERTER & AC BOARDS AND SECURED THE WIRES WHERE THE FIRE OCCURRED TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE. IT APPEARS THAT A SAFETY FEATURE FAILED CAUSING A DANGEROUS ELECTRICAL FIRE. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS THE SECOND FIRE I HAVE HAD IN THIS COACH. THE FIRST WAS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND I DID NOT BELIEVE CREATED A SAFETY RISK. IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE ALSO BUT WAS A ROPE LIGHT THAT THEY HAD PLACED IN THE CEILING AND I DID NOT THINK WAS CONNECTED TO THE VEHICLE SYSTEMS. I NOTIFIED MANUFACTURER AND THEY OFFERED ME $500.00 TO GO TO THE REPAIR SHOP, BUT I DECLINED AND SIMPLY REMOVED THE HAZARD. ON BOTH OCCASIONS I HAVE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY REPORTED ALL FIRES TO YOU. *JB