1999 NEWELL MOTOR COACH — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THE MOTOR COACH STOPPED RUNNING AS I WAS DOING ABOUT 30MPH. I PARKED AS BEST I COULD, BUT TRAFFIC WAS HAVING TO USE LESS THAN THE NORMAL LANE WIDTH. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART WITH THE IGNITION KEY IT WOULD NOT START. I USED THE AUXILIARY START SWITCH IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT AND IT STARTED. AS I WAS PREPARING TO GET BACK IN AND MOVE THE MOTOR COACH TO A SAFER LOCATION I WAS ALERTED TO BILLOWING SMOKE BY THE SCREAMS OF MY DAUGHTER. I ELECTED TO TURN THE SWITCH OFF AND LUCKILY THE SMOKE DIED DOWN AND THERE WERE NO FLAMES, BUT IT WAS CLOSE. A LITTLE LONGER AND THE RED HOT WIRING WOULD HAVE IGNITED ANY COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL IN THE AREA. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE MANUFACTURER NEGLECTED TO ADD FUSE OR CIRCUIT BREAKER PROTECTION FOR THE AUXILIARY START SWITCH. HERE IS A QUOTATION FROM THE EMAIL OF THE PRESIDENT OF NEWELL COACH CORPORATION. "WE HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THE CIRCUIT POWERING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT STARTER SWITCH SHOULD BE PROTECTED BY A 20-AMP FUSE. NO SURPRISE THERE. WE ARE NOW WORKING THROUGH DETERMINING THE RANGE OF COACHES INVOLVED AND DEVELOPING A PLAN TO ADDRESS AND RESOLVE THE ISSUE AND THAT COMPLIES WITH THE FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY REGULATIONS. ONCE A VEHICLE IS OVER 10 YEARS OLD, THE RULES ARE DIFFERENT, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE BEEN IN THIS SITUATION." I WOULD LIKE TO SEE NEWELL COACH CORPORATION REQUIRED TO ADDRESS REPAIRS TO ALL THE OTHER COACHES OUT THERE THAT THEY MANUFACTURED WITHOUT ANY PROTECTION ON THE CIRCUIT INVOLVED IN MY MELTDOWN. HAD MY DAUGHTER NOT BEEN WATCHING CAREFULLY I BELIEVE THE MISSING FUSE/CIRCUIT BREAKER COULD RESULT IN A FIRE ENGULFING THE ENTIRE COACH AND ANYONE INSIDE MIGHT NOT HAVE THE TIME OR MOBILITY TO ESCAPE. *TR