2013 THOR MOTOR COACH ACE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I WAS DRIVING ON 8E FREEWAY AT 55 MPH WHEN I NOTICED THE INTERIOR OF THE MOTORHOME FILLING WITH BLACK SMOKE AND THE SMOKE DETECTOR STARTED GOING OFF. BLACK SMOKE WAS POURING OFF THE BACK OF THE MOTORHOME AS WELL. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND GOT MY WIFE TWO GRANDKIDS AND TWO DOGS OUT OF THE VEHICLE. UPON EXITING I FOUND THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE ON FIRE AS WELL AS FIRE DRIPPING FROM THE EXHAUST TO THE GROUND. AFTER GETTING THE FIRE OUT, I DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE LEVELING SYSTEM HAD A HYDRAULIC LINE FAILURE AND THE HYDRAULIC PUMP WAS SPRAYING FLUID FROM THE FAILED LINE ON THE EXHAUST PIPE CAUSING THE FIRE. THE LEVELING SYSTEM IS USED FOR LEVELING THE VEHICLE WHILE PARKED IT SHOULD NOT COME ON WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I ALSO FOUND OUT THE FIRE DESTROYED THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LINE AND THE MOTORHOME LOST ALL THE BRAKES ON THE FREEWAY ON THE WAY TO THE REPAIR SHOP.

WHILE DRIVING A 2013 THOR ACE MOTOR HOME AT 60 MPH I HEARD BEEPING NOISE IN THE DRIVERS AREA. WHILE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE SOURCE I DISCOVERED THE MOTOR HOME WAS ON FIRE UNDER THE RIGHT FRONT. THE LEVELING SYSTEM HAD TURNED ON THE HYDRAULIC PUMP AND ONE OF THE RETURN LINES WAS LEAKING. THE RESULTING HIGH PRESSURE HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS SPRAYING ON THE EXHAUST AND IGNITING. THE LEVELING SYSTEM IS USED FOR LEVELING THE VEHICLE WHILE PARKED. APPARENTLY THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED SO THAT IF IT DETECTS ONE OF THE JACKS LOWERING WHILE DRIVING IT APPLIES HYDRAULIC PRESSURE TO THE SYSTEM TO KEEP THE JACK UP, THE PROBLEM WITH THIS DESIGN IS THAT IF YOU HAVE A HYDRAULIC LEAK ON THE RETURN SIDE OF A JACK, THE SYSTEM SENDS HYDRAULIC FLUID TO A LEAKING LINE AND IN MY CASE IT STARTED A FIRE UNDER THE MOTOR HOME CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE MOTOR HOME INCLUDING CAUSING THE BRAKE LINE TO LEAK AND LOSING THE BRAKES TO THE MOTOR HOME AS WELL. *TR

I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT RUNNING GAS LINES INTO AND THEN OUT OF AN OIL COOLER THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE FRONT OF THE RADIATOR AT THE FRONT OF A VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE. ANY FRONT END COLLISION COULD CAUSE THESE NEW LINES AND OR THE OIL COOLER TO BREAK CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE. I AM ATTACHING TWO PICTURES IN THE FIRST YOU CAN SEE THE OIL COOLER ATTACHED TO THE RADIATOR THROUGH THE FRONT GRILL OF THE VEHICLE, THE SECOND SHOWS A CLOSER VIEW OF THE OIL COOLER. THERE IS A THREAD WHICH HAS MORE PICTURES AND SOME OF THE OWNER'S REMARKS AS TO WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO THEIR VEHICLES ON THE IRV2.COM FORUM. THIS IS A LINK TO THAT THREAD: HTTP://WWW.IRV2.COM/FORUMS/F121/ACE-GENERATOR-STOPS-RUNNING-CODE-36-A-125555.HTML AGAIN THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. UPDATED 7/31/13 *CN

I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT RUNNING GAS LINES INTO AND THEN OUT OF AN OIL COOLER THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE FRONT OF THE RADIATOR AT THE FRONT OF A VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE. ANY FRONT END COLLISION COULD CAUSE THESE NEW LINES AND OR THE OIL COOLER TO BREAK CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE. I AM ATTACHING TWO PICTURES IN THE FIRST YOU CAN SEE THE OIL COOLER ATTACHED TO THE RADIATOR THROUGH THE FRONT GRILL OF THE VEHICLE, THE SECOND SHOWS A CLOSER VIEW OF THE OIL COOLER. THERE IS A THREAD WHICH HAS MORE PICTURES AND SOME OF THE OWNER'S REMARKS AS TO WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO THEIR VEHICLES ON THE IRV2.COM FORUM. THIS IS A LINK TO THAT THREAD: HTTP://WWW.IRV2.COM/FORUMS/F121/ACE-GENERATOR-STOPS-RUNNING-CODE-36-A-125555.HTML AGAIN THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. UPDATED 7/31/13 *CN