1998 Coachmen Trailer Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1998 Coachmen Trailer, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Powertrain (other)133.3%
- Suspension133.3%
- Tires & wheels133.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 COACHMEN CATALINA LYTE 259RK TRAILER. THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED WHEN HE NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE. HE THEN FOUND THAT THE TIRE WAS PROTRUDING FROM THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND NOT ALIGNED. THE DEALER SENT A MECHANIC TO REPLACE THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. THE CONTACT WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE AXLE AND THE BEARINGS WERE NOT SUITED FOR THE TRAILER. THERE WERE NO FURTHER REPAIRS. FOUR YEARS LATER WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. THE WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE AXLE, WHEEL ASSEMBLY, AND BRAKES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE AXLE AND BEARINGS WERE NOT THE CORRECT SIZE FOR THE TRAILER. THE WHEEL BARINGS WERE RE-PACKED DURING THE DIAGNOSIS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 COACHMEN CATALINA LYTE 259RK TRAILER. THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED WHEN HE NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE. HE THEN FOUND THAT THE TIRE WAS PROTRUDING FROM THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND NOT ALIGNED. THE DEALER SENT A MECHANIC TO REPLACE THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. THE CONTACT WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE AXLE AND THE BEARINGS WERE NOT SUITED FOR THE TRAILER. THERE WERE NO FURTHER REPAIRS. FOUR YEARS LATER WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. THE WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE AXLE, WHEEL ASSEMBLY, AND BRAKES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE AXLE AND BEARINGS WERE NOT THE CORRECT SIZE FOR THE TRAILER. THE WHEEL BARINGS WERE RE-PACKED DURING THE DIAGNOSIS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON A TRIP TO THE SOUTHWEST, MY 1998 COACHMEN 30' TRAVEL TRAILER HAD 3 OUT OF 4 TIRES BLOW OUT. THEY HAD PLENTY OF TREAD, AND WERE INFLATED TO 50 PSI. SIZE IS STR 245-75R15. I BELIEVE THEY WERE ALL CARLISLE. THE FAILURES OCCURED OVER A 1-WEEK PERIOD.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .