2004 Dutchmen Trailer

WE HAVE PURCHASED A USED CAMPER WHICH INCLUDES A SAMSUNG MICROWAVE WHICH STARTS WITHOUT PUSHING ANY BUTTONS. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 DIFFERENT TIMES AND A SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD. APPARENTLY THE FORMER OWNER DID NOT RESPOND TO THE RECALL FOR THIS APPLIANCE. I HAVE FOUND EVIDENCE ONLINE FROM OTHER CAMPER OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THE IDENTICAL EXPERIENCE. SAMSUNG SERIAL #71QN904973K, MODEL #MR5493G. PLEASE DIRECT ME TO SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP. THANKS *TR

NHTSA ID

10354160

Incident

Aug 21, 2010

FRAME FAILURE ON A TRAVEL TRAILER. I NOTICED UPON RETURN OF MY LAST CAMPING TRIP THAT I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE TONGUE OF THE TRAILER UP AND DOWN AROUND 3 INCHES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10261361

Incident

Oct 23, 2008

Mileage

4,000 mi

I LOOKED OUT MY RIGHT MIRROR AND SPARKS WERE COMING OUT OF THE BACK RIGHT WHEEL. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OF INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND TAKE THE EXIT IN FOREST LAKE, MN TO HIGHWAY 8. I QUICKLY STOPPED MY WIFE TOLD ME TO TURN OFF THE GAS BEFORE WE HAD A FIRE. I CALLED COACH-NET AND THEY DISPATCHED A SERVICE TRUCK TO COME A INSTALL MY SPARE. WE WERE ABLE TO LIMP BACK TO DULUTH. THE NEXT DAY, AUGUST 29TH. I TOOK THE CAMPER BACK TO BULLYANS FOR AN ESTIMATE OF THE DAMAGE. WHEN BULLYAN?S WAS INSPECTING THE CAMPER FOR AN ESTIMATE THEY FOUND THIS THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE REFRIGERATOR GAS LINE AND THAT IF I HAD NOT TURNED IT OFF WE WOULD HAVE PROBABLY HAD A FIRE. LATER THIS FALL THE CAMPER WAS TAKEN DOWN TO MANEY INTERNATIONAL. THE REAR AXLE WAS MANUFACTURED 1? OUT OF ALIGNMENT. DUTCHMAN TOLD BULLYAN THERE WERE DONE WITH THIS UNIT AND THAT THEY SHOULD CONTACT ALSO THE AXLE MANUFACTURE. THEY HAVE AGREED TO SEND A NEW AXLE WHICH HAS BEEN INSTALLED, BUT I WILL HAVE TO PAY THE LABOR FOR INSTALLING THE AXLE AND SHIPPING FOR THE RETURN THE AXLE TO SEE IF THEY WILL PAY ANY OF THE LABOR. ALSO HAS REFUSED TO PLAY FOR THE ALIGNMENT WHICH SHOWED THE AXLE TO BE OUT OF ALIGN 1?. BULLYAN ALSO ASKED THEM ABOUT ALIGNING THE NEW AXLE AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT NECESSARY SINCE THEY ARE ALIGNED AT THE FACTORY! WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE THE CAMPER BACK TO MANEYS, BUT ALSO HAS REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE FIRST ALIGNMENT OR THE ONE WE NEED NOW! I HAVE HAD TWENTY ?TWO (22) DIFFERENT TIRES ON THE FOUR WHEELS. THE RIGHT REAR AXLE WILL HAD FOUR DIFFERENT BACKING PLATE UNITS. IT HAS BEEN ALIGNED TWO DIFFERENT TIMES. IT REALLY NEEDS IT AGAIN! I HAVE A TOTAL OF LESS THAT 14,000 MILES AND REPLACED THE BRAKE CONTROLLER, BUT WE STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE AXLE AND BRAKE PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10222649

Incident

Aug 28, 2007

Mileage

13,995 mi

TIRE FAILURE ON 2004 DUTCHMEN CLASSIC 29 FT 5TH WHEEL TRAILER PURCHASED NEW IN FEB 2005. FIRST FAILURE MAY 25,2007 SECOND FAILURE SEPT 15,2007 WITH RESULTS OF DAMAGE TO SKIRT OVER TIRES. CALLED YOUNGBLOODS RV CENTER IN PADUCAH, KY WHERE WE BOUGHT THE 5TH WHEEL AND THEY SAID TO CALL DUTCHMEN, THE MANUFACTURER. DUTCHMEN SAID TO CALL CARLISLE TIRES AND RIMS. THE TIRE SIZE IS ST 225 75R 15 RADIAL TRAIL. CARLISLE SAID TWO YEARS WARRANTY FROM TIME OF PURCHASE EVEN THOUGH THE TIRES HAD 1100 MILES ON THEM . WE FEEL THE TIRES ARE SERIOUSLY DEFECTIVE AND TWO BLOW OUTS OUT OF THREE OUTINGS IS SIMPLY TOO MUCH. AND NO ONE SEEM TO CARE ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE OR DEFECTIVE TIRES. THEY MORE OR LESS SAID YOUR PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10203248

Incident

May 25, 2007

WHILE TRAVELING HOME TOWING A 2004 FOUR WINDS FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER ON I-95 FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE ,CARLISLE RADIAL TRAIL, ST225/75R15, BLEW OUT ON TREAD AREA. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON TRAILER, CARLISLE TIRES HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BLOWING OUT, AND I THOUGHT POSSIBLY THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL ,BUT I COULD NOT LOCATE ONE ON THE WEB. LESS THAN 3000 MILES ON TIRES. BLOW OUT/ MESSED UP SKIRTING ON THE SIDE OF THE TRAILER. *AK

NHTSA ID

10193773

Incident

Jun 16, 2007

ON AUG 19, 2003 HAD TO REPLACE TIRE ABD BRAKE ON ALKO AXLE. OCT 15, 2003 REPLACE TWO TIRES AND BRAKES MUCH DAMAGE TO TRAILER THAT WINTER ALKO PAID TO HAVE IN ALIGNED 1 1/4 OUT OF LINE BUT DID NOT REPLACE AXLE! 2005 AUGUST BRAKE FAILURE AGAIN AND NOW NEEDED A COMPLETE $500 BRAKE REPLACEMENT OF ALL SHOES WITH AROUND 12,000 ON TRAILER. DUTCHMEN SAID NEVER HAD THIS FIND OF PROBLEM! *TR

NHTSA ID

10189434

Incident

Aug 19, 2003

Mileage

900 mi

OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS I HAVE EXPERIENCED FOUR TIRE BLOWOUTS ON MY 2004 5TH WHEEL RV. THE FIRST TIRE THAT BLEW I JUST TOOK IT AS POSSIBLE ROAD HAZARD. THIS YEAR ENROUTE TO NEW YORK ON VACATION, I HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT ON THE RV. I REPLACED IT WITH A SPARE. ON THE WAY BACK HOME I HAD ONE REAR TIRE ON DRIVER SIDE OF RV BLOW OUT AND THE OTHER REAR TIRE ON PASSENGER SIDE LOSE ALL THE TREAD IN THE MIDDLE OF TIRE. I STARTED CHECKING INTO THE PROBLEM AND HAVE FOUND TWO PROBLEMS. I HAVE AL KO AXLES, WHICH I FOUND ARE A POSSIBLE DEFECT. I CONTACTED AL KO REF. THE PROBLEM AND THEY SENT TWO NEW AXLES, BUT WHEN I QUESTIONED THEM THEY STATED THEY HAD NO RECALL AS THEY COULD NOT SAY IF THE AXLES WERE A PROBLEM OR IF THERE WERE SOME OTHER PROBLEM. THE TRAILER REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE AXLES TAKEN OFF WERE FLAT, COMPARED TO THE NEW AXLES THAT HAVE A SLIGHT BOW TO THEM. I UNDERSTAND HAVING THE BOW IS THE WAY THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO BE. THE OTHER PROBLEM WHICH I FIND OCCURR QUITE FREQUENTLY IS CARLISLE TIRES BLOWING OUT. I HAVE EXPERIENCED FOUR CARLISLE TIRES BLOWING OUT. THEY EACH HAD PROPER AIR IN THEM 80 PSI, AND THE WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER WAS UNDER THE WEIGHT. THE TIRES WERE SENT BACK TO CARLISLE AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS DUE TO ROAD HAZARDS. I DID FINALLY GET THEM TO SEND ME A CHECK FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRES, BUT AGAIN NO REPAIR OF THE DAMAGES. DUTCHMAN COMPLETELY HAS WASHED THEIR HANDS OF THIS PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10170081

Incident

Aug 16, 2006

I HAVE A 2004 AEROLITE CUB 236 TRAVEL TRAILER MANUFACTURED BY DUTCHMEN. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN WEARING ON THE INSIDE. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET SHOWED MANY OTHERS (VARIOUS BRANDS OF MFG'S.) WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. FURTHER RESEARCH SHOWED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE AXLES : AL-KO KOBER CORP. 21611 PROTECTA DR. P.O. BOX 1367 (46515) ELKHART, IN 46516 (574) 294-6651 IS AWARE OF A MANUFACTURING WELDING DEFECT IN THE YEARS OF 2003-2004 ON THEIR RUBBER TORSION AXLES. MANY HAVE STATED AL-KO HAS REPLACED THEIR AXLES DUE TO THIS DEFECT. THE DUTCHMEN WARRANTY IS UP ON THE TRAVEL TRAILER BUT AL-KO HAS A 5 YEAR WARRANTY ON THEIR AXLES. I CONTACTED AL-KO AND THEY SENT ME 2 REPLACEMENT AXLES UNDER WARRANTY. I AM TO REPLACE THE AXLES AND TIRES AT MY EXPENSE. AL-KO MIGHT HONOR TIRE AND LABOR REIMBURSEMENT IF I SHIP THE OLD AXLES AND TIRES BACK TO AL-KO AT MY EXPENSE FOR INSPECTION. THIS IS THE CASE WHETHER I DO THE WORK OR I HAVE A DEALER PERFORM THE WORK. THE AL-KO PACKING SLIP THAT CAME WITH THE TWO AXLES STATES THIS IS A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT AND TO BILL THE AXLES TO AERO COACH IN INDIANA. I HAVE CONTACTED DUTCHMEN MFG. AND THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF SUCH A THING AS THEM BEING BILLED FOR A WARRANTY ITEM. THEY ARE LOOKING INTO THIS ON THEIR END. IN THE MEAN TIME THERE ARE MANY TRAILERS OUT THERE BLOWING TIRES DUE TO THESE DEFECTIVE AXLES. WHEN I ASKED WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SAFETY RECALL I GOT NO RESPONSE OTHER THAN "WHERE DO YOU WANT THE AXLES SHIPPED TO?" I HAVE TWO NEW AXLES AND 5 WORN TIRES THAT I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD REPLACE AT MY EXPENSE. I DO NOT FEEL THIS IS THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER'S PROBLEM RATHER IT IS THE AXLE MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THERE IS NO LISTING FOR AL-KO KOBER SO I HAD TO FILE THIS UNDER DUTCHMEN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10169948

Incident

Sep 1, 2006