My RV is 2022 Thor Aria 4000, a 40 foot diesel motorhome. On 11-16-22, I picked up my motorhome from my storage lot in Highland (CA) and drove (20 miles) for general service to Trans-West Truck Center 10150 Cherry Avenue, in Fontana, CA. When I left my storage facility, the RV was fully intact. When I arrived at the Trans-West Truck Center, I discovered the 91-gallon water tank (located in front of the right rear dual tires), had fallen through the wooden floor and dragged on the pavement. Note: My wife who was following me said she saw pieces of what she thought was cardboard flying out from under the RV while I was driving it. If my water tank (which was 2/3 full) would have come loose, it would have fallen under the RV, likely being run over by the tires and careening into traffic behind me or even crashing into my wife. After the RV was serviced at Trans-West Truck Center, they were able to reasonably secure the tank (which had been significantly bent) so I could take it to an RV repair facility. On 11-21-22, I took it for repair to J&L RV Repair (located at 8364 Sultana Ave, Fontana, CA 92335, 909-429-2194). While speaking to the owner, Joe Lozoya, he said he was currently working on another Thor Aria that had the exact same problem in which the water tank leaked and damaged the wooden floor. He said it appeared a factory installed overflow drain line was draining water on the wooden floor weakening it. Upon examining my RV, he said water drained on the wooden (plywood) floor, weakening it. It appeared to be an improper design when manufactured that caused water to drain on the wood and not the ground. I have owned this RV for three years and I know of only ONE time when I overfilled my water tank and saw water drain from the overflow line from under the tank. I could never see where the water drained due to the way the compartment was designed. The factory designed problem is that NO ONE can actually view the water tank as the compartment is cove
- NHTSA ID
- 11494801
- Incident
- Nov 16, 2022