ON APRIL 25, 2018 WHILE DRIVING OUR 2010 PUMA 20QB ON HIGHWAY I-20 THROUGH FORT WORTH, TX 76126 THE 20FT. AWNING ATTACHED TO OUR TRAVEL TRAILER TORE LOOSE AND FLEW OFF INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY INTO THE TRAFFIC BEHIND OUR TRAILER. I IMMEDIATELY MOVED TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND DIALED 911. CARS AND TRUCKS SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING THE DEBRIS AND FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED (TO MY KNOWLEDGE). THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTY REMOVED THE AWNING INTO THE MEDIAN TO BE PICKED UP LATER BY HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE. BOTH AWNING ARMS AND RAFTERS WERE STILL CONNECTED BY THE UPPER MOUNTING BRACKETS BUT WERE JUST DANGLING DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE LOWER BRACKETS (PROBABLY MADE WITH SUBSTANDARD MATERIALS) WERE SHEARED OFF (SEE PICTURES). I HAD TO USE A MAKESHIFT STEP LADDER TO REMOVE THE UPPER BRACKETS, ARMS AND RAFTERS FROM THE TRAVEL TRAILER IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TRAVELING. WE PURCHASED THIS TRAVEL TRAILER AT ALL SEASONS RV IN MUSKEGON, MI WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT EXPIRED JULY 20016. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM GOES WELL BEYOND A WARRANTY ISSUE AND IS A DANGEROUS SAFETY CONCERN AND LIABILITY ON THE MANUFACTURERS PART. ATTACHED ARE PHOTOS OF THE TRAVEL TRAILER. I UNDERSTAND THAT MY RV IS 8 YRS. OLD BUT NO ONE WOULD EXPECT THE HOOD OR DOOR OF THEIR 8 YR. OLD VEHICLE TO FLY OFF AS THEY ARE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. I'M SURE THEY WOULD BE ON THE PHONE IMMEDIATELY CALLING THE MANUFACTURER FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE PROBLEM OR AT MINIMUM, REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY DENIED ANY DEFECT OR FAULT. I BELIEVE THIS WARRANTS A FULL INVESTIGATION AS THE ONLY THING THAT HOLDS THE AWNING TO THE RV IS THE FABRIC. THERE ARE NO SAFETY STRAPS IN PLACE SO ONCE THE AWNING CATCHES WIND AND/OR THE MATERIAL BECOMES WEAK, IT FAILS AND TEARS ALONG THE WHOLE LENGTH WHICH CAN BE FATAL TO DRIVERS ON A HIGHWAY. PLEASE, PLEASE, INVESTIGATE THIS. THANK YOU.
- NHTSA ID
- 11096540
- Incident
- Apr 25, 2018
- Mileage
- 55,000 mi