2008 Four Winds Hurricane Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FOUR WINDS HURRICANE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THERE WAS A BURNING ORDER COMING FROM THE TRANSFER SWITCH. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CASE WAS OVERHEATED AND THERE WERE BURN MARKS AROUND THE SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSFER SWITCH FAILED AND THE OVERHEATING WAS SEVERE ENOUGH TO DAMAGE THE SHORE CORD AND CAUSED WIRES TO MELT. THE TRANSFER SWITCH WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, NONE OF THE DAMAGED PARTS WERE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V516000( ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,032. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

THE CHASSIS BATTERY DISCONNECT SOLENOID FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE ON-RAMP, CAUSING A COMPLETE LOSS OF ALL POWER, INCLUDING BRAKES, STEERING AND ALL LIGHTING. THE SOLENOID IS DESIGNED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY FOR LONG-TERM STORAGE. IT FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, BASICALLY UNHOOKING THE CHASSIS BATTERY FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. WHILE BROKEN DOWN, A TRACTOR-TRAILER SIDE-SWIPED OUR CARGO TRAILER AND RV CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE WEREN'T AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR FAR MORE SERIOUS DAMAGE COULD HAVE OCCURRED, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF LIFE IS SIGNIFICANT. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OF ALL VEHICLES THAT USE THIS SOLENOID...UPDATED 10/09/12 *BF

WE BOUGHT A 2008 FOUR WINDS HURRICANE 30Q WITH A FORD CHASSIS ON 10/31/07 APRIL 10, 2008 WE HIT A RUT AND THE RV BEGAN VIBRATING. TIM THOUGHT WE HAD BLOWN A TIRE. STOPPED, GOT OUT, NO BLOWN TIRE. BACK IN, STARTED DRIVING, WAS OK. THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON THE WAY HOME AND WE FIGURED WE'D HAVE IT REPAIRED ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER WARRANTY WORK WE HAD DONE. ON THE WAY TO CAMPING WORLD IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THAT WAS 3 TIMES TOO MANY. CAMP. WORLD. TOLD US IT WAS A WEIGHT PROBLEM. WE MOVED THINGS AROUND AND IT STILL HAPPENED. DOESN'T HAPPEN ON EVERY BUMP, BUT IT HAPPENS OFTEN ENOUGH TO CAUSE ANXIETY. WE'VE TRAVELED ALL OVER THE SOUTH HAD THIS HAPPEN TOO OFTEN. THE A/C HAS GONE OUT 3 TIMES, WE'VE HAD LEAKS IN THE REAR AXLE TWICE, WE THINK THEY ARE CAUSED BY THE VIBRATION. IF THESE ARE THINGS WE SEE, WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING? IN BOYNTON BEACH THE FORD DEALER SAID THE VIBRATION SOUNDED LIKE A TIE ROD. THAT'S ALL WE HAD TO HEAR. FORD TOWED THE RV TO FORT LAUDERDALE FROM BOYNTON BEACH TO ATLANTIC FORD. THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM. GREAT. WHEN WE PICKED IT UP, WE FOUND THEY HADN'T. WE TOOK IT AND HEADED TO NEW YORK STATE. ON ROUTE 40 IN TENNESSEE, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. T. PULLED OFF THE ROAD, STOPPED, STARTED. I WAS FURIOUS. EVERY TIME WE WENT OVER A SEAM IN THE ROAD, IT WOULD SHAKE AND WE'D HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. TRY DOING THAT IN CONSTRUCTION. SINCE MAY, IT HAS BEEN AT CAMPING WORLD, SYRACUSE, DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM, SCARED THE HECK OUT OF THEM, COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. FORD SAID "TRY AIR BAGS TO HOLD THE FRONT DOWN. FORD TOLD US TO TAKE IT TO FORD IN AVON, THEY SAID IT WAS THE BALANCING OF THE TIRES, THEY DID THAT, PICKED IT UP, 20 MIN OUTSIDE AVON, IT BEGAN SHAKING AGAIN. IN THE MEANTIME, I SENT LETTERS TO 2 ATTORNEY GENERALS, FORD AND FOURWINDS AND THE NHTSA. FOUR WINDS CALLED AND HERE WE ARE IN ELKHART, INDIANA TO LET THEM TRY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING. PLEASE HELP US. THIS IS OUR WINTER HOME. *TR