2003 Four Winds Windsport Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FOUR WINDS WINDSPORT. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE SIMILAR TO METAL GRINDING ON METAL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 09V204000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND 03V069000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000. UPDATED 01/05/17*LJ CONSUMER STATED DEALER SOLD HIM A RV WITH SEVERELY WORN BRAKES. BRAKES WERE METAL TO METAL. UPDATED 7/12/18*JB *TR

IN JULY 2007 WE WERE IN JAMESTOWN, NY ON LOCAL ROADS DOING 40 MILES AN HOUR AND NOTICED THE BRAKES WERE DRAGGING AND COULD SMELL BURNING AND NOTICED THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE WAS LOOSING AIR PRESSURE ON THE MONITOR AND PULLED OVER. THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE WAS LOCKED UP CAUSING THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR TO MELT AND TIRE TO LOOSE PRESSURE. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS ALSO HOT AND SMOKING. WE WERE TOWED TO A CHEVY TRUCK DEALER IN TOWN. THEY REPLACED THE FRONT CALIPERS, PADS, ABS SENSORS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS. EXTENDED WARRANTY PAID SOME BUT WE HAD TO PAY MOST OUT OF OUR POCKET. AT THIS TIME WE ONLY HAD 24,000 MILES ON THE MOTORHOME. NOW IN AUGUST 2008 WE WERE IN SEFFNER, FL LEAVING ONE CAMPGROUND AND GOING TO ANOTHER 25 MILES AWAY AND SMELT BRAKES BURNING. WE CONTINUED DRIVING TO THE CAMPGROUND AND DISCOVERED THE BACK TIRES WERE VERY HOT AND BURNING BRAKE SMELL ON BOTH REAR WHEELS. WE CONTACTED LAZY DAYS IN SEFFNER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY SET UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR US TO COME IN. THEY INSPECTED THE REAR BRAKES AND DISCOVERED THEY WERE BURNT UP. THE SEALS WERE LEAKING FRONT AND REAR. THEY REPLACED THE CALIPERS REAR ONLY, ABS SENSORS REAR ONLY, PADS FRONT AND REAR, TURNED THE ROTORS FRONT AND REAR, REPLACED SEALS AND GASKETS FRONT AND REAR AND BRAKE LINES THEY CALLED OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY WHO SENT OUT AN INSPECTOR TO INSPECT THE BRAKES AFTER BEING HERE 4 DAYS. THE ONLY THING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY IS PAYING FOR IS THE CALIPERS AND 6 HOURS OF LABOR. WE ARE LEFT PAYING $2,000 OUT OF OUR POCKET WHICH WE DON'T FEEL IS RIGHT. WE UNDERSTAND THAT WORKHORSE HAD A RECALL ON THE BOSCH BRAKES BUT OUR VIN NUMBER WAS OUT OF THE VIN NUMBER RANGE. *TR

FORD E450 FOUR WINDS 5000 CLASS C RV. WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 80 EAST IN NEBRASKA NEAR MILE MARKER 144 MY FIRESTONE LT 225/75R16 STEELTEX RADIAL R4S II TIRE SHREDDED. THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE ROAD, PARTLY CLOUDLY, ABOUT 75 DEGREES, LIGHT WIND. THE TIRE HAD ABOUT 19,000 MILES ON IT. RV HAD 2 ADULTS, 2 TEENAGERS, AND 2 PUPPIES IN IT. HALF TANK OF GAS, HOLDING TANKS AND WATER TANKS NEARLY EMPTY, WEIGHT APPOX 14,000 LBS. TIRE WAS ON PASSENGER SIDE, REAR OUTSIDE DUAL. WHEN THE TIRE SHREDDED IT FORCED THE TAILPIPE UP AND AGAINST THE HOLDING TANK, WEDGE AGAINST THE FRAME, AND PINCHED THE END OF THE TAILPIPE SHUT CAUSING HEAT TO BUILD AND MELTING THE TRIM ON THE WHEELWELL AND SENDING SMOKE INSIDE THE RV. THE TAILPIPE IS IN A BAD LOCATION (POORLY ENGINEERED DESIGN UNSAFE), AND THE TIRE CAME APART FOR NO REASON. WE STOPPED JUST BEFORE WE HAD A FULL FIRE.

FORD E450 FOUR WINDS 5000 CLASS C RV. WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 80 EAST IN NEBRASKA NEAR MILE MARKER 144 MY FIRESTONE LT 225/75R16 STEELTEX RADIAL R4S II TIRE SHREDDED. THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE ROAD, PARTLY CLOUDLY, ABOUT 75 DEGREES, LIGHT WIND. THE TIRE HAD ABOUT 19,000 MILES ON IT. RV HAD 2 ADULTS, 2 TEENAGERS, AND 2 PUPPIES IN IT. HALF TANK OF GAS, HOLDING TANKS AND WATER TANKS NEARLY EMPTY, WEIGHT APPOX 14,000 LBS. TIRE WAS ON PASSENGER SIDE, REAR OUTSIDE DUAL. WHEN THE TIRE SHREDDED IT FORCED THE TAILPIPE UP AND AGAINST THE HOLDING TANK, WEDGE AGAINST THE FRAME, AND PINCHED THE END OF THE TAILPIPE SHUT CAUSING HEAT TO BUILD AND MELTING THE TRIM ON THE WHEELWELL AND SENDING SMOKE INSIDE THE RV. THE TAILPIPE IS IN A BAD LOCATION (POORLY ENGINEERED DESIGN UNSAFE), AND THE TIRE CAME APART FOR NO REASON. WE STOPPED JUST BEFORE WE HAD A FULL FIRE.

THE WINDSHIELD IS POPPING OUT OF IT'S GROVE ON THE LOWER LEFT BOTTOM AND THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD CAN COME COMPLETELY OUT OF IT'S HOUSING IF THE MOTOR HOME DRIVE OVER THE SLIGHTEST IMPERFECTION IN THE ROAD. THE MOTOR HOME IS MANUFACTURED IN A WAY THAT IT'S NOT BALANCED;WHEN WEIGHED THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS 1000 POUNDS HEAVIER THAN THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS PUTS PRESSURE ON THE HOUSING RESULTING IN THE WINDSHIELD POPPING OUT. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THE MOTOR HOME HAS TO BE TAKEN APART, BALANCED AND LEVELED.