2007 Itasca Horizon Problems

WHILE ON A TRIP IN OUR MOTOR HOME, WE HEARD AN INTERMITTENT GRINDING SOUND. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE UNIT TO AN RV DEALER, WHO AFTER DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUE, ADVISED US TO TAKE IT TO A FREIGHTLINER DEALER. FREIGHTLINER DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR AXLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAD SHIFTED BACKWARDS, AND WAS CAUSING THE WHEEL TO GRIND AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL. THEY ALSO DISCOVERED TWO BOLTS WERE LOOSE AND A THIRD BOLT WAS MISSING ENTIRELY. THEY INDICATED THAT THIS COULD ONLY HAVE EMANATED FROM THE FACTORY. THEY ALSO STATED THAT HAD THIS ISSUE BEEN LEFT UNATTENDED, IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN MORE SERIOUS DAMAGE AND/OR AN ACCIDENT. FREIGHTLINER AGREED TO COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR TO THE AXLE AND CHASSIS, AND EVENTUALLY AGREED TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT AND REPAINTING OF THE WHEEL WELL. ALTHOUGH THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN EARLY OCTOBER 2008, WE HAVE ONLY BEEN ADVISED TODAY (4/27/09) THAT OUR UNIT IS READY FOR PICKUP, DENYING US THE USE OF OUR MOTOR HOME FOR SEVEN MONTHS. *TR

THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE CUMMINS ISL ENGINE FAILURES. A LIGHT ON OUR DASH PINGED AND FLASHED. I CALLED FREIGHTLINER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A STOP ENGINE LIGHT. I WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY A "GLITC" AND IT WAS OKAY TO DRIVE. HOWEVER, WE TOOK IT INTO A FREIGHTLINER/CUMMINS REPAIR FACILITY TO JUST CHECK IT OUT. THEY FOUND THAT THE OIL PRESSURE WAS FINE, NO PROBLEM WITH THE SENDING UNIT, OR THE DASH INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, SO THEY DROPPED THE OIL PAN. THEY FOUND THAT A THRUST BUSHING HAD FALLEN OFF ONE OF THE CRANKSHAFT BEARINGS AND 2 OF THE MAIN BEARINGS HAD SPUN OUT. HAD WE NOT STOPPED AND TAKEN THE COACH IN TO BE LOOKED AT, THAT ENGINE WOULD HAVE BLOWN APART ON THE HIGHWAY AND POSSIBLY KILLED SOMEONE AND DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE COACH. THESE CUMMINS ENGINES HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECALLED ONCE, BUT THE ENGINE SERIAL NUMBERS NEED TO BE EXTENDED. MY ENGINE FALLS JUST OUTSIDE THE RECALL NUMBERS.