2008 Monaco Coach Cayman Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MONACO COACH CAYMAN RV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, A LOUD BANGING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AS IT BEGAN TO FISHTAIL UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE REAR AXLE HOUSING SEPARATED. AS A RESULT, THE PASSENGER SIDE DUAL TIRES WERE PUSHED TO THE REAR WHEEL WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THAT THE SUSPENSION AIR SPRINGS, REAR AXLE HOUSING, AND RELATED COMPONENTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MONACO COACH CAYMAN RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE TRAILING ARM BROKE IN HALF WITH NO WARNING. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE AXLE SHIFTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION OF THE TRAILING ARM FOR ANY CRACKS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,000.

2008 MONACO CAYMAN RR4R CHASSIS-PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2009. AT THE TIME OF FAILURE THE MOTORCOACH HAD LESS THAN 10K MILES. DRIVING ON SMOOTHLY PAVED TEXAS STATE HIGHWAY AT LESS THAN 35 MILES PER HOUR. THERE WAS AN OCCASIONAL ROLLING HILL THAT WOULD CAUSE THE RV TO BOUNCE A LITTLE BIT. THE REAR OF THE MOTORCOACH DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY TOWARDS THE GROUND, THE REAR MUDFLAP WAS DRAGGING THE GROUND AND THE MOTORHOME INSTANTLY BEGAN VIBRATING AND HANDLING IN A SQUIRRELLY MANNER AND WITH VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL AS THE COACH WAS COASTED WHILE IT SHIMMIED TOWARDS THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO A COMPLETE STOP. NEWLY MANUFACTURED REENGINEERED STUDIER TRAILING ARMS WERE OBTAINED AND INSTALLED BY A MONACO CERTIFIED REPAIR CENTER. THE BROKEN TRAILING ARMS WERE THE SAME PART RECALLED ON EARLIER RR4R CHASSIS MODELS DUE TO THIS SAME FAILURE. THE RECALL ON THE EARLIER MODELS DID NOT COVER MY NEWER MODEL BUT SHOULD HAVE SINCE IT IS THE SAME OEM INSTALLED PART WHICH EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE THAT THE RECALL WAS INITIALLY BASED ON. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE "LUCKY" BY THE RV TOW EXPERT THAT WE WERE TRAVELING SO SLOWLY AT THE TIME OF FAILURE OTHERWISE OUR COACH MAY HAVE ROLLED OR THE REAR AXLE MAY HAVE CAME ALL THE WAY OUT FROM UNDER THE COACH. THIS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE ON MY COACH BECAUSE THE TRAILING ARMS WERE REPLACED WITH A STURDIER PART MADE BY A NEW MANUFACTURER. *TR

WE PURCHASED A NEW 2008 MONACO MOTOR HOME IN JUNE OF 2009. ON A TRIP TO NEWBURGH NY WE ENCOUNTERED RAIN. UPON ARRIVING AT OUR DESTINATION THE AUTOMATIC STEP DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE COACH DOOR WAS OPENED TO EXIT. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE THE STEP IS DESIGNED TO OPERATE AUTOMATICALLY WHENEVER THE DOOR IS OPENED AND THERE ARE NO WARNINGS SIGNALING OPERATIONAL FAILURE.THE COACH IS APPROXIMATELY 18 INCHES FROM THE GROUND AND A FALL FROM THIS HEIGHT WOULD BE LIFE THREATENING. I FOLLOWED THE MANUFACTURER'S TROUBLE SHOOTING CHECK LIST TO ATTEMPT TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED THAT THE UPPER PLATFORM OF THE STEP HAD RETAINED WATER WHICH LEAKED DOWN INTO THE LIGHT AND THE CONTROL MODULE MOUNTED UNDER THE STEP. THE LIGHT LENS WAS COMPLETELY FULL OF WATER. I REMOVED THE LENS AND DRAINED IT OUT. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME THE MODULE DRIED OUT SUFFICIENTLY FOR IT TO WORK. INITIALLY, I E-MAILED THE MANUFACTURER FOR WARRANTY REPLACEMENT OF THE DAMAGED COMPONENTS. THE MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE DENIED THAT THEY HAD EVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE ,OFFERED NO HELP WHATSOEVER AND REFUSED TO ADMIT TO ANY WARRANTY CULPABILITY. SUBSEQUENTLY I SENT A REGISTERED LETTER TO MR. JASON LIPPERT THE PRESIDENT/CEO OF DREW INDUSTRIES, MANUFACTURER OF THE PRODUCT. A FEW DAYS LATER I RECEIVED THE REPLACEMENT PARTS REQUESTED PLUS A TUBE OF SILICONE SEALANT. THERE WERE NO INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY THE SEALANT OR REPLACE THE PARTS OR HOW TO REMEDIATE THE WATER RETAINAGE PROBLEM. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE NEW CONTROL MODULE HAS A SEALANT THROUGHOUT THE AREA WHERE THE ELECTRICAL WIRING ENTERS THE MODULE INDICATING TO ME THAT SOME EFFORT WAS BEING MADE TO SEAL NEWER UNITS FROM WATER INTRUSION. I'M CONVINCED THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND IS CHOOSING TO IGNORE IT AND DENY ANY RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION AND COULD LEAD TO BODILY INJURY OR DEATH. THE MANUFACTURER IS DREW INDUSTRIES 2730 COLLEGE AVE GOSHEN IND. 46528. *TR