2014 Thor Motor Coach Chateau Owner Complaints

I PURCHASED A 2014 THOR CHATEAU (28Z) MOTOR COACH IN OCT 2013. IT HAS HAD THREE ELECTRICAL/FIRE ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED FOR THE SAFETY OF OWNERS OF THOR COACHES. 1. IN JUNE 2014 THE ELECTRICAL TRANSFER SWITCH LOCATED UNDER THE REAR BED COMPARTMENT BEGAN SMOKING AT 2AM IN THE MORNING. THE WIRE NUT CONNECTING THE SOLID COPPER WIRE (EXTERNAL POWER) TO THE MULTI-STRAND LINE TO THE FUSE BOX HAD MELTED AND WAS GLOWING RED/SMOKING. THE HEAT FROM THE POOR CONNECTION CAUSED THE TOP OF THE SWITCH BOX TO DEFORM AND CRACK. 2. IN DEC 2014 THE ELECTRICAL WIRE NUT CONNECTING THE POWER TO THE WATER HEATER SIMILARLY OVERHEATED AND MELTED, BUT WAS CAUGHT BEFORE THE OUTER CASE MELTED. 3. WHEN INSPECTING THE BOTTOM OF THE RV FOR RUST IN JUNE 2016, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SENSOR WIRE FOR THE PROPANE TANK GAS LEVEL WAS NOT PROPERLY POSITIONED. THE WIRE WAS DRAPED OVER THE DRIVE SHAFT AND THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE OUTER PLASTIC COVER WAS FRAYED BY THE DRIVESHAFT AND MELTED BY THE EXHAUST PIPE. THIS COULD HAVE CREATED A "BURNING FUSE" LEADING TO THE LP GAS TANK. ANY ONE OF THESE DEFECTS COULD HAVE CAUSED MY DEATH BY FIRE IN THE COACH. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY FOR ALL THREE INCIDENTS: #1 & 2 IN RV PARKS, AND #3 WHILE PARKED OUTSIDE AN AUTO PARTS STORE - AFTER/BETWEEN HIGHWAY TRANSITS. I HAVE RETAINED THE PHYSICAL ARTIFACTS FROM THESE EVENTS AND ADDITIONAL PICTURES THAN THOSE BELOW - SHOWING THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THOR'S MALPRACTICE IN MANUFACTURING. WHAT I REQUEST: 1. NOTIFICATION TO THOR MOTOR COACH OWNERS OF THESE KNOWN ELECTRICAL WIRING DEFECTS. 2. IMPROVED ELECTRICAL STANDARDS IN THE PRODUCTION OF THOR PRODUCTS - WIRE NUTS SHOULD BE TAPED TO PREVENT VIBRATING LOOSE. - UNDER CARRIAGE WIRING IS SUBSTANDARD / HAZARDOUS.

NHTSA ID

10876925

Incident

Jun 20, 2016

Mileage

14,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING OUR 2014 THOR CLASS C MOTORHOME WITH A 2013 CHEVROLET EXPRESS ENGINE WHEN AFTER STARTING IT AFTER DINNER ON THE WAY BACK TO OUR RV SITE, THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND A MESSAGE FLASHED "ENGINE POWER REDUCED". THE MAXIMUM SPEED I HAD WITH THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR WAS 25 MPH. I BARELY MADE IT 2 MILES TO OUR SITE AND ARRANGED TO HAVE THE RV TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY NEARER OUR HOME IN WASHINGTON STATE. THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT BLADE CHEVROLET INDICATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OF THE RELAY FEED B CIRCUIT WAS MIS-WIRED AND WAS PULLING POWER FROM THE O2 SENSOR NOT THE MIRROR OR BACKUP CAMERA CIRCUIT. WE WERE ADVISED THE REPAIRS WERE ONLY PARTIALLY UNDER WARRANTY AS WE HAD PURCHASED THE RV IN SEPTEMBER 2013 AND THOR WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE PAYMENT FOR REPAIRS. PART OF THE REPAIRS WERE COVERED BY CHEVROLET AS THE ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN HAVE A 100,000 WARRANTY, BUT I FEEL SINCE THE FAULTY RELAY WAS ORIGINAL MIS-WIRED, THIS ISSUE MAY ALSO HAPPEN TO OTHER THOR RV CUSTOMERS AND IT IS DANGEROUS HAVING ALMOST NO POWER ON A HILL OR OTHER CHALLENGING TOPOGRAPHY. I FEEL OUR MODEL RV SHOULD BE REVIEWED FOR SIMILAR ISSUES AND WE BE REIMBURSED BY THOR FOR THE $449.36 WE PAID TO REPAIR OUR RV. *TR

NHTSA ID

10679864

Incident

Jan 21, 2015

Mileage

6,867 mi