RoadVitals

2008 Western Alpenlite Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
4
Latest Jun 1, 2009
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
2
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2008 Western Alpenlite, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Steering375.0%
  • Tires & wheels125.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

FAILURE: STEEL BRACKET CONNECTING POWER STEERING GEAR TO THE VEHICLE'S FRAME BENDS EXCESSIVELY WHENEVER OPERATING THE STEERING. OCCURRENCE: WHENEVER VEHICLE IS OPERATED. CORRECTION: NONE AT THIS TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID 10272572 · filed Jun 1, 2009

HYDRAULIC STEERING GEARBOX IS MOUNTED TO A STEEL BRACKET THAT BENDS UP AND DOWN EXCESSIVELY WHEN STEERING THE VEHICLE. THIS CONDITION OCCURS ALL THE TIME WHEN DRIVING, AND I FEAR THAT THE CONSTANT FLEXING WILL ULTIMATELY BRAKE THE BRACKET AND RENDER VEHICLE STEERING NON-OPERATIONAL WHILE DRIVING - LEADING TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID 10268537 · filed May 12, 2009

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ALPINE LEGEND FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER. THE VEHICLE HAS TREDIT BCT JB 43 WINLAND TIRES, SIZE LT 235/85/R16- 14PR. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. SHORTLY AFTER, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE THREAD SEPARATION. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE TIRES SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE TRAILER BECAUSE IT WAS NOT CAPABLE OF HOLDING THAT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT. DUE TO THE BLOW OUT, THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND METAL SUPPORTS UNDERNEATH THE TRAILER WERE DAMAGED. ALL OF THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE BECAUSE THE DEALER STATED THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

NHTSA ID 10264482 · filed Apr 8, 2009

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .