2000 Winnebago Minnie Problems

2000 WINNEBAGO MINNIE MODEL 31C CLASS C MOTOR HOME UTILIZING A 2000 FORD E450 CHASSIS. TIRE INFLATION PRESSURES ARE RELIGIOUSLY CHECKED PRIOR TO EACH USE OF THE MOTOR HOME. ON APRIL 17, 2006 WHILE DRIVING (NORTH ON US98 AT MILE MARKER 17 IN MOBILE, ALABAMA) AT 50 MPH THE RIGHT REAR INBOARD TIRE (FIRESTONE LT225-75 R 16 LOAD RANGE E) SUFFERED AN EXPLOSIVE FAILURE FOLLOWED BY TREAD SEPARATION. THE FAILURE WAS NOT PRECEDED BY A DETECTABLE VIBRATION BUT APPEARED TO BE INSTANTANEOUS. THE TREAD BENT THE EXHAUST INTO THE REMAINING TIRE AND STRIPPED THE FENDER AND ROCK SHIELD PROTECTING THE LPG STORAGE TANK. IT BENT THE LPG PLUMBING COMING FROM THE LP TANK, BUT DID NOT BREACH THE PLUMBING OR CAUSE A LEAK. THE VEHICLE REMAINED CONTROLLABLE AND WAS DRIVEN FOR ANOTHER MILE UNTIL IT COULD BE EXITED FROM THE HIGHWAY. THE TIRE ONLY HAD 15250 MILES ON IT AND AS I SAID WAS AS ALWAYS INFLATED TO THE MFG'S SPECIFICATIONS PRIOR TO EACH USE OF THE MOTOR HOME. IT APPEARED THAT THE INTERNAL SIDEWALL RADIAL PLIES HAD FAILED AT THE EDGE OF THE STEEL BELTS. THIS FORCED THE OUTSIDE SIDEWALL PLIES TO CARRY THE PRESSURE LOADS AS WELL AS THE STEEL BELT CENTRIFUGAL RETAINING LOADS THUS EVENTUALLY CAUSING A CARCASS FAILURE AND RESULTING DE-LAMINATION OF THE TREAD/STEEL BELT BONDS. IT APPEARS (AS EVIDENCED BY OXIDATION) THAT THE FAILURE MAY HAVE BEEN PREDICTED BY A CRACK LOCATED ON A RADIAL AXIS IN THE SIDEWALL. I BELIEVE RADIAL (SPOKE TYPE) CRACKS MAY BE AN INDICATOR THAT A SECTION OF THE INTERNAL RADIAL PLIES IS NO LONGER IN TENSION (IN OTHER WORDS INTERNALLY CUT). ONE OTHER TIRE ON THE VEHICLE HAS THIS SAME CRACK. THE ENTIRE SET OF SIX TIRES IS BEING REPLACED WITH NEW TIRES. *JB

RIGHT REAR INNER DULLER TIRE EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH WITH TWO ADULTS AND TWO CHILDREN IN A WINNEBAGO MINNIE 2000 RECREATIONAL VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO HEAR AND FEEL THE TREAD FLAPPING AGAINST THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE PULLING OVER. THE TIRE REMAINED INFLATED DURING THE SEPARATION. FIRESTONE, STEELTEX RS4, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE 225/75R16, E LOAD RANGE AND THE DOT # VDILIXD379. THE TIRE WAS AVAILABLE FOR NHTSA ANALYSIS. FIRESTONE WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *NM

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 60 MPH, THE BUNK WINDOW OVER CAB SHATTERED AND BROKE OUT. WE ARE NOT SURE IF ANYTHING HIT IT OR NOT. AFTER CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER WE WERE TOLD THIS WINDOW DOES NOT REQUIRE SAFETY GLASS IN IT. WE FEEL VERY LUCKY THAT WE HAD THE CURTAIN CLOSED AS THIS STOPPED MOST OF THE FLYING GLASS. WE FEEL IF THE CURTAIN WOULD HAVE BEEN OPEN THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS INJURIES WITH FLYING GLASS. WE FEEL THIS WINDOW SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE SAFETY GLASS IN IT.*AK

WIRING HARNESS LOOSE, CAME IN CONTACT WITH EXHAUST CAUSING SHORT AND A COMPLETE SHUTDOWN OF PCM (BLOWN FUSE) WITH RESULTANT SHUTDOWN OF ENGINE COMPUTER AND ENGINE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. IN BOTH CASES, WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE OF ROADWAY BUT WERE TRAFFIC HEAVIER, WOULD HAVE BEEN STALLED IN TRAFFIC LANE. I'M ONLY ADVISING OF THIS IN CASE OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED IT AND IT IS THE RESULT OF A GENERAL DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE THAT MAY BE DANGEROUS.