NHTSA complaint: 2000 MONACO COACH DIPLOMAT — EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
THIS INVOLVES A NORCOLD 1200 LRIM REFRIGERATOR AND A 2000 MONACO DIPLOMAT 40 PBD MOTORCOACH. WHEN THE REFER WAS REMOVED TO CONDUCT THE RECALL WORK, IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE CAUGHT FIRE PREVIOUSLY, AND HAD SIGNS OF SERIOUS OVERHEATING, CAUSING THE CASE OF THE REFRIGERATOR TO PARALYZE (ALUMINUM FOIL COATING, PAPER BACKING AND FOAM INSULATION BEHIND FLUE TUBE). FURTHER A FIRE HAD OCCURRED ON THE TOP OF THE FLUE TUBE, WHERE FIBERGLASS INSULATION FROM THE COACH HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE TOP OF THE FLUE TUBE, CAUSING CHARRING TO THE INSULATION AND CEILING OF THE COACH, WITH THE EARLY STAGES OF PARALYSIS SETTING IN ON THE CEILING MATERIALS (FOAM AND OZITE CARPET COVERING). PHOTOS OF EVERYTHING WERE TAKEN, AND NORCOLD DENIED CULPABILITY, STATING THAT THE COOLING UNIT HAD NOT "BEEN A LEAKER" AND THAT MAINTENANCE HAD NOT BEEN DONE, WHICH IS NOT COMPLETELY TRUE, ALTHOUGH SOME MAINTENANCE ITEMS WERE NOT PERFORMED ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL (REMOVAL OF THE REFER FROM THE COACH AND SERVICING THE FLUE TUBE). MY CONCERNS ARE 1)OVERHEATING OF THE COOLING UNIT/FLUE TUBE DURING NORMAL OPS WITHOUT FAILURE OF THE COOLING UNIT (RECALL) AND 2) INCORRECT INSTALLATION OF REFER IN CABINET/INSTALLATION OF INSULATION WHICH LED TO CONTACT WITH SAID MATERIALS AND SLOW PARALYSIS/IGNITION. THIS COULD BE A CONDITION IN ALL OF THESE COACHES. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation