Preliminary Evaluation · TOW HITCH/FRAME FAILURE · Opened 2006-10-24 · Closed 2007-01-22
Investigation
Action number
PE06047
Type
Preliminary Evaluation
Open date
2006-10-24
Close date
2007-01-22
Manufacturer
MONACO COACH CORPORATION
Affected makes
HOLIDAY RAMBLER; MONACO COACH
Affected components
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS; TRAILER HITCHES
Affected model years
2001, 2002, 2003
Affected (make, year) variants
32
Summary
ODI OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION AFTER RECEIVING A CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRY AND DETERMINING THE EXISTENCE OF TWO FAILURES.ADDITIONAL REPORTS WERENOTED ON THE INTERNET.THE REPORTS CLAIM THAT THE FRAME EXTENSION LOWER FLANGE IS CRACKING AND ALLOWING THE HITCH TO BEND DOWN TOWARDS THE GROUND.MONACO HAD PREVIOUSLY PRODUCED A SERVICE BULLETIN ADDRESSING THIS MATTER.ODI SENT AN INFORMATION REQUEST TO MONACO AND HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH MONACO OFFICIALS.AS A RESULT,MONACO COACH INC SUBMITTED A 573 AND IS RECALLING THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. MONACO WILL REINFORCE THE FRAME EXTENSION FLANGE WITH TWO PIECES OF ANGLE IRON. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.ODI BELIEVES THAT MONACO'S ACTIONADDRESSES THE PROBLEM.ODI HAS EXCUSED MONACO FROM ANSWERING THE INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER. ODI IS UNAWARE OF THE NUMBER OF FAILURES, IF ANY REPORTED TO MONACO, SINCE THE INFORMATION REQUEST WAS UNANSWERED.