2005 Alfa Gold

Defect. CERTAIN MOTOR HOME CHASSIS BUILT ON FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS AND EQUIPPED WITH ZF MODEL 8018 STEERING GEARS, THESE GEARS MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH THE INCORRECT RECIRCULATING BALL SPACER. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY ALLOW THE RECIRCULATING BALLS TO ESCAPE FROM THE RECIRCULATING BALL CIRCUIT RESULTING IN A LOSS OF STEERING.

Risk. THE OPERATOR MAY NOTICE HIGHER REQUIRED STEERING WHEEL INPUTS, OR THE NEED FOR MORE STEERING WHEEL ADJUSTMENTS WHILE DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE IN COMBINATION WITH METALLIC CRACKING NOISES PRIOR TO A LOSS OF STEERING. LOSS OF STEERING COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. ALFA LEISURE IS WORKING WITH FREIGHTLINER AND ZF TO REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR FREE OF CHARGE (PLEASE SEE 07V343 AND 07E049). OWNERS MAY CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712 OR ALFA LEISURE AT 1-800-373-3372.

DAD: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 ALFA LEISURE INCORPORATED MODEL 303 FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER. HE OWNED THIS TRAILER FOR 120 DAYS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE INADEQUATE. THE TRAILER WEIGHED 18,500 POUNDS. WHEN THE BRAKES BECAME HOT THEY DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER ALMOST HAD THREE ACCIDENTS WITHIN THE LAST 90 DAYS. IT OCCURRED WHILE ON VACATION AND DRIVING AT 25 MPH. THE CONSUMERS FRIEND WAS PULLING A TRAILER BEHIND HIM AND THE BRAKES WERE SMOKING/GETTING HOT AND WERE ABOUT TO MALFUNCTION, THE CONSUMER HAS ANOTHER FRIEND THAT PURCHASED A SIMILAR TRAILER AND THE BRAKES FAILED BECAUSE THEY OVERHEATED. THIS PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR ON LEVEL GROUND, BUT HAD TO WORK THE BRAKES HARD WHILE COMING DOWN A HILL FOR A PERIOD. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PUT IN BIG ENOUGH BRAKES FOR THIS TRAILER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND DID NOT WANT TO FIX THIS TRAILER BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIX ALL TRAILERS. THE HEAD OF THE WARRANTY DEPARTMENT TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO SET A PRECEDENT BY REPAIRING THESE TRAILERS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO SHOW THAT THEY WERE LIABLE. THERE ARE THREE AXLES UNDER THIS TRAILER WEIGHING 6000 POUNDS.*AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT THE BRAKES WERE TOO SMALL FOR THE RV. *JB