2002 Beaver Coach Patriot Thunder

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the structure. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires1
000
Structure1
000
Service Brakes, Air › Supply › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings1
000
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood1
010

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer08V257000
Filed Jun 5, 20088,587 vehiclesMonaco Coach Corporation

Defect. MONACO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. A FATIGUE FAILURE IN THE SECTION OF THE COOLING UNIT WHICH CONTAINS THE REFRIGERANT COULD ALLOW THE LIQUID SOLUTION TO SLOWLY LEAK.

Risk. EXTENDED OPERATION OF A LEAKING COOLING UNIT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE FROM GAS WHICH MIGHT ESCAPE.

Remedy. MONACO IS WORKING WITH NORCOLD TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS. NORCOLD WILL PROVIDE THERMAL SWITCH KITS TO OWNERS ALONG WITH THE NECESSARY FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 29, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD AT 1-800-767-9101 OR MONACO AT 1-800-685-6545.

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal02V004007
Filed Apr 9, 2002232 vehiclesMonaco Coach Corp.

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL/ACCELERATOR PEDALS SUPPLIED BY WILLIAMS CONTROLS INDUSTRIES, THE WELD ATTACHING THE CLEVIS TO THE PLATE HAS INSUFFICIENT PENETRATION AND COULD ALLOW THE CLEVIS TO SEPARATE FROM THE PLATE.

Risk. IF THE CLEVIS SEPARATED FROM THE PLATE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN USE, THE VEHICLE WOULD RETURN TO IDLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE PEDALS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 9, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MONACO AT 1-800-344-6332 OR WILLIAMS CONTROL AT 1-503-684-8600.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes, Air › Supply › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Filed Mar 5, 200734,000 milesTN

THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LINE WAS CUT BY THE HYDRAULIC JACK FOR THE LEVELING SYSTEM. ALL THE FLUID RAN OUT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. NO BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, SO DRIVER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND DROVE FOR SEVERAL DAYS UNTIL IT WAS FOUND BY INSPECTION. APPARENTLY, THE FRONT BRAKES ARE INDEPENDENT OF THE REAR BRAKES, SO THE PEDAL REMAINED NORMAL WHEN APPLIED. *JB

Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed Sep 15, 2006IL

I HAVE 2002 BEAVER CONTESSA MOTORHOME WITH A 330 CATAPILLAR ENGINE. RECENTLY I EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH MY ALTERNATOR WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A BURNED WIRE IN THE WIRE HARNESS. THE WIRE CONNECTED FROM THE ALTERNATOR I TERMINAL TO THE STARTER RELAY. THE FIRE BURNED SEVERAL OTHER WIRES IN THE HARNESS AND SHORTED THE RADIO AND TWO GAUGES. THE WIRE COMPLETELY BURNED THROUGH BEFORE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE WAS DONE. *JB

Tires
Filed Jul 31, 200620,000 milesCA

DRIVING FROM BULLHEAD CITY TO PALM DESERT ... LEFT HWY 10 AND WAS ON OLD ROUTE 66 WHEN FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES WERE 100 DEGREE PLUS AND THIS HAPPENED AROUND NOON. LUCKILY NO INJURY OR CRASH. TIRE BLEW OUT SIDE PANEL AND WADDED UP MUD FLAP. COULD HAVE BEEN BAD ACCIDENT. THIS BLOW OUT WAS ON A 2002 BEAVER PATRIOT THUNDER MOTORHOME W/455 CAT ENGINE .. TWO SLIDE OUT MODEL (GALLEY AND BEDROOM ON DRIVER SIDE). TIRE: TOYO HYPARADIAL 275/70R22.5 ...TIRES WERE DISPOSED OFF BECAUSE AT TIME COULDN'T FIND ANY RECALL INFO ON THEM...HAVE SINCE FOUND RECALLS BY COUNTRY COACH AND NATIONAL RV FOR INCIDENTS OF FRONT BLOW OUT WITH THIS TYPE TIRE DUE TO WEIGHT PROBLEM I BELIEVE. *NM

Structure
Filed Jul 10, 200638,000 milesTX

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR JACK ON DRIVER SIDE DETACHED DURING AUTOMATIC LEVELING OF THE VEHICLE AND COLLIDED WITH THE DRIVE SHAFT. INSPECTORS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF THE SEPARATION OF THE MOUNTING BRACKET DUE TO SUPERFICIAL AND SPOTTY WELDING. THE MOUNTING BRACKET WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE ROUGH EDGES RESULTING IN POOR CONTACT WITH THE CHASSIS. THE REMAINING JACKS WERE OBSERVED TO BE IN THE SAME CONDITION DUE TO THE IDENTICAL WELDING OF THE DEFECTIVE PART. UPDATED 08/14/06*JB

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1999
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20060100Routine
20050100Routine
20040100Routine
20030100Routine
2002 — this page4210Routine
20014300Routine
20001300Routine
19995400Routine
19980200Routine

Compare every Patriot Thunder year →

Other Beaver Coach models

All Beaver Coach models →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jun 5, 2008. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.