2005 Blue Bird Wanderlodge M450 Lxi

Defect. ON CERTAIN MY 2005-2007 WANDERLODGE 450 LXI MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH ARVIN MERITOR AND TRW TIE ROD ENDS, THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLIES WERE PRODUCED WITH STEEL TUBING THAT DID NOT MEET DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS WHICH COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY WHEN COACH MILEAGE APPROACHES OR EXCEEDS 100,000 MILES. ALSO THE FRONT AXLE CURB WEIGHT MAY EXCEED THE SPECIFIED 16,000 POUNDS WEIGHT RATING.

Risk. THE EXISTING TIE ROD ASSEMBLIES MAY NOT PERFORM AS DESIGNED AND MAY DEFORM OR FRACTURE WHICH MAY REDUCE STEERING CONTROL AND COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. IN ADDITION, INSUFFICIENT FRONT TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE REDUCES THE WEIGHT RATING OF THE FRONT TIRES; AND IMPROPER ALIGNMENT OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION CAN CAUSE PREMATURE TIRE WEAR AND SUBSEQUENT DEGRADATION OF THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF ONE OR BOTH OF THE FRONT TIRES.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT HAND FRONT TIE ROD ENDS ALONG WITH A CERTIFICATION LABEL STATING THE CORRECT WEIGHT LIMITS. APPROPRIATE REPLACEMENT TIRES WILL BE PROVIDED AND THE FRONT STEERING ALIGNMENT WILL BE CHECKED AND CORRECTED, IF NECESSARY. NEW TIRE DATA DECALS WILL ALSO BE SUPPLIED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 14, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BLUE BIRD AT 478-825-2021.

Defect. ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES, A CIRCUIT DESIGN RESULTED IN A 12.1 AMP CIRCUIT DRAW IN THE BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT WHEN IT IS PROTECTED BY A 10 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER.

Risk. THE CURRENT DRAW MAY CAUSE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER TO FAIL RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKE LIGHTS WITH NO WARNING TO THE DRIVER BEFORE OR AFTER THE FUSE BLOWS. A FOLLOWING DRIVER MAY NOT KNOW WHEN THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN APPLIED, AND A REAR-END CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE CIRCUIT TO INCORPORATE RELAYS TO REDUCE CURRENT DRAW IN THE FUSED CIRCUIT TO LESS THAN 10 AMPERES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 2, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BLUE BIRD AT 478-825-2021.

PETITION FOR THE INCOMPLETE, UNSAFE REPAIRS AND MODIFICATION TO THE 2006 BLUE BIRD WANDERLODGE 450 LXI THAT ARE BEING DONE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REMEDY THE CONDITIONS FOR THE NHTSA RECALL. *NJ THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE MOTOR HOME SUCH AS; A FIRE IN THE DASH, A BURNT INVERTER, UNSOLVED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, EXTENSIVE HADLEY SYSTEM PROBLEMS AND A SLIDE OUT PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER STATED THE NEW RESTRICTIONS BLUE BIRD WANTS TO PLACE ON ITS OWNERS WITH REGARDS TO WEIGHT IN BAYS TRAVELING WITH 1/4 WATER AND PASSENGERS RESTRICTIONS IS UNREASONABLE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE DID NOT BUY A MOTORHOME WITH RESTRICTIONS.

THIS LETTER IS AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A FORMAL PETITION REGARDING THE INCOMPLETE, UNSAFE REPAIRS AND MODIFICATIONS TO THE 2005 TO 2007 BLUE BIRD WANDERLODGE 450 LXI THAT ARE BEING DONE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REMEDY THE CONDITIONS OF THE NHTSA RECALL. THE ORIGINAL RECALL, 07V586000, INDICATED THAT THE FRONT AXLE ON THE 450 LXI COULD BE OVERWEIGHT. BLUE BIRD STATED IN SUBSTANCE THAT ITS RV WAS OVERWEIGHT ON THE FRONT AXLE WITHOUT CARGO BUT WITH THE STANDARD 4 PASSENGERS AND FULL WATER (USING PRE-2008 DEFINITION OF CCC). THE TIRE SAFETY FACTOR WAS NOT AN ISSUE IN THE RECALL BUT SURFACED WITH THE LATER COMPLAINT. THE TIE ROD WEAKNESS WAS NOT A CAUSE OF THE RECALL BUT WAS A RESULT OF THE NEED TO INCREASE THE AXLE RATING. (I.E. IT WAS ONE OF THE REMEDIES). THE TIE RODS WERE SAFE AT AN AXLE LOAD OF 16,000 LBS AND NO TIE ROD RECALL WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IF THE 16,000 LB. AXLE WAS SUFFICIENT AS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED. THE RECALL WAS BASED ON THE AXLE BEING IN EXCESS OF ITS RATING AND THE MOTORHOME COULD NOT BE SAFELY USED WITH REASONABLE LOADING AND DESIGNED PURPOSE OF THE VEHICLE. IN DOING THE MANY LEVELS OF 'FIXES', BLUE BIRD HAS FOUND IT NECESSARY TO REDUCE THE 'NO CARGO', WEIGHT OF THE MOTORHOME IN ORDER SHOW AN APPARENT DECREASED FRONT AXLE LOAD AND TO SHOW SOME CAPACITY IN THE STORAGE COMPARTMENTS. THE UNLOADED WEIGHT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO A NON-STANDARD, 2 PASSENGERS AND 1/4 TANK OF FRESH WATER. (RIVA) THE NEW BAY WEIGHT LIMIT PLACARDS ARE MISLEADING IN THAT THEY DO