2004 Coachmen Chaparral

Defect. COACHMEN IS RECALLING 37,293 MOTORHOMES AND FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION. THE REFRIGERATOR MAY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE BOILER TUBE. PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION COULD BE RELEASED INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.

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

Remedy. COACHMEN IS WORKING WITH DOMETIC IN ORDER TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 08E032). DOMETIC WILL REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS BY INSTALLING A SECONDARY BURN HOUSING, A THERMAL FUSE, AND A MELT FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. DOMETIC HAS RETAINED STERICYCLE INC. TO MANAGE THIS CAMPAIGN. STERICYCLE WILL ASSIST THE OWNER IN LOCATING DEALERSHIPS OR SERVICE CENTERS AND WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC/STERICYCLE AT 1-888-446-5157 OR COACHMEN AT 574-825-5821.

I HAD TWO CARLISLE TIRES BLOW OUT IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. THE TIRES WERE INSTALLED ALONG WITH 2 OTHERS ON MY 2004 COACHMEN CHAPAREL BY A TIRE DEALER IN NOVEMBER, 1907. THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER SPECIFIED ST 225/75R15, LOAD RATING D TIRES, BUT THE TIRES I PURCHASED ARE ST 225/75R15 LOAD RATING E. THE FIRST TIRE BLEW LAST FALL ON A TWO-LANE STATE HIGHWAY CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER. THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT OF THE TIRE BUT THE SIDEWALLS. THE SECOND TIRE BLEW THIS JANUARY, 2011 ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 10, CAUSING SOME DAMAGE TO THE TRIM AT THE TIRE WELL. THE TIRE WAS INTACT WITH A LARGE HOLE IN THE SIDEWALL. THE REPAIRMAN SAID THE TIRE WAS FAULTY AND THE BLOW OUT WAS NOT CAUSED BY A ROAD HAZARD. IN BOTH OF THESE CASES THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS CHECKED BEFORE THE TRIP AND HAD 80 PSI WHICH IS RECOMMENDED FOR 2830 LB LOAD AT 65 MPH. I WAS DRIVING 55-60 MPH IN BOTH CASES. I PULLED THIS TRAILER TO ALASKA IN 2004 (AROUND 12,000 MILES) AND TO NOVA SCOTIA IN 2007 (AROUND 5,000 MILES) AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH AMERICAN MADE TIRES. TRAILER TIRES MADE IN CHINA AND TAIWAN ARE THE ONLY ONES AVAILABLE, THESE ARE A HAZARD TO THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC, INCLUDING THOSE SHARING THE HIGHWAY AND THOSE IN THE TOWING VEHICLES. *TR