2000 Four Winds Chateau

Routine

Owners filed 8 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the tires › tread/belt. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires › Tread/Belt3
000
Tires › Valve2
000
Visibility › Rearview Mirrors/Devices1
000
Tires1
000
Engine1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer03V449000
Filed Nov 4, 200312,918 vehiclesFour Winds International

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH SAMSUNG MICROWAVE OVENS, THESE OVENS WERE PRODUCED WITH A DEFECTIVE PANEL. AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAN OCCUR BETWEEN CIRCUIT PATTERNS ON THE MEMBRANE PANEL, ESPECIALLY OVERLAPPED BY A "JUMPER" OR JUMP WIRE. THIS MAY CAUSE THE OVEN TO ACTIVATE WITHOUT PRESSING ANY KEY PADS.

Risk. AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAN OCCUR CAUSING THE OVEN TO ACTIVATE WITHOUT PRESSING ANY KEY PADS. THIS COULD RESULT IN EXCESSIVE HEAT, SMOKE, OR POSSIBLY A FIRE.

Remedy. SAMSUNG WILL NOTIFY CUSTOMERS AND REPAIR THE PANEL FREE OF CHARGE. IN THE MEANTIME, CONSUMERS SHOULD UNPLUG THEIR MICROWAVE, IF POSSIBLE. IF THE CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO UNPLUG THE MICROWAVE, THEY SHOULD LEAVE THE DOOR AJAR UNTIL THE PANEL IS REPLACED. CONSUMERS SHOULD NEVER USE THE MICROWAVE OVEN FOR STORAGE OR LEAVE ANY TOWELS, PAPER, CLOTH OR OTHER PRODUCTS IN THE MICROWAVE AFTER USE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SAMSUNG AT 800-932-3837 OR FOUR WINDS AT 1-219-266-1111.

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly01V097003
Filed Mar 30, 20013,150 vehiclesFour Winds International

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN MOTORHOMES EQUIPPED WITH SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLIES PRODUCED BY AM-SAFE. ON SOME SEAT BELTS, THE BUCKLE AND CONNECTOR MAY UNLATCH DURING A COLLISION.

Risk. SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH COULD OCCUR IF THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT IS NOT PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

Remedy. AM-SAFE NOTIFIED FOUR WINDS' CUSTOMERS TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE SEAT BELTS REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 31, 2000. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT AM-SAFE COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AT 219-266-8330 OR FOUR WINDS AT 219-266-1111.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Aug 9, 201643,815 milesOH

NO. 10 SPARK PLUG BLOWOUT AT 60 MPH ON FREEWAY, DAMAGING THE IGNITION COIL, ENGINE BLOCK AND WIRING HARNESS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE SINCE 1997 WITH THE FORD TRITON ENGINE DUE TO A LONG-STANDING SHODDY DESIGN (USE OF STEEL ENGINE BLOCK W/ALUMINIUM INSERTS FOR THE SPARK PLUGS, AND ONLY 4 THREADS FOR THE SPARK PLUGS, INSTEAD OF THE STANDARD 6 THREADS.

Tires
Filed Sep 13, 2004AL

THE CONSUMER FOUND A 4 INCH SPLIT IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE RIGHT INNER TIRE. *NM THE CONSUMER HAD THE TIRE REPLACED AND PUT AIR IN ALL THE TIRES, HOWEVER WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER ALL OF A SUDDEN FELT A VIBRATION AND DISCOVERED THE TREAD CAME OFF THE RIGHT REAR OUTSIDE TIRE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE A USED FIRESTONE TIRE, HOWEVER WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE RIGHT REAR INNER TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT THE SIDE WALL THAT FACED THE INSIDE OF THE OUTER TIRES. THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL THE TIRES WITH BF GOODRICH. *JB

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Sep 19, 200329,000 milesVT

PASSENGER REAR INSIDE DUAL TIRE FAILURE. *JB

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Sep 19, 200327,000 milesVT

FIRESTONE STEELTEX R4S TIRE FAILURE BEFORE SEPARATION OF TREAD. *JB

Tires › Valve
Filed Jun 27, 200313,850 milesMI

TIRE VALVE SYSTEM BLEW OUT AND CAUSED TIRE TO GO FLAT. *MR THE CONSUMER HAD ALL OF THE VALVE STEMS REPLACED WITH STAINLESS STEEL BOLTS. THE CONSUMER FELT THERE SHOULD BE A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT. *SCC *JB

Tires › Valve
Filed Jun 26, 200313,850 milesMI

WHILE DRIVING, THE TWO REAR TIRE VALVES BROKE AND THE TIRES WENT FLAT (FIRESTONE STEEL RADIAL F4S SIZE#LT22575R16-MS, PLEASE PROVIDE THE DOT NUMBER). *NLM. *AK PH *JB

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Dec 3, 2002FL

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION RESULTING IN A BLOWOUT OF TIRE. VEHICLE IS A 1999 FOUR WINDS CHATEAU. TIRE INFO: FIRESTONE 225/75R16 DOT NO.- **PLZ PROVIDE** ORIGINAL TIRES 25,800K MILES ON TIRE INSIDE DUAL ON PASSENGER SIDE

Visibility › Rearview Mirrors/Devices
Filed Oct 3, 2001WI

CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY A FORD DEALERSHIP THE LOWER MIRROR ARM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS GOING TO BREAK LOOSE BECAUSE OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT HAS CAUSED TWO METAL STRESS CRACKS.*JB

8 of 8 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20110100Routine
20100200Routine
20090200Routine
20080100Routine
20063300Routine
20051400Routine
20040300Routine
20031300Routine
20022100Routine
20014200Routine
2000 — this page8200Routine
19991100Routine

Compare every Chateau year →

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: Nov 4, 2003. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.