2001 Four Winds Four Winds 5000

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.

MY 2001 FOUR WINDS 5000 MOTOR HOME EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE MAIN DOOR LOCK MECHANISM MANUFACTURED BY TRIMARK CORPORATION ON FRIDAY 6/1/18. THE DOOR LOCK IS TRIMARK MODEL #060-0650. THE FAILURE MODE RESULTED IN THE DOOR TO BE LOCKED SHUT FROM BOTH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE RV. THE INTERNAL COMPONENT THAT FAILED IS THE "PLUNGER" THAT IS MADE FROM DIE-CAST ZINC, NOT STEEL. THE PLUNGER FAILED IN A MANNER THAT MADE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO EXTRACT THE PLUNGER FROM THE DOOR STRIKER PLATE, WHICH IN TURN MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN DOOR FROM EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO OPEN WAS TO REMOVE THE FACE PLATE ON THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND LITERALLY CUT AWAY WITH A DREMEL TOOL AND DRILL MOTOR ENOUGH MATERIAL SURROUNDING THE BROKEN PLUNGER TO BE ABLE TO GRAB THE PLUNGER WITH A NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS AND EXTRACT IT FROM THE DOOR STRIKER PLATE (SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS). IT TOOK OVER TWO HOURS TO COMPLETE THIS EFFORT TO OPEN THE DOOR. NOTE IN THE PHOTOS THE DESIGN OF THE BROKEN PLUNGER, WITH THE 1/2" THICK END MATED WITH THE .095" THIN END, ALL MADE OUT OF ZINC POT METAL. SUCH AN INFERIOR DESIGN SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN RELEASED INTO THE MARKETPLACE, KNOWING FULL WELL THE FAILURE MODE WAS FOR THE DOOR TO BE LOCKED FROM BOTH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS PURE NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF TRIMARK CORPORATION FOR THE ZINC VERSION OF THE PLU

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER CONCERNING MR5493G SAMSUM MICROWAVE IN DECEMBER 2003. THE RECALL NOTICE LISTED PHONE NUMBER 1-610-406-4062, BUT WHEN CALLED, NO ONE ANSWERED.*AK