2000 Monaco Coach Monaco

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTOR HOMES 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 MONACO' 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.

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE CONSUMER CAN STRONGLY SMELL PROPANE FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY WILL OVERHEAT AND WILL CAUSE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS. *AK

THE HOT WATER HEATER WAS TESTED WITH A CO METER, IT TESTED TO 70 PARTS PER MILLION IN 15 SECONDS WHILE ON PROPANE, MODEL NUMBER GC10A-32, SPEC NUMBER 113069, SERIAL NUMBER 94113043860, CONSUMER WAS ADVISED NOT TO USE THE WATER HEATER ON PROPANE. *SLC

WHEN WE FIRST PURCHASED THE COACH, IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 8" OF FREE PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL, BEFORE IT HAD ANY EFFECT ON THE DIRECTION OF THE FRONT TIRES. MONACO SENT ME TO A LINEUP SHOP IN EUGENE OR BY THE NAME OF KAISER. THEY REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR BOX, EXPLAINING TO ME THAT THE "SHEPHARD" GEAR BOXES ARE OF VERY POOR QUALITY. THE NEW GEAR BOX REDUCED THE FREE PLAY TO APPROXIMATELY 4" OF FREE PLAY. THIS IS A 50% IMPORVEMENT, BUT STILL NOT VERY GOOD. SINCE THE FRONT WHEELS HAVE SOME DISTANCE TO TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT CONTROL, THE COACH WILL WONDER TOWARD ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO CORRECT IT, YOU GET NO RESPONSE UNTIL YOU PASS THE FEE PLAY. THEN, THE FRONT WHEELS TURN NOT ONLY THE AMOUNT THE STEERING WHEEL FINALLY DICTATED, BUT THEY FLOP OVER THE FULL EXTEND OF THE FREE PLAY, AND YOU SHOOT OFF IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THIS IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL WHEN PASSING A SEMI-TRUCK. WHEN I TOOK THE COACH INTO ONE OF THE MONACO DEALERS A FEW WEEKS AGO, MONACO INSTRUCTED THE DEALER TO REMOVE THE STEERING GEAR LUBRICANT AND REPLACE IT WITH MOTOR OIL. WHEN I FIRST CONTACT MONACO REGARDING THIS ISSUE, THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO TALK TO A CERTAIN PERSON, BECAUSE HE WAS HANDLING ALL OF THE SHEPHARD PROBLEMS. APPARENTLY, MONACO KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS CRITICAL COMPONENT, AND CHOOSES NOT TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

CONSUMER HEARD A SCRAPPING NOISE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND NOTICED TONGUE THAT HOOKS TO THE VEHICLE,HAD BUCKLED IN HALF. STEEL WAS UNDER DESIGNED FOR SIZE OF TRAILER. CONSUMER STATED IT WAS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

WHEN FILLING UP GAS TANK PRESSURE BUILDS UP, AND CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO FILL TANK ALL THE WAY. CAN ONLY PUT ABOUT 2/3 TANK FULL. FORD HAS NOT SAID WHEN THIS PROBLEM WILL BE RESOLVED. *AK *ML

CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED THE WIPERS ENGAGED AND THE AIR HORN BLEW, COULD NOT SHUT THEM OFF. CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGING WHEN BACKING UP THE VEHICLE. CRUISE DISENGAGED WHEN HITTING BRAKES AND REENGAGED AS SOON AS FOOT IS TAKEN OFF THE BRAKES, SHORT WAS DISCOVERED IN STEERING COLUMN, DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. REQUIRING A LARGE SPRING TO BE INSULATED, MODEL IS WINDSOR