2010 Peterson Excel Wild Cargo

Defect. PETERSON INDUSTRIES IS RECALLING CERTAIN FIFTH WHEEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH 1200-SERIES NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. THE POPULATION OF REFRIGERATORS BEING ADDRESSED CONTAINS EITHER A SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A POTENTIAL FIRE. THE RESPONSE TIMES OF THE SENSOR ALGORITHM AND THERMAL SWITCH DEVICES TO STOP POWER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT.

Risk. THE SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH INSTALLED TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED DUE TO A POSSIBLE HYDROGEN GAS LEAK MAY NOT SHUT OFF IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO PREVENT A FIRE.

Remedy. PETERSON INDUSTRIES IS WORKING WITH NORCOLD TO IDENTIFY AND NOTIFY ANY AFFECTED OWNERS. OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT NORCOLD DEALERS TO RECEIVE THE REMEDY FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE SEE NORCOLD'S DEFECT REPORT 10E-049 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 12, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD AT 1-800-767-9101 OR PETERSON INDUSTRIES AT 1-785-282-6825.

TRAVELING I90 WEST, APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES EAST OF SHERIDAN, WYO, I HAD A WARNING MESSAGE THAT INDICATED MY TRAILER BRAKES WERE DISCONNECTED. AFTER SAFELY PARKING, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PLASTIC WHEEL COVER HAD MELTED. I CONTACTED A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHO IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILED WHEEL BEARING. THE BEARINGS WERE LCI "NEVER LUBE BEARINGS", AND THERE IS NO WAY TO MAINTAIN OR SERVICE THEM. SINCE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AXLE, THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE BEARING, BUT WAS TOLD BY THE AXLE MANUFACTURER (LIPPERT COMPONENTS, INC) THAT THE BEARINGS WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE AXLE USED A NON-STANDARD SIZE BEARING, SO THERE WERE NO OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE EXCEPT TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE AXLE. TO MINIMIZE MY RISK OF ADDITIONAL FAILURES, I DECIDED TO REPLACE ALL 3 AXLES. WHILE INSTALLING THE NEW AXLES, THE TECH DISCOVERED THAT 2 OTHER BEARINGS ON ANOTHER AXLE WERE NEAR FAILURE. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, AN RV LIKE MINE ARRIVED IN THE RV PARK. THE OWNER HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE WITH HIS LCI AXLES. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IN SOME OF THE RV COMMUNITY FORUMS HAS SHOWN THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE THESE NON-SERVICEABLE PARTS HAVE FAILED. HTTP://WWW.IRV2.COM/FORUMS/F116/LIPPERT-AXLES-ARE-A-POS-189426.HTML HTTP://WWW.TURBODIESELREGISTER.COM/THREADS/251504-LIPPERT-TRAILER-AXLE-BEARINGS THERE ARE MANY OTHER EXAMPLES OF THESE FAILURES. LCI COMPONENTS ARE USED ON MANY RVS, AND SINCE THESE "NEVER LUBE" BEARINGS CANNOT BE MAINTAINED (OR EVEN REPLACED FOR LESS THAN $650 PER AXLE