2003 Thor California Tahoe

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the tires. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires2
000
Trailer Hitches1
104
Tires › Tread/Belt1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer › Lpg Systems › Furnace06V208000
Filed Jun 13, 200664,000 vehiclesThor California Inc.

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRAVEL AND FIFTH WHEEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH SUBURBAN AND ATWOOD FURNACES, THE FURNACE EXHAUST VENT WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. THE FURNACE EXHAUST VENT WILL ALLOW LEAKAGE OF FUMES WHICH CONTAIN COMBUSTION PRODUCTS, INCLUDING A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF POTENTIALLY LETHAL CARBON MONOXIDE GAS.

Risk. FUMES COULD ENTER INTO THE TRAILER AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy. OWNERS WILL RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS ON INSPECTING THE FURNACE VENT. IF AN OWNER BELIEVES THE VENT IS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, IS NOT SURE HOW TO INSPECT THE FURNACE EXHAUST VENT, OR NEEDS ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THE FURNACE EXHAUST VENT INSTALLATION INSPECTED AND CORRECTED, OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT THOR IMMEDIATELY AT 1-877-870-2638 OR VIA THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.THORCA.COM. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 15, 2006.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe03V178000
Filed May 19, 200373 vehiclesThor California, Inc.

Defect. ON CERTAIN FIFTH WHEEL AND TRAVEL TRAILERS, THE TAILPIPE USED TO RELEASE THE EXHAUST FROM THE GENERATOR WAS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO REACH THE SIDE OF THE TRAILER. THOR MODIFIED THE TAILPIPE BY PLACING AN EXTENSION ON THE TAILPIPE. AS A RESULT, THE GENERATOR'S EXHAUST MAY BE RELEASED UNDER THE TRAILER AT THE POINT OF THE MODIFICATION.

Risk. THE TAILPIPE EXHAUST NEEDS TO BE RELEASED AWAY FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRAILER.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING TAILPIPE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 13, 2003. 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 THOR CALIFORNIA AT 1-888-697-8467, EXTENSION 215.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Tires
Filed Jul 30, 2006CA

WE WERE DRIVING TO SPOKANE WASHINGTON FROM PHELAN CALIF. WHEN WE HAD A TIRE TREAD COME OFF PASSENGER FRONT OF DUAL AXLE THORE TRANSPORT 5TH WHEEL TRAILER. RIPPING OFF FENDER SKIRT. I PUT SPARE ON AND 28 MILES LATER PASSENGER REAR TIRE HAD A BLOW OUT. TIRES HAD MAYBE 1500 MILES ON THEM. THIS HAPPENED IN REDDING CALI. I WAS NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY MORE CHANCES, SO I BOUGHT FOUR NEW TIRES. THE MAN AT THE TIRE STORE SAID HE COULD NOT VISIBLY SEE THE CAUSE OF THE BLOW OUT OR THE TREAD COMING OFF. TIRES WERE INFLATED TO PROPER PSI. TRAILER WAS NOT OVER LOADED. NO WATER IN WATER TANKS. TIRES ARE COVERED WHEN NOT IN USE. AVERAGE SPEED WAS 55 MPH. I FEEL THAT THESE TIRES ARE UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *JB

Tires
Filed Dec 5, 20041,200 milesCA

CONTACTED CARLILSE TIRE ON 8/11/04 OPENED CLAIM ON TIRES DELAMINATING. ON 9/5/04 TWO TIRES DID BLOWOUT CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO MY RV. 10/5/04 RECEIVED FIVE NEW TIRES FROM CARLILSE TIRE. I DO NOT WANT THESE TIRES ON MY RV AND I SEEM TO BE STUCK WITH THEM. ITS GOING TO COST OVER ONE THOSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE THESE TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND. *AK

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Aug 20, 20043,000 milesAZ

IN JUNE 2002 I BOUGHT NEW FROM THE FACTORY A THOR TAHOE TRANSPORT 33' FIFTH WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH MERIT ALL COUNTRY RADIALS SIZE, LT235/85R16 E. UP UNTIL THE FAILURE I HAD PUT ABOUT 3000 MILES ON THE TIRES, TYPICALLY TRAVELING ABOUT 150 MILES PER TRIP, ONE WAY. THE VEHICLE IS RATED AT 11400 GVW. I RUN ABOUT 10200 LBS TOTAL WEIGHT. ON AUGUST 14, 2004 I WAS RETURNING FROM A 131 MILE TRIP. AT ABOUT 1:30 P.M. AFTER TRAVELLING ABOUT 100 MILES, WHILE TRAVELLING AT 60 MPH ON I-17, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED NEAR THE TOWN OF NEW RIVER, NORTH OF PHOENIX. THE TIRE HELD AIR BUT THE ENTIRE TREAD PEELED OFF. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY SAFELY AND REPLACE WITH A SPARE BEFORE CONTINUING. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE UNDERBELLY PROTECTIVE BLANKET AND THE SIDE SKIRT OF THE TRAILER. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED ALL THE TIRES AND HAVE THE FAILED TIRE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *AK

Trailer HitchesCrash4 injured
Filed Mar 24, 2004500 milesCA

2003 THOR TAHOE TRAVEL TRAILER TONGUE/COUPLER FAILED ON FEBRUARY 14, 2004. THE TRAILER HAD LESS THAN 500 MILES ON IT. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM MARJON RV IN RIVERSIDE IN APRIL 2003. THE TRAILER WAS ATTACHED TO OUR 2000 FORD EXCURSION WITH A WEIGHT DISTRIBUTING HITCH THAT WAS INSTALLED BY MARJON RV. THE ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *JB

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2006
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20068200Routine
20053400Routine
20041200Routine
2003 — this page4200Routine
20021200Routine
20011200Routine
20001200Routine
19990100Routine
19980100Routine
19970100Routine

Compare every Tahoe 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: Jun 13, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.