Complaint 1406812

Complaint Summary

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Owner Narrative

ON AUGUST 9TH, 2017 WE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FIRE UPON STARTING OUR 2016 NEWMAR DUTCHSTAR MOTORHOME. ON SEPTEMBER 7TH, 2017 THE FIRE INVESTIGATORS REPRESENTING NATIONAL INTERSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY, NEWMAR CORPORATION, FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM CHASSIS CORPORATION AND CUMMINS ENGINE DID THEIR INVESTIGATION WHICH MY HUSBAND ATTENDED. ALL PRESENT CONCURRED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE MATCHED WHAT WAS DESCRIBED IN NEWMAR RECALL 16V809 (FREIGHTLINER IMPROPERLY ROUTED THE POWER STEERING HOSE TOO CLOSE TO THE STARTER SO THAT IT RUBS ON THE STARTER LUG. THE ABRASION RESULTS IN A SHORT CIRCUIT, AN ELECTRICAL ARC, AND A POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK RESULTING IN A FIRE THAT ALSO BURNS THROUGH THE DIESEL FUEL LINE FURTHER FUELING THE FIRE.) THIS RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE THE THE MANUFACTURE DATE OF OUR MOTORHOME AND THEREFORE WE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS RECALL. OUR COACH WAS MANUFACTURED IN THE SUMMER OF 2015 AND THE RECALL MANUFACTURE START DATE WAS JANUARY 2016. IF WE HAD BEEN PART OF THE RECALL OUR LIVES AND PROPERTY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PUT AT RISK! THE RECKLESS DISREGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF COACH OWNERS, DEMONSTRATED BY NEWMAR AND FREIGHTLINER, BY NOT INCLUDING OUR COACH IN THIS RECALL IS UNCONSCIONABLE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE COACHES WITH THIS FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS. IF THIS FIRE OCCURRED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY HUSBAND AND I MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED IN ADDITION TO OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROAD AROUND US.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.