SamAlert! NHTSA Vehicle Recall - Coachmen Pursuit, Mirada, Encounter

[LLVanB]

Got this email today from Good Sam:

An NHTSA Recall was found for your vehicle.

NHTSA Campaign ID: 15V576000

Manufacturer: Forest River, Inc.
Model Year: 2013
Make: COACHMEN
Model: Encounter
Recall Date: 20150916
Component: TRAILER HITCHES

Potential # of
Units Affected: 3804

Summary:

Forest River, Inc., (Forest River) is recalling certain 2011-2016 Coachmen Pursuit, Mirada, and Encounter motorhomes manufactured from March 1, 2011, through September 11, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the trailer hitch attaching bolts and nuts may not have been properly tightened, allowing the hitch to detach during use.

Consequence:

If the trailer hitch partially or fully detaches from the motorhome while it is towing a vehicle, a loss of vehicle control could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy:

Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will install a new fastener kit, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on November 12, 2015. Owners West of the Mississippi River may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-825-8317. Owners East of the Mississippi River may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-825-8305. Forest River's campaign number for this recall is 310-09112015-0086.

[redneck 92]

Thanks for the heads up!

[aceinspp]

Good info glade it does not pertain to my unit. Later RJD

[Duckogram]

Thanks to the OP for the timely info. There is a duplicate subsequent post with some discussion on the recall where suggested remedy can be "problematic". So I will begin with this excerpt from NHTSA;
"How will I be notified if a recall is ordered or initiated?

Within a reasonable time after the determination of a safety defect or noncompliance, manufacturers must notify, by first-class mail, all registered owners and purchasers of the affected vehicles of the existence of the problem and give an evaluation of its risk to motor vehicle safety. The manufacturer must explain to consumers the potential safety hazards presented by the problem. Names of vehicle owners are obtained from State motor vehicle offices. The letter must also instruct consumers on how to get the problem corrected, remind them that corrections are to be made at no charge, inform them when the remedy will be available, how long the remedy will take to perform, and whom to contact if there is a problem in obtaining the free recall work. If you do not receive a letter of notification from the vehicle manufacturer but think that your vehicle might be involved in a recall campaign, call the Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 or 800-424-9393, visit the NHTSA Home | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Web site, or contact the manufacturer or your dealer."

Please keep in mind that your VIN represents your Ford chassis and this is not a Ford recall so you will get nowhere with a VIN search.

Coachmen should know which units are subject to this campaign. I suggest waiting for your notification before any action is considered for one simple reason, LIABILITY.

I estimate it will cost me over $65.00 to take my 2014 back to the dealer for this recall. That does not consider my time or the inconvenience. If you consider the liability you will be assuming if you DIY or do nothing, that is a small price to pay.

I am not saying that the OP's solution posted in the other thread is not an effective "fix".
All I am suggesting is that you should consider the broader scope of your action. It is all about self preservation.

ResQFrog,
I would like to know who told you that you would have to have the unit "inspected" first and then brought back for the repair. That does not sound right.

Meanwhile, I'll wait for the letter and not tow now that I have knowledge of a possible defect.

If anyone obtains additional info or has completed the recall, I for one, would greatly appreciate any additional light you can shine on the subject.

[Duckogram]

Update: Received my recall notice from FR in the mail on Tuesday. This morning I called the closest FR dealer to me, Dream RV in Ft Myers, who is not a Coachmen dealer. The service dept was good with doing the work and need only have a weeks notice to get it in. They estimated it would be under 30 minutes. That is less time than it takes for me to get there.

[Hugh R]

Got my notice on the recall. I'll call Camping World which is one exit down the freeway and see if they'll do it. If not, I'll consider stopping by the dealer in Ventura, CA if they still exist, on a trip north and see if they can do it on my trip with minimal downtime. I agree, I could torque it myself, but for liability reasons, I'd prefer them to do it.

[Chuck.C]

Thanks for the notice. I haven't gotten my recall letter yet, but have a problem. When I returned from a trip a couple days ago, I noticed the tow bar hanging lower than usual, so I removed it and looked at the hitch assembly. Rear right nut was missing, which caused the tow frame to bend down, and this also caused the other side to bend past the left rear nut. This was close to being a disaster. So now I'm trying to reach FR about this. Looks like I need a whole new frame, not just a fixit kit, that I fully expect FR to take care of.

[Chuck.C]

Pictures of my problem

[Chuck.C]

I contacted Nate Hodges at Coachmen this morning. They basically took one look at the pictures and approved a replacement tow bar. Great work, Coachmen!