2005 Airstream CLASSIC: complaints, problems and recalls

DT: TWO CAR HAULER, MID AMERICA MFG., INC. ROUTE 1 BOX 875 BERTRAND, MO. 63823 CUSTOM BUILT TRAILER WHICH HAD VARIOUS SAFETY PROBLEMS SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE. POOR WELDING, TIRES, INAPPROPRIATE LIGHTING, HAND JACK WAS NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE WEIGHT LOAD. NO LICENCE PLATE HOLDER. UNDERSIZED WHEEL WELLS. NO SAFETY REFLECTOR. SUSPENSION NOT EQUIPPED FOR WEIGHT LOAD. MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM. THE TRAILER WAS PURCHASED FROM THE INTERNET. IT WAS PAID FOR IT WITHOUT SEEING IT IN PERSON. ALL PROBLEMS WERE NOTICED AFTER…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10121418 at NHTSA ↗

DT: WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE TWO RIGHT TIRES BLEW OUT. THERE WAS NO WARNING, NO BULGE OR NOISE FROM THE TIRES. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH THE SAME TYPE OF TIRES. THEN THE OWNER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THERE WAS A STICKER ON FRONT OF TRAILER WHICH STATED THE TRAILER SHOULD HAVE 225 TIRES ON IT AND THE TRAILER WAS SOLD WITH 205 TIRES ON IT. ALSO, DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE STICKER WAS WRONG. THE MANUFACTURER DID RECOGNIZE THE CONCERN AND SENT THE OWNER BACK TO DEALER. OWNER DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE TRAILER SINCE THE AXLES WERE BENT…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10127444 at NHTSA ↗

DT: CONSUMER STATES THAT DUTCHMEN THOR PRODUCES A CAMPER, TAB, AND THEY HAVE AN ALCO BRAKE SYSTEM THAT THEY HAVE MODIFIED. THEY STATE IT HAS NOT BEEN MODIFIED. ACCORDING TO ALCO IN UNITED KINGDOM, THE COMPANY IS SETTING UP THE SYSTEM WRONG ON THE VEHICLE. WHEN HE TRIES TO GET INFORMATION FROM DUTCHMEN THOR THEY SEND HIM THE MANUAL FOR THE GERMAN BRAKE SYSTEM. ON THE TOE SHAFT, THE DAMPENING UNIT, IT IS SUPPOSE TO SLIDE BACK AND HIT AN OVERRUN LEVER THAT IS HOW IT IS BEING SET UP IN THE US. ON THE MANUAL, THERE IS NO CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10128348 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE ARE MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THE RV. DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER TO CUT OUT THE CO2 DETECTION. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE UNIT. THERE IS NO GAS OR CO2 DETECTION IN IT. THE SENSORS HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED BECAUSE THE ALARMS GO OFF, AND THEY WON'T FIX THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER STATES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT THE ALARMS WOULD GO OFF AND THEY COULD NOT SLEEP. HE CONTACTED ALPHA AND THE DEALERSHIP, THEY WILL NOT HELP. THIS STARTED IN APRIL ,AND THEN OCCURRED AGAIN IN JUNE. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10130370 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE SOME COMPLAINTS THAT THE DEALER IS INVESTIGATING. MY MAIN COMPLAINT IS THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS LISTED FOR THIS MODEL AND POSSIBLY THIS YEAR ON ANOTHER WEBSITE THAT I ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT AFTER RECENTLY BUYING MY VEHICLE. I HAVE POSTED A MESSAGE THERE ABOUT THIS SITE SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT. IT IS: HTTP://FORUMS.CLUBRSX.COM/FORUMDISPLAY.PHP?F=55 ALSO, YOUR SECURE WEBFORM IS BROKEN. YOU CANNOT REPORT AUTOMOBILE COMPLAINTS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10132333 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON INSPECTION OF THE TIRES BLISTERS WERE NOTICED ON THE SIDEWALLS OF ALL FOUR TIRES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN ALERTED

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156368 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-10-25 (October 25, 2004)

ON CERTAIN MOTORHOMES, THE OUTER WHEEL BEARING IN THE HUB OF THE AXLE MAY FAIL, LEADING TO UNEXPECTED SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL FROM THE AXLE. THIS FAILURE MAY BE DUE TO AN INADEQUATE AMOUNT OF GREASE IN THE HUB ASSEMBLY OR THE GREASE IN THE HUB MAY BREAK DOWN UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS INTO A LIQUID THAT INADEQUATELY LUBRICATES THE OUTER BEARING. INADEQUATE LUBRICATION OF THE OUTER BEARING CAN BEGIN A CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT COULD LEAD TO WHEEL SEPARATION.

Consequence: SEPARATION OF ONE OR MORE WHEELS FROM THE TRAILER COULD CAUSE THE TRAILER TO HANDLE ERRATICALLY OR GO OUT OF CONTROL. A LOST WHEEL COULD ALSO STRIKE AN ONCOMING OR FOLLOWING VEHICLE CAUSING A CRASH, RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OF DEATH TO THOSE INVOLVED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE UNIT AND REMOVE THE WHEELS, INSPECT THE HUBS, INNER AND OUTER BEARINGS, RACES AND GREASE SEALS. IF NECESSARY, REPLACE PARTS AND REPACK THE WHEEL BEARING WITH HIGH TEMPERATURE GREASE AND REINSTALL THE HUB AND WHEELS. THE RECALL BEGAN NOVEMBER 4, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT AIRSTREAM AT 1-877-596-6505.

Reported: 2008-07-21 (July 21, 2008)

AIRSTREAM IS RECALLING 4,450 MY 2004-2007 SAFARI, INTERNATIONAL, INTERSTATE, LAND YACHT, CLASSIC, MY 2004-2006 SKYDECK, AND MY 2006 PARKWAY TRAVEL TRAILERS AND MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION. THE REFRIGERATOR MAY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE BOILER TUBE. PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION COULD BE RELEASED INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.

Consequence: IF THIS SOLUTION IS EXPOSED TO AN IGNITION SOURCE UNDER CERTAIN SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES, IT CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: AIRSTREAM IS WORKING WITH DOMETIC TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 08E032). DOMETIC WILL REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS BY INSTALLING A SECONDARY BURN HOUSING, A THERMAL FUSE, AND A MELT FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. DOMETIC HAS RETAINED STERICYCLE INC. TO MANAGE THIS CAMPAIGN. STERICYCLE WILL ASSIST THE OWNER IN LOCATING DEALERSHIPS OR SERVICE CENTERS AND WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC/STERICYCLE AT 1-888-446-5157 OR AIRSTREAM AT 1-937-596-6111.

Reported: 2010-07-22 (July 22, 2010)

AIRSTREAM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2009 CLASSIC TRAVEL TRAILERS MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 2005 THROUGH APRIL 2009 AND EQUIPPED WITH HYDRAULIC BRAKE CONTROLLER BY ACTIVE TECHNOLOGIES. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE BRAKE CONTROLLER CAN FAIL UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSING THE BRAKES ON THE TRAILER TO LOCK UP OR TO FAIL COMPLETELY.

Consequence: THE LOCKING OF THE BRAKES OR BRAKE FAILURE COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL THAT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH AND POSSIBLE SERIOUS INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE CONTROLLER AND IF FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE IT WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING AUGUST 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AIRSTREAM AT 937-596-6111.