2005 Holiday Rambler Neptune

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HOLIDAY RAMBLER NEPTUNE RV. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWERVE LEFT AND RIGHT. THERE WAS A LOUD, UNUSUAL POP HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MOVED THE VEHICLE FROM THE ROADWAY AND WAS ASSISTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TRAILING ARM WAS BROKEN AND REAR DRIVER TRAILING ARM WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE TOWED DUE TO THE FAILURE AND WAS HAULED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT AT THE FACILITY WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPLACEMENT OF BOTH TRAILING ARMS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 13,000.

I HAVE A 2005 HOLIDAY RAMBLER NEPTUNE MADE BY MONACO. THE TRAILING ARMS WERE CRACKING. I HAD THEM REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. THE COMPANY IS NOT ASSUMING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE UNDER-ENGINEERED EQUIPMENT. IF THEY HAD BROKEN, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY RECALLED, BUT THE REPAIR WAS INEFFECTIVE. MONACO WAS BOUGHT BY NAVISTAR WHO ASSUMED NONE OF THE LIABILITIES. THIS IS A TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THE ISSUE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 HOLIDAY RAMBLER NEPTUNE MOTORHOME AT APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MILES PER HOUR IT BEGAN TO SHUDDER VIOLENTLY. WHEN I PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE I DISCOVERED THAT BOTH REAR TRAILING ARMS HAD CRACKED OFF CAUSING THE ENTIRE REAR DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY TO SHIFT REARWARD. DAMAGE TO THE MOTORHOME INCLUDED A BENT FRAME RAIL, MOTOR MOUNTS, UNIVERSAL JOINTS, SHOCK ABSORBERS AND BOTH TRAILING ARMS. THESE ARMS WERE INSPECTED IN 2006 AFTER RECEIVING A SAFETY NOTICE FROM HOLIDAY RAMBLER AT WHICH TIME THEY WERE FOUND IN GOOD ORDER. THE PARENT COMPANY OF HOLIDAY RAMBLER, MONACO CORPORATION, WAS GRANTED BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION JUST PRIOR TO MY INCIDENT, THUS DODGING THE LIABILITY ISSUE, HOWEVER THEY WERE ABLE TO SUPPLY REPLACEMENT ARMS AT MY COST. THE ARMS APPEAR TO BE OF THE SAME DESIGN AS THE ORIGINALS THAT FAILED. I AM NOW IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THOSE WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY STRONGER VERSION AS I UNDERSTAND FAILURE OF THE REPLACEMENT ARMS IS IMMINENT. IT IS MY CONCLUSION THAT WHEN MONACO CORPORATION BECAME AWARE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE TRAILING ARM PROBLEM A FULL REPLACEMENT PROGRAM WITH RE-ENGINEERED ARMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTITUTED. IT IS NOT A MATTER OF THE ARMS MAY FAIL, BUT RATHER THEY WILL FAIL AND WITHOUT WARNING. PHOTOS OF THE FAILED PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. *TR