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Technical Service Bulletins

Yahoo Message Number: 775

I have to share this... it is so pathetic. Last week, 10 months AFTER I buy my Dutchmen, I received a call from Four Winds. Apparently they saw my blog on the exhaust tip cooler, so they called me to tell me that I MUST get the tip cooler installed on my coach. The tech guy said Four Winds had sent the tips out to all their dealers, and my dealer should have it and will install it. Well, my dealer is in Denver, and right now I am in Escondido, California. The coach isn't safe to drive because it can catch fire. So Four winds tells me to call my dealer, have him ship the part to the GM dealer in Escondido where I want the work to be done. Four Winds also faxed me a copy of the TSB with install instructions. I go to the GM dealer because I have to get a bid and get it approved by Four Winds to approve the work, then I pay for the work and Four Winds will reimburse me. The GM dealer says he will not install the cooler as Four Winds instructed because it is too close to the rear duals and can cause the tires to overheat. It is also a few inches from the entry step so anyone could get burned while entering the coach.

Anyway, I call my dealer... their service department knows nothing about the tip cooler or the TSB... I call Giant RV in California...same answer, even though they are Four Winds largest dealer.

Well, this AM I called McMahon's RV in Irvine, CA, another large Four winds dealer. They have never received any tips either, and when I asked if he had the TSB, his answer was that they service 25 manufacturers, and have a fax machine dedicated full time to just receiving TSB's from manufacturers, and they routinely run out of fax paper during the day. . He said there was no way he could even FIND the TSB!

In case you are not familiar with TSB's, they are documents that are issued to correct quality and other issues with products. The automotive industry will often notify you in writing if one is issued. It can sometimes heads off a safety recall by NHTSA if done properly. The RV industry uses them to "replace" a safety recall, such as my "missing" exhaust tip cooler, by issuing it to "meet emission standards."

Denny

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