2000 Monaco Coach DIPLOMAT: complaints, problems and recalls

THIS 2000 MONACO, DIPLOMAT MOTOR HOME HAS BEEN INHALING EXHAUST, ROAD DIRTY ETC. MAINLY THROUGH THE REAR CAP AREA, SINCE THE UNIT WAS NEW. THE FIRST SIGN WAS AN OILY STAIN IN THE CEILING AREA MOSTLY AROUND CABINETS. FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MONTHS THE FACTORY TOLD ME THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND UNTIL I FORCED THE ISSUE IN THE FALL OF 2001, I DID NOT GET THE ANSWER. THE UNIT HAD NOT BEEN SEALED AT THE FACTORY. IT WAS SEALED IN 2001 THOUGH NEVER TESTED, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES AS OF TODAY! THE UNIT HAD AN ENVIRONMENTAL TEST IN OCTOBER…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016239 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH AND WITH NO WARNING FRONT RIGHT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOWOUT, AND DAMAGE THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED IN DECEMBER 2002. ON JUNE 14 2003, WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH , LEFT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING A BLOWOUT. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER, AND TOWED THE MOTOR HOME. GOODYEAR G159, SIZE R255/70 R22.5. THERE ARE A POLICE REPORT AND PICTURES. *AK *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10037738 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE RV'S WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND BECAME LOOSE. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AFTER A YEAR OF OPERATION. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED AT A VEHICLE GLASS SHOP. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE WINDSHIELD FAILURE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD MOVED OVER AN INCH. UPDATED 09/20/06. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10166802 at NHTSA ↗

ON 10/15/02 WHILE DRIVING MY RV TO A CAMPGROUND, I DETECTED A VERY STRONG ODOR OF ANTIFREEZE INSIDE THE RV AND NOTICED WETNESS ON THE CARPET NEAR THE FIRE WALL. IT RENDERED THE DEFROSTING OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD NIL AND COULDN'T HARDLY SEE OUTSIDE AND DAMAGE THE SIDE COMPARTMENT OF THE R.V. THE UNIT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND MONACO REPLACED THE DAMAGED HEATER CORE ON 12/23/02. ON 1/20/08 ON A TRIP TO ORLANDO THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. I ALMOST PASSED OUT AT THE WHEEL BECAUSE OF THE STRONG ODOR OF ANTIFREEZE LEAKING AGAIN INSIDE THE COACH. S…

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10217135 at NHTSA ↗

THIS INVOLVES A NORCOLD 1200 LRIM REFRIGERATOR AND A 2000 MONACO DIPLOMAT 40 PBD MOTORCOACH. WHEN THE REFER WAS REMOVED TO CONDUCT THE RECALL WORK, IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE CAUGHT FIRE PREVIOUSLY, AND HAD SIGNS OF SERIOUS OVERHEATING, CAUSING THE CASE OF THE REFRIGERATOR TO PARALYZE (ALUMINUM FOIL COATING, PAPER BACKING AND FOAM INSULATION BEHIND FLUE TUBE). FURTHER A FIRE HAD OCCURRED ON THE TOP OF THE FLUE TUBE, WHERE FIBERGLASS INSULATION FROM THE COACH HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE TOP OF THE FLUE TUBE, CAUSING CHARRING TO THE INSULATION AND CEI…

Owner-reported narrative. 24,184 miles reported. Look up ODI 10231893 at NHTSA ↗

THE MOTORHOME IS EQUIPPED WITH A SLIDE OUT THAT CONTAINS A LOCKING DEVICE TO SECURE DURING TRAVEL, HOWEVER THE DESIGN AND INSTALLATION WERE BOTH INADEQUATE RESULTING IN THE RELEASE OF THE SLIDE OUT WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING, CONSUMER INSTALLED ANOTHER ADDITIONAL LOCKING DEVICE TO SECURE PROPERLY. *MJS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 552813 at NHTSA ↗

DURING TRAVEL THE EXPANDING ROOM SLIDE DOOR LOCK SLID ACROSS THE SURFACE AND FELL TO THE FLOOR ALMOST STRIKING OCCUPANT, SERVICE TECH STATED IT WAS NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY AND HE REINSTALLED THE LOCK ON THE VERTICAL SURFACE BEHIND HE DRIVERS SEAT, THE LOCK FELL OUT AGAIN. NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 557337 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN PARKED ON UNEVEN SURFACES, ENTERING OR EXITING DRIVEWAYS AND DRIVING ON ROUGH OR STEEP AND WINDING ROADS, THE BODY OF THE COACH TWISTS TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT THE WINDSHIELD IS ONLY A FRACTION OF AN INCH FROM POPPING OUT, AIR GAPS APPEAR BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE GLASS, ON STEEP OR WINDING ROADS, BAGGAGE DOORS HAVE UNLATCHED AND SWUNG OUT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON THREE OCCASSIONS.*YHCONSUMER STATES THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS A STRUCTURAL DEFECT AND THAT THE FACTORY IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, IN WHICH THEY HAVE REDESIGNED A RETROFIT REPAIR IN AN ATT…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 561987 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2001-04-30 (April 30, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CLASS A MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLIES BUILT BY AM-SAFE. ON SOME SEAT BELTS, THE BUCKLE AND CONNECTOR MAY UNLATCH DURING A COLLISION.

Consequence: SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH COULD OCCUR IF THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT IS NOT PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LAP BELTS AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT WITH A NEW BELT ASSEMBLY. AM-SAFE IS CONDUCTING THE OWNER NOTIFICATION. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT AM-SAFE AT 219-266-8330 OR MONACO AT 219-862-7211.

Reported: 2008-06-05 (June 5, 2008)

MONACO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. A FATIGUE FAILURE IN THE SECTION OF THE COOLING UNIT WHICH CONTAINS THE REFRIGERANT COULD ALLOW THE LIQUID SOLUTION TO SLOWLY LEAK.

Consequence: EXTENDED OPERATION OF A LEAKING COOLING UNIT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE FROM GAS WHICH MIGHT ESCAPE.

Remedy: MONACO IS WORKING WITH NORCOLD TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS. NORCOLD WILL PROVIDE THERMAL SWITCH KITS TO OWNERS ALONG WITH THE NECESSARY FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 29, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD AT 1-800-767-9101 OR MONACO AT 1-800-685-6545.