1996 COACHMEN CATALINA

FUEL PUMP FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC LIGHTS. THE ENGINE WOULD QUIT AND IT WOULD BE HARD TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER FIGURED IT WAS WATER IN THE GAS TANK. HE PURRED 6 CANS OF HEET INTO IT AND L... ATER IT STARTED FINE AND SOUNDED GREAT. CONSUMER TEST DROVE IT PUTTING 12 MILES ON IT AND CONCLUDED THAT IT SOUNDED GREAT. TWO DAYS LATER THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. THE CAMPER WAS TOWED. THE CONSUMER EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AND THE SERVICE REP. RAN HIS VIN FOR RECALLS. CONSUMER LEARNED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH FORD F-53 CHASSIS FUEL PUMPS FAILING. HE ALSO STATED HIS SHOP CHANGED 6-8 MOTORHOME FUEL PUMPS IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS. THE ENGINE WAS TESTED FOR PROBLEMS BUT RAN NORMAL. CONSUMER GAVE THE MECHANIC THE O.K. TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP WHEN THE PART CAME IN. THE MECHANIC SHOWED HIM THE DIFFERENCE IN THE FUEL PUMPS MANUFACTURED BY FORD. THE NEW ONE WAS ABOUT TWO INCHES LONG WITH A SPRING MECHANISM THAT WOULD ALLOW THE PUMP TO BOTTOM OUT THE GAS TANK. THE OLD PUMP WAS SUSPENDED FROM THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK. HE HAD TO LOWER THE 80K GALLON TANK TO DOWN ABOUT TWO FEET TO GET THE PUMP OUT. THERE WOULD BE 35-40 GALLONS OF GAS IN THE TANK WHILE HE DID THE WORK. CONSUMER PAID THE $1000.00 DOLLAR REPAIR BILL AND RETURNED HOME (1400 MILES) WITHOUT ANOTHER ENGINE FAILURE. CONSUMER FEELS FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE. CONSUMER STATED HIS ENGINE HAD JUST A LITTLE OVER 20,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *PHRead more

THE SIDING OF THE 5TH WHEEL BEGAN TO PEEL OFF AND INSULATION FLEW OUT DUE TO FLAW IN INSTALLATION BY THE MANUFACTURER. YH