Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  11/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased a custom built horse trailer from Jamco in February of 2021 for $50k. Trailer included a living quarters with a slide-out. In July 2023 the slide out broke - specifically the timing shafts. Certified RV repair shop concluded that the shafts seized due to not being protected from the elements and not being sprayed with a lubricant such as WD-40 prevent rusting and seizure. Jamco's manual (see attachment) did not include any information about lubricating or proper maintenance of the slide out (while it did have some information on maintaining axles and tires.) Jamco claims it did not manufacture the slide out mechanism, did not receive info from the slide out manufacturer and incredibly that is the customer's responsibility to obtain maintenance info from the component parts manufacturers. Jamco did not indicate to the customer a list of component manufacturers it purchases parts through, nor did I find out who the slide out manufacturer until there was a failure. Nor does Jamco provide information on greasing other things like door hinges. I did not contract to buy individual component parts. I contracted with Jamco who as manufacturer has the duty to obtain critical information from component manufacturers and pass that on to its customers. Jamco also indicates in it;'s manual that "Damage caused by improper maintenance and failure to use proper lubricants AS DESCRIBED IN THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL (emphasis added) is not warranted." Jamco cannot hide behind warranty exclusion language for component parts when it breached this basic duty of providing infrormation to the consumer.

  Business response

  20/10/2023

  The trailer in question was taken to a living quarters company to have a living quarter installed after the customer purchased it from ******************** in 2021. There was an issue with the vinyl floor that the living quarters company installed, and the customer took it to the same repair shop that the trailer is in now. The repair shop inspected the slide out mechanism two years ago, but it was determined that it had something to do with the vinyl floor and that there was no problem with the slide out.  This is the same shop where the customer has the trailer now. The repair shop, after inspecting the slide two years ago, had also never mentioned to the customer that lubrication or some sort of cover was required.
  Last month Jamco got a report from the same repair shop that the timing gear on the slide out had seized, and it appeared that one of the axle spindles was damaged.  The repair shop contacted Jamco for a warranty.   
  Jamco contacted ****** and sent photos from the repair shop with concern about the axle.  Within 48 hours Jamco let the customer know that ****** agreed to supply a new axle and pay to have it installed.  
  Jamco supplied the contact information for Equalizer to the repair shop.  The repair shop contacted Jamco again, after talking to Equalizer.  Equalizer would not warranty the slide out as they felt it was due to a lack of maintenance by the customer.  ******************** then also contacted Equalizer and was told the same thing that this is not a warranty issue but a lack of maintenance by the customer.  Equalizer confirmed there is no paperwork about lubricating or cleaning timing rails to give to customers.  According to Equalizer the location of where the trailer is being used would determine how often maintenance must be done.  There is also no cover for the slide out mechanism.  Equalizer was happy to talk to the customer directly to explain the issue.  Jamco gave the customer the phone number and contact name to talk directly to Equalizer. The customer refused to call them.
  ********************* manual states:
  Maintenance - Cleaning,polishing, lubrication, worn brake linings, and proper tire inflation are some of the normal maintenance services. It is up to the owner to take care of these details.
  
  Jamco does not state the location of every single grease fitting on the trailer that needs to be lubricated as all Jamcos units are custom built. It is up to the owner to inspect the trailer before use.

  Customer response

  27/10/2023

   
  Complaint: 20719817
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I purchased the trailer from Jamco.  I did not pick out and purchase all the component parts, Jamco did and is responsible to provide to the customer what the required maintenance is for the components Jamco bought.  It is neither the repair faciility's responsibility to indicate the maintenance schedule.  Jamco is false in claiming the customer did not reach out to the component manufacturer Equilizer.  I spoke with **** at Equilizer who indicated that the damage was preventable had we sprayed WD40 on the rails to prevent rusting and seizing.  **** indicated they provide installation instructions to the trailer manufacturers and it is up to JAMCO, as purchaser, to go to Equilizers website to obtain maintenance instructions, NOT the consumer who would have no way of knowing who manufactured the component part or what the instructions were unless provided by Jamco.  Jamco cannot disclaim responsibility for the failure on their part of providing the proper maintenance instructions.  Incredulously, Jamco indicated "It is up to the owner to inspect the trailer before use."  I have inspected the trailer and provided proper maintenance since I have owned it - however I had no idea who Jamco used for this component and  to spray wd40 until it was too late and the component failed. 
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

  Customer response

  31/10/2023

  Cost of the slideout repairs due to Jamco failing to provide maintenance instructions was only $1,000 not the $4,000 originally anticipated.

  Business response

  09/11/2023

  The customer is false in claiming Equalizer provided installation instructions to the manufacturer. Jamco did not receive any information from Equalizer either about installation or maintenance. We spoke to **** at Equalizer, and he confirmed that there is no paperwork about lubricating to give to the customer. It depends a lot on location of where the trailer is being used as to how often maintenance must be done.

  
  Jamco's manual states cleaning, polishing, lubrication, worn brake lines and proper tire inflation are some of the normal maintenance services.

  
  If you buy a new vehicle or farm equipment it does not list every area that needs lubrication or grease. Every trailer is custom built at Jamco. Jamco cannot list every component in the maintenance manual as the trailers are all different.

  
  

  Customer response

  09/11/2023

   
  Complaint: 20719817
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  Jamco is responsible to the customer NOT subcomponent part manufacturers that I had no idea who it was.  Now Jamco is misquoting my conversation with **** (not ****) at Equalizer by indicating "The customer is false in claiming Equalizer provided installation instructions to the manufacturer. Jamco did not receive any information from Equalizer either about installation or maintenance. We spoke to **** at Equalizer, and he confirmed that there is no paperwork about lubricating to give to the customer."  Here is what I wrote:  "**** indicated they provide installation instructions to the trailer manufacturers and it is up to JAMCO, as purchaser,to go to Equilizers website to obtain maintenance instructions."  It is not my fault that Equalizer did not proactively give you their maintenance instructions.  That is between Jamco and Equalizer.  Jamco was negligent in obtaining & providing necessary maintenance instructions to the end user.  Reread your own manual that I attached to the complaint.   NOWHERE does it indicate what to do with the slide out or who made the components to enable the consumer to look up instructions Jamco failed to provide.  Jamco's reference to cars and farm equipment is irrelevant - but I would be happy to send a pdf of my **** Deere **** tractor manual that does indeed have instructions and illustrations of every area that needs lubrication. Jamco's claim that "Every trailer is custom built at Jamco. Jamco cannot list every component in the maintenance manual as the trailers are all different." is just an excuse.  Jamco purchases all of the components, so Jamco, not the customer, knows who they are and can obtain the information, but Jamco chooses not to so they cannot disclaim their responsibility for their failure.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

  Customer response

  09/11/2023

  Complaint: 20719817
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  Jamco is responsible to the customer NOT subcomponent part manufacturers that I had no idea who it was.  Now Jamco is misquoting my conversation with **** (not ****) at Equalizer by indicating "The customer is false in claiming Equalizer provided installation instructions to the manufacturer. Jamco did not receive any information from Equalizer either about installation or maintenance. We spoke to **** at Equalizer, and he confirmed that there is no paperwork about lubricating to give to the customer."  Here is what I wrote:  "**** indicated they provide installation instructions to the trailer manufacturers and it is up to JAMCO, as purchaser, to go to Equilizers website to obtain maintenance instructions."  It is not my fault that Equalizer did not proactively give you their maintenance instructions.  That is between Jamco and Equalizer.  Jamco was negligent in obtaining & providing necessary maintenance instructions to the end user.  Reread your own manual that I attached to the complaint.   NOWHERE does it indicate what to do with the slide out or who made the components to enable the consumer to look up instructions Jamco failed to provide.  Jamco's reference to cars and farm equipment is irrelevant - but I would be happy to send a pdf of my **** Deere **** tractor manual that does indeed have instructions and illustrations of every area that needs lubrication. Jamco's claim that "Every trailer is custom built at Jamco. Jamco cannot list every component in the maintenance manual as the trailers are all different." is just an excuse.  Jamco purchases all of the components, so Jamco, not the customer, knows who they are and can obtain the information, but Jamco chooses not to so they cannot disclaim their responsibility for their failure.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩