Mr. Rutherford,
I have tried to contact your company about a faulty awning that I purchased a few months ago and have been given the run around about my warranty and replacement of this damaged awning.
Since this "site" only allows 2000 letters and does not supply YOUR direct email address, I can not include my emails in my dealings with Kathy Ross of Carefree and all of my supporting pictures...
If you can email me directly I can forward you all of my supporting documentation and pictures and hope that you will help me resolve this problem.
Michael Ponzio
941-235-0377
[email protected]
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Kathy Ross"
Date: October 16 9:49: 59 AM EDT
To: "Michael Ponzio"
Subject: RE: Faulty awning purchased last month CLAIM #682789
Michael,
Dispute Resolution team denied this claim as well.
Kathy Ross
Carefree of Colorado
Customer Service
From: Michael Ponzio [mailto: [email protected]]
Sent: Monday, October 13 5:35 PM
To: Kathy Ross
Cc: Scotties Canvas
Subject: Re: Faulty awning purchased last month CLAIM #682789
Ms Ross,
In reference to my conversation with Rhonda from your office this evening, she advised me that you were heading into a meeting and requested that I contact you via email in reference to my claim #682789.
I was dismayed that Scotties told me that Carefree said that "this was not a warranty issue" and that without even receiving a phone call for additional information or that when Scotties Canvas emailed me that my claim was automatically turned down OR that I did not even get a reply from Carefree since I wrote (cc) to both Carefree and Scotties Canvas.
As for Scotties Canvas remark that the awning is "not designed to be left in the out position when it rains as hard as it does here in Florida". Hmmm... It doesnt rain hard anywhere else in this country? Needless to say, this was not a hard rain. It was a mild rain with slight breezes that lasted for about 3 hours as it does every evening here in Florida. My awning was in a much heavier rain two weeks earlier (but not a major hurricane) while it was in the "attached to the trailer" position and never had a problem. Where in the owners manual does it state not to leave the awning in the carport position even in the slightest thought of rain? All it states is if there is going to be inclement weather, the awning should be retracted. It does not say anything that when in the carport position that the awning is weaker or more prone to damage or collapsing. I understand this for overly heavy rains or high winds but the purpose of the awning is to keep us out of the "weather" during all other "normal" weather conditions. Otherwise, we would have no need for an awning and just use an umbrella.
As I stated below, the awning failed from the little itty bitty tiny silver "clip" which keeps the entire 25', almost 300 pound (or more) awning in the "locked" position. The awning did not have any water accumulated on it. There was no way possible since it was on a pitch from the trailer as any patio awning or roof should be AND on a angle from left to right which I always do when it rains to keep water from pooling. And, instead of having the upper arm INSIDE the down pole (like A&E / Dometic) instead of on the outside in only one grove on the left, even if the clip failed, the upper arm probably would never have swung free forcing the entire weight of the awning to come crashing down.
Again, as I already stated, I was not aware, as per Scotties Canvas, quoting from Carefree, that every 4-6 hours, when we get rain here in Florida, that I need to wind and unwind the awning multiple times a day. What if I went site seeing and a sudden rain came up? Must I rush home, to the trailer 2,3, or more times a day every time a sprinkle happens, as it does here in Florida, to make sure my awning is up? In florida, rain is very unpredictable and it is extremely common for it to be pouring on one side of the street and bright and sunny and dry on the opposite side. Ask anyone who lives or visits Florida. Or should I assume that the Carefree awning should not be used or sold in Florida?
I laid down to take a nap at about 4pm while it was still very bright and sunny outside. I was awoken at about 5:30pm from the crash of the awning. From what I was told, this was about 30 minutes after the rain started. I was trapped inside the trailer for another 2 hours until the rain stopped and friends came by to help lift the awning away from the doors so I could get out. The awning is now useless because the 25' roller is now bent from when it came crashing down on one end while still being supported on the other end and NOT from water "pooling". Again, there is no way for water to pool on this awning since it was pitched, angled and supported every 8 feet. The clip just went bad / or was to flimsy or weak for such an extremely heavy awning.
Finally, again, with all of this said, again, I am extremely pissed off (and broke) after spending so much money on this awning that I can no longer use. Please advise as to how this problem can be rectified.
Thank you,
Michael Ponzio
On [Oct 13], at Oct 13 3:46 PM, Scotties Canvas wrote:
Carefree contacted me today to say. If you would like to talk to them you can call 800-621-2617 and ask to speak with someone in the warranty department.
These awnings are aluminum and not designed to be left in the out position when it rains as hard as it does here in Florida. As you mentioned one way to deal with the rain is to drop one side to an angle allowing the rain to drain off that way. Even that isn't full proof in a constant rain.
I do have a traveling repair man who comes in from up North. He is due here within the next month I don't know exactly when. If you would like me to have him take a look at the awning to see what can be done to repair it or what needs to be replaced. I can give him your name and number.
Sorry we couldn't help you.
Scotties Canvas
— Original Message —
From: Michael Ponzio
To: [email protected]
Sent: Friday, October 10 10:41 AM
Subject: Faulty awning purchased last month
Hello,
A few weeks ago I placed an order online, thru your website for a new 25' Carefree of Colorado, Presidents Club Fiesta awning for almost $1000.00
I have owned 4 different rv and trailers. Every time a buy a new one, I have had to replace the awning material because either the canvas was in tattered condition or replaced the entire awning system because the previous owners did not take care of the mechanics of the awning and i assume that they did not know how to adjust the awning during rain and wind since the roller bar was always bent. We purchased a used 2 year old 36' trailer a few months ago, The awning that was in place was a 19' awning and the canvas was extremely tattered. Last month we replaced the entire awning system with a NEW 25' Presidents Club Fiesta awning from your company. This awning system cost us almost $1000.00! In going with a larger awning, it enabled us to have the front sliding patio doors and the rear bedroom door covered in inclement weather. I have always used A&E / Dometic awnings. I decided on the Carefree because I liked the style, look, size, price and the ease of the mechanics since I have had a few friends that have had similar Carefree awnings. We had the awning set in the "patio / carport" position. It was staked down, it had 2 center supports (1 brand new and 1 older version) @ 8' intervals to disperse the weight of this huge awning and also had brand new awning tie down straps on both ends and it was angled to make sure that no water or rain collected on the awning and all water just rolled off. I am extremely upset and displeased because after spending so much money on this awning, a few days ago, we had a "minor" rain storm and I was trapped in my trailer for a few hours when the awning collapsed. I have taken plenty of pictures. It seems as if the little tiny silver "clip" that holds the upper vertical arm in place "failed" and in doing so, the upper arm on the left side of the awning "popped out" of the "groove" on the vertical pole. When this happened, the entire weight of the awning came crashing down against the trailer because it had no support to keep it in place. When this happened, the roller tube bent and the weight of this awning crushed both of my center awning supports. It also broke the "lock" on the awning and bent the entire assembly that connects the upper arm and the lower arm on the roller. I have had A&E / Dometic awnings and instead of that flimsy little silver "clip" they all have a huge release tab to keep the upper arm locked AND the upper arm is installed INSIDE of the vertical pole instead of like yours in which it is only attached on one side by a little "groove". I was able to re-connect the upper arm into the flimsy groove and set the awning into the bottom support latch on the trailer. After bending the little silver tab I was able to release it from the roller bar and we attempted to roll the awning up. This was an almost impossible task as it took 3 grown men to do this because the roller would not retract because of the bend from when it collapsed. We had to manually roll, by hand, one bent turn after the other in order to get the awning into the travel position. Because of the damage to the end of the roller tube, where the upper arm and the lower arm connect and the bend in the roller tube, we were unable to "lock" the awning on the left side and it is now held in place with a bungee cord.
I have attached all pictures of the awning after I was able to get it off the ground and back into the "attached" position, with explanations.
Bent roller and stretched out canvas
This is the little silver "clip" that failed and I had to re bend it into the lock position.
This is the only thing that keeps the awning "locked". A very "flimsy" mechanism.
This shows that after the system failed, the spring housing is now warped, cracked and bent out of shape.
Broken lights, wires ripped apart from when awning collapsed and canvas hanging from being stretched when collapsed and slid in track
Tag on awning stating date, make and model
2 Damaged center support arms. The white one was brand new from Camping World last month
for almost $130.00 (Tension Rafter & Center Support)
Awning tie down straps
A bunch of holes in awning canvas
from when system collapsed and
the center support rafters bent,
cracked and poked holes in the canvas
Awning now attached to trailer and not in the patio/carport position
We do not travel with this trailer. Last month, we had it set up permanently at the campground that we frequent 2 or 3 weekends a month. The trailer has been leveled, placed on blocks, tied down with hurricane straps and skirted... All of this done by a professional. The camp ground is located in Dade City, Florida. Our main home is in Port Charlotte, Florida... About 20 minutes from your store. With all of this said, again, I am extremely pissed off (and broke) after spending so much money on this awning that I can no longer use. Please advise as to how this problem can be rectified. Per the Carefree website, it states that everything must be handled via you, the "distributer". I have already email Carefree with a copy of this email. Michael Ponzio / Bruce Tayler 941-235-0377
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