While camping last week, we left for a couple of hours and when we returned, the SMALL amount of rain we had collapsed our awning. Now let me say, I know we should have put the awning in before we left, BUT, even had we been in the MH, we could only have prevented this from happening had we went outside and noticed the water pooling on top. I asked several of the folks at the campground if it had rained hard or if it was windy and they all told me it only rained for about 15-20 minutes and it was not hard nor windy. You could tell it wasn't wind because both sides of the arms were collapsed outward, due to the awning falling under weight.
I called our dealer and of course, was told extended warranty would not cover this but our vehicle insurance should (no surprise there!) and I needed to have someone come and remove the awning (a "professional") for that reason. A sort of funny aside to that, the guy said he could tie the rolled up awning and cylinder to the two a/c units on top, I told him no, we would take it in through the rear emergency window and lay it inside the MH....geez!
What I'd like to ask/know is, how hard should I push to have this taken care of under warranty? Something had to have caused the awning to pool the water such as a weak shock, not enough motor tension, etc. because, if this small amount of rain had collapsed it, then the awning is basically useless because you'd never be able to have it out with any amount of rain. Problem is, I have no way to prove anything now because of the damage and it bent one of the shocks. This was the first time we had it out when it rained ANY.
A little more to consider is this, before we bought the MH, the salesman told me the awning had a sensor on it so if it was too windy, it would automatically retract (uh huh). After I got home, I took the motor head housing off and guess what? Yep, no $115 sensor inside meaning this option was not installed on our awning; that's right, $115. I did a LOT of research on the awning and know this for a fact and I would never have known it wasn't installed without having looked inside the housing. I realize this probably wouldn't have prevented what happened but it MIGHT have because the sensor would have detected motion that wasn't normal.
The crux of the issue is this, my insurance will pay to have it fixed but I have a $500 deductible and it's likely my premium would go up due to having an issue so soon after having owned it for only 4 months. I can buy the arms (brand new) for $700 and I can fix it myself. I know I could "fudge" and get the whole assembly replaced but that just isn't honest as the arms are all that's damaged. I figure at the most, probably $250 labor, plus $125 I paid to have it taken down, $700 for arms, approx. $1100 to repair. Really, all I'd be saving would be the $250 labor since I could do it so I'd only be out $825 minus $500 = $325. But the money isn't a big deal, it's more I was lied to, even if not intentionally, plus the fact the awning should not have done what it did, period. I honestly feel the dealer should pony up for some of it, if not all based off me being told the $115 sensor option WAS installed and just plain "taking care" of a good customer. I doubt they will but we'll see. The awning is a Travel'r Adjustable pitch, made by Carefree of Colorado.
If anyone has experienced something of this sort please let me know how it was handled, what you did, etc. Just looking for advice and I guess to vent a little considering all the (expletive deleted) I've had go wrong on this well north of $100K MH......
(P.S. This is the fourth RV we've had and second with an electric awning, NEVER had this happen before, even after being in some heavy downpours.)
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