NHTSA vehicle safety data

2003 Thor California Tahoe Recalls & Complaints

The 2003 Thor California Tahoe has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 4 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Thor California dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2003 Thor California Tahoe. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2003 Thor California Tahoe owner complaints

Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Thor California Tahoe, describing incidents dated February 14, 2004 to July 15, 2006.

Most-cited components

Tires 3 complaints
Trailer Hitches 1 complaint

Of the 4 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash; across all 4 complaints, owners report 4 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10163919 · Filed July 30, 2006
WE WERE DRIVING TO SPOKANE WASHINGTON FROM PHELAN CALIF. WHEN WE HAD A TIRE TREAD COME OFF PASSENGER FRONT OF DUAL AXLE THORE TRANSPORT 5TH WHEEL TRAILER. RIPPING OFF FENDER SKIRT. I PUT SPARE ON AND 28 MILES LATER PASSENGER REAR TIRE HAD A BLOW OUT. TIRES HAD MAYBE 1500 MILES ON THEM. THIS HAPPENED…
ODI #10102174 · Filed December 5, 2004
CONTACTED CARLILSE TIRE ON 8/11/04 OPENED CLAIM ON TIRES DELAMINATING. ON 9/5/04 TWO TIRES DID BLOWOUT CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO MY RV. 10/5/04 RECEIVED FIVE NEW TIRES FROM CARLILSE TIRE. I DO NOT WANT THESE TIRES ON MY RV AND I SEEM TO BE STUCK WITH THEM. ITS GOING TO COST OVER ONE THOSAND DOLLARS TO…
ODI #10088300 · Filed August 20, 2004
IN JUNE 2002 I BOUGHT NEW FROM THE FACTORY A THOR TAHOE TRANSPORT 33' FIFTH WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH MERIT ALL COUNTRY RADIALS SIZE, LT235/85R16 E. UP UNTIL THE FAILURE I HAD PUT ABOUT 3000 MILES ON THE TIRES, TYPICALLY TRAVELING ABOUT 150 MILES PER TRIP, ONE WAY. THE VEHICLE IS RATED AT…

Read all 4 complaints

FURNACE EXHAUST VENT

NHTSA #06V208000 · Equipment — Recreational Vehicle/Trailer — LPG Systems — Furnace · NHTSA notice

Reported June 13, 2006 · THOR CALIFORNIA INC.

Potentially affected: 64,000 vehicles

Thor California campaign 615001 · Owners notified June 15, 2006 · Vehicles built February 1, 1996 – February 10, 2006 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN TRAVEL AND FIFTH WHEEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH SUBURBAN AND ATWOOD FURNACES, THE FURNACE EXHAUST VENT WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. THE FURNACE EXHAUST VENT WILL ALLOW LEAKAGE OF FUMES WHICH CONTAIN COMBUSTION PRODUCTS, INCLUDING A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF POTENTIALLY LETHAL CARBON MONOXIDE GAS.

Safety consequence

FUMES COULD ENTER INTO THE TRAILER AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Manufacturer remedy

OWNERS WILL RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS ON INSPECTING THE FURNACE VENT. IF AN OWNER BELIEVES THE VENT IS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, IS NOT SURE HOW TO INSPECT THE FURNACE EXHAUST VENT, OR NEEDS ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THE FURNACE EXHAUST VENT INSTALLATION INSPECTED AND CORRECTED, OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT THOR IMMEDIATELY AT 1-877-870-2638 OR VIA THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.THORCA.COM. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 15, 2006.

Notes

THOR CALIFORNIA RECALL NO. 615001.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

THOR CALIFORNIA/EXHAUST TAILPIPE LOCATION

NHTSA #03V178000 · Engine and Engine Cooling — Exhaust System — Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe · NHTSA notice

Reported May 19, 2003 · THOR CALIFORNIA, INC.

Potentially affected: 73 vehicles

Owners notified May 13, 2003 · Vehicles built March 25, 2003 – April 29, 2003 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN FIFTH WHEEL AND TRAVEL TRAILERS, THE TAILPIPE USED TO RELEASE THE EXHAUST FROM THE GENERATOR WAS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO REACH THE SIDE OF THE TRAILER. THOR MODIFIED THE TAILPIPE BY PLACING AN EXTENSION ON THE TAILPIPE. AS A RESULT, THE GENERATOR'S EXHAUST MAY BE RELEASED UNDER THE TRAILER AT THE POINT OF THE MODIFICATION.

Safety consequence

THE TAILPIPE EXHAUST NEEDS TO BE RELEASED AWAY FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRAILER.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING TAILPIPE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 13, 2003. 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 THOR CALIFORNIA AT 1-888-697-8467, EXTENSION 215.

Notes

CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2003 Thor California Tahoe. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

4 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Thor California Tahoe.

Tires

ODI #10163919

Incident: July 15, 2006 · Filed: July 30, 2006

WE WERE DRIVING TO SPOKANE WASHINGTON FROM PHELAN CALIF. WHEN WE HAD A TIRE TREAD COME OFF PASSENGER FRONT OF DUAL AXLE THORE TRANSPORT 5TH WHEEL TRAILER. RIPPING OFF FENDER SKIRT. I PUT SPARE ON AND 28 MILES LATER PASSENGER REAR TIRE HAD A BLOW OUT. TIRES HAD MAYBE 1500 MILES ON THEM. THIS HAPPENED IN REDDING CALI. I WAS NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY MORE CHANCES, SO I BOUGHT FOUR NEW TIRES. THE MAN AT THE TIRE STORE SAID HE COULD NOT VISIBLY SEE THE CAUSE OF THE BLOW OUT OR THE TREAD COMING OFF. TIRES WERE INFLATED TO PROPER PSI. TRAILER WAS NOT OVER LOADED. NO WATER IN WATER TANKS. TIRES ARE COVERED WHEN NOT IN USE. AVERAGE SPEED WAS 55 MPH. I FEEL THAT THESE TIRES ARE UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *JB

Tires

ODI #10102174

Incident: September 5, 2004 · Filed: December 5, 2004

CONTACTED CARLILSE TIRE ON 8/11/04 OPENED CLAIM ON TIRES DELAMINATING. ON 9/5/04 TWO TIRES DID BLOWOUT CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO MY RV. 10/5/04 RECEIVED FIVE NEW TIRES FROM CARLILSE TIRE. I DO NOT WANT THESE TIRES ON MY RV AND I SEEM TO BE STUCK WITH THEM. ITS GOING TO COST OVER ONE THOSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE THESE TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND. *AK

Tires

ODI #10088300

Incident: August 14, 2004 · Filed: August 20, 2004

IN JUNE 2002 I BOUGHT NEW FROM THE FACTORY A THOR TAHOE TRANSPORT 33' FIFTH WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH MERIT ALL COUNTRY RADIALS SIZE, LT235/85R16 E. UP UNTIL THE FAILURE I HAD PUT ABOUT 3000 MILES ON THE TIRES, TYPICALLY TRAVELING ABOUT 150 MILES PER TRIP, ONE WAY. THE VEHICLE IS RATED AT 11400 GVW. I RUN ABOUT 10200 LBS TOTAL WEIGHT. ON AUGUST 14, 2004 I WAS RETURNING FROM A 131 MILE TRIP. AT ABOUT 1:30 P.M. AFTER TRAVELLING ABOUT 100 MILES, WHILE TRAVELLING AT 60 MPH ON I-17, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED NEAR THE TOWN OF NEW RIVER, NORTH OF PHOENIX. THE TIRE HELD AIR BUT THE ENTIRE TREAD PEELED OFF. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY SAFELY AND REPLACE WITH A SPARE BEFORE CONTINUING. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE UNDERBELLY PROTECTIVE BLANKET AND THE SIDE SKIRT OF THE TRAILER. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED ALL THE TIRES AND HAVE THE FAILED TIRE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *AK

Trailer Hitches

ODI #10063813

Crash 4 injuries

Incident: February 14, 2004 · Filed: March 24, 2004

2003 THOR TAHOE TRAVEL TRAILER TONGUE/COUPLER FAILED ON FEBRUARY 14, 2004. THE TRAILER HAD LESS THAN 500 MILES ON IT. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM MARJON RV IN RIVERSIDE IN APRIL 2003. THE TRAILER WAS ATTACHED TO OUR 2000 FORD EXCURSION WITH A WEIGHT DISTRIBUTING HITCH THAT WAS INSTALLED BY MARJON RV. THE ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *JB

Other Thor California Tahoe model years

Check your 2003 Thor California Tahoe VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Thor California Tahoe at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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