KEYSTONE Complaints

PURCHASED THE TRAILER ON 9/25/20 AND WHEN I GOT IT HOME I WAS CHECKING EQUIPMENT AND NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE WAS NOT WIRED TO ACUATE THE BRAKE. ONLY THE DRIVERS SIDE IS WIRED. I NOTICED IT WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP, AS IF THE TRAILER WAS PUSHING THE TRUCK. I HAVE CONTACTED KEYSTONE VIA EMAIL TO REPORT THIS POSSIBLE SAFETY OVERSIGHT TO THEM. I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT.

I DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED OR EXACT EVENT, AND NEITHER DID THE PREVIOUS OWNER. SO I STATED THE DATE THE FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED AND GUESSED SPEED AND TOTAL MILEAGE (TRAILER HAS BEEN TO BADLANDS SOUTH DAKOTA AND UPPER MICHIGAN). BASED ON FAILURE MODE, I PRESUME IT HAPPENED WHILE TURNING OR BACKING THE DUAL AXLE TRAILER. I JUST PURCHASED A 2015 KEYSTONE SPRINGDALE SUMMERLAND TRAILER AND FOUND THE RIGHT REAR SPRING HANGER WAS BROKEN OFF, BUT NOT DUE A WELD FAILURE, THE I-BEAM FAILED AND A PORTION IS STILL ATTACHED TO THE HANGER. THE DAMAGE OCCURRED SOME TIME AGO BASED ON RUST ON THE BROKEN I-BEAM PIECES. I SPOKE WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER WHO BOUGHT IT NEW, NEVER HAD ANY EVENT THAT CAUSED IT AND HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE DAMAGE. HOWEVER THEY HAD JUST HAD A BLOW-OUT ON THEIR LAST TRIP ON ONE OF THE REAR TIRES. THE CURRENT SPARE TIRE HAS VERY OBVIOUS UNEVEN WEAR ON ONE SIDE, I ASSUME WAS DUE TO AXLE MISALIGNMENT SINCE ONE HANGER NOT ATTACHED. FAILED SPRING HANGER/I-BEAM IS RUBBING ON A BLACK IRON LP GAS LINE. THERE IS NO REINFORCEMENT ABOVE THE SPRING HANGERS TO STOP ANY TWISTING MOTION THAT WOULD FATIGUE THE I-BEAM. LOOKS TO BE THE SAME ISSUE AS IN NHTSA RECALL NO. : 17V-611.

GEICO IS REFUSING COVERAGE ON AN INCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED DURING TRANSPORT (IN MOTION, HWY 1-15 NORTHBOUND, NORTH OF LAS VEGAS, NV) OF MY RV. GEICO IS ONLY ABLE TO DENY THE CLAIM DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE IF THE TRAILER/RV FAILS WHILE STORED OR NOT BEING USED. THE RV WAS BEING TRANSPORTED AT THE TIME OF THE LOSS AND WAS DEEMED ROAD-WORTHY BY A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT PRIOR TO THE LOSS. THE TIRE COULD HAVE FAILED DUE TO MANY UNKNOWN VARIABLES, ALL OF WHICH ARE COVERED UNDER MY POLICY. IF THE TIRE SIMPLY FAILED DURING TRANSPORT, THEY MIGHT NOT COVER THE TIRE, BUT THE ENSUING DAMAGE WOULD BE COVERED. SUCH PROBABILITIES AS POTHOLES, DEBRIS, OR OTHER CONDITIONS WOULD REQUIRE GEICO TO COVER THE TIRE AND THE ENSUING DAMAGE. EITHER WAY, THE REFUSAL TO COVER THE INCIDENT IN TRANSPORT IS NOT LEGAL. GEICO CLAIMS A TIRE WAS NOT MAINTAINED. THE TIRES ARE 4 YEARS OLD, HAS LESS THAN LESS THAN 1500 MILES ON THEM, HIGHLY MAINTAINED SINCE PURCHASE 09-07-16, THE DATE TIRES WERE PURCHASED, WITH ONLY 2 TIRES ON THE SAME SIDE HAVING ISSUES OUT OF 4 TIRES. ONE OF THE PEOPLE PREPPING THE VEHICLE THE EVENING BEFORE THIS TRANSPORT WAS A VETERAN PROFESSIONAL RV TRANSPORTER, FORMER DEALERSHIP MANAGER FOR 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, AND SERVICE WRITER. HIS EXPERTISE IS BEYOND NORMAL INSPECTION FOR TRANSPORT OF RV'S/TRAILERS. THE TRANSPORTATION DRIVER IS A VETERAN RV/TRAILER HAULER 60+ YEARS TOWING AND OWNS/HAS OWNED MULTIPLE TRAILERS CONCURRENTLY FOR 40+ YEARS. THE DRIVER HAS HAD MULTIPLE CROSS-COUNTRY TRIPS INCLUDING TRANSPORTING OF THIS EXACT RV FROM NEW YORK TO ARIZONA 3 YEARS PRIOR WHEN THE FULL SET OF NEW TIRES WERE PURCHASED IN MISSOURI (ON 09-07-16 AT JOPLIN TIRE AND AUTO). THE DRIVER HAS A METHODICAL SAFETY CHECKING ROUTINE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND REGULARLY METHODICAL SAFETY CHECKS DURING TRANSPORT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 KEYSTONE BULLET CROSSFIRE TRAVEL TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEMOTIC WATER HEATER CAUGHT ON FIRE, BURNING ALL THE ELECTRIC WIRES COMPLETELY. THE FIRE EVENTUALLY BURNED OUT ON ITS OWN. THE RV WAS TAKEN TO BISH'S RV - BOISE AREA (1300 W OVERLAND RD, MERIDIAN, ID 83642) WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE GAS PRESSURE WAS LOW, WHICH THEY LINKED TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MAKER OF THE WATER HEATER AND THEY BLAMED THE FIRE ON THE PROPANE TANK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 0. THE VIN IS INVALID. *DT*JB*BF*JB

ON 4/4/2020 AT CAMPING WORLD, HARRISBURG, PA WHEN PICKING UP THE CAMPER FROM SERVICE WORK, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE 2 FRONT WEIGHT BEARING JACK MOUNT BRACKET WELDS HAD TORN AWAY FROM THE CAMPER FRAME AND WERE BENT AND TWISTED. CAMPING WORLD STAFF WERE NOTIFIED AND THEY WERE REPLACED. THE CAMPER WAS DELIVERED TO OUR HOME ON 4/10/2020. ON 4/14/2020 WE AGAIN OBSERVED BROKEN WELDS ON THE BRACKETS. CAMPING WORLD WAS NOTIFIED ONCE AGAIN AND THEY TOOK IT BACK AND REPLACED THEM AGAIN. ON 6/28/2020, WHILE LOOKING OVER THE CAMPER WE ONCE AGAIN SAW THAT THE BRACKETS WERE BENDING AND THE WELDS WERE BREAKING FROM THE FRAME. I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES FROM EACH INCIDENT.*DT*DT THE CONSUMER PROVIDED PHOTOS. *TR*JB

WHILE DRIVING, RECEIVE INTERMITTENT MESSAGE 'TRAILER WIRING FAULT'. FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER BRAKES AND LIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 KEYSTONE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR UNLATCHED WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR FAILED TO REMAIN SECURELY LATCHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RV COUNTRY-LAUGHLIN, 1725 S CASINO DR, LAUGHING, NV 89029) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,000.

MY 2018, KEYSTONE MONTANA HIGH COUNTRY 385BR HAD LESS THAN 3000 MILES WHEN THE LEFT FRONT TIRE HAD SEPARATION EXPOSING THE STEEL BELT. THE TIRES WERE RAINER TIRES F RATED FOR A UNIT WITH A GVWR OF 16K LBS. I ONLY CARRY 800 POUNDS OF CARGO IN THE UNIT. I REPLACED THE TIRES WITH G RATED TIRES, AND HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED. I DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT AXLE HANGERS INSTALLED BY LIPPERT WERE OUT OF ALIGNMENT ALONG WITH THE FRONT AXLE MADE BY DEXTER TOED IN. THE REAR AXLE ALSO TRACKS TO THE RIGHT. AT THIS POINT LIPPERT HAS REPLACED THE AXLE HANGERS, AND WE ARE WAITING ON A NEW FRONT AXLE. HOWEVER, I NOTICE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF KEYSTONE OWNERS SUFFERING PREMATURE TIRE FAILURES, MOST OF WHICH OCCURRED IN MOTION. 90 PERCENT OF THE ONES I HAVE HEARD OF OCCURRED WITH LOW MILEAGE ON THE UNITS. I BELIEVE IT IS A COMBINATION OF UNDERRATED TIRES, WITH MISALIGNMENT OF AXLES AND HANGERS. THERE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE ANY QUALITY INSPECTION BY KEYSTONE ON COMPONENT PARTS PRIOR TO ASSEMBLY. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO DISCOVER THE TIRE DEFAULT WHEN WE ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION ON 8/23/19 AS OF THIS DATE THE UNIT HAS BEEN OUT SERVICE WAITING FOR ALL ALIGNMENT REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY.

THE DEXTER 7000 LB TANDEM AXLES AND SPRINGS DO NOT PROPERLY SUPPORT THE EMPTY FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER. THE LEAF SPRINGS ARE COLLAPSING CAUSING VERY UNEVEN TIRE WEAR.

ONLY EVENT SO FAR, A PROPERLY INFLATED TIRE HAD THE TREAD COME OFF THE CASING AT ABOUT 7000 MILES AT 60 MPH. I REPLACED THE OEM LOAD RANGE 'D' TIRES WITH LOAD RANGE 'E' TIRES.THESE OEM TIRES AT 2540# GIVE A SCANT 160# SAFETY MARGIN. IN JULY WHILE DOING MAINTENANCE FOR A 1500 MILE TRIP I READ THE AXLE TAGS SO I COULD OBTAIN THE CORRECT SEALS FOR THE HUB BEARINGS. THE AXLES ARE RATED 4400# EACH TIMES 2 IS 8800#. THE GVW RATING FOR THE TRAILER IS 10,000#. SO IF THIS 5TH WHEEL IS TRAVELING FULLY LOADED IT IS 1200# OVER THE CAPACITY OF THE INSTALLED AXLES. I AM A CERTIFIED AUTO TECHNICIAN, I FIND THIS UNSAFE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LARGE HILLS HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA.