KEYSTONE Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KEYSTONE PREMIERE BULLET TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS BENT WHEN HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND IT CAUSED THE REAR TIRES TO BECOME WORN. WHEN THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE HE OBSERVED THAT THE AXLE WAS BENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE.

THE WELDS ON THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER START TEARING FROM IT BEING TIGHTENED TO MUCH TO THE REAR BUMPER CAUSING THE SPARE TIRE TO START LEANING IN A BACK POSITION. IF THE CARRIER IS NOT REPLACED , THE SPARE TIRE WILL FALL OFF WHEN THE WELDS COMPLETELY BRAKE (THIS IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION) . *TR

WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2011 KEYSTONE OUTBACK TOY HAULER-STYLE TRAVEL TRAILER. IT HAS A SIDE-ENTRY GARAGE ON THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER. KEYSTONE ADVERTISES THE TRAILER AS CAPABLE OF TRANSPORTING A FULL-SIZED MOTORCYCLE IN THE GARAGE. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S A DEFECTIVE DESIGN IN THE LOADING RAMP THAT MAKES GETTING A MOTORCYCLE IN THE GARAGE VERY DANGEROUS AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE ANGLE OF THE LOADING RAMP WHEN IT'S OPENED. IT'S SO STEEP, MOST STREET MOTORCYCLES BOTTOM OUT ON THE FRAME. MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE DEFECT WAS WHEN I TRIED TO RIDE MY 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXD SUPER GLIDE UP THE RAMP INTO THE GARAGE. THE FRONT TIRE MADE IT INTO THE GARAGE, BUT THE FRAME OF THE MOTORCYCLE BOTTOMED OUT ON THE TRAILER, CAUSING ME TO LUNGE FORWARD ONTO THE HANDLEBARS. I THEN ROLLED BACK DOWN THE RAMP, SKIDDING THE FRONT TIRE WITH THE BRAKE ON. I WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO LOSE MY BALANCE AND COME OFF THE BIKE. THERE'S AN OWNER'S FORUM ONLINE FOR KEYSTONE OUTBACKS CALLED "OUTBACKERS.COM" AFTER REVIEWING COMMENTS FROM OTHER OWNERS OF KEYSTONE OUTBACK TOY HAULERS, IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT THIS IS A WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM. APPARENTLY KEYSTONE RAISED THE RIDE-HEIGHT OF THE TRAILERS BEGINNING WITH THE 2010 MODEL YEAR, BUT DIDN'T CONSIDER THE WAY IT WOULD INCREASE THE ANGLE OF THE LOADING RAMP TO A DANGEROUS DEGREE. THE WEBSITE SHOWS MANY DIFFERENT WAYS PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO WORK AROUND THE STEEP ANGLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEMSELVES. SOME APPEAR QUITE INGENIOUS. HOWEVER, I THINK KEYSTONE NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM THEMSELVES, THEN INITIATE A RECALL, BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KEYSTONE FUZION RV. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A STANDARD GENERATOR. THE TRANSFER SWITCH MODEL NUMBER WAS IOTA ITS-50R. THE TRANSFER SWITCH OVERHEATED WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE INTERNAL WIRES AND MELTED THE TRANSFER BOX. THERE WERE NO FLAMES VISIBLE. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V577000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THERE WAS NO MILEAGE. JS

APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES FROM HOME, #1 BLOWOUT OCCURRED NEAR MILE MARKER (MM) 175 ON I-75, RT REAR, TREAD COMPLETELY TORN OFF, WRAPPED AROUND AXLE, PUT HOLE IN JACK HYDRAULIC LINE AND DID STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO RIGHT SIDE. HAD GOOD SAM PUT ON SPARE. #2 BLOWOUT OCCURED AT MM 145 ON I-75, LEFT REAR, MINIMAL DAMAGE. GOOD SAM BROUGHT A NEW HERCULES POWER STR TIRE AND MOUNTED IT. WENT TO CAMPING WORLD FT MYERS TO HAVE HYDAULIC LINE REPAIRED. STAYED THE NIGHT. ENROUTE TO A CAMPGOUND THE NEXT DAY, APPROX 30 MINUTES. #3 BLOWOUT ON THE FRONT RIGHT, MINIMAL DAMAGE. HAD GOOD SAM BRING TWO TIRES TO REPLACE THE BLOWN ONE AND THE OTHER REMAINING TIRE. MADE IT TO THE CAMPGROUND AND BACK TO CAMPING WORLD WHERE IT IS NOW FOR REPAIRS. THE TIRES WERE POWER KING TOWMAX, "E" RATED, LESS THAN 4,000 MILES, CAME ON A NEW 2012 KEYSTONE ALPINE 3650SL FIFTH WHEEL ,BOUGHT IN JUNE 2013. *JS

I PURCHASED A NEW5TH WHEEL RV IN JULY 2013 AND I HAVE HAD 2 TIRE BLOW OUTS WITHIN 8 MONTHS SINCE I BOUGHT IT. I ALWAYS CHECK AND MAINTAIN THE RECOMENDED 80 PSI COLD PRESSURE THAT THE TIRE CALLS FOR AND I KEEP MY HIGHWAY SPEED BELOW 65 MPH. IT APPEARS TO BE TREAD SEPERATION AND IT HAS DONE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY RV BOTH TIMES. I HAVE HAD THE RV REPAIRED BY A RV DEALER BOTH TIMES. *JS

BEFORE RETURNING TO OR. I TOOK MY RV TO HOUSTON METALLURGICAL LABORATORY, INC. I SUSPECTED SOME POSSIBLE CORROSION. (EXCERPT). OUR FIRST OBSERVATION WAS THE ALUMINUM WELDING OF THE FLOOR FRAMEWORK IN WHICH WE COULD SEE SOME OF THE WELDING WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE TO VISUAL INSPECTION TO MORE THAN ONE WELDING CODE......ONE EXAMPLE.....PHOTO PAGES #1 THRU 7 SHOW WELDS THAT WOULD NOT PASS A VISUAL INSPECTION. I KNOW YOU ALSO HAD CONCERNS DUE TO AIR FLOW, (COMPARTMENTS THAT SHOULD BE SEALED BUT ARE NOT) THAT THE ALUMINUM BEAMS ARE SHOWING WHAT APPEARS TO BE INITIAL STAGES OF CORROSION. CONCERNS THAT CONTAMINATED AIR (FROM VENTS SUCH AS HOLDING TANKS, HEATER, GAS TANKS) MAY BE ACCELERATING THE CORROSION AND MAY ALSO BE INTRODUCING A FORM OF CORROSION KNOWN AS MIC/MAC (MICROBIOLOGICAL INDUCED OR ASSISTED CORROSION) WHICH MAY TURN BE A HEALTH HAZARD........I HAVE NOT READ OR STUDIED YOUR WARRANTY PAPERS BUT IF THE ITEMS WE SEE ARE IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE NFPA 1192 DOCUMENT THEN IF THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT WANT TO ADDRESS THE VIOLATIONS THEN I WOULD REPORT TO THE NFPA, DOCUMENT ALL ASPECTS OF VIOLATIONS INCLUDING QUOTING THE RULES OR MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS-STATING THE VIOLATION ALONG WITH DOCUMENTATION. I WOULD ALSO CONTACT NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD IN REGARDS TO THE NFPA....I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTACT CARR ENGINEERING HERE IN HOUSTON WHILE YOU ARE IN TOWN...HOUSTON METALLURGICAL LAB. INC. REPORT CONTAINS 24 PHOTOS THEY TOOK. NOTE MY COMPLAINT LETTER HAS 126 PG CONTAINING NFPA CODES AND PHOTOS OF EACH COMPLAINT. AS TODAY THE SELLING DEALER HAS NOT SCHEDULED MY RV FOR WARRANTY. THEY HAVE PHOTOS OF A BLADE SEAL THAT IS WAVY AND TAPE THAT IS COVERING A HOLE IN THE ROOF AND A WORN SPOT..... RECENTLY I HAND CARRIED A LETTER TO THE SELLING DEALER, SERVICE MGR HAVING WHAT I BELIEVE ARE 52 VALID WARRANTY ITEMS. TECH MGR. SAID HE HAS MY 52 COMPLAINTS. *TR

NFPA 7.2.4 SHOWER STALLS. IN NO CASE SHALL THE DEPTH OF A SHOWER RECEPTOR BE LESS THAN 2 IN. (51 MM) OR THAN 9 IN. (229 MM). MEASURED FROM THE TOP OF THE FINISHED DAM OR THRESHOLD TO THE TOP OF THE DRAIN. SHOWER IN MY RV MEASURES 10 1/2" TECHNICAL MGR. ASKS WHAT DOES THAT HURT? KEYSTONE ISN'T GOING TO CHANGE OUT THAT SHOWER STALL. TECH MGR. MEETING ME IN TX. TOLD ME 4 + TIMES I HAD AGREE TO HIS TERMS OR TAKE MY RV OFF THE LOT. FINALLY I TOOK RV OFF LOT BUT I NEEDED AN UNBIASED OPINION FOR IT WOULD BE BETWEEN ME AND POSSIBLY ALL OF THEM AT THE DEALERSHIP SO I CALLED WALLER COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPT. INCIDENT # 287911 DATED 01/15/2014. *TR

VISITING IN HOUSTON, TX. 2013 CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS I WAS CLEANING INSIDE RV MOUNTAINEERS BASEMENT. I NOTICED ONE OF THE (THAT WAS IN VISION) ALUMINUM FLOOR JOISTS WAS SAWED PART OF THE WAY INTO. THIS FLOOR JOISTS THAT WAS SAWED PART OF THE WAY INTO IS NEXT TO A VERTICAL PLUMBING PIPE. PLUMBING INSTALLER MAY HAVE SAWED THIS FLOOR JOISTS. I LATER EMAILED A CONSUMER REP. AT KEYSTONE RV ASKING IF THE SAWED ALUMINUM FLOOR JOISTS WOULD CAUSE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OR DECREASE THE RV VALUE. HE WOULD NOT RETURN THIS EMAIL. I HAVE RELENTLESSLY CONTACTED KEYSTONE RV MFG ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS RV. TECH MGR FOR KEYSTONE WHO I MET IN TX HAS TOLD ME TWO TIMES IF I DIDN'T AGREE TO HIS TERMS HE WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE ANY WARRANTY WORK TO BE PERFORMED ON MY RV. ON 3 OCCASIONS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE COULD ADDRESS WARRANTY ISSUES ON MY RV. HE STILL REFUSES WARRANTY WORK ON MY RV. I AM BACK IN OREGON AND ONE OF THE OWNER'S OF THE SELLING DEALER EMAILED ME KEYSTONE WOULD WORK DIRECTLY WITH ME. I STILL CAN'T GET WARRANTY WORK PERFORMED. TECH MGR AND I RECENTLY TALKED ON THE PHONE AND HE ASKED I BELIEVE WOULD I SELL MY RV BACK TO KEYSTONE? I COULD NOT THINK FAST ENOUGH FOR I AM MENTALITY EXHAUSTED AFTER WRITING A 126 PAGE COMPLAINT LETTER TO KEYSTONE HOPING TO RESOLVE WARRANTY ISSUES. EACH COMPLAINT HAS A PHOTO AND A NFPA CODE NUMBER. NOTE PLEASE. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED MY FUNDS BACK FROM SELLING DEALER AND WAS REFUSED. WHEN TECH MGR. ASKED IF I WOULD SELL THE RV BACK MY WIFE SAID TELL HIM WE LIVE IN THIS. TECH MGR. SAID THEY WOULD NOT BUILD ME ANOTHER RV BECAUSE I LOOK TO THOROUGHLY AT RV'S. I INFORMED TECH MGR. I RESEARCHED OVER 1,000 HR JUST TO GET IN A POSITION TO SPEAK THIS OFTEN AND THAT I WOULD TRADE MY RV FOR AN ALPINE FOR I WAS TOLD ITS BETTER BUILT & 1 1/2 BATH. HE AGREED TO TRADE BUT 1ST TALK WITH HIS BOSS. NEXT CALL HE SAID I HAD TO PAY SOME MONEY. *TR

FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS IN RV OWNERS MANUAL I CHECKED LUG NUT TORQUE AT SELLING DEALER. TORQUE WAS TOO HIGH. LATER SERVICE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE FOUR WHEEL HUBS. SELLING DEALER SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO REPLACE BEARING CUPS AND BEARINGS IN MATCHED SETS. I CALLED DEXTER ASKING HELP. DEXTER SHOWED ME IN THE WEBSITE REPLACING SETS IS RECOMMENDED. THIS WAS BEFORE WE LEFT OREGON TO TEXAS FOR THE HOLIDAYS. I HAVE EMAILED NUMEROUS COMPANIES ASKING INFORMATION ABOUT MATCHED SETS. EACH COMPANY AGREED MATCHED BEARING CUPS AND BEARING ARE TO BE REPLACED IN MATCHED SETS. THE SERVICE MANAGER STILL REFUSES TO INSTALL MATCHED SETS. AFTER RETURNING FROM OREGON I READ THE DEXTER AXLE BOOK THAT CAME WITH MY RV. I READ IN DEXTERS BOOK INSTALLING MATCHING SETS IS REQUIRED AND EMAILED THIS TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. VISITING HIM THE OTHER DAY IN HIS OFFICE HE STATED THE SELLING DEALER DOES NOT INSTALL BEARING CUPS AND BEARING IN MATCHED SETS AND HE WILL NOT INSTALL MATCHED SETS IN MY RV. ANOTHER BOOKLET THAT CAME WITH MY RV IS A BOOKLET FROM CLI. CLI REQUIRES MATCHED SETS TO BE INSTALLED AND AGAIN THE SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO INSTALL PER MANUFACTURERS REQUIREMENTS. WHAT CAN I DO? *TR