KEYSTONE Complaints

2003 MONTANA 5TH WHEEL BURNT DUE TO A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN OR AROUND THE REFRIGERATOR. *KB

DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR YEAR 2001 SPRINGDALE RV MOD # RM 2652 SERIAL # 14200177," FAILED TO KEEP FOOD COOL WHILE WE WERE STAYING IN IT." THERE WAS A VERY FOUL ODOR. AFRAID TO USE THIS THING AGAIN ." WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED BY DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED RV (DANDY RV BIRMINGHAM AL OF A RECALL OR DANGER TO US. WE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT RECALL ON THIS THING TILL WE FOUND ARTICLE IN THE 2008 EQUUS HORSE MAGAZINE MARCH ISSUE. *TR

THE WEAKEST LINK I OWN A 2004 KEYSTONE SPRINTER. THIS RV UNIT HAS 30,000 TOWED MILES. THIS RV HAS THE DOUBLE EYE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. DURING MY TRAVELS IN 2007 A SET OF SHACKLE PLATES BROKE. THIS PART FAILURE HAS RESULTED IN A $1500.00 LOSS INCLUDING A BENT AXLE, SUSPENSION PARTS AND DAMAGED TIRES. YES, I AM OUT OF WARRANTY. KEYSTONE SPRINTER PROVIDED AN $800.00 COMPENSATION. THIS SUSPENSION FAILURE COULD CAUSE FATAL BODILY DAMAGE. WHEN A SHACKLE PLATE BREAKS THE AXLE CAN BECOME DETACHED FROM THE RV HOME FRAME. THE KEYSTONE SPRINTER ORGANIZATION REFERS TO THE FAILED PART AS A 'WEAR PART'. THIS ISSUE THAN BELONGS TO THE RV HOME OWNER. KEYSTONE SPRINTER AND AL-KO KOBER, SUSPENSION MANUFACTURE, OWNER'S MANUAL STATES ONLY 'INSPECT THE SUSPENSION EVERY 6000 MILES'. A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE SHACKLE PLATE AREA OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM CAN NOT DETECT ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE SHACKLE PLATE. ONE OF THE FAILURE FEATURES IS THE ELONGATION OF THE MOUNTING HOLE IN THE SHACKLE PLATE. WWW.CERKA.CA IS A WEB SITE THAT ADDRESS SUSPENSION SYSTEM MAINTENANCE CLEARLY READS 'IF THE SHACKLE MOUNT HOLES ARE ELONGATED THAT PART NEEDS TO BE REPLACED'. I FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE A RESPONSIBLE ACTION TO REQUIRE RV MANUFACTURES TO NOTIFY THEIR CUSTOMERS OF POTENTIAL SUSPENSION PROBLEMS WITH EMPHASIS ON THE SHACKLE PLATE PART. THE 'BUYER BEWARE' SHOULD BE FURTHER CLARIFIED. 1-RV MANUFACTURES SHOULD CLEARLY POINT OUT IN OWNERS MANUAL THAT THE SHACKLE PLATES WHEN FOUND TO HAVE ELONGATED MOUNTING HOLES SHOULD BE REPLACED. 2-SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO BRING FOCUS TO OWNERS THAT SUSPENSIONS SYSTEMS SHOULD BE INSPECTED. THEN LET THE CUSTOMER SIGN OFF THAT 'INSPECTION SERVICE ON THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM' WAS RECOMMENDED AND DECLINED' THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM ISSUES COULD BE ADDRESSED SIMILAR TO THE 2007 KEYSTONE PROVIDED INFORMATIONAL DVD ABOUT PROCEDURES FOR TIGHTENING WHEEL LUG NUTS SO THAT TIRES WOULD NOT FALL OFF THE RV COACH. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KEYSTONE CABANA. THE CONTACT BECAME SICK AFTER BEING IN THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR. A NEWS BROADCAST STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD FORMALDEHYDE. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED OR TESTED FOR FORMALDEHYDE. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. UPDATED 03-19-08 *BF UPDATED 03/19/08 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 KEYSTONE SPRINTER FIFTH WHEEL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE NOTICE, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE FAILURE REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $1,000. AFTER RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE, THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER REGARDING REIMBURSEMENT. THE DEALER AGREED TO REIMBURSE THE CONTACT, BUT LATER DECLINED EVEN THOUGH HIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE RECALL NUMBER, FAILURE, AND VEHICLE INFORMATION WERE UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 3/19/08 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED EVERYTHING WAS AVAILABLE TO DOMETIC AND REFUSE TO REIMBURSE CONSUMER ON RECALL. UPDATED 03/19/08 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LAREDO FIFTH WHEEL. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL NUMBER RM2652. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V134000 (EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE). THE REMEDY CONSISTED OF PLACING SHEET METAL AROUND THE TUBING INSTEAD OF PERFORMING AN ACTUAL REPAIR. HE IS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL CATCH FIRE WHILE HE AND HIS FAMILY ARE INSIDE. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. UPDATED 03/25/08 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KEYSTONE SPRINGDALE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE ARE FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE THAT BURN HER EYES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAUSE MAY BE FORMALDEHYDE AND RECOMMENDED THAT SHE AIR OUT THE VEHICLE. THE WINDOWS HAVE BEEN CRACKED AND THE DOORS OPENED SINCE AUGUST OF 2006, BUT THE FUMES ARE STILL PRESENT. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THE FUMES ARE COMING FROM THE CARPET AND WOOD. UPDATED 03/04/08. *LJ

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KEYSTONE COUGAR. THE VEHICLE HAS TIRECO MISSION, SIZE ST22575R15 TIRES. THE CONTACT NOTICED BULGES IN THE CENTER TIRE. THE TIRE EVENTUALLY BLEW OUT AND CAUSED MINIMAL DAMAGE. ANOTHER BLOWOUT OCCURRED LATER, WHICH CAUSED MORE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE CONTACT CHANGED THE TIRE AND WENT TO SILVER MOON AUTO REPAIR. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE OTHER THREE TIRES WOULD ALSO EXPERIENCE A BLOWOUT AND CALLED THEM "CHEAP". HE THEN PROCEEDED TO REPLACE THE REMAINING TIRES. TIRECO STATED THAT THEY WANTED TO INSPECT THE TIRES TO DETERMINE IF THEY WERE FAULTY. THE CONTACT SENT THE TIRES TO TIRECO AND THEY SENT HIM A CHECK FOR THE THREE TIRES. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE.

1. FIRE BEHIND FURNACE PANELING 8:30 AM MST I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE FURNACE PANEL. I SHUT DOWN THE FURNACE AND OPENED THE FURNACE PANEL. UPON OPENING, I DISCOVERED THE LINOLEUM BURNING IN A SIX INCH DIAMETER OVAL AREA. I EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. EXAMINATION SHOWED THE FURNACE FEEDS THE DUCT SYSTEM UNDER THE FLOOR BY MEANS OF A HOLE IN THE FLOOR THAT IS SUPPOSED TO ALIGN WITH THE FURNACE CHAMBER HOLE. THE SPACE BETWEEN FURNACE AND FLOOR HAS A FITTED GASKET AND ALUMINUM-LIKE FOIL PROTECTING THE FLOOR FROM THE HEATED AIR. HOWEVER, THE HOLE IN THE FLOOR WAS MISALIGNED BY 3" SUCH THAT THE FURNACE SLOT WAS OVERLAPPING 3" OF ACTUAL LINOLEUM COVERED FLOOR. THIS ALLOWED THE FURNACE HEATED AIR TO BLOW DIRECTLY ON THE LINOLEUM AND SET IT ON FIRE. THIS VEHICLE IS LOCATED ON-SITE OF OUR HOUSE BUILDING, SO I ENLISTED HELP FROM THE HVAC CONTRACTOR WORKING ON THE HOUSE; AND WE CORRECTED THE HOLE ALIGNMENT AND PUT IN SHEET METAL, INSULATION, GASKETS, AND HEAT BARRIERS TO CORRECT THE SITUATION. 2. EARLIER HAZARD PROBLEM. SEVERAL MONTHS EARLIER, WHEN ATTEMPTING ACCESS TO BLACK AND GRAY WATER VALVES, IT WAS VERY EASY TO CUT YOUR HAND ON SHARP EDGED SHEET METAL PANELS ABOVE THE VALVES. I CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM BY PUTTING TUBING OVER THE SHARP EDGES. HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED THE COMPANY ABOUT THIS HAZARD, I WAS TOLD BY A CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON THAT IT "WASN'T WARRANTY". I EXPLAINED I WAS ALERTING THEM TO HAZARD, DESIGN AND QUALITY CONTROL PROBLEMS. 3. MISALIGNED BATH ROOM DOOR, UNLABELED ELECTRICAL SWITCHES, AND CO DETECTOR. THESE ITEMS REPRESENT THE MINOR ANNOYANCES THAT I HAVE CORRECTED ALONG WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CO DETECTOR POWER SYSTEM BY RECALL. THE REVERSE SUCCESSION OF THESE ABOVE ITEMS HAS LED ME TO BELIEVE THERE IS A SERIOUS LACK OF QUALITY/MANAGEMENT CONTROL IN PLACE TO TRANSFER DESIGN TO PRODUCTION AND WITH INFORMATION FLOW TO RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT. THIS IS CREATING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH HAZARDS TO THE EQUIPMENT USER. *TR

THE TRAILER WAS BEING NORMALLY DRIVEN AT LEGAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WAS PROPERLY LOADED. THE CURBSIDE REAR LEAF SPRING HANGER WELDS BROKE COMPLETELY LOOSE FROM THE SUBFRAME. THE HANGER BECAME WEDGED IN THE HOLE LEFT IN THE SUBFRAME. RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER SUSPENSION. AT THIS TIME, THE DAMAGE IS STILL BEING EVALUATED. ANY OLD PARTS WILL BE RETAINED FOR POSSIBLE LITIGATION PURPOSES. *TR