2012 Keystone Cougar Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2012 Keystone Cougar, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Body & structure333.3%
- Suspension222.2%
- Brakes111.1%
- Electrical111.1%
- Other / unspecified111.1%
- Tires & wheels111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KEYSTONE COUGAR RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPARE TIRE WAS BOLTED TO THE REAR BUMPER AND WAS TOO HEAVY, WHICH CAUSED THE BUMPER TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANTHEM RV AND BOATS (44019 N BLACK CANYON HWY, NEW RIVER, AZ 85087, (623) 465-7331) WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE DEALER TOOK SEVERAL PICTURES AND EMAILED THEM TO THE KEYSTONE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED LIMITED ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR MOST OF THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V355000 (STRUCTURE, TIRES, EQUIPMENT) FOR HIS VEHICLE. *TT CARFAX CANNOT PROCESS THIS REQUEST. *JB
BACK BUMPER WELDS BREAKING WITH A SPARE WHEEL MOUNTED THERE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KEYSTONE COUGAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE CORNER PANEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE AXLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,200.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KEYSTONE COUGAR FIFTH WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LEAF SPRING FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE ONE LEAF SPRING OUT THE FOUR WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300. UPDATED 7/31/13 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE TOWING THE RV AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE LEFT FRONT LEAF SPRING BROKE AND CAUSED THE AXLE TO BREAK AS WELL. UPDATED 08/06/13
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ELECTRIC BRAKE WIRING THAT CONNECTS THE COACH BODY TO THE FRONT AXLE WAS RUBBING ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE LF TIRE OF THE TRAILER. IT HAS RUBBED A POLISHED GROOVE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE WIRING CONNECTING THE REAR AXLE TO THE COACH WAS RUBBING ON THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE LR WHEEL. I SECURED THE WIRING AWAY FROM THE TIRE AND WHEEL AND RETURNED THE FIFTH WHEEL TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT. KEYSTONE RV'S ATTITUDE SURPRISES ME, THEY CLAIM THAT THE WIRE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN RUBBING ON THE TIRE AND WHEEL, BECAUSE THE WIRE WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTANTLY RIPPED OFF. I HAVE PICTURES TO PROVE THE WIRING JOB WAS INADEQUATE AND SHODDY. THIS ISSUE CAN'T BE AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I FEEL THAT KEYSTONE NEEDS TO HAVE IT'S DEALERS INSPECT ALL TRAILER BRAKE WIRING. IF THE WIRES HAD BEEN TORN LOOSE OR SHORTED OUT, MY 9,000 POUND FIFTH WHEEL WOULD HAVE BECOME A GIANT WEIGHT PUSHING ME DOWN HILLS! THIS IS A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT MY PICTURES FORWARDED TO YOU. THANK YOU! *TR UPDATED 09/26/12*LJ
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ELECTRIC BRAKE WIRING THAT CONNECTS THE COACH BODY TO THE FRONT AXLE WAS RUBBING ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE LF TIRE OF THE TRAILER. IT HAS RUBBED A POLISHED GROOVE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE WIRING CONNECTING THE REAR AXLE TO THE COACH WAS RUBBING ON THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE LR WHEEL. I SECURED THE WIRING AWAY FROM THE TIRE AND WHEEL AND RETURNED THE FIFTH WHEEL TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT. KEYSTONE RV'S ATTITUDE SURPRISES ME, THEY CLAIM THAT THE WIRE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN RUBBING ON THE TIRE AND WHEEL, BECAUSE THE WIRE WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTANTLY RIPPED OFF. I HAVE PICTURES TO PROVE THE WIRING JOB WAS INADEQUATE AND SHODDY. THIS ISSUE CAN'T BE AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I FEEL THAT KEYSTONE NEEDS TO HAVE IT'S DEALERS INSPECT ALL TRAILER BRAKE WIRING. IF THE WIRES HAD BEEN TORN LOOSE OR SHORTED OUT, MY 9,000 POUND FIFTH WHEEL WOULD HAVE BECOME A GIANT WEIGHT PUSHING ME DOWN HILLS! THIS IS A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT MY PICTURES FORWARDED TO YOU. THANK YOU! *TR UPDATED 09/26/12*LJ
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ELECTRIC BRAKE WIRING THAT CONNECTS THE COACH BODY TO THE FRONT AXLE WAS RUBBING ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE LF TIRE OF THE TRAILER. IT HAS RUBBED A POLISHED GROOVE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE WIRING CONNECTING THE REAR AXLE TO THE COACH WAS RUBBING ON THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE LR WHEEL. I SECURED THE WIRING AWAY FROM THE TIRE AND WHEEL AND RETURNED THE FIFTH WHEEL TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT. KEYSTONE RV'S ATTITUDE SURPRISES ME, THEY CLAIM THAT THE WIRE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN RUBBING ON THE TIRE AND WHEEL, BECAUSE THE WIRE WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTANTLY RIPPED OFF. I HAVE PICTURES TO PROVE THE WIRING JOB WAS INADEQUATE AND SHODDY. THIS ISSUE CAN'T BE AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I FEEL THAT KEYSTONE NEEDS TO HAVE IT'S DEALERS INSPECT ALL TRAILER BRAKE WIRING. IF THE WIRES HAD BEEN TORN LOOSE OR SHORTED OUT, MY 9,000 POUND FIFTH WHEEL WOULD HAVE BECOME A GIANT WEIGHT PUSHING ME DOWN HILLS! THIS IS A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT MY PICTURES FORWARDED TO YOU. THANK YOU! *TR UPDATED 09/26/12*LJ
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KEYSTONE COUGAR RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPARE TIRE WAS BOLTED TO THE REAR BUMPER AND WAS TOO HEAVY, WHICH CAUSED THE BUMPER TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANTHEM RV AND BOATS (44019 N BLACK CANYON HWY, NEW RIVER, AZ 85087, (623) 465-7331) WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE DEALER TOOK SEVERAL PICTURES AND EMAILED THEM TO THE KEYSTONE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED LIMITED ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR MOST OF THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V355000 (STRUCTURE, TIRES, EQUIPMENT) FOR HIS VEHICLE. *TT CARFAX CANNOT PROCESS THIS REQUEST. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .