2014 Keystone Montana-Mountaineer

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a complaint of a partially obstructed emergency exit window on a 2014 Montana trailer manufactured by Keystone RV which alleged the roof ladder impeded full opening of one of the two rear emergency exit windows.ODI notes that these trailers are equipped with as many as three (3) emergency exits, often including the window adjacent to the rear window in question.ODI further notes that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) do not apply to this case, as no emergency exits are required for this vehicle.However, the window is clearly marked as an emergency exit, yet may not function as one.Misleading signage may lead to a delay in occupant egress and pose an undue risk to safety.Keystone's recall (15V-409) to remove the label marking the window as an emergency exit or to replace the window will eliminate the risk of an occupant mistaking the subject window as an emergency exit and result in one of the functioning emergency exits being used.Keystone's actions resolve the issue raised by this investigation and therefore this investigation is closed.The ODI reports cited in this investigation can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification number:10692688. Note:Complaint number 10583668 was erroneously associated with this investigation when opened.

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

NHTSA ID

10584788

Incident

Dec 26, 2013

Mileage

3,100 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10584787

Incident

Dec 26, 2013

Mileage

3,100 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10584784

Incident

Dec 26, 2013

Mileage

3,100 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10584783

Incident

Dec 19, 2013

Mileage

2,500 mi

DECEMBER 26, 2013, MY WIFE AND I STOPPED AT A REST STOP IN VAN HORN, TEXAS FOR A FEW HOURS REST. OUR RV WAS NOT MANUFACTURED WITH A FURNACE AIR RETURN DUCT. WE HAD JUST BOUGHT A NEW DODGE 3500 WITH A CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE HAVING ALL THE BELLS & WHISTLES (FIRST FOR US). WAKING UP I DECIDE TO SHOW OFF THE (NEW TO US) ENGINE REMOTE START FEATURE. BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTED I WAS PUTTING ON MY SHOES TO WALK OUR PET. WHILE WAITING ON OUR DOG TO RELIEVE HERSELF I HEARD MY WIFE YELLING OUT, EXHAUST IS COMING INSIDE. I DIDN'T HAVE A TRUCK KEY WITH ME SO I RAN TO THE RV TO SHUT OFF THE PROPANE FUEL FURNACE. THE FURNACE TAKING TIME TO SHUT OFF I STUPIDLY TURNED ON THE LIVING ROOM POWER VENT IN THE CEILING. THIS VERY POWERFUL VENT FAN MADE THIS SITUATION MORE DANGEROUS. UNDER PRESSURE HEARING MY WIFE YELLING I DIDN'T REACT PROPERLY AND BEGAN PRESSING FURNACE BUTTONS WHILE STANDING ON THE STEPS TO BED & BATHROOM ABOVE THE TWO FURNACE AIR RETURN GRILLS I BREATHED A LOT OF THE DIESELS EXHAUST. I CALLED POISON CONTROL FOR MY LUGS WERE BURNING SOMETHING TERRIBLY. KEYSTONE RV MANUFACTURED OUR 5TH WHEEL WITHOUT A FURNACE AIR RETURN DUCT. OPERATING A VENT FAN DRAWS OUTSIDE AIR IN REVERSE DIRECTION THROUGH THE FURNACE TWO WOODEN VENTS LOCATED IN THE STEPS I WAS STANDING ON. WE HAVE NO WAY TO PREVENT OUTSIDE AIR (CONTAINING EXHAUST FUMES OR ANY OTHER HARMFUL PRODUCT PRESENT IN THE AIR) FROM FREE FLOWING INTO RV LIVING QUARTERS WITH FURNACE FAN ON OR OFF. KEYSTONE AND SELLING DEALER REFUSES TO REMEDY THIS LIFE THREATENING CONDITION. KEYSTONE CONTINUES TO STATE THEY BUILT OUR RV TO CODE AND RECENTLY KEYSTONE TECHNICAL MANAGER STATED TO ME AS OTHER TIMES, A FURNACE AIR DUCT IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE INSTALLED IN THE FURNACE SYSTEM. ATWOOD THE FURNACE MANUFACTURER RECENTLY EMAILED ME "DID YOU CONTACT KEYSTONE? THEY INSTALLED THE FURNACE WRONG." KEYSTONE REFUSES TO INSTALL A DUCT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10584780

Incident

Dec 26, 2013

Mileage

3,100 mi