2002 Keystone Montana 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 2002 Keystone Montana, 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
- Other / unspecified545.5%
- Body & structure218.2%
- Brakes19.1%
- Powertrain (other)19.1%
- Steering19.1%
- Suspension19.1%
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
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
2002 KEYSTONE MONTANA. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING DEFECTIVE DOMESTIC REFRIGERATOR AND RECALL NOTICE. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE RV CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE REFRIGERATOR. THE CONSUMER STATED HE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT A RECALL NOTICE HAD BEEN SENT TO HIS RESIDENCE. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER STATED HE MOVED FROM THAT ADDRESS WHICH IS NOW A RENTAL PROPERTY. *JB
I HAVE A 2002 KEYSTONE MONTANA FIFTH WHEEL RV. LAST YEAR I TOOK IT IN THE SHOP BECAUSE MY SLIDEOUT WAS MOVING WHEN IT WAS HOOKED TO THE TOW VEHICLE. LONG STORY SHORT, IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOUR TIMES AND THEIR ARE STILL PROBLEMS WITH THE FRAME. THE PROBLEM IS THE WELDS KEEP BREAKING ON THE FRAME. THE SHOP TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY, THAT WITH THE WAY THE WELDS ARE BREAKING, THE WHOLE UNIT COULD HAVE FALLEN APART OR OFF THE FRAME WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. STILL NOT SURE HOW TO FIX THIS. THERE WERE NO INCIDENTS CAUSED THE FAILURE. SO FAR IT HAS COST CLOSE TO $8000.00 IN REPAIRS AND IT STILL BREAKS. UPON GOOGLING THIS PROBLEM, THERE ARE MANY HITS WHERE ALL STATE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS THE FRAME IS TOO WEAK TO SUPPORT THE TRAILER'S WEIGHT. MY REPAIR SHOP CALLED ME AND SAID THEY HAVE ANOTHER KEYSTONE TRAILER THAT JUST CAME IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES IN A SMALL TOWN FOR THAT TO HAPPEN? ON A SIDE NOTE, I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES, THEY KEPT BLOWING. I NOTICE MANY MANY RV MANUFACTURES PUT TIRES ON WITH MINIMAL CLEARANCE FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER, AND ALSO PUT AXLES THAT ARE BARELY RATED FOR THE TRAILERS AS WELL. YOU PUT A PILLOW IN THE TRAILER AND YOU ARE OVER YOUR AXLE AND TIRE WEIGHT RATING. I INSTALLED TIRES OF THE NEXT LOAD RATING UP AND HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE PROBLEM. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES ON MY PREVIOUS TRAILER, A NUWA FIFTH WHEEL. THEY KEPT BLOWING AND FINALLY I REPLACED THEM ALL WITH THE NEXT SIZE UP. THIS PROBLEM TRULY IS A ROAD HAZARD, HAVING A BLOW OUT ON A RV GOING 65MPH ON THE FREEWAY. ALSO, THE PROBLEM OF HAVING THE TRAILER FALLING OFF A FAILED FRAME WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE A 2002 KEYSTONE MONTANA FIFTH WHEEL RV. LAST YEAR I TOOK IT IN THE SHOP BECAUSE MY SLIDEOUT WAS MOVING WHEN IT WAS HOOKED TO THE TOW VEHICLE. LONG STORY SHORT, IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOUR TIMES AND THEIR ARE STILL PROBLEMS WITH THE FRAME. THE PROBLEM IS THE WELDS KEEP BREAKING ON THE FRAME. THE SHOP TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY, THAT WITH THE WAY THE WELDS ARE BREAKING, THE WHOLE UNIT COULD HAVE FALLEN APART OR OFF THE FRAME WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. STILL NOT SURE HOW TO FIX THIS. THERE WERE NO INCIDENTS CAUSED THE FAILURE. SO FAR IT HAS COST CLOSE TO $8000.00 IN REPAIRS AND IT STILL BREAKS. UPON GOOGLING THIS PROBLEM, THERE ARE MANY HITS WHERE ALL STATE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS THE FRAME IS TOO WEAK TO SUPPORT THE TRAILER'S WEIGHT. MY REPAIR SHOP CALLED ME AND SAID THEY HAVE ANOTHER KEYSTONE TRAILER THAT JUST CAME IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES IN A SMALL TOWN FOR THAT TO HAPPEN? ON A SIDE NOTE, I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES, THEY KEPT BLOWING. I NOTICE MANY MANY RV MANUFACTURES PUT TIRES ON WITH MINIMAL CLEARANCE FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER, AND ALSO PUT AXLES THAT ARE BARELY RATED FOR THE TRAILERS AS WELL. YOU PUT A PILLOW IN THE TRAILER AND YOU ARE OVER YOUR AXLE AND TIRE WEIGHT RATING. I INSTALLED TIRES OF THE NEXT LOAD RATING UP AND HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE PROBLEM. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES ON MY PREVIOUS TRAILER, A NUWA FIFTH WHEEL. THEY KEPT BLOWING AND FINALLY I REPLACED THEM ALL WITH THE NEXT SIZE UP. THIS PROBLEM TRULY IS A ROAD HAZARD, HAVING A BLOW OUT ON A RV GOING 65MPH ON THE FREEWAY. ALSO, THE PROBLEM OF HAVING THE TRAILER FALLING OFF A FAILED FRAME WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KEYSTONE MONTANA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIBER GLASS HAD A CRACK CAUSED BY THE FLEXING OF THE HITCH, WHICH COULD NOT SUPPORT THE TRAILER. HE HAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE FAILURES WITH THE HYDRAULIC AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED POORLY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND COULD NOT MAKE ANY REPAIRS. THERE WAS NO CRACK AT THE TIME OF THE PURCHASE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000. UPDATED 02-18-09 *BF UPDATED 02/18/09. *JB
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
SPINDLE BENT, CAUSING BRAKES TO STICK. HAD TO REPLACE AXLE. DID HAVE AN AXLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
SPINDLE BENT, CAUSING BRAKES TO STICK. HAD TO REPLACE AXLE. DID HAVE AN AXLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
SPINDLE BENT, CAUSING BRAKES TO STICK. HAD TO REPLACE AXLE. DID HAVE AN AXLE. *AK
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 2002 KEYSTONE MONTANA, MODEL NUMBER 2955RL. THE AXLE HAS A DEFECT THAT IS WEARING THE TIRES. IN OCTOBER OF 2007, THE CONTACT PLACED NEW TIRES ON THE TRAILER. IN JANUARY OF 2008, THE TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED. HE WILL TAKE THE TRAILER TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 3,000.
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 .