2004 Keystone Sprinter Problems

THIS WAS A CLOSE CALL INCIDENT. I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS 2004 KEYSTONE SPRINTER ST307BHW04 TRAVEL TRAILER FOR 2 MONTHS. WHEN I GOT IT THE TIRES WERE FINE THIS PAST WEEKEND AFTER LESS THEN 500 MILES I JUST MADE IT TO OUR CAMPSITE AND FOUND CORDS HANGING OUT ON THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE REAR LEFT TIRE. WHILE I WAS CHANGING I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS DAMAGE FROM ANOTHER BLOWOUT. THE RIG IS NOT OVERLOADED AND THE TIRE PRESSURE WERE PERFECT. I FOUND A TREAD ON RV.NET TALKING ABOUT THIS EXACT PROBLEM IT IS DUE TO AL-KO KOBER MADE DURING 2003 AND 2004 THAT WERE WELDED AT THE WRONG ANGLE. HERE IS MY AXLE TAG # MODEL T52 2 DATE 252 03 SLR 373 MM MY TRAILER DOM 09/16/2003 PLEASE REFERENCE OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE: 10174036 10169948 10169990 *TR

DT: CONSUMER HAS A 2004 KEYSTONE SPRINTER 30 FOOT TRAVEL TRAILER WITH ABOUT 2500 MILES. AT ABOUT 2000 MILES TRAILER GOT A FLAT ON THE PASSENGERS REAR, WHICH WAS FROM A HOLE ON THE INTERIOR SIDEWALL. THIS HAPPENED ON APRIL 1, 2005. THEN ON JULY 12, 2005 TRAILER LOST 2 MORE TIRES WITHIN 40 MILES OF EACH OTHER ON I95 IN NORTH CAROLINA, ABOUT MILE MARKER 104 AND THEN AT 146. THE FIRST FLAT WAS A COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE, WHEN THE TREAD SEPARATED IT TORE THE FINDER OFF OF TRAILER AND DONE DAMAGE TO SIDE OF TRAILER. 40 MILES LATER THE OTHER TIRE THAT WAS ON THE PASSENGERS FRONT BLEW OUT, WHEN CONSUMER STOPPED SHE FOUND THAT THIS TIRE HAD A HOLE ON THE INTERIOR SIDE WALL, THIS LOOKED JUST LIKE THE FIRST TIRE THAT WENT FLAT. TIRES ARE REGULARLY SERVICED AND HAD NOT EVEN BEEN USED LONG ENOUGH TO NEED ROTATION YET. CONSUMER DID CHECK AXLES AND FOUND THAT THEY WERE FINE, SO CONSUMER DOES BELIEVE TIRES ARE THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS NO WARNING; NO VIBRATION, NO SWAYING, OR ANOTHER TYPE OF NOTICEABLE MALFUNCTION OF TRAILER OR TIRES, BEFORE PROBLEM. NO BULGING OF TIRES OR ANY VISIBLE ABNORMAL WEAR. TIRE PRESSURE WAS AT 65 PSI WHICH WAS RECOMMENDED. MANUFACTURER WAS TIRECO INC., IN COMPTON, CA 90220, PHONE NUMBER 800-227-8925. TIRE MODEL M-108, MISSION COLD MAX TIRE. TIRE SIZE ST 225/75/R15 TYPE D, MAX LOAD OF 2540 LB, 8 PLY. ON TIRECO WEBSITE TIRECO.COM TIRE IS LISTED UNDER STOCK NUMBER 29-885C. THE TIRE MANUFACTURE DOES NOT HAVE A LISTING ON THE PULL DOWN MENU AVAILABLE IN THE MANUFACTURE INFORMATION PART OF THE VOQ. ALL THE PROPER INFORMATION ON TIRE IS LISTED IN THIS DESCRIPTION AND NOT ON THE OTHER PARTS OF THIS VOQ. *AK *NM

MY 5TH WHEEL CAMPER MODEL 252 FWRLS HAS A GVWR 8200 AND THE TIRES (ST205/75R15C) HAVE A 1820 RATING @ 50 PSI (MAX) WITH TWO AXLES EQUALING A TOTAL OF 4 TIRES THE MAX LOAD IS 7280. THEREFORE, THE CAMPER IS OVERLOADED 920 LBS BASED ON THE TIRE/WHEEL MAXIMUM LOAD CAPACITY. ISN'T THIS ILLEGAL. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE TIRES LOOKED OVERLOADED OR LOW BUT THEY WERE AT MAX PRESSURE.

DOMESTIC COMPANY REGARDING REFRIGERATOR RECALL. 2004 SPRINTER TRAVEL TRAILER WAS PURCHASED NEW. *DT THE CONSUMER STATED HE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL. THE CONSUMER WAS ONLY BEEN ABLE TO FIND ONE DEALER WHO MADE SERVICE CALLS TO HOMES, BUT THEY CHARGED $240.00. THE CONSUMER STATED HE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THAT AMOUNT MONEY SINCE HE DID NOT CAUSE THE PROBLEM. DOMETIC STATED THEY WOULD ONLY COVER $60.00 OR THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO FIND A CHEAPER DEALER.

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

THIS WAS A CLOSE CALL INCIDENT. I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS 2004 KEYSTONE SPRINTER ST307BHW04 TRAVEL TRAILER FOR 2 MONTHS. WHEN I GOT IT THE TIRES WERE FINE THIS PAST WEEKEND AFTER LESS THEN 500 MILES I JUST MADE IT TO OUR CAMPSITE AND FOUND CORDS HANGING OUT ON THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE REAR LEFT TIRE. WHILE I WAS CHANGING I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS DAMAGE FROM ANOTHER BLOWOUT. THE RIG IS NOT OVERLOADED AND THE TIRE PRESSURE WERE PERFECT. I FOUND A TREAD ON RV.NET TALKING ABOUT THIS EXACT PROBLEM IT IS DUE TO AL-KO KOBER MADE DURING 2003 AND 2004 THAT WERE WELDED AT THE WRONG ANGLE. HERE IS MY AXLE TAG # MODEL T52 2 DATE 252 03 SLR 373 MM MY TRAILER DOM 09/16/2003 PLEASE REFERENCE OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE: 10174036 10169948 10169990 *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KEYSTONE SPRINTER FIFTH WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A LADDER THAT WAS MOUNTED ON THE REAR BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE SCREWS THAT WERE USED TO MOUNT THE LATER ENDED UP PENETRATING AN ELECTRICAL WIRE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN HE TOUCHED THE LADDER AND FELT A SLIGHT SHOCK. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW, THE CONTACT FOUND OUT THAT THE LADDER HAD NOT BEEN GROUNDED PER ELECTRICAL CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SUGGESTED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND WAS OFFERED HALF OF THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 5,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KEYSTONE SPRINTER FIFTH WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A LADDER THAT WAS MOUNTED ON THE REAR BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE SCREWS THAT WERE USED TO MOUNT THE LATER ENDED UP PENETRATING AN ELECTRICAL WIRE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN HE TOUCHED THE LADDER AND FELT A SLIGHT SHOCK. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW, THE CONTACT FOUND OUT THAT THE LADDER HAD NOT BEEN GROUNDED PER ELECTRICAL CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SUGGESTED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND WAS OFFERED HALF OF THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 5,000.