2004 Keystone COUGAR: complaints, problems and recalls

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. THE TRAILER TIRE VALVE STEMS ARE WEAK AT THE BASE OF THE STEM. THE FIRST VALVE WENT BAD WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD, LUCKILY HE FOUND IT BEFORE IT WENT TOTALLY FLAT. THE SECOND VALVE STEM WENT BAD WHILE THE TRAILER WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE THIRD VALVE WENT BAD IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE FOURTH VALVE WENT BAD AFTER THE CONSUMER CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE AND DROVE 50 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. THE TIRE WENT COMPLETELY FLAT AND DISINTEGRATED TORE UP THE FENDER ON THE TRAILER AND SOME OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10101923 at NHTSA ↗

THE OUTER TREAD OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME LOOSE FROM THE TIRE AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELL AND OUTER SKIN OF THE TRAILER. *NM *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10115626 at NHTSA ↗

THE ELECTRIC GLIDE OUT MECHANISM WAS LOCATED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME. THIS TAKES THE CLEARANCE FROM THE TIRES WHEN THE FIFTH WHEEL IS TURNING. THE TIRE RUBBED AGAINST THE MECHANISM AND CAUSED THEM TO WEAR PREMATURELY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A BLOW OUT. ALSO, NO CHAINS CAN BE PUT ON TIRES BECAUSE THERE IS NO SPACE FOR THEM. CHAINS IS NEEDED AND REQUIRED BY LAW FOR DRIVING IN BAD WHETHER. THE GLIDE OUT MANUFACTURER REMOVED THE MECHANISM FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE FIFTH-WHEEL AND PUT IT IN ON THE INSIDE, WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THIS PRO…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10119047 at NHTSA ↗

DT: WHILE INSPECTING THE TIRES THE CONSUMER NOTICED A BUBBLE IN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER REPLACED THE TIRE FOR FREE. THE TIRE HAD ABOUT 500 MILES ON IT AT TIME OF THE BULGE. ANOTHER TIRE ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE WENT BAD, AND SHOWED TREAD SEPARATION. UPON INSPECTING THE TIRES, THE OWNER NOTICED A STEEL BELT COMING THROUGH THE TREAD. THIS TIRE HAS ABOUT 11000 MILES ON IT. THE VEHICLE AND TIRES WERE INSPECTED PERIODICALLY. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER IS MISSION. *AK MISSION TRAILER TIRES. *SC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10126688 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE HAD TWO TIRE BLOW OUTS, DESTROYING THE TIRES AND DAMAGING VEHICLE. THE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT. NOTHING WAS LEFT EXCEPT THE RIM. THERE WAS LESS THAN 12,000 MILES ON BOTH TIRES LOCATED ON A BRAND NEW VEHICLE. THE WEATHER WAS SUNNY, AND THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL. DID NOT HIT ANYTHING WHILE TRAVELING AT 60-65 MPH. THE FIRST TIRE BLEW ON 7-1-05. IT WAS THE LEFT LEADING TIRE IN A DUAL AXLE TIRE. THE SECOND TIRE BLEW ON JULY 3, 05. IT WAS THE RIGHT TIRE IN A DUAL AXLE TIRE SETUP. THE RECOMMENDED PSI IS 65. THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10129540 at NHTSA ↗

(3 MISSION TIRE FAILURES ON 04 KEYSTONE COUGAR RV)MAY 13, WEIGHED TRAILER AT 7660, AIR AT 60LBS, LEFT ON VACATION. BEFORE NOON TIRE EXPLODED. WAS FLAGGED OVER BY WITTNES WHO SAID TIRE WENT INTO A THOUSAND PIECES. ONLY TWO BEADS LEFT ON WHEEL.JULY 2, ON SHORT RUN OUT OF TOWN, TIRE AT 65LBS,BLEW BUT REMAINED ON WHEEL.SEPARATED FROM TREAD ALL AROUND.I HAVE THIS TIRE. I REMOVED REMAINING MISSION TIRES AND FOUND ONE SEPARATING ON INSIDE. I HAVE THIS TIRE.THREE OUT OF THE FOUR ON THE GROUND FAILED IN LESS THAN 8 THOUSAND MILES.THEY ARE MISSION LOAD M…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10130059 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE TRAVELING W/B ON ROUTE 50 IN ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND, WE EXPERIENCED A BLOWN PASSENGER SIDE TIRE ON OUR 2004 KEYSTONE COUGAR TRAVEL TRAILER. THIS BLOWN TIRE, CAUSED THE TRAILER TO FALL ON ITS SIDE, COME BACK UP AND JACK KNIFE INTO OUR SUBURBAN, CAUSING A TOTAL LOSS TO THE COUGAR AND OVER $11,000.00 IN DAMAGE TO OUR 2004 SUBURBAN. THE TRAILER WAS ONLY USED FOR ONE SEASON AND THE TIRES HAD APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES ON THEM. WE WERE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE TIRE IN QUESTION WAS A MISSION LOAD MAX RADI…

Owner-reported narrative. 65 miles reported. Look up ODI 10132943 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HAD TWO TIRE BLOW OUTS IN TWO DAYS. THE FIRST ONE WAS ON 6-01-05, AND THE SECOND ONE ON 6-02-05; BOTH WHILE DRIVING ON I-45. THE CONTACT SENT 4 TIRES BACK TO THE TIRE COMPANY, AND THEY DETERMINED THERE WAS A DEFECT IN AT LEAST ONE OF THE TIRES. SHE DID NOT NOTICE ANY VIBRATION OR BULGES IN THE TIRES. THE PSI ON THE TIRES WAS 50. THERE WAS ONLY 8,000 MILES ON THE TIRES. THEY WERE WELL MAINTAINED TIRES. THE BRAND OF THE TIRE WAS MISSION, AND THEY WERE ON A COUGAR FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER. THE FIRST TO BLOW WAS THE RIGHT R…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10133726 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2007-03-22 (March 22, 2007)

CERTAIN FIFTH WHEEL AND TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR, MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION, MAY HAVE A DEFECT IN CERTAIN TUBING IN THE REFRIGERATOR WHICH COULD ALLOW PRESSURIZED FLAMMABLE COOLANT SOLUTION TO BE RELEASED INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: KEYSTONE RV WILL BE WORKING WITH DOMETIC IN ORDER TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 06E076). DOMETIC WILL REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS BY INSTALLING A SECONDARY BURNER HOUSING AND THERMAL FUSES FREE OF CHARGE. DOMETIC HAS RETAINED STERICYCLE INC. TO MANAGE THIS CAMPAIGN. STERICYCLE WILL ASSIST YOU IN LOCATING DEALERSHIPS OR SERVICE CENTERS AND WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC/STERICYCLE AT 1-888-446-5157 OR KEYSTONE RV AT 574-535-2100.

Reported: 2008-07-17 (July 17, 2008)

KEYSTONE IS RECALLING 161,250 MY 2004-2007 FIFTH WHEEL AND TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION. THE REFRIGERATOR MAY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE BOILER TUBE. PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION COULD BE RELEASED INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.

Consequence: IF THIS SOLUTION IS EXPOSED TO AN IGNITION SOURCE UNDER CERTAIN SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES, IT CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: KEYSTONE IS WORKING WITH DOMETIC TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 08E032). DOMETIC WILL REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS BY INSTALLING A SECONDARY BURN HOUSING, A THERMAL FUSE, AND A MELT FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. DOMETIC HAS RETAINED STERICYCLE INC. TO MANAGE THIS CAMPAIGN. STERICYCLE WILL ASSIST THE OWNER IN LOCATING DEALERSHIPS OR SERVICE CENTERS AND WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC/STERICYCLE AT 1-888-446-5157 OR KEYSTONE AT 1-866-425-4369.

Reported: 2017-11-22 (November 22, 2017)

Keystone RV Company (Keystone) is recalling various 2003-2018 Crossroads, Dutchmen, and Keystone recreational trailers equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer models is available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17V755-5127.pdf. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or excessive force may be needed to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf

Consequence: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Keystone will notify owners and instruct them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2018. Owners may contact Keystone customer service at 1-574-535-2100, or Kidde customer service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Keystone's number for this recall is 17-307.