NHTSA Complaint #10150568 — 2002 KEYSTONE COUGAR

A STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE FRAME - OUR 2002 KEYSTONE MONTANA 5TH WHEEL TRAILER MODEL 2955RL, VIN#[XXX] HAD MULTIPLE WELDS BREAK AND CRACK IN THE KINGPIN AREA AND UNDER THE BEDROOM OF THE TRAILER. THIS ALLOWED THE SIDEWALLS TO DROP AND THE KINGPIN TO OSCILLATE UP AND DOWN LIKE IT WAS ATTACHED TO A DIVING BOARD. THE OSCILLATION CAUSED A PARTITION TO BE PUSHED THROUGH THE CEILING. THIS FAILURE MADE THE TRAILER UNSAFE FOR TOWING UNTIL EMERGENCY REPAIRS WERE MADE. PICTURES OF THE WELD FAILURES ARE AVAILABLE. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WE WERE 300 MILES FROM HOME IN BAKERSFIELD, CA. THE ONLY DEALER IN THE AREA WAS RELUCTANT TO REPAIR VEHICLES SOLD BY OTHER DEALERS. TEMPORARY REPAIRS WERE MADE BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHICH WAS RECOMMENDED TO US. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)