NHTSA Complaint #10179243 — 2004 KEYSTONE COUGAR

WHILE OPERATION OF THE LIPPERT SLIDEOUT IN OUR '04 KEYSTONE 285EFS FIFTH WHEEL, THE SLIDE STOPPED. UPON INVESTIGATION (FOLLOWING WIRES, CHECKING FUSE, CONTACTS, ETC.) I FOUND BURNT OUT AND MELTED WIRE NUTS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE FUSE PANEL LYING IN SAWDUST. THE WIRES ARE 10 GAUGE (30 AMP). ONE STRIPPED END WAS AN INCH IN LENGTH WHILE THE OTHER WAS LESS THAN 1/16". THESE WIRES PROVIDE FULL 12 VOLT AMPERAGE TO OPERATE THE SLIDEOUT. THIS WAY OF STRIPPING WIRES FOR WIRE NUT ATTACHMENT IS NOT PRUDENT FOR A SAFE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AND IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I WOULD BELIEVE THAT KEYSTONE SHOULD USE "BARREL CONNECTORS" FOR THIS EXTREME AMPERAGE AND NOT PLASTIC WIRE-NUTS WITH IMPROPERLY STRIPPED WIRES. THERE'S MEMBERS ON THE KEYSTONE RV CAMPING GROUP SIGHT THAT HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF "BURN-OUT". THIS CAN AND COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. THE 30 AMP BREAKER NEVER TRIPPED. I ALSO TOOK PICTURES. *NM