NHTSA Complaint #10353969 — 2008 KEYSTONE RAPTOR

IN 2008 I PURCHASED A NEW 2008 38 FT. RAPTOR 3612 DS TOY HAULER FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER, MANUFACTURED BY KEYSTONE RV. IN AUGUST OF 2010 I WAS TRAVELING ACROSS COUNTRY AND AT SOME POINT ALONG THE JOURNEY MY FULL 110 GALLON WATER TANK FELL OUT OF THE TRAILER AS I WAS GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. AS THIS TRAILER IS LARGE AND LONG, I DID NOT FEEL THE TANK FALL OUT, SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN IT HAPPENED DURING THAT DAY AND AS I HAD TRAVELED OVER 300 MILES FROM START TO FINISH I HAD NO IDEA WHERE TO START LOOKING FOR THE TANK. AS I PULLED INTO A CAMPGROUND AT THE END OF THE DAY, A CAMPER NOTICED I HAD STUFF DRAGGING UNDERNEATH THE TRAILER. WE SET UP CAMP AND THEN I CRAWLED UNDER THE TRAILER TO FIND THE ENTIRE TANK MISSING AND ALL THE SUPPORTS HANGING DOWN. I GATHERED EVERYTHING UP THAT WAS REMAINING AND TIED IT UP IN PLACE SO I COULD CONTINUE MY TRIP HOME. THE NEXT DAY AFTER ARRIVING HOME I TOOK THE TRAILER INTO RUSS DEAN RV IN PASCO WASHINGTON, THE PLACE I PURCHASED THE TRAILER. I TOLD THEM ALTHOUGH THE TRAILER WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, I WANTED THEM TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER AND TELL THEM I EXPECTED THEM TO FIX THIS AS I DIDN'T BELIEVE ITEMS LIKE A TANK FALLING OUT WAS SOMETHING A WARRANTY WAS DESIGNED FOR TO BEGIN WITH, IT IS A MAJOR STRUCTURAL FAILURE THAT SHOULD CONCERN THEM AS A MANUFACTURER. KEYSTONE RESPONDED BACK AND SAID THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE AS THE TRAILER IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I DID EXPECT MORE FROM THIS COMPANY, AND I DO PLAN TO PURSUE IT FURTHER WITH THEM, BUT A MAJOR CONCERN I HAVE IS THIS TANK FALLING OUT ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, COULD (MAYBE DID) CAUSE A LIFE THREATENING ACCIDENT. I DON'T THINK THIS COMPANY HAS ANY INTENTION OF LOOKING INTO WHY THE FAILURE HAPPENED OR IF IT COULD HAPPEN WITH OTHER TRAILERS THEY HAVE MANUFACTURED. I HAVE SEVERAL PICTURES I CAN SEND SHOWING THE FAILED AREA UNDER THE TRAILER. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR