NHTSA Complaint #10454640 — 2009 KEYSTONE COUGAR

WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH, I OBSERVED TRAILER WAS SITTING LOWER THAN NORMAL AND CLOSE TO BED OF TRUCK. ON STOPPING AND INSPECTING I OBSERVED PIN BOX WAS TILTED UPWARD AND NO LONGER LEVEL. IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND DISCONNECTED TRAILER. INSPECTED PINBOX AT FRAME AND FOUND STEEL TEARING AWAY FROM FRAME AT WELDS. FURTHER INSPECTION THROUGH REMOVAL OF SHROUD SHOWED FRONT CROSS MEMBER ARCHED UPWARD CLOSE TO 6 INCHES FROM HORIZONTAL. ENTIRE PINBOX NEARLY SEVERED FROM MAIN FRAME WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN TOTAL TRAILER SEPARATION AND PENITENTIAL DEATH AND INJURY TO OTHERS AND MYSELF. CONTACTED LOCAL CERTIFIED WELDER WHO STATED STEEL SHOWED SIGNS OF FATIGUE INDUCED BY INSUFFICIENT SIZE AND POOR WELDS. PORTIONS OF PINBOX WERE IMPROPERLY WELDED AND STEEL WAS IMPROPERLY SIZED. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED ADDITIONAL FAILURES BY SAME FRAME MANUFACTURER LIPPERT COMPONENTS INCORPORATED WHICH WERE IDENTICAL IN PHOTOGRAPHS ON THE INTERNET. MANUFACTURER OF RV AND FRAME REFUSE TO EXAMINE DAMAGE OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY SINCE WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. *TR