NHTSA Complaint #11204510 — 2008 KEYSTONE SPRINTER

THE BREAK-AWAY SWITCH ON OUR CAMPER HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED WHILE IN A CAMPGROUND FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS & CAUSED THE SWITCH TO MELT & THE INSULATION TO BURN OFF OF THE WIRES, ALONG WITH OTHER WIRES GOING INTO THE JUNTION BOX. THERE WAS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE. THE SWITCH & WIRING IS UNDER-SIZED FOR THE APPLICATION & WILL NOT CARRY THE AMPERAGE THAT THE BRAKES DRAW. IT APPEARS THAT THE WIRES TO THE SWITCH WHICH ARE ABOUT 16 GAUGE ARE FED BY ABOUT A 10 GAUGE WIRE POWER SOURCE. LOGIC WOULD INDICATE THAT THESE WIRES SHOULD BE OF EQUAL SIZE AS THE FEED WIRE TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS IS NOT A FAIL-SAFE DESIGN & SHOULD NOT OVERHEAT TO THE POINT OF CAUSING A FIRE. I HAVE CONTACTED KEYSTONE & TRAILER LIFE MAGAZINE WHO DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. I SUSPECT THAT THE DESIGN HAS NOT CHANGED FROM SINGLE AXLE TRAILERS TO DOUBLE/TRIPLE AXLES. SEVERAL OTHER CAMPERS HAVE COMPLAINED TO TRAILER LIFE ABOUT BREAK-AWAY SWITCH PROBLEMS TO NO AVAIL. MY (RETIRED ENGINEER) RECOMMENDATION IS TO RE-DESIGN THE SWITCH & WIRING WITH WIRING EQUAL IN SIZE TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM WIRING & INSTALL AN ALARM & TIMER WHEN THE BREAK-AWAY SWITCH IS PULLED.