NHTSA Complaint #11220036 — 2019 KEYSTONE COUGAR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KEYSTONE COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASE CABLE SEPARATED AND BECAME CAUGHT UNDERNEATH THE TOWING VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE STRAIGHTENED UP AND THE TRAILER BRAKES SEIZED, WHICH RESULTED IN THE TRAILER BEING DRAGGED FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR MILES. THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST ABOUT THE TRAILER BEING DRAGGED AND THAT THE WHEELS ON THE TRAILER WERE SMOKING. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE AROUND AND DROVE BACK HOME. CONTACT NOTICED AND SMELLED BURNING BRAKES. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE TRAILER BRAKES AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKE RELEASE CABLE HAD DETACHED AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. CONSUMER RETURNED TO CAB OF TRUCK TO INSPECT BRAKE CONTROLLER SETTINGS, WHICH WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. DECIDE TO MOVE VEHICLE AND TRAILER NACHO PAVEMENT TO SEE IF THE BRAKES HAD RELEASED, DROVE AROUND THE BLOCK WHEN REALIZED THEY HAD NOT, PULLED TRAILER INTO BACK YARD TO DROP, WALKED TOWARD NOSE OF TRAILER AND NOTICED BREAKAWAY CABLE DISENGAGED FROM THE TRAILER AT THE SWITCH. OPENED TAILGATE AND FOUND ENTIRE CABLE, TRUCK END ATTACHED AT HITCH HANDLE SWITCH INTERLOCK END IN THE BED OF THE TRUCK AND CABLE PINCHED UNDER BRACKET OF THE GLIDER HITCH. REATTACHED, EMPTIED TRAILER, CALLED REPAIRMAN AT BOGUE RV TO GET HIS TAKE ON POSSIBLE DAMAGE, SAID HE WAS CONCERNED OVER THE WHEEL BEARINGS HAVING BEEN DESTROYED FROM THE HEAT. WAITED AGAIN FOR THE BRAKES TO COOL, HOOKED NEXT DAY, TESTED FOR DISENGAGEMENT OF BRAKES AFTER ENSURING SWITCH CABLE WAS FREE FROM CATCHING ON TESTED FORWARD AND BACKWARD MOTION WITHOUT DRAGGING OF TRAILER, THEN DROVE TRAILER 14 MILES TO RV DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR.THE CONTACT CALLED AN UNKNOWN DEALER AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO UNTANGLE THE BRAKE RELEASE CABLE; THEREFORE, THE TRAILER BRAKES RELEASED AND THE TRAILER WAS ABLE TO ROLL FREELY. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND A REPAIR ESTIMATE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE BRAKE RELEASE CABLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND PROMISED T