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Old 01-30-2015, 04:15 AM   #1
Loom24
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Hideout issues

Yes this is my first post and I'm sorry that it has to be a negative one with regards to keystone. But here's my experience this far. In March of 2014, I purchased a brand new 2014 Keystone Hideout. This is my first RV purchase, as my wife and I decided that we would begin taking our young children camping. However, during my time owning this travel trailer, I have experienced numerous problems causing me to be without my unit for 1/3 of the time of ownership. Today makes 100 days it's been in the shop.
During my third camping trip, I was left without power due to my inverter overheating. As a result, we left the campground early and I brought my unit in for service at Dixie RV in Hammond, LA. The unit remained there for a few weeks and the inverter was replaced. On the next camping trip, the same issue re-occurred. This time, the inverter was extremely hot and started to smell. There was no power in the camper and my family was forced to leave the campground at 9 o’clock that night for our 2 hour journey home. This time, Dixie RV thought the fan had failed and replaced the inverter for a second time. After a couple of weeks, the repairs were complete and I was called to pick up my unit. However, before I could leave the repair shop, the inverter overheated again. I was forced to leave my unit at the shop for additional troubleshooting and was without my camper for an additional amount of time. After troubleshooting, it was found that there was a faulty wire installed from the factory that was grounding out on the frame. This is a major safety issue and could have caused the unit to catch on fire due to the overheating of the inverter. After these repairs were completed, my trailer was returned to me.
Last month, my wife noticed that the camper started to smell of mildew. I just assured her that it was just because the camper was closed up for a while and the smell would dissipate. However, during a recent trip, I noticed that the carpet on the slide out was wet. After further investigating, there was pooling water under the dinette seat and everything stored in the compartment was saturated. I vacuumed the water and notified Dixie RV. I was told to bring the unit in for service. There technician found that a defective slide seal and window seal was the cause for the leak and it would be replaced. However, Keystone (Jonathon ? and Doug Huffman) denied a carpet changeout and replacing all of the damaged flooring and wood structure. I was told by the service representative that running a humidifier would solve my problems. After contacting the President of Dixie RV, I just recently received notification that they would agree to replace the carpet but not any of the wood structure. I have a huge concern that the flooring and walls will begin to warp and that mold will develop inside of the camper.
One other issue I’ve experienced with my trailer is that the LED lights in the awning are continually going out. Dixie RV has replaced them numerous times and just discovered that the awning tube is bent and needs to be replaced. This is obviously another factory defect, as these issues have persisted since my first trip. However keystone is denying tube replacement.
After all this said, my camper has been in the shop for an excessive amount of time. Have any of you experienced similar issues? Was keystone helpful or willing to refund/replace your unit?
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Old 01-30-2015, 07:58 AM   #2
GaryWT
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Sorry for all your issues. Sometimes a trailer has multiple issues which is a shame. It is too bad that the dealer did not find the real problem of the electrical until their third try. Also it is too bad that they could not replace it in a shorter time. Glad they are fixing the rug but as long as the wood is good and dry, it should be fine. Unfortunately LED lights are expensive and some do not work well, Christmas lights are a good example as you spend more and get failures too soon. As for a bent awning tube, this is a hard one since thousands get bent during rain storms.

Best of luck getting it all fixed so you and the family can enjoy some trips.
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Old 01-30-2015, 08:35 AM   #3
Loom24
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Thanks. I'm not one to complain much but I'm pretty frustrated that I can never use the camper as planned. We'll see what happens.
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Old 01-30-2015, 09:01 AM   #4
sourdough
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I think the first year is the "break in " period on a new RV. We bought our current trailer at the end of Feb. 2014. It has been in the shop for a myriad of small things over the past year and has spent a lot of "away" time. From time to time I get frustrated with the dealership or Keystone but in the end they generally get done what needs to be done. In fact, I just got a complete winterization done for free because of their in house miscommunication. Last evening while replacing LEDs the kitchen slide seemed to want to bind so it will be going back in for that.

RVs are mass produced in a way to achieve maximum quantity, not quality. Some come out great, some terrible and some in between. My thought is to use it enough in the first 12 months to get the bugs out of it so the rest of my ownership is uneventful. In many cases the failures are from subsystems that Keystone has nothing to do with other than the installation.

I hope your repairs go well. Your dealer is the key to getting things done right. Stay on them and make sure they are taking care of you. It sounds like they are doing a fair job but it seems they keep your trailer too long. My service manager tries to get mine back to me in two weeks unless they have to wait for a part. They even repainted my front cap and replaced the decals in just over 2 weeks. Good luck.
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Old 01-30-2015, 09:27 AM   #5
Loom24
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I've heard others say the same about the first year. This is my first camper so I'm new to this. I just wish there was something with a little more quality on the market. I'd pay more if it was worth it but it seems they all have the same issues. But we enjoy camping when we can so I guess I'll have to deal with. Thanks yall
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Old 01-30-2015, 09:33 AM   #6
Javi
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Take this for what it cost ya'

In my experience, unless you are best buds with the dealership owner you are probably better off to take your trailer to an independent repairman and pay to have it fixed. You'll get it back quicker and in many cases you'll come out cheaper..
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Old 01-30-2015, 10:31 AM   #7
carwheel_09
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I would NEVER take my RV to Dixie. Haven't heard or experienced any quality of service from them. The larger dealers service department is usually tied up fixing the PDI list on newly sold RVs. When you need service drive up I55 to McComb, Ms.
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Old 01-30-2015, 10:35 AM   #8
Loom24
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Thanks for the advice. I'm starting to see what you are talking about with the big dealership service departments. They make me feel like my back is against the wall and I'm at their mercy. It's sad they operate this way. Especially when they meet u in the parking to con I cd you to purchase from them
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Old 01-30-2015, 10:46 AM   #9
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I'm with Javi

Quote:
Originally Posted by Javi View Post
Take this for what it cost ya'

In my experience, unless you are best buds with the dealership owner you are probably better off to take your trailer to an independent repairman and pay to have it fixed. You'll get it back quicker and in many cases you'll come out cheaper..
We have a small independent about 30 miles from home. They will get my business over our local dealer. We bought our unit used but it needed some work when we got it. Looked up the closest Keystone dealer (also abt. 30 miles away) and they had 44 BBB complaints last year, 2013. How many more didn't say anything or complained only at the dealer or other sources! I wouldn't go there.
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Old 01-30-2015, 01:21 PM   #10
Loom24
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I'm assuming the smaller local dealers will cover the warrenty work?
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Old 01-30-2015, 01:32 PM   #11
carwheel_09
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Loom24 sent you a PM.
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Old 01-30-2015, 03:10 PM   #12
Javi
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Loom24 View Post
I'm assuming the smaller local dealers will cover the warrenty work?
Not so much... but stuff like the slide are only covered for 90 days or less.. major appliances are covered by the manufacturer's warranty and not by Keystone so if something like the water heater goes out I just let my repairman deal with Suburban

I found me a good independent repairman here in Waco and I use him when I can't repair the trailer myself.. Most of the stuff that needs fixing is simple and I just do it.. Big stuff like adjusting the slide I let him do it..

I got better things to do than let my trailer sit on some dealers lot for 3 to 6 months while he thinks about fixing it.. I learned my lesson last time I took a trailer in for warranty I'd owned it for 2 months and it sit on the dealer's lot for another month so he could fix something I could have fixed in less than an hour.. Sure I didn't have to pay... but I lost the use of my trailer for a month. Fool me once... that's on me but I ain't falling for it but once...
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Old 02-20-2015, 04:42 PM   #13
bigredcherokee
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Haven't had but two issues with my hideout. Led lights are a known defect and just had them replaced. Also had a small weep around the faucet also fixed under warranty by southern RV in bossier city and it was on sight for about a month waiting for back ordered parts

We purchased ours from Dixie RV in Hammond la.

I have the warranty forever on my TT. I also have a 2015 27bds



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Old 02-20-2015, 05:07 PM   #14
JRTJH
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bigredcherokee,

You mentioned that you have the "forever warranty". You might want to read the comments about that program in the thread that's located here: http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/sho...rever+warranty
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