Warranty Claim

[Muskyman5]

Have had a leak in my bedroom slide for 2 months. Have contacted 5 dealers from Vancouver to Southern California and each one asked if we purchased it through them. When we said NO all claim they are too busy to deal with it. NOT HAPPY AT ALL!

[Steve S]

So why not take it back to the dealer that you bought it from?
Also yr, model and more info would help

[notanlines]

Muskyman, this isn't your local Nissan dealer you're dealing with. (I'm probably not telling you anything new) When you buy a new car it will make NO difference what dealer you take it back to for service. The service writer will write you up, tell you to get a cup of coffee and in about however many hours you're ready to go. Maybe in a small town you might see the sales person again, but not in the rest of the world. With buying a 5v'er or a TT things are a little different. That dealer you called in Hunkerdown, Oregon is laughing right now about your call. They have no reason in the world to say they will work on your beast. You don't know them, you aren't ever going to buy from them and they also don't want to argue with Keystone over a water leak in your trailer. Best you make nice with your local dealer and hope he fits you in somewhere sometime. How's the musky fishing these days, by the way? I grew up 20 miles from the Musky capital of the world and never, but never even had one on. Lots of pike, however.

[gearhead]

For a warranty claim on the "Keystone" part of the RV, an authorized dealer will have to work on it. By Keystone part, I mean the structure.
All the other components can be repaired under warranty by any shop that is authorized by the component manufacturer, i.e.: Dometic, Suburban, etc.
Unfortunately a water leak will likely be a structure issue.
Are you physically located so far from your selling dealer that it is impossible to return to them?
I have posted this before, but I really believe that this should be addressed by legislation.

[racin500]

If it's not a warranty issue, take it to a local independent dealer. They should be able to order any parts that a dealer can. "Too Busy" seems to be a common complaint with dealers. The little guy might love your business.

If it's warranty, check first, but the local shop may be able to submit your claim. I've never had to work with a Keystone dealer but they were very nice at the main offices when I need some information.

My 2007 Everest was serviced at a local shop. I bought it used (private party) and took it to them because the Keystone dealer in my area had 44 BBB complaints last year. Makes you wonder how many they had that didn't file with the BBB.

It took about 3 weeks and they did a complete written inspection, tested or tried everything in the RV, striped and re-caulked the roof, fixed a leaky slide, faulty converter and several minor items. They were able to get all the necessary parts from Keystone for the slide.

Actually, they saved me a couple bucks by buying parts local (kitchen faucet and plumbing fittings) instead of the high priced Keystone stuff.

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by Muskyman5

Have had a leak in my bedroom slide for 2 months. Have contacted 5 dealers from Vancouver to Southern California and each one asked if we purchased it through them. When we said NO all claim they are too busy to deal with it. NOT HAPPY AT ALL!

Your frustration about having been "rejected" by Keystone dealers to do work on a unit that was not purchased from them is not an uncommon. This practice goes on all the time much to the chagrin of Keystone owners - especially those who bought a unit from a dealership that is several hundred or more miles away from their residence. Other than banging your head, there isn't much that you or anyone else can do about this practice. Keystone has, I believe, indicated that they are trying to change this but I haven't seen or heard any evidence that there has been any improvement.

Even if you can find a Keystone dealership who might take a look at the leaking problem, getting Keystone to authorize a repair on a leak will not be an easy task and could take a long, long time. Just check out Keystone's disclaimer in their warranty section about what is covered and what is not. Leaks and damage caused by them are a hard sell from the consumer's standpoint.

Rather than spend more time beating your head against a brick wall, I'd bite the bullet, find a reliable service center who will examine your unit and carry out any repairs necessary. It's probably not a good idea to have your unit sitting around and leaking for a long period of time. If it has been leaking for 2 months - that's too long!! The longer it leaks the more damage it will cause.

It may be a simple, inexpensive repair but one that certainly needs attending to sooner rather than later.

Let's hope that it is both easy and cheap!

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Muskyman5

Have had a leak in my bedroom slide for 2 months. Have contacted 5 dealers from Vancouver to Southern California and each one asked if we purchased it through them. When we said NO all claim they are too busy to deal with it. NOT HAPPY AT ALL!

One thing you might want to consider doing is to contact Keystone Customer Service, explain the situation and ask them for names/phone numbers of INDEPENDENT service centers in your area that are approved by Keystone to do repair service under warranty. They usually aren't associated with a dealership and make their profit from dealing with any (and all) RV's of any brand. If you and Keystone reach an agreement to get one of these independent's to look at your trailer, at least you'll be headed in the right direction. As Festus2 indicated, leaks are a "difficult sell" with Keystone and damage from a 2 month old leak may complicate any claim you might have had "months ago".

Best to contact Keystone, discuss your options and see where that takes you. As you've learned, dealerships that didn't sell you the RV are "not your friend" when you start requesting they do you a favor. For the most part, if you didn't "scratch their back" when you bought, they won't "scratch your back" when you need something from them either.

Good Luck,

[Stew]

This makes me wonder what kind of service I would get if I were half way across the country and something happened where I needed warranty work just to get it back home.

[randy69]

I Personaly hate to take anything to the dealer. I had two leaks in my tt went to closet rv store and purchase rubber roof self leveling caulk. ReSealed all vents on top. Just had a rain storm and no leaks.

[x96mnn]

This is the "cry" of the RV industry. I will not go as far to paint all dealers with the same brush as I am sure there are some out there that do not do this. Having experiances the same thing myself not buying local it was very frustrating.

I have bought local since and have no issues with warranty, but did stay away from the dealers who told me no.

[hankpage]

I cannot for the life of me understand why folks join the forum, give little or no info on their trailer, cry foul, post about their problem and then never come back to see if anyone has a solution for them.

[rbev2308]

I honestly do not think Keystone or any other MFR will ever do anything like this. I researched stuff for several years before upgrading to a fifth wheel. All I kept hearing was buy local and the local guy telling me if you buy elsewhere, don't drag this thing back here for warranty. Being a retired Navy guy after nearly 30 years of service, I asked the question, what happens if I move under orders? I thought this was all BS so I called Keystone and was promptly told our independent local dealers have the right to refuse warranty work and we support them. So basically, a scam in my opinion. I would think if it involves movement of the unit back home some common sense would prevail. I really desired to buy local but the reality was we were $14K apart period end of discussion. So a choice has to be made, is it worth $14K to buy local for one year worth of warranty? Heck you can spend the $3K or so and get extended and take anywhere you want and still be ahead as long as your first year goes smooth or simply drag back where you got it...That was my plan all along which fell apart because the selling dealer was a complete moron and I would not trust them to fix anything. My approach was always buy local if it were within $2-3K but when you are in an area where there is only 2-3 Keystone dealers within 100 miles and you settle on specific make, you are limited. Keystone could resolve it easily just like the automotive industry does but the simple fact is I do not believe they care or it would have been resolved.

[denverpilot]

I understand the pain of the dealers, but I do have to toss out here that any dealer who sells an expensive extended warranty, that covers bupkis...

And I mean it... if they even OFFER them, and then complains that warranty isn't a profit maker... doesn't get too many tears from me. Keystone warranty may be a money loser but how many people get suckered into the extended warranties at most dealerships?

Frankly that one move right there, lowered my view of my otherwise "good rated" dealer, by orders of magnitude.

Just stop selling them and explain that you don't because they sucketh mightily.

First 5er, so we made the standard mistake, before doing enough research on them, and have one, and so far, with paying the dealer over 10% of the new cost of the unit for roof repairs NOT covered by Keystone ... and therefore also NOT covered by the extended warranty...

The general feeling is that the dealer has reached into my wallet deeply, twice, for what they should have reached into it once for.

I'm fine with it. Live and learn.

In the grand scheme of things a different vehicle extended warranty saved me from over $13K in repairs to an automobile, so I'm still ahead of the extended warranty game.

Karma. I was due for some payback on that one. Ha.

But dealers who sell them, and then smile and say "none of that is covered", knowing the most common repairs are not covered (come on, I know your service department computer system tracks this, I'm slow but not stupid haha), should just knock it off. Really. Nothing good between customer and dealer can ever come of that. It's an almost guaranteed no-win for the customer and win for the dealer in the vast majority of common repair cases, I bet.

Selling the typical RV extended warranty, is just total crap for customer service, and every dealer with a service department tracking system knows it. Private dealers should leave it for other dealers to do to customers and just stop offering them in the finance office.

It's about as customer friendly as selling junk bonds. Haha.

Every time I open up that nice thick book of trailer paperwork and maintenance stuff all pretty and embossed with the dealer's name and address, guess what two things are on the left and the right? Left is a file folder with the receipts for all the stuff not covered, and right is the glossy pretty sales pitch the dealer handed me for the great-deal extended warranty. Guess who I'll associate with no wanting to do business again with by looking in that book every time I put a new receipt for even standard maintenance in it?

Worst marketing ever. "Here's what we didn't do for you."

Just sayin'...

[mark1228]

Originally Posted by denverpilot

I understand the pain of the dealers, but I do have to toss out here that any dealer who sells an expensive extended warranty, that covers bupkis...

And I mean it... if they even OFFER them, and then complains that warranty isn't a profit maker... doesn't get too many tears from me. Keystone warranty may be a money loser but how many people get suckered into the extended warranties at most dealerships?

Frankly that one move right there, lowered my view of my otherwise "good rated" dealer, by orders of magnitude.

Just stop selling them and explain that you don't because they sucketh mightily.

First 5er, so we made the standard mistake, before doing enough research on them, and have one, and so far, with paying the dealer over 10% of the new cost of the unit for roof repairs NOT covered by Keystone ... and therefore also NOT covered by the extended warranty...

The general feeling is that the dealer has reached into my wallet deeply, twice, for what they should have reached into it once for.

I'm fine with it. Live and learn.

In the grand scheme of things a different vehicle extended warranty saved me from over $13K in repairs to an automobile, so I'm still ahead of the extended warranty game.

Karma. I was due for some payback on that one. Ha.

But dealers who sell them, and then smile and say "none of that is covered", knowing the most common repairs are not covered (come on, I know your service department computer system tracks this, I'm slow but not stupid haha), should just knock it off. Really. Nothing good between customer and dealer can ever come of that. It's an almost guaranteed no-win for the customer and win for the dealer in the vast majority of common repair cases, I bet.

Selling the typical RV extended warranty, is just total crap for customer service, and every dealer with a service department tracking system knows it. Private dealers should leave it for other dealers to do to customers and just stop offering them in the finance office.

It's about as customer friendly as selling junk bonds. Haha.

Every time I open up that nice thick book of trailer paperwork and maintenance stuff all pretty and embossed with the dealer's name and address, guess what two things are on the left and the right? Left is a file folder with the receipts for all the stuff not covered, and right is the glossy pretty sales pitch the dealer handed me for the great-deal extended warranty. Guess who I'll associate with no wanting to do business again with by looking in that book every time I put a new receipt for even standard maintenance in it?

Worst marketing ever. "Here's what we didn't do for you."

Just sayin'...

You are of course entitled to your opinion, but that's what it is. There are no facts in your argument. I'm sorry if you feel you got taken on your extended warranty on your RV but I have seen extended warranty save people lots of money. I have also seen folks never use. Lets be honest, extended warranty is insurance. Some people choose to insure their vehicles with higher limits than others for the peace of mind it provides while others don't feel it is worth the premium. Because a dealer offers customer's that choice does not make them bad. In fact I would argue that a dealer that does this honestly and without high pressure is doing their customers a favor by giving them the CHOICE. It is in fact your choice to buy it or not.