Suburban SDS2 LP Leak Cooktop Owners

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

It's not Escape's responsibility to recall the stoves. Escape took appropriate action and no longer uses the stove. It is the users responsibility to file a complaint with the appropriate agency.

That's all well and good, provided that the owner knows of the danger in using the stove. Many if not most Escape owners have never used this forum. They are unaware that Escape has stopped using this stove, and even if they were aware, it would not help their situation because they might not know why.

I'm sorry but it's completely ludicrous to suggest that Escape doesn't have to notify owners of the hazard, and only has to stop using the stove going forward. No, they didn't take the appropriate action. And nobody here has suggested that "complaining to Perry" solves the problem.

I've been a defender of Escape as much as anyone when they are unfairly criticized. But in this case the criticism is fair, and pretty obvious.

[rubicon327]

It bears repeating...report issues with these cooktops to NHTSA! Don’t wait for an explosion! Loose/broken parts are a safety hazard. You may help get this recalled and prevent owners who are not on the forum and completely unaware of the danger from being injured. NHTSA will force Escape and Suburban’s hand if they get enough complaints.

From their website:
“Reporting your problem is the important first step.
Your complaint will be added to a public NHTSA database after personally identifying information is removed. If the agency receives similar reports from a number of people about the same product, this could indicate that a safety-related defect may exist that would warrant the opening of an investigation.”

Owners may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov

Direct link to safety complaint form:
https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index

[Mike G]

I'm not sure the NHTSA (a US agency) has any clout with a Canadian trailer manufacturer to do a recall. Although maybe they could revoke ETI's right to import new units?

Is there an equivalent government agency in Canada?

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Mike G

I'm not sure the NHTSA (a US agency) has any clout with a Canadian trailer manufacturer to do a recall. Although maybe they could revoke ETI's right to import new units?

Is there an equivalent government agency in Canada?

They have plenty of clout. If it is on our roads they have jurisdiction. Vehicles on our roadways are from all over the world. The equivalent in Canada should be Transport Canada but I don’t believe it has the rigor and reputation of the NHTSA.
https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transpo...hild-car-seats

The Dometic stove recall is on there:
https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur...0Systems&all=0
Suburban SDS2 needs to be next.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

It's not Escape's responsibility to recall the stoves. Escape took appropriate action and no longer uses the stove. It is the users responsibility to file a complaint with the appropriate agency.

You're correct that it's "not Escape's responsibility to recall the stoves." However, to sit on a list of owners without warning them of the problem is similar to Ford not warning their Ford Escape owners about the Firestone tire failures.

Originally Posted by TTMartin

I filed a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. I was the only complaint that had been filed on an Escape trailer.

Not true. I filed a complaint, as well as others.

Enjoy,

Perry

[cpaharley2008]

Hopefully, by next March or April this will no longer be an issue. That is when my new E19 goes into production. But I have it in my notes to check the stove bolts.

[Eggscape]

Originally Posted by FloridaCracker

Put me on that list. Mine leaked propane under the cabinet. When I tried to light the stove click click click..Boom! Blew the cabinet doors open, blew the front door screen open and burned the bottom brush on the door, blew the max air fan door cover and will not close. Melted the jacket I was wearing, singed my hair, mustache, arm and leg hairs. Burned dogs hair also. Paramedics and Fire Department responded. I recommend don’t play or fix with these bombs. The concussion and being engulfed in a fire ball will change your mind quickly.

Sorry to hear of your experience Tony. I am glad you are still here to tell it.

Do you mind if I repost it to the Escape Facebook page as I am sure there are many people there that do know of the problem as Escape industries has failed to warn anybody?

[Ron in BC]

First of all, this was about as bad an incident that could be without life altering damage. Burns are a horrible, horrible thing to deal with.

I re-read the entire thread. If there's another incident that results in burns, fires or worse the thread itself would be graphic proof that there was a problem, Escape had been repeatedly notified yet no recall or advisory went out to owners of that model stove. It appears to be a policy of appeasement. Give the complainer a new part or stove and hope they quietly go away.

I hope those owners who have had a problem will notify NHTSA for the good and safety of others. I hope that I never read a post that tells of a worst case scenario.

Ron

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Hopefully, by next March or April this will no longer be an issue. That is when my new E19 goes into production. But I have it in my notes to check the stove bolts.

Escape quietly switched cooktops. It is no longer an issue with new builds. The concern is for any owners of trailers in the roughly three year period the Suburban SDS2 cooktop was used which I believe includes the purchaser of your last trailer.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

... The equivalent in Canada should be Transport Canada but I don’t believe it has the rigor and reputation of the NHTSA.
https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transpo...hild-car-seats

Yes, we have recalls up here in the far north, too.

The NHTSA and Transport Canada recall programs are similar, and usually the same recalls occur in both countries. Since there are about ten times as many vehicles in the U.S. as Canada, the number of incidents required to initiate a recall is normally reached in the U.S. long before it is in Canada, so our recalls are commonly based on those U.S. incidents.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Mike G

I'm not sure the NHTSA (a US agency) has any clout with a Canadian trailer manufacturer to do a recall. Although maybe they could revoke ETI's right to import new units?

Is there an equivalent government agency in Canada?

It is Airxcel / Suburban's responsibility to recall the stoves. As I mentioned, mine was the first complaint filled with NHTSA on a Escape trailer. And yes, Escape was contacted by the NHTSA.

Originally Posted by TTMartin

To file a complaint on the stove you need your trailer VIN, the make and model of the stove Suburban SDS2,. and preferably the stove serial number too.

I called the 800 number:
Vehicle Safety Hotline
888-327-4236, Monday-Friday 8am-8pm ET

Or you can file online at:

NHTSA Report a Safety Problem

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Hopefully, by next March or April this will no longer be an issue. That is when my new E19 goes into production. But I have it in my notes to check the stove bolts.

It is no longer an issue with current production Escape trailers. They are currently using a much nicer Dometic 2 burner cooktop. I contacted Escape and the sold me the new Dometic stove (it seemed at cost) and I replaced my Suburban SDS2 cooktop.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Suburban messed up these stoves, but they have no idea who ended up with them. ETI did nothing wrong in buying those stoves before the problem became apparent, and did nothing wrong in the installation, but they know who they sold them to, and they should recall them now that they know that they're dangerous. Other RV manufacturers have done this.

What other manufacturers have recalled the Suburban SDS2 cooktop?

Originally Posted by TTMartin

To file a complaint on the stove you need your trailer VIN, the make and model of the stove Suburban SDS2,. and preferably the stove serial number too.

I called the 800 number:
Vehicle Safety Hotline
888-327-4236, Monday-Friday 8am-8pm ET

Or you can file online at:

NHTSA Report a Safety Problem

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Escape had been repeatedly notified yet no recall or advisory went out to owners of that model stove.

My complaint was the first one filled with NHTSA on an Escape trailer. That is the proper way to file a complaint about the Suburban SDS2 cooktop.

Originally Posted by TTMartin

To file a complaint on the stove you need your trailer VIN, the make and model of the stove Suburban SDS2,. and preferably the stove serial number too.

I called the 800 number:
Vehicle Safety Hotline
888-327-4236, Monday-Friday 8am-8pm ET

Or you can file online at:

NHTSA Report a Safety Problem

[Eggscape]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

It is no longer an issue with current production Escape trailers. They are currently using a much nicer Dometic 2 burner cooktop. I contacted Escape and the sold me the new Dometic stove (it seemed at cost) and I replaced my Suburban SDS2 cooktop.

Could you tell us how well the new stove fit in the hole?

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

Not true. I filed a complaint, as well as others.

When I contacted you about the NHTSA complaint number from the complaint you filed you couldn't find it.



You put yourself forward as taking the lead on this, yet you didn't even bother to keep the NHTSA complaint number?

Did you ever speak with someone from NHTSA?

The person at the NHTSA looked up Escape as a manufacturer and had no other complaints on file for Escape.

The problem is instead of contacting NHTSA people are posting here 'Perry add me to the list'. Now those people think Perry is taking care of it.

Without individual owners filing complaints with NHTSA there won't be a recall.

Originally Posted by TTMartin

To file a complaint on the stove you need your trailer VIN, the make and model of the stove Suburban SDS2,. and preferably the stove serial number too.

I called the 800 number:
Vehicle Safety Hotline
888-327-4236, Monday-Friday 8am-8pm ET

Or you can file online at:

NHTSA Report a Safety Problem

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Many if not most Escape owners have never used this forum.

Which is why it is important to file a complaint in the proper forum (NHTSA) not an internet forum.

Originally Posted by TTMartin

To file a complaint on the stove you need your trailer VIN, the make and model of the stove Suburban SDS2,. and preferably the stove serial number too.

I called the 800 number:
Vehicle Safety Hotline
888-327-4236, Monday-Friday 8am-8pm ET

Or you can file online at:

NHTSA Report a Safety Problem

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

When I contacted you about the NHTSA complaint number from the complaint you filed you couldn't find it.

Attachment 60122

You put yourself forward as taking the lead on this, yet you didn't even bother to keep the NHTSA complaint number?

Did you ever speak with someone from NHTSA?

Apparently it was more important to you for me to keep the number than it was for me. I also don't have any control over if others chose to contact NHTSA and can't prove that anyone did or did not. What more do you want me to do? Take a lie-detector test? The important thing is, at least it's well documented here, so if/when someone sues Escape they can't claim ignorance.

Perry

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

Apparently it was more important to you for me to keep the number than it was for me. I also don't have any control over if others chose to contact NHTSA and can't prove that anyone did. What more do you want me to do? Take a lie-detector test? The important thing is, at least it's well documented here, so if/when someone sues Escape they can't claim ignorance.

Perry

When NHTSA contacted me about my complaint. I asked them about providing them a list of people who had an issue. They told me that the individuals had to contact them with a complaint. Because even if they had the names and phone numbers of other people, they were not allowed to reach out to them

It is important for each individual who has had any problem with the Suburban SDS2 cooktop to file a complaint with the NHTSA themselves.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

Which is why it is important to file a complaint in the proper forum (NHTSA) not an internet forum.

I don't know why this is so hard to grasp but let's try this again:

How is a current owner of that stove (who so far has had no leak/explosion, and who does not follow this forum) supposed to know the stove is an explosion hazard?

We're not just talking about those who've had an explosion and been injured. We're talking about those who may soon have the same incident - and who were never warned by Escape that it might occur. They know nothing of this, and it's pretty clear that the only way they would find out before an incident occurred is if Escape notified them. That is Escape's proper role as the manufacturer of the trailer who is concerned about the safety and welfare of their customers.

The only other scenario in which such an owner could be notified is if Escape gave the NHTSA a list of owners of that stove as well as their contact info, and the NHTSA notified them instead. There is no indication that ever happened - and it likely won't ever happen unless the NHTSA gets a flood of complaints due to more explosions and more injuries.