Suburban SDS2 LP Leak Cooktop Owners

[Perry Butler]

Please don’t whine on this thread. It really does no good here and clutters up the intention of this thread. I’m trying to be proactive, not reactive.

Are there any others that have had leaking with your Suburban SDS2 stovetop?

The list below is those who have expressed their stove has leaked gas from a broken feeder pipe from the control to the burner:

NWTraveler
Effie
Perryb67
CarlNH
j3cub
Dee
bbbqmaxx@yahoo.com
Fun Pig
Eggscape​

I'm trying to get my letter written for Karl and Melissa at Escape and the NHTSA.

When I contacted Melissa at Escape last week only three of us have actually taken the time to contact either Melissa or Karl. Contacting Dustin does no good! If you haven’t already, please call/e-mail/write Melissa or Karl, and if using mail or e-mail ask for a response acknowledging they received the notification.

To repeat, "Are there any others that have had leaking with your Suburban SDS2 stovetop?"

After I contact another Escape Forum member I'll be posting the cheap fix that will make these stoves as reliable as any other, including the Dickinson. I wish I had known about this fix before we purchased our $629 Dickinson stovetop! You've waited this long, so you can wait a day or two until I post the simple correction. AND those that have the problem can have your stove fixed with under $20 (probably less) in easily obtainable parts. Patience grasshopper!

Again, please don’t whine on this thread. It really does no good. I’m trying to be proactive, not reactive.

Thanks,

Perry

 

[395traveler]

Thank You Master Poe!

 

[Oldtimer-ESC]

Your doing the right thing here Perry great job

David

 

[zieranna]

Perry,

I just dropped off my trailer to have it assessed today. I would like to be added to your list, if they find the problem was a leak. Since my Escape is about 6 months old, I'm hoping to get the repair done under warranty. I'll let you know as soon as I hear something.

Thank you for initiating the effort for this group and pursuing this matter.

Granna (zieranna)

 

[Effie]

Thanks Perry for your dedication to the issue. When I found the problem in my stove top almost two years ago, the design looked marginal but I’m not a propane appliance design engineer and I didn’t know this is a wide spread problem. I contacted my sales person at Escape (Melisa), she had Dustin contact me and he shipped me a replacement unit. I admit I didn’t think of contacting NHTSA at the time.

 

[zieranna]

Results of Suburban investigation

Perry,

I just dropped off my trailer to have it assessed today. I would like to be added to your list, if they find the problem was a leak. Since my Escape is about 6 months old, I'm hoping to get the repair done under warranty. I'll let you know as soon as I hear something.

Thank you for initiating the effort for this group and pursuing this matter.

Granna (zieranna)

I was informed today that, indeed, the cause for the suburban stove top explosion was the failure of the orifice holder tube. The fitting had broken off that connected it to the burner, allowing propane to escape.

So Perry, please add my name to your list. I will try to contact Melissa tomorrow and also file a report with NHTSA.

Again, thank you for helping us all to come together.

Granna

 

[cpaharley2008]

I'm confused about all this NHTSA reporting? Do we want Escape to go out of business? Because government intervention in private industry is never a good combo. It is not like a auto recall but a stove manufacturer that needs to double check their fittings? I'm going to check mine next time but I'm not making a report of the results. I worked for the government for 35 years and I know the screwups that can happen. Just check your fittings and camp on.....

 

[Perry Butler]

I'm confused about all this NHTSA reporting? Do we want Escape to go out of business? Because government intervention in private industry is never a good combo. It is not like a auto recall but a stove manufacturer that needs to double check their fittings? I'm going to check mine next time but I'm not making a report of the results. I worked for the government for 35 years and I know the screwups that can happen. Just check your fittings and camp on.....

I'm not sure if I'll be reporting to NHTSA, another government agency, or only reporting to Escape Trailer Industries. If I don't feel Escape is taking proper action on this obvious problem then and only then will I report to a government agency. So far Suburban has not issued a recall to fix the issue. I'm writing my fix/correction and hopefully will post it today or tomorrow.

_____________________________​

We now have ten Escape owners with the Suburban issue. As of last week only three properly notified Escape of the problem. Whining on the Escape Forum does no good except pi$$ myself and others off. How is Escape to know there is an issue with more and more stoves if only three make proper contact?

Enjoy,

Perry

 

[cpaharley2008]

Yes, I agree Perry. the factory is the best beginning point.

 

[Brian B-P]

I'm confused about all this NHTSA reporting? Do we want Escape to go out of business?

Why would properly reporting a problem to an agency which handles those problems put Escape out of business? Every auto manufacturer has recalls, managed through NHTSA in the U.S., and the NHTSA reporting hasn't put any of them out of business.

Even if Escape acknowledges the degree of the problem, and even if they contact every owner for which they have contact information, some owners will be missed. The government agencies provide a reference service which any vehicle owner can consult.

 

[Craiger-ESC]

Thank you

I'm still a newbie, I have my deposit down deliveries 3-23, but I am really amazed how certain people in this group have taken charge followed good procedures attempting to deal with the serious situation. We always have our chicken Littles with the sky is falling and demanding the moon . Keep up the good work. And now for the joke if you wish to whine I recommend a California Cabernet or possibly an excellent Zinfandel.

 

[OpsPops]

... AND those that have the problem can have your stove fixed with under $20 (probably less) in easily obtainable parts.

Perry...much appreciated follow up on this topic.

Also, with your $20 fix, would it be possible for you or someone else to video and upload either to this forum or YouTube? Just a thought for those who might be wary of a DIY project like this.

 

[rubicon327]

I'm confused about all this NHTSA reporting? Do we want Escape to go out of business? Because government intervention in private industry is never a good combo. It is not like a auto recall but a stove manufacturer that needs to double check their fittings? I'm going to check mine next time but I'm not making a report of the results. I worked for the government for 35 years and I know the screwups that can happen. Just check your fittings and camp on.....

With all due respect Jim I don't think you are looking at this properly. Explosions have happened and owners have been injured. Other stoves are leaking propane and an explosion could be forthcoming. What if your wife/ child/ grandchild were injured? What if it's the new owner of the trailer you just sold? This is a serious situation with the potential to continue unabated as trailers that use these cooktops bounce down the road year after year and more and more of these fittings break and/or loosen. There is an obvious design/manufacturing defect. I think that affected owners should report any issues to ETI, Suburban and NHTSA so there is the greatest chance that something is done. Airxcel/Suburban as the manufacturer really needs to be pressured. I really hope they have the proper moral compass to keep their customers as safe as possible. By the way, the NHTSA has tons of open recalls at any given time for RV's from Forest River, Airstream, Winnebago, Thor, Keystone, Jayco, etc. For your information the Escape Dometic stove recall is in the December 2020 monthly report. Hopefully a recall for the Surburban SDS2 cooktops is next. Getting this out there for resolution is the responsible thing to do.

 

[oldwave]

I think some on this forum are wishing for the good old days when there was a personal touch and a deep commitment to customer service. The company is now owned by a hedge fund, so those days are gone. However to be fair Karl and crew have a vested interest in producing safe and and reliable trailers and keeping their reputation of Escape. Proper reporting to the agency that keeps track of safety in transportation and motor vehicles is certainly appropriate in my humble opinion, we are talking life threatening possible accidents. Myself I’m quite happy when the federal government requires safety standards to be applied to motor vehicles, Rember unsafe at any speed? It seems there are enough reported problems to reveal a pattern, I would think ETS wound wish to deal with it as well as Suburban. If they will not then there are alternatives. In the meantime, a 30 dollar leak detector is good insurance to identify a potential explosion.

 

[zieranna]

Thank you, Brian and Rubicon...well put! My hope is to present my case without whining or animosity. My intent to contact these various entities is to hold those responsible for accountability and to prevent further tragedies (certainly, not to put anyone out of business). I also agree that involving the NHTSA is wise because a foreign company IS involved.

In response to some of the "fixes" I have read: 1). Tightening fittings, etc. won't necessarily help because (in my case) it was the failure of a part and no amount of tightening by an owner or at the factory would have helped. 2). My explosion happened with the cabinet door opened, so that idea may not be as effective as hoped.

I do appreciate different perspectives. Let's keep the corrective pursuit and dialogue going.

Granna

 

[Jim Bennett]

There is only a far-too-short 6 hour anal-retentive editing window. I’ll be posting this sometime this afternoon and will be able to edit till the anal-retentive editing window closes. Please let me know of any changes needed.

Perry, a moderator can set the posts available for you to edit if you wish.

I never followed too close as I already have a Dickinson.

 

[Perry Butler]

Thank you Perry for going to so much trouble for those of us who have this Suburban. I am one who feels uncomfortable doing this myself or even trusting someone whom I’m not certain of his/ her expertise. I am interested in the one burner Eno but since I have a 17b with the furnace below I’m wondering if it would be possible to mount this and if so how would I fill in the cutout which is bigger than needed for the Eno 44134 one burner? Thank you again for your all your work in writing this.

Good luck in filling the space. Your only choice with that stove is a new countertop.

We've had our 5.0 for 2 1/2 years, nearly 400 nights, and have traveled nearly 34,000 miles down the road pulling our camper (our truck keeps track of the miles pulling when you hook the umbilical from the camper to the truck). We got the standard countertop and we're both tired of the look, so we're getting new countertops, bigger sink, and a better faucet.

Enjoy,

Perry

 

[395traveler]

I just installed the Dickinson if any one has any questions on how I did it. The Dickinson is a work of art!

 

[rubicon327]

I just installed the Dickinson if any one has any questions on how I did it. The Dickinson is a work of art!

Pictures please (might be best on the original thread where we discussed your install)

 

[brroberts]

ETI is looking into options. I’m sure the supply chain makes this difficult. I am working with Joldie on my configuration, and here’s what I got today,

” Regarding the cooktop, I know we are looking into a replacement for the 2 burner Suburban we currently offer as well as potentially a 3 burner option as well. I’m not sure how soon we will be able to offer these, but if you are able to hold off a bit before signing your build sheet you just don’t know what could happen.”

So, they are trying to do something different.