Fleetwood Motorhome Association, Inc. - Bounder 35K Escape Hatch Window

02/12/2019 11:15 AM

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Message # 7159999

Deleted user

I just practiced an emergency escape thru the rear bedroom emergency escape window on our 2018 Fleetwood Bounder 35K...…..Let's say, I probably would have died in a rear event! What idiot engineer designed this escape window! It is not an escape, it is a trap! Problems with the design: (1) it is placed in the bedroom on driver's side over the clothes closet shelving. i.e. you gotta climb up over the shelves. (2) it is a small window. Good luck for weighter people! (3) Ok, maybe with luck you finally get it open. You know, you have about a 6 ft drop from the window to the ground!! your gonna break your arms & legs!!!! Nice!!

OK...other problems that I had. When I tried to relatch the window, one of the latches refused to latch!!!

There is no prop furnished to prop the window open.. Also, if you open the window more that vertical up, it will come completely loose and drop to the ground! ask me how I know! Luckily I caught it before it disintegrated when it would have hit the ground.

Solutions: Fix the latch: It is a lousy latch setup... I will look fr a better replacement latch.

Window Prop: I have not figured that one out yet.

6 ft drop: I will probably buy a 6ft or so collapse type ladder

If I had know this lousy emergency window problem when I was about to buy it, I would not have made the purchase!!!

Any suggestions would be appreciated...

02/13/2019 10:26 AM

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Reply # 7162358 on 7159999

Anonymous

We have the same unit but our bedroom escape is on the passenger side. We have the same issues. I did get a 1"x 2" stick that we now use to prop the window open. I have not seen an RV that has a reliable and safe escape system. We have basically decided if there is a fire, we will die. It is not just Fleetwood with this problem. Most manufactures have the escape window placement so a retiree can't get to it or though it with out significant injury or death.

All that said I've never seen a report on the number of RV deaths due to fire.

02/13/2019 12:53 PM

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Reply # 7162714 on 7159999

Deleted user

Bob, Thanks for the reply. There are things that you can do to help prevent a Fire and or extinguish it if one occurs. I am working on a list of the actions, changes to your MH that you can make... All cost a little or moderate amount of $$. I have had one good solution that I purchased & had installed at a recent FMCA rally last week. It does not solve all the problems with fires, but is one step in the list. I'll get back to you soon.... OBTW...the fire extinguisher that the manufactures supply with the MH is generally pretty useless and almost dangerous..... I'll get back to you with recommends on extinguishers too.

02/14/2019 4:34 PM

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Reply # 7166240 on 7159999

Anonymous

Alan Greber wrote:
I just practiced an emergency escape thru the rear bedroom emergency escape window on our 2018 Fleetwood Bounder 35K...…..Let's say, I probably would have died in a rear event! What idiot engineer designed this escape window! It is not an escape, it is a trap! Problems with the design: (1) it is placed in the bedroom on driver's side over the clothes closet shelving. i.e. you gotta climb up over the shelves. (2) it is a small window. Good luck for weighter people! (3) Ok, maybe with luck you finally get it open. You know, you have about a 6 ft drop from the window to the ground!! your gonna break your arms & legs!!!! Nice!!

OK...other problems that I had. When I tried to relatch the window, one of the latches refused to latch!!!

There is no prop furnished to prop the window open.. Also, if you open the window more that vertical up, it will come completely loose and drop to the ground! ask me how I know! Luckily I caught it before it disintegrated when it would have hit the ground.

Solutions: Fix the latch: It is a lousy latch setup... I will look fr a better replacement latch.

Window Prop: I have not figured that one out yet.

6 ft drop: I will probably buy a 6ft or so collapse type ladder

If I had know this lousy emergency window problem when I was about to buy it, I would not have made the purchase!!!

Any suggestions would be appreciated...

02/14/2019 8:53 PM

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Reply # 7166461 on 7159999

Toni Benson

Alan Greber wrote:
I just practiced an emergency escape thru the rear bedroom emergency escape window on our 2018 Fleetwood Bounder 35K...…..Let's say, I probably would have died in a rear event! What idiot engineer designed this escape window! It is not an escape, it is a trap! Problems with the design: (1) it is placed in the bedroom on driver's side over the clothes closet shelving. i.e. you gotta climb up over the shelves. (2) it is a small window. Good luck for weighter people! (3) Ok, maybe with luck you finally get it open. You know, you have about a 6 ft drop from the window to the ground!! your gonna break your arms & legs!!!! Nice!!

OK...other problems that I had. When I tried to relatch the window, one of the latches refused to latch!!!

There is no prop furnished to prop the window open.. Also, if you open the window more that vertical up, it will come completely loose and drop to the ground! ask me how I know! Luckily I caught it before it disintegrated when it would have hit the ground.

Solutions: Fix the latch: It is a lousy latch setup... I will look fr a better replacement latch.

Window Prop: I have not figured that one out yet.

6 ft drop: I will probably buy a 6ft or so collapse type ladder

If I had know this lousy emergency window problem when I was about to buy it, I would not have made the purchase!!!

Any suggestions would be appreciated...

we have a 2014 Bounder 36e, our bedroom escape hatch is over our headboard, we slide out feet first to the ground, do need a stick or something to hold it up though, rope ladder would be good too..when we can no longer jump down to ground

03/04/2019 11:50 AM

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Reply # 7198637 on 7159999

Bill & Laura Johnson (Administrator)

Reality, the window will be dropped because in fear of life, what does the window matter considering the coach will probably be a total loss due to fire. if not, it's one more item the insurance will pay for. with the window out of the way, one of the many available escape ladders designed to hang from a window would help. as for over the dresser, due to the height of the bed in our unit we keep a small folding step stool alongside the bed. it would be helpful for getting out.

As someone else mentioned this is an industry wide issue. Only the highest end coaches have addressed this with a fold down stairway.

All that said, in fear of life it is amazing what folks accomplish to escape. We were in New Orleans right after the tornado hit several years ago and met a couple that survived by actually kicking through the 3/4 in plywood in the floor of their trailer and crawling under it at the tornado ripped the top shell off the trailer. neither of them looked like someone that could break through 3/4 in plywood.