COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE DOMETIC SKYLIGHT HEIKI II DELUXE MODEL WHICH IS A SKYLIGHT LOCATED ON TOP OF A 2005 LANCE TRUCK CAMPER MODEL 1181. THE SKYLIGHT IS FOR VENTILATION AND EMERGENCY EGRESS. THE PLASTIC LATCHES USED TO KEEP THE SKYLIGHT CLOSED WHEN TRAVELING DETERIORATE AND BREAK ALLOWING THE SKYLIGHT TO OPEN WHEN TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THIS COULD MAKE THE SKYLIGHT (WHICH IS ABOUT 2FEET BY 3 FEET) FLY OFF THE CAMPER OR STRIKE AN OVERPASS AND RESULT IN HITTING A CAR OR TRUCK FOLLOWING THE CAMPER. THE MFG OF THE CAMPER LANCE CAMPER (43014 EXCHANGE PLACE, LANCASTER, CA 93535) IS UNWILLING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM OR OFFER ANY SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. THE MFG OF THE SKYLIGHT, DOMETIC (2524 INDUSTRIAL PARKWAY, ELKHART, INDIANA 46516) IS ALSO UNWILLING AND INDIFFERENT IN CORRECTING THE PROBLEM OR OFFERING ANY HELP OR SOLUTION TO CORRECT THIS HAZARDOUS AND DANGEROUS PRODUCT. THIS PRODUCT NEEDS A RETROFIT OR AN ADDITIONAL LATCH SYSTEM TO PREVENT THE SKYLIGHT FROM OPENING DURING TRAVELING AND STRIKING A FOLLOWING VEHICLE. I WOULD ALSO REQUEST THAT ONE OF THESE COMPANIES CORRECT THIS PROBLEM ON MY CAMPER. I HAVE THE BROKEN PARTS. THE MODEL OF MY UNIT IS 1181 AND SERIAL NO IS 156864. *TR
2005 Lance Camper
Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the equipment › mechanical › accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift. No safety recall has been issued.
| Component | Reports | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Equipment › Mechanical › Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What owners reported
Newest filingsI RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2005 LANCE TRUCK CAMPER WITH SLIDEOUT MODEL 1180. I HAD RECENTLY TAKEN THE CAMPER OFF THE TRUCK (AFTER FULLY LOADING THE 40 GAL WATER RESERVOIR WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE.) THE CAMPER WAS AT A STATE PARK ON OLD BLACKTOP AND A FAIRLY LEVEL SURFACE. AFTER PULLING THE TRUCK OUT WITHOUT INCIDENT, WE WERE LOWERING THE REMOTE JACKS WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE JACK COLLAPSED OUTWARD. THIS CAUSED THE LEFT FRONT JACK TO TWIST AND SLIDE THE FRONT OF THE CAMPER ABOUT 9 INCHES TO THE LEFT. THIS FRONT JACK FAILURE RESULTED IN A NEAR COLLAPSE AND ROLLOVER OF THE UNIT. SINCE THE UNIT WAS 1/2 WAY DOWN IT WAS NO LONGER AN OPTION TO DRIVE THE TRUCK BACK UNDER IT. THE WATER WAS EMPTIED TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD AND THE TRUCK BUMPER WAS USED TO TAKE SOME OF THE WEIGHT OFF THE DRIVER'S SIDE JACK. THE LEG WAS THEN PULLED AND KICKED BACK INTO PLACE. ALTHOUGH BENT, IT DID RAISE ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE TRUCK BACK UNDER IT. THE WATER WAS EMPTIED TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD AND THE TRUCK BUMPER WAS USED TO TAKE SOME OF THE WEIGHT OFF THE DRIVER'S SIDE JACK. THE LEG WAS THEN PULLED AND KICKED BACK INTO PLACE. ALTHOUGH BENT, IT DID RAISE ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE TRUCK BACK UNDER IT. I RETURNED IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE JACKS AND SAID HE HADN'T HEARD ABOUT ANY JACK FAILURES. HE CALLED LANCE AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY FAILURES EITHER. THEY SUGGESTED WE CONTACT ATWOOD. I CONTACTED LANCE SINCE THIS IS A NEW MODEL AND THE LARGEST TRUCK CAMPER IN THE SERIES. THE JACKS ARE
2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.
Across model years
Worst on record: 2005Other Lance models
All Lance models →Reading this record
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.