38RL Egress Window Problem

RobertMParton · 09-24-2014, 03:27 AM

BEWARE, if you have a 38RL, check your rear emergency egress window behind the sofa. Some brilliant engineer put the roof top access ladder on the same side of the rear of the trailer as the escape window. Unless you are less than 10" in some dimension, you will not get out of this window in an emergency. Make sure EVERYONE who spends any time with you understands that this exit is not working. Crossroads has ordered (allegedly) a custom window to be installed in our unit. I do not know what Crossroads' plans are for notifying other owners of this model. We were in Goshen, IN for the RV Dreams rally and saw 3 other Redwoods, 2 unlike ours with no problems and another 38RL with the same defect as ours.
This is just one of an endless litany of ridiculous problems with this coach. I swear it must have been built on Monday morning or Friday afternoon.

rob_fla · 09-24-2014, 04:09 AM

Thanks for the info, I hope others will see this post and look to see if they are affected.

Not to hijack the post, but welcome to the Redwood owners forum, lots of great owners here and information.

We have been to two RV Dreams Rallys with Howard and Linda, they do a great fulltimers rally, lots of great info and a good time had by all.
We are already signed up for their reunion rally next Memorial Day week in NC, should be a great time.

atom ant · 09-24-2014, 04:34 AM

Is that window actually marked as EXIT? My rear window on the opposite side of the ladder has the red escape latch, but it's not marked as EXIT. The actual exit is to the side of the couch.

**Dave&Ginny** · 09-24-2014, 04:43 AM

In a emergency I'm not going to mess with that little window. I'm busting out the LARGE back window and hopping out

johnboytoo · 09-24-2014, 01:15 PM

I have a better chance of fitting out of that one too Dave

but in all seriousness, I will have to look at ours to see where the exits are... we are not in our rv enough to recall

homeguy · 09-24-2014, 02:16 PM

When did they change the location? My egress window is the side window on the kitchen side. If needed, you could reach around the corner and hold onto the ladder to help yourself out of the window.

atom ant · 09-24-2014, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homeguy

When did they change the location? My egress window is the side window on the kitchen side. If needed, you could reach around the corner and hold onto the ladder to help yourself out of the window.

Ya, thats where my official exit is, plus one in the bedroom curb side.

Tobys Home · 09-25-2014, 09:15 PM

I have a feeling if you were trapped in one of the many new RVs including my RW RL you would vote for the PLOP and roll out of any window you could. The heat and smoke would be so bad that your mind would have you in total survival mode. And if the new RLs have one that is not functional because the ladder is restricting egress, I believe the RVIA badge is not what it is cracked up to be.

Gegallant · 09-28-2014, 12:12 AM

The 36RL has the same issue with the outside ladder in the way of the exit window on the rear. When we were originally looking at the RL's, the ladder was on the other side. When they added the rear cargo box, the ladder needed to move in order to open the hatch. Since then, the escape window (which is marked on my unit), is prevented from fully opening by the ladder.
Our unit is equipped with two other escape hatches. One is at the rear on the street side and the other in the bedroom on the curb side.
In any event, if we can't use one of those exits, I carry a spring loaded center punch that will shatter the glass in any window so we can get out. The punch is available at Home Depot for about $5. We keep one in the fiver and in the truck. It works even if the vehicle is submerged.
Safe travels
George and Kay

Paul and Holly · 03-05-2016, 07:06 PM

So this is a couple years ago, has there been any progress on what crossroads has done for a fix? Our 2015 36fb has the same issue.

Sent from my SM-T210R using Tapatalk

ET156 · 03-06-2016, 02:32 AM

I have the 2016 39mb and the ladder blocks the rear window also. my rig is in the shop and they are installing a new ladder because my ladder did not stand up to my weight of 220 lbs. The ladder is bent and twisted.

mhs4771 · 03-06-2016, 02:38 AM

I read on another forum where this same issue was reported. The solution they were given was to remove the "Exit" sticker from the window.
I can tell you that without moving the sofa, neither of us could get out that window even if the ladder wasn't there.

travelin' texans · 03-06-2016, 03:06 AM

I agree with MHS, I'll throw a chair or something through a window before having to move couch to use that window or use the one on the end of the couch that's bigger.

**hoosierguy** · 03-06-2016, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhs4771

I read on another forum where this same issue was reported. The solution they were given was to remove the "Exit" sticker from the window.
I can tell you that without moving the sofa, neither of us could get out that window even if the ladder wasn't there.

Well................I have come to the conclusion that this is a good example of how poor the "designers" are in the RV industry in general. They are told by some supposed "RV regulation agency" that they are to have an emergency exit in the coach. So, they put an "Exit" label on a window that has a couch screwed to the floor in front of the window with a ladder on the outside of the window that no one could crawl through in if the obstacles did not exist. Shame on the RV industry.

travelin' texans · 03-06-2016, 09:22 PM

What amazes me is that they made ??? of them with that poor design & NO ONE stood back after a couple & said "hey! guys that's not right", instead just kept on doing it wrong, just like some of the other issues ie. not sealing bottom of the shower door. Guy, how long do you think we would have kept a job making the same mistakes over & over & over again?

Ford truck guy · 03-06-2016, 10:36 PM

If it is NOT considered a mistake, it has no reason to change..

**hoosierguy** · 03-07-2016, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin' texans

What amazes me is that they made ??? of them with that poor design & NO ONE stood back after a couple & said "hey! guys that's not right", instead just kept on doing it wrong, just like some of the other issues ie. not sealing bottom of the shower door. Guy, how long do you think we would have kept a job making the same mistakes over & over & over again?

Danny, I agree. But, unfortunately, that seems to be the mentality of the RV industry.

-Fake warranties
-low quality tires or overloaded tires
-poor assembly of braking systems
-poorly designed suspensions
-plastic bushings on a 16000 lbs trailer
-poorly designed plumbing systems
-poorly designed drain systems

BUT, if one is going to be critical, one should also find something good to say...........they surely can make them look "purty" on the inside and outside. And, fortunately, I got mine in the first year of production when it seemed they were at least trying to do a better job of assembly.

**Dave&Ginny** · 03-07-2016, 03:49 PM

Guy.......VERY WELL SAID!! Thank You

GTXRAS · 03-07-2016, 06:52 PM

I pointed this out when we purchased our 39MB and was told since the roadside rear window is an egress, it was not a safety issue.

Rick

travelin' texans · 03-08-2016, 05:09 AM

My rear escape window handle broke a couple years ago & I wired shut they sent a new handle which is still in my toolbox. We have never opened either of those windows due to the fact the handles are too difficult to reach behind the couch.

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