# Important Info On Locks



## Compulynx (Oct 15, 2008)

I discovered by accident today something I did not know about my deadbolt locks on my 26RKS, If you lock the deadbolt from the outside, there are two positions you can lock it. One is to engage the deadbolt and pull out the key at the 12 o'clock position (key vertical). The other is to rotate on to a 9 oclock position(key horizontal) and guess what? You CAN NOT unlock it from the inside!. This to me is a safety hazard. In case of fire, you would be trapped inside, and forced to go out a window.

I figured it was a fluke on the bedroom lock, but tried the kitchen door and it was the same way.....

I discovered this one day when I locked the door from the outside when I went to the camp store. Ny DW was inside. When I came back, she was a little mad. Seems she could not unlock either door to get out. Luckily, I was only gone for a few minutes, or I would have been outside with the dog for a while....









I never really thought about it again until the other day, and I started researching the problem, and found out there were two ways to lock the deadbolts....

Point is to make SURE you can open both doors from the inside before you retire at night.

C


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## campfirenut (Aug 9, 2006)

Wow, did not know this either. Thanks for this important information.

Bob


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## Flat Red (May 18, 2008)

Thanks for the info, glad someone else figured that one before we did.

How often would you deadbolt the door from OUTSIDE while people are still INSIDE? Isn't this like locking someone inside a car that's running?


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Thanks for the info - I will have to try that on our 250RS.....


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## Compulynx (Oct 15, 2008)

Flat Red said:


> Thanks for the info, glad someone else figured that one before we did.
> 
> *How often would you deadbolt the door from OUTSIDE while people are still INSIDE? Isn't this like locking someone inside a car that's running?*


2 different scenarios:

1: Like I did, you run to the camp store, and lock the door with your keys so your DW is protected while you go. She was relaxing watching TV, so you lock it so she does not have to get up.

2: With 2 doors, lets say you locked the bedroom door with the key before you left to travel. We hardly ever use the bedroom door on the 26RKS. You go to bed at night, last entering the kitchen door. Fire starts in the kitchen, you are stuck in the bedroom with the door unopenable from the inside.

C


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

didnt know that. I will check mine to see if they are all like that....and sometimes when I go walk the dog and the rest of my clan is sleeping I do lock the dead bolt. My kids are paranoid someone is going to get them


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## slingshot (Aug 14, 2008)

Well___Well__ I had the very same thing happen to me, but to be honest I did not give it a second thought. I will try it one more time but this time have my thinking cap on.

Thanks very good info


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## CanadaCruizin (Jul 3, 2004)

Reminds me of...

_Peter Peter pumpkin eater
Had a wife and couldn't keep her
He put her in a pumpkin shell Outback trailer
And there he kept her very well_


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## Flat Red (May 18, 2008)

Compulynx said:


> Thanks for the info, glad someone else figured that one before we did.
> 
> *How often would you deadbolt the door from OUTSIDE while people are still INSIDE? Isn't this like locking someone inside a car that's running?*


2 different scenarios:

1: Like I did, you run to the camp store, and lock the door with your keys so your DW is protected while you go. She was relaxing watching TV, so you lock it so she does not have to get up.

2: With 2 doors, lets say you locked the bedroom door with the key before you left to travel. We hardly ever use the bedroom door on the 26RKS. You go to bed at night, last entering the kitchen door. Fire starts in the kitchen, you are stuck in the bedroom with the door unopenable from the inside.

C
[/quote]

Good points. I'm short sighted in that we only have one door, and I can't go to a store without my DW!


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## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

Keystone, are you reading this?? This is scary


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Doxie-Doglover-Too said:


> Keystone, are you reading this?? This is scary


.....they would probably tell you not to do it..


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## Paul (May 14, 2008)

That's a great thing to know. A camper we rented last year lock was designed the same way. My son an I left a zero dark thirty to go hunting. When we came back at 930 in the morning my wife was still inside drinking coffee and was not a happy camper (and the dog had to go). I thought it was kind of funny mostly because it wasn't me. But it could have been a dangerous situation.


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## Katrina (Dec 16, 2004)

I just went out and checked my trailer.
The key would NOT come out of the lock in that position.
If I swung the key to 9:00 to lock the door, I had to return it to 12:00 before I could pull the key out.
The door was able to be unlocked from the inside as normal.
If I swung the key to 3:00 to unlock, I could remove the key in that position.
The door could still be locked from inside as normal.
All this suggesting that perhaps your lock was assembled incorrectly.


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## Compulynx (Oct 15, 2008)

My feeling is that the locks were designed that way so you could secure them and not have them able to vibrate to the unlock position while moving, BUT, it is wise to know that it can be locked from the outside and not able to unlock from the inside.

As for the lock assembled wrong, I think not. The locks are sealed units from the manufacturer.....They are made that way....and both of mine work the same way.

C


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Katrina said:


> I just went out and checked my trailer.
> The key would NOT come out of the lock in that position.
> If I swung the key to 9:00 to lock the door, I had to return it to 12:00 before I could pull the key out.
> The door was able to be unlocked from the inside as normal.
> ...


Same with mine...


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

I went out and tried mine....

It works like Compulynx's. I did notice that his is a 2007 and mine is a 2006. Katrina's and Oregon_Camper's are 2005 and 2004. Maybe it is a model year difference?

Gary


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## LarryTheOutback (Jun 15, 2005)

Oregon_Camper said:


> I just went out and checked my trailer.
> The key would NOT come out of the lock in that position.
> If I swung the key to 9:00 to lock the door, I had to return it to 12:00 before I could pull the key out.
> The door was able to be unlocked from the inside as normal.
> ...


Same with mine...
[/quote]

... and same with mine. I could NOT reproduce the original concern on our trailer (2006). It may indeed be a model-year difference.

Ed


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## austinpowers (Jul 9, 2006)

LarryTheOutback said:


> I just went out and checked my trailer.
> The key would NOT come out of the lock in that position.
> If I swung the key to 9:00 to lock the door, I had to return it to 12:00 before I could pull the key out.
> The door was able to be unlocked from the inside as normal.
> ...


Same with mine...
[/quote]

... and same with mine. I could NOT reproduce the original concern on our trailer (2006). It may indeed be a model-year difference.

Ed
[/quote]
I have an 06 26RLS and I tried on both doors and had the same results as above.


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## folsom_five (Jan 10, 2008)

This same thing happened to me with our 2001 SOB (Prowler). We were at a KOA in S. Dakota, I was napping inside and my DW took the kids to go swimming. She left a note to come join her at the pool when I woke up. Well, when I woke up, I got ready to join her only to find out that I could not unlock the trailer door. When she finally returned after several hours at the pool, she was mad that I was sitting there playing solitare on the computer. After I explained that I was locked in, she laughed and forgave me for not joining her.
We both now remember to turn the key to the 12o'clock position before pulling it out.

I have not tried this on our Outback TT. I guess I should do that.


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## dunn4 (Feb 16, 2008)

Our 2008 model lock will not let the key to be removed if not in the fully locked or fully unlocked position. Perhaps this has been fixed in the newer models? Also on the lock issue...we have two full doors and a bunk loading door (nearly full size) and all three are keyed differently. So three doors - three keys. I have talked to a locksmith friend about rekeying these for one key. Anyone else done that? I will be taking pictures of the door (interior and exterior) for him to look at and tell me if he can do the job. I took pictures instead of driving the trailer to him 37 miles away.


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## LarryTheOutback (Jun 15, 2005)

dunn4 said:


> So three doors - three keys. I have talked to a locksmith friend about rekeying these for one key.


Every Outback I've seen uses the FIC EF series of lock (though given this thread perhaps that has changed recently). You might want to ask your friend if he can rekey this type of lock. Alternatively you could call my locksmith (see this post) as he seems very knowledgeable about RV locks and contracts with many of the local RV dealers.

(if we are going to have lots of replies to this, let's start a separate thread so we don't hijack the original intent of this thread).

Ed


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## happycampers (Sep 18, 2006)

It also happen to us this summer. We have two locks on the door. If we lock the one on the door handle itself , the person inside won't be able to open the door. If we lock the one on the bottom right hand side of the handle, the person inside can still open the door.







. I do agree this could be hazardous if people don't know about this...


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

We have a 250RS and inside all doors is a red latch for the deadbolt inside. I tried the key in all the positions that were suggested - and could still open the door using the red latch to unlock it from the inside.


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## sparetime17935 (Aug 21, 2007)

My wife TOLD ME about the locks when I returned from fishing ...OUCH.


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

I guess what concerns me is why Keystone would have made it such that one could get locked in? It would only make sense at night, that you would want to lock (deabolt) your door from the inside? Maybe too many people complained and they fixed it on the newer models?


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## LarryTheOutback (Jun 15, 2005)

rdvholtwood said:


> what concerns me is why Keystone would have made it such that one could get locked in?


Keystone doesn't make the lockset. There are only a few models of RV locksets available, and they are used on a variety of models. So we probably aren't the only ones with this problem.

Ed


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## Flat Red (May 18, 2008)

Checked our locks yesterday in our 2008 28RSDS. We have the same problem. When the key is in the 9:00 position, occupants inside are locked in (and the key can be removed). When moved back to the 12:00 position there are no issues.

Also noticed that there dots on each lock, kinda like braille. If you line up the key slot to the dots, you are locked and "okay".

Not sure if this was their fix to the situation. Is this a common feature on the older models?

Rick


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

LarryTheOutback said:


> what concerns me is why Keystone would have made it such that one could get locked in?


Keystone doesn't make the lockset. There are only a few models of RV locksets available, and they are used on a variety of models. So we probably aren't the only ones with this problem.

Ed
[/quote]

Ok, but, that shouldn't negate *safety* and quality control. I just don't understand - if you create a lock why would you not put something on the other side to be able to work it. Maybe Keystone DID realize it and on the 2009 models corrected it!! We have a latch on the inside that allows us to control the deabolt.


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## campfirenut (Aug 9, 2006)

Just checked mine and they work the same way, told the DW but she don't believe it, have to take her to storage lot to show her. Don't seem safe to me.

Bob


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## outbackgeorgia (Jan 28, 2004)

Don't forget, Outbacks have a FIRE exit.
If you don't know how to get out with the doors locked/blocked, better figure it out before the next trip!

Dave


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## Compulynx (Oct 15, 2008)

rdvholtwood said:


> We have a latch on the inside that allows us to control the deabolt.


They ALL have a red lever inside to work the deadbolt. The issue is when you remove the key at 9 o'clock, you can not move the red lever. It is locked.

C


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Compulynx said:


> We have a latch on the inside that allows us to control the deabolt.


They ALL have a red lever inside to work the deadbolt. The issue is when you remove the key at 9 o'clock, you can not move the red lever. It is locked.

C

[/quote]

I see, the key on our 250RS cannot be removed in the 9'oclock position. If you work the red lever, on our TT, it will return the key in the lock to the normal position and then you can remove it. I tried this on all our deabolts and they all work the same way


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## n2striper (Jul 21, 2007)

Yea I locked the wife in one time too. Not happy!! All it would take is for someone to be killed by fire. I dont remember anything in the owners manual about this. Did you?


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Just curious - Has anyone called Keystone?


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## Dub (Dec 8, 2008)

It's not a keystone issue, my Fun Finder built by Cruiser RV did the same thing. It's the lock manufacturer and there have been several threads on RV.net about this issue on multiple brands. Nothing to worry about as all newer RV's are required to have 2 emergency window exits, you can still get out if you need to. And being that my outback has 2 doors the chance of both of them getting locked from the outside...slim.


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Dub said:


> It's not a keystone issue, my Fun Finder built by Cruiser RV did the same thing. It's the lock manufacturer and there have been several threads on RV.net about this issue on multiple brands. Nothing to worry about as all newer RV's are required to have 2 emergency window exits, you can still get out if you need to. And being that my outback has 2 doors the chance of both of them getting locked from the outside...slim.


Ok, sorry I didn't read the other posts on keystone and the locksets. However, they must have found out somehow, because they were corrected on the 2009 models. (at least the 250RS)


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## Compulynx (Oct 15, 2008)

I think I figured it out!. After a little research, I discovered that it seems that the key SHAPE is what is causing this. Those of you out there that can remove keys at 9 o'clock position look at your keys and compare with these 2 different keys.

Both keys are from 2007 Outback door locks.

What happens is that normally, the tumblers would keep the key from being removed at 9 o'clock. However, when you get a key that has a continuous slant to the teeth, or very shallow teeth, there is nothing for the tumblers to hold on to.....










C


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## n2striper (Jul 21, 2007)

If Keystone built the RV and someone got killed by a fire it would be Keystones fault. You would take Keystone to court.Not the lock manufacturer.Right? I could be wrong.


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## outback loft (Sep 22, 2008)

I have checked my locks, and when I turn the key to 9:00 i cant pull the key out till i turn it back to 12:00, when unlocking i can turn the key to 3:00 and pull out, or turn it to 3:00 then back to 12:00 and pull it out. When it is at the 3:00 position and I turn the red lever inside it just moves it back to the 12:00 position. No matter what I do my locks can always be opened from inside.


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## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

my trailer can't be unlocked for the inside when the key is pulled out at 6 but at 9 when you pull the key out it will open!!!! scary!!!!!! I called

Fastec Industrial Corp said they would warranty it for 2 years, date clock on back of lock !!! buy new lock then send in old one ,then they will refund money!!! Lock Division
2705 Decio Drive
Elkhart, IN 46514
(800) 837-2505
(574) 266-9373


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