Never Purchase an Open Range RV Trailer - Leak City 

My wife and I own a 2802BH. We love it, and have had absolutely no problems. Don’t let one lemon chase you away from an exceptional RV

These issues can happen with ANY camper in the industry.And, you can find dissatisfied customers squawking about any number of brands out there. Roof openings can leak. Windows can leak. A/C units can fail. Refrigerators can fail. Campers are stick built on trailer frames that have an earthquake every time you move them. Take into consideration that all manufacturers aren't created equally. Neither, are the roads traveled upon. Take into account that some newbies don't know how to maintain them as well. In a nutshell, EVERY recreational vehicle or camper will need some attention at some point. What's more normal is that MOST problems occur during the warranty period & problems are solved accordingly. HAPPY CAMPING YA'LL!

Thank you sir I was thinking about one and looked at several I’m so sorry your having to go through all the stress We pay so much for these RV’s Don’t let them off the hook

Thank you for your detailed review. I will be taking them off my list to look at.

New update Got mine one month ago, open range 2018 ,2802bh Water pump gone out. Hot water heater gone out. Propane regulator gone out. HE WAS RIGHT!!!!! New update now the central heat went out now the slide-out leaks Control panel doesn't read any of the sensors on any of the tanks One of the comments was as you travel down the road these things go out I bought a brand new Jayco Eagle never had anything go wrong with it for 13 years I live in an RV full time I've had airstreams class C and never had as much trouble As I have had with this one This new open range was delivered to me and has sat in one spot and I have had all this trouble Now it's out of warranty and more things are going wrong.

Thank you for your post. We feel your pain. We had a similar experience with our special order from factory with our Gulfstream Streamlite 30dbs, 9 major deficiencies, It took our dealer 7 months to get Gulfstream to send the parts to fix. Very heartbreaking to spend that much money and get so little. Hope you get the unit you want and it performs well for you for as long as you need it to. Camping should be about the scenery you experience , not the rig problems we have to contend with. Stay safe, friend.

I have had an open range roamer 292rls for almost 3 years now (2017 model). I have had a water pump go out (replaced under warranty) but that’s it. All the complaints you are talking about could be any manufacturer, especially being an ultra lite. Some of the issues like oxidation on the water heater is completely normal. If you are in the market for a RV for the first time you need to set your expectations realistically. These are hand made boxes being drug down the highway at 70+ mph. Things will go wrong, more so with a new unit vs used. You have to go through the shake down on new units to get the kinks out. Once that is over you’d be amazed at how storage and maintenance ties into the quality of your unit over time. Take care of it and treat it well and it will treat you well. I wouldn’t discount one brand over another because someone had a problem, because they all have problems. Moral of the story, find the unit you like and inspect it before signing on the dotted line. Then be prepared to have a few issues for the first few months of use. After all that is why they have a warranty.

We purchased a 28’ BHS Open Range in June of 2018 and were very excited to hit the road! Over the next 3 months, we have the TT into the dealership for repairs every time we returned from a few days at the lake, We had a window above the dining area leak when it rained, the canopy started leaking water behind the seal were the canopy attached to the camper and one of the canopy speakers quit working. A break line spring became disconnected and was hanging out from behind the tire hub. This is just the tip of the iceberg.......We went on a 10 week snowbird trip down south this past winter and while into our second week, we were just leaving a rest area when I noticed a wheel roll away from the camper just as we were getting ready to enter I-10....30 seconds later we may have created a major accident on the freeway and possibly killed someone! There we were stranded on a frontage road! After several calls, we managed to find a service garage that could help. We limped 15 miles with the axle 2” above the ground at 10 MPH, which was destroyed during the whole process. 4 days later and a new axle (covered under warranty) we hit the road again. 3 weeks later the nights turned cold (38) and the furnace decided to quit working, so we had to purchase a space heater, which kept part of the camper between 48-58. Well......these were the major issues and don’t include several smaller issues. All in all, we would definitely not recommend purchasing an Open Range Ultra lite!

I have a 2017, 297RLS Open Range Light and have zero problems with it. I have been lucky from what I hear. That said after 2017 Jayco company took over Highland Ridge who were manufacturing Open Ranges. We had an 18 foot Jayco and had issues with it. The refridge would not work if it got in the 80's. Sensors in the black tank would not work. Fuses went out all the time and the converter went out. If you do research there is no real lemon laws for RV's. You need to have a good dealer that backs up their products and they are hard to find in this business. Manufactures use the same suppliers of materials and appliances. From all the RU-vid and personal experiences of people I have seen, it does not matter who makes RVs or motor-homes someone ends up with a lemon or some problem or another no matter how much money is spent for one.

Love the layout of our 27 rear living open range but have had a lot of trouble with kitchen slide not going all the way in. Lots of trips to the dealer for different issues. Need better quality control on all brands of trailers for sure.

Have a 2018 2804RK and have had no issues that were not operator error. Love ours.

It's not completely the manufacturer's fault some times it can be the dealership if they don't pressurize the cabin and test to see if there is a leak and recaulk what the manufacturer missed..

After all the flooding we had here in Texas, we have all been cautioned about buying vehicles that had been flooded. Now I can see that applies to RVs as well! All the things you showed us on your video are what you are supposed to look for in a vehicle that may have come from a flood area. Not that you did anything wrong! You didn't! It is a cautionary tale for the rest of us that are shopping for RVs: Get under it, look for rust and corrosion. My ideas: Look inside the compartments, check inside the electrical outlets, look at any wiring you can get to. Use your nose! Is there a moldy smell? You can get a "mold check kit" online that doesn't cost much and shows right away (on a strip) if there is mold. Check the insides of the wheel rims. Anyplace that water could cause corrosion or rust, if you can see it, check it. So sorry this happened to you. I hope you got a replacement or your money.

Wow , I know every camper has some sort of problems but 2 in a row , I bought a Winnebago Minnie 2 years ago and no major issues, did a a few issues in the inside but nothing where I had to take it in for warranty work,

Wow! We’re looking between the Rockwood and the open range, thanks for the reviews.

2011 393RLS. Nothing out of the ordinary stuff. Very satisfied.

I must have gotten lucky or you have bad luck. I bought a 388RKS in 2014 and it’s been the best rv ever. Little to no issues. All manufacturers will make a bad product every now and then and that’s why you have a warranty. I don’t think I’ll ever buy one that was made during the pandemic because I feel they were rushed. I’ll wait until it calms down some. Good luck.

I literally was on my way to lazy days to purchase one of these on Friday. We ended up getting a flat and planned on going there on Monday instead......all things happens for a reason. Thanks for the vid. I don’t think I’ll be buying this anymore. I’m going to go with a coachmen freelander instead

I appreciate you posting this. I just removed them from my list of options.

I bought mine from Lazy days too and our leaks not sure where they are coming from--they never did the inspection. We caught ours before we bought it and to come to find out. There is moisture in the walls as well. They are trying to make us pay 10,000 more for a different unit due to they do not sell our unit anymore either! I think it is a racket!

Bought a 2012 OR Journeyer about threemonths ago,only problem I had,was water leakage in storage area-turns out all the plumming line fittings were loose,tightened them up by hand,and that was it.we've been living in it for three months in a long term rv park,and we love it,have had heavy rains,no leaks,(it has three slides).Now,to be honest,the original owner was a snowbird,bought it,and put in in a beach rv park,been there for twelve years,then I bought it,moved it about three hundred miles,and parked it,so it hasn't been drug all over the place.After reading up on these rvs,if you get one and do a lot of travelig,you ARE going to have issues on a regular basis. For traveling,I think I'll just stick to tent camping,or maybe get a camper van someday

Truth is all the RVs are pretty much the same. Slap them together and get them out the door.

Owned a 2016 427BHS. 100% garbage. Everything failed and ended up trading it in for a Class A MH. Will never, ever buy Open Range again. Worst issues were the spring hangers broke on 2 different occasions which could have resulted in a roll over on the freeway (trailer was never overloaded as I never travel with any freshwater in the tank and never exceeded 60mph) and the floor in at least 3 spots was rotting out so bad, it felt like your foot would go right through it. Like I said, 100% garbage. You’ve been warned.

We have a 2018 Open Range Light fifth wheel we bought brand new so we wouldn’t have issues on a 3 mo trip throughout the US. We noted to service dept before we took possession the shower floor was like standing on a thin piece of plastic and would never hold up so they re-enforced it with a 2x4 running across the width of the shower just behind the drain, we are waiting for the fiberglass to crack anytime. The floor in the bathroom going into the bedroom was also an issue, the floor gives when you step on it and once we bought it no one wanted to fix it because the floor is laid down before walls or anything is placed on the frame. The large kitchen slide failed the second day on the road so we couldn’t use our kitchen. The slide took four stops between FL and AZ, then it failed again in Indiana and it was in the shop for 4 mos. Fortunately our daughter lived in the area so we had a place to stay. The floor problems now include bathroom, landing and kitchen. My husband is a veteran battling severe Parkinson’s and we need to return to Ohio so we are closer to our kids.and want to sell the unit now that it’s difficult for my husband to maneuver. It’s had excellent care, despite replaces the main air conditioning and furnace.Highland Ridge’s response to our problem is to say the RV wasn’t meant to live in full time....I guarantee the dealership didn’t say a word, nor did any of the dealerships who worked on it so many times who all knew the rig was our home. There is no problem with the floor covering but the structure under the covering is bad enough I expect to put my foot through it. So I would caution anyone looking at Highland Ridge products, beware. We can’t sell this unit, dealers don’t want or can’t fix it, we have no idea what to do. Financially the loss is huge.

Thanks for posting this video. I was so set on buying an Open Range trailer like yours after the very impressive video from HaylettRV. There no freaking way I'll give them my business now. The manufacturer should have said something in the comment to let all know that this is a rare occasion, etc.

We have a 2018 Open Range 275rls and have not had one issue with it, no leaks and no more rust than I would expect. Sorry you had so much trouble but ours is a quality unit.

Thanks for the info. Was looking at these but not now.

So many great products are sold by poor dealers these days! Looks like this one came down from Indiana in the winter with salty roads and was not properly washed and cleaned and a pre lot inspection would have caught most of these issues. Who knows how long it sat in the ocean air before this guy bought it! Looks like this one also got the typical large dealer PDI that most likely took them a hour as per the checklist. I'd say the dealer is to blame on this units representation.

I bought a 2022 Open Range 26BHS, it’s been nothing but problems. From a bent axle from the factory, water leaks, door opening where the screen door doesn’t latch, it goes right past the latch and gets stuck in the opening. I agree, don’t but an open range!!!

Sir, We have owned an Open Range Ultra Light for a year now and have put on about 6,000 miles. There has been NO ISSUES with our Open Range at all. The oxidation you show on your water heater is normal and not an issue. I'm sorry you are having problems, but I'm sure, in the end, you will be happy with the unit.

I have a 2017 Open Range Ultra Lite 2802BH.... We love it. I’m just now replacing the fresh water pump ($72). I don’t know anyone that hasn’t had some issues with RV trailers. ALL of them are made the same. Assembly line construction. NOT custom made. Even new cars have issues on occasion.

I love my Open Range UL. A couple of minor issues the first week with water pump but nothing major that a tech couldn't easily fix ( it was bought lightly used ). If I had the experience you did with two back to back my opinion would be the exact opposite! What you were dealing with was MAJOR QC issues that Highland Ridge can't excuse. The way I look at these units ( rv's in general ) is that 90% of the time something is bound to go wrong. So much is packed into small living quarters. All of the vibrations from the road is going to have major effects on literally everything from the exterior to the interior. Sealant is pliable to an extent but will easily tear after so many miles esp with UV damage on top. Electronics, wiring, plumbing, a/c and anything else that is crucial to the rv experience will eventually fail. You really just have to accept that when you consider purchasing one. Compared to a stationary house they take a lot of abuse and require maintenance quarterly or at least every 6months while being stored. Inspection every couple days while in use unless it rains of course; and once again before and after hitting the road. Honestly that is part of the fun for me as a full timer. I like to examine and take care of it because in return, it takes care of me.

Have the same trailer had are's 14 months, a lot of camping trips plus just nights to get away at grandmas house. 4000 miles on it. (so far). Have had it in rain,sand,heat. Only one problem, motherboard in frig. warranty fix. I was told mine was made in the west coast. (Oregon, Washington. I don't remember which) I wonder if its a factory location issue. Best of luck.

Thank you for being so open about your experience! Im so sorry for all you had to deal with…after paying the additional $10k for the “replacement,” and I use that term lightly, did you consider other course of action to recoup your money from the company!! Id be afraid to get anything from them!

Wow its 2020 and I was looking at one in the park in at,,thought it was a nice looking rig,talked to the woman that owns it and she has had numerous problems as of right now she has duct tape over 2 window frames and her air and furnace thermostat is stuck on 38°,,ill keep my 10 year old Forrest river a little longer

This is not just a problem with open range, this is the problem with every single RV on the market now. I have had Winnebago, I have had open range, I have had forest river, I’ve had several different manufactures over the years they all have issues unless you’re paying for a very extreme high end brand like airstream, and even those have issues. You just have to learn how to work through them, do a good inspection when you purchase it, get on the roof check every seal on every window and go through everything with a fine tooth comb. You need to travel with your trailer at least 5000 miles in the first year to knock everything around and give everything a chance to fail so that you can get warranty work done. You have to keep in mind that every time you move your trailer its equal to a 3.5 to 4.5 magnitude earthquake, I understand that you’re paying a lot for the product but it’s going to have a few quirks here and there just due to the constant jarring etc. I also recommend not buying a unit that’s been setting out a lot for a long time because of the problem you had which is water ingress, if it’s an old unit and hasn’t sold and it did have a leak, that’s when you would run into problems. I’m surprised that you did not have the de-lamination with the amount of water ingress you’re talking about because these are not azdel these are luan backed. At the end of the day you cannot purchase a travel trailer and think that it’s going to be perfect, you have to know that it’s going to have issues especially in the first year that you own it, and you have to be able to work through those issues that’s just how it is owning an RV.

Definitely understand the frustration a brand new unit should not leak I am not coming to the RVs defense however any new RV should be inspected for the correct seals they turn these RVs out so quick it's ridiculous and oftentimes they miss caulking or sealant in certain areas

That would be very frustrating after a second unit. We purchased an OR 2017 UT2802BH and have had minor issues - door latch and one side of the awning wouldn't fully seat when closed. However, no leaks to date. I'll be resealing vertical sides very soon. Hope Jayco/HR took care of the second unit.

Grand Design is a good manufacturer, they stand behind their product.

I purchased one and it has three water leaks I know what you mean

I have recently purchased a Open Range residential 416 fifth wheel 2012 from a individual. And I did a inspection of the trailer. I expect to perform needed repairs myself. But this is to be expected for a used trailer. From my experience, all travel trailer manufactures have good and bad trailers being made! You have to take the good with the bad, and be at peace with your decision!

Sorry about your leaking problems. I have leaking with my 2014 413RLL with the slide bottoms. The middle slide just let go when one of the kids was sitting on the couch. Bad manufacturing as the screws were not in the plywood at all. The master bedroom slide is leaking, as they did not laminate the bottom of the slide correctly. It has leaked with rain soaking the bottom plywood. Sad as the trailer is not been used for travel since 2016. Sits permanently in British Columbia on a proper RV site. Wished they would have built it with drip edges on the bottom of their slides to keep the rain from wicking underneath.

Our Open Range 399Bhs had multiple leaks !

ANY RV trailer that is NOT of Molded Fiberglass Monocoque construction WILL be a leaker at some point (except for Airstreams)

You really need to have a licensed rv inspector do a full inspection on any trailer you buy these days..BEFORE you sign for it…when they come back with the list of issues, have the dealer fix all of them before you sign for it. If they want to sell the trailer they will fix the items asap.. and if not then you get to walk away from it before getting shafted with a pile of garbage. If they won’t allow an inspection ….run…don’t walk!

Thank you for this and for the comments. I’m disappointed to hear it thoug. Price range, bunk house, layout and weight were all in zone for me so I’m really disappointed to hear quality is so lacking!!!

This video should be titled “ never buy a lite or ultra lite of any RV brand.”

That's a Jayco with the Open Range stickers slapped on it.

2017model open range. And it sucks water leaks interior trims coming off. Hot water tank leaked goft floor wet jamatt RV didn't replace it.

I have owned 2 Open Range RV's. The first one was a 2009 337RLS and I currently have a 2018 3X 388RKS. I have had NO problems with either unit. I have had no problems dealing with Open Range over the years. It looks like you live near the ocean where things can corrode quickly due to the salt in the moist air. How long will you have your Grand Design before you try to get rid of it?

If you watch the factory videos of these being made, watch only the ones that give tours so any prospective customer can tour and take video. AVOID or ignore the videos from the manufacturer as those are essentially staged. What you will see is a single production line video where the workers complete 30-45 units per day, on EACH line (so 2 crews can make as many as 90/day) You’ll see workers building cabinets or kitchens at a breakneck pace, staple/nail guns thumping like the beat of a drum. You will watch one worker building cabinets, PopPopPop, flip PopPopPop, flip face down insert shelf PopPopPop and done. One cabinet frame done in 24 seconds, and the guy installing them in the trailer will slam an entire RV kitchen together in less than 6-7 minutes, nail or screw gun ZipZipZip done. And then we wonder why they collapse under the weight of 12 assorted cans of soup. We are fueling the building of junk.

Our Open Range is awesome. We live in it full time and have had zero issues. We’ve ran into many OR owners on the road and they all love them. Sorry you had a bad experience but I don’t think that applies to all OR units.

Wow! That sucks! Water leaks are so damaging to an RV.

Honestly, I'm not too surprised after viewing their website.

We had a open range that did nothing but leak and also delaminated. We had it barely 3 years because we had trouble finding a dealership that would take it in for a trade most We checked with didn't want it or would give very little for it. I loved the camper inside it was a shame . I've did alot of research since then including the difference how there built. True you can have problems with all but our problems were major. I wouldn't buy another open range.

We almost bought an Open Range FLS, glad we didn't. We know three different people who've bought the Open Ranges, and have had nothing but problems. I might be wrong, but I've heard that Open Ranges are no longer built, seem's that there were a few quality problems! (Should be a class action suit).

I think the lesson here is, before buying, browse RV's that have sat through a heavy rainstorm!!

I have a 2018 Open Range 2910 RL and love it! To be honest I think the quality control of most trailers suck!

Did you do a pre- inspection of the unit before you purchased it? I was wondering because I have heard you can hire someone to inspect the unit before you buy and it typically takes four to six hours for a standard inspection and cost around four to five hundred dollars to do. They are independent of the seller usually.

you need to look into northwood manufacturing in La grande Oregon , sold through out the US and Canada , top quality industry leader, many innovations they created are being adopted by other manufacturers.

Have a 2020 275RLS no issues knock on wood

Well I hope when I buy one they gave me at least 10 years warranty on that

Given a notice that your truck has Florida plates and the seagulls in the background oh, you live very close to the water. That being said the salt in the air even if your 30 miles Inland corrodes things like crazy. I'm in Tampa and I can give you firsthand experience with us even with the tools I leave out in my garage. The rest you're seeing is most likely just surface rust , nothing couple cans of Rust-Oleum can't fix. I don't have an open road nor do I have a RV at this point but I do know that things are different down here in Florida. As for the window leaks yes that is a problem. Many of these manufacturers are in Indiana and don't understand Florida rainy seasons in and the torrential downpours we get. If they had to spend one day in the middle of one they might do things a little differently. That being said I will be caulking every window on my own once I do buy one

Do you live in a salty climate? That's likely the rust and corrosion issue.

Thanks for the info.

Unfortunately, my wife and I didn't see your video before we purchased our 2019 376FBH in March 2019. We have been dealing with a soft floor issue for over a year and we haven't been able to get anyone to take the unit back or fix it. Any tips for dealing with Highland Ridge (Jayco) or the dealership?

Sounds like this unit was flooded at one point or another

Yep. Our brand new 2910 RL has had numerous problems including leaks on the same window and slide outs. AC already replaced and mold everywhere. We are taking it back to the dealer to have the entire floor replaced. OR told me the leaks are only guaranteed for 3 months if purchased new. What a POS.

We have a 2018 Open Range 2910. We love it but did have a couple issues. We did have some cosmetic issues with the seats which were repaired promptly. The Hot water heater control module went last year and the Electric Fireplace fan motor bit the dust. All replaced under warranty. The thing is these hardware components could have been installed on any trailer. I personally think the quality control has gone down for most Manufacturers. As far as leaks go we have had no issues. Mind you I get on the roof every spring and Fall and do a check and cleaning anyways. One thing I did learn though is to check the underbelly. We found the gas lines to be super corroded from hauling the thing from the states up to Canada in winter where can be tons of salt on the highways. I did spray all of the lines with a rust inhibiting paint. Lastly, I found the fresh water tank to be a pain to refill if you are dry camping as it requires it to be pumped in. (A 12V little water pump from Princess Auto fixed that) Also, I think the overflow/Vent was placed in the wrong spot on the tank. It sometimes would siphon out the top portion of the tank. So I ended up running a extension tube from the vent drain by one of the tires and ran it up to the utility station door (which is higher than the tank and still vents) After all of that, it's the perfect trailer for us LOL.

Woah, thank you I will avoid the dealer and the trailer!!

I think I will get the smallest grand design 5th wheel.

If you buy an RV you should have it inspected before taking possession. RV inspectors find that kind of stuff. I am a NRVIA Certified RV Inspector and I inspected my new open range light and have had no issues. Of course I found a spot on the roof that could have caused water intrusion but the dealer had to fix it before I signed my paperwork.

I just dumped $10,000 in repairs due to leaks and poor quality materials from factory. Highland Ridge refused to accept responsibility and extended warranty wouldn't cover anything. Dont ever buy a Highland Ridge RV.

It's the "luck of the draw" with all mfgs. I have so far owned Coachmen, Keystone, Grand Design. All have had their issues. Friend owns a $400,000 Tiffin Pusher. You wouldn't believe the quality issues he and his wife have had to deal with.

Own an 2015 Open Range Light (319RLS). the only issue I have had is the gearboxs in the slides replaced. Some of what you were talking about should have been covered in the PDI. sorry for your luck but unfortunately there is always a little risk in buying any rv from any manufacturer. I'm honestly impressed they bought the first one back from you so quickly (as in months and not complaining)

After all this time why hasn't a trailer manufacturer or designer been able to build a trailer that doesn't leak? They all leak eventually.

Sounds like they use Chinese parts in the construction of these trailers!

All of these RV'S are made like shot nowadays.

All new rv’s are junk. No quality control anymore.

Every RV is shit in quality. I’ve owned many. Find the floor plan you like and enjoy what you can. My neighbour has a high end Jayco and it’s been a water bomb - $50k doesn’t matter

People buy these low end campers and expect aCadillac They are called ultra lights or lights for a reason, they are not well made

50,000km. 12 States. 3 Provinces and not a single issue with our 2410RL. Every trailer on the lot will have corrosion on the hot water heater components. It’s normal.

I have 3310bh and it leaks like nothing else

WOW

Whaaattt? My husband and I were thinking of buying this trailer 😩

Wow

Dont forget kiddies , all the pumps ,water heaters , furnaces, faucets, air conditioners and yes even piping and wiring are not made by Open Range , they buy 'em from Sure-flo , Atwood , Dometic, furrion, Suburban and so on...blame the original manufacturer ...now slides and roof leaks that is on the builder of the trailer .