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07-07-2013, 11:39 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 6
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Where can I get an owners manual?
Yesterday we bought a 2003 Keystone Cougar 5th wheel. The model is 285. I need to find a manual for it so I can learn how to operate it correctly? Is there a place on Keystones site to get it? Thank you
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07-07-2013, 12:24 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,998
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You can download the Keystone Owner's Manual here:
http://www.keystonerv.com/customer-s.../owners-manual
the closest you'll get to your RV is the 2009 version.
As for the appliances and support sytems, you'll need to get the manufacturer, model and year of each individual appliance and component, do a google search for the appliance owner's manual and download each one individually.
You won't find many of the manuals for a 2003 model, but you should find the newer manuals will give you much and possibly all the information you'll need to maintain and operate the RV systems.
Good luck,
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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07-07-2013, 12:26 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
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samahi72 -
If you go to Keystone's website ( www.keystonerv.com) and click on Customer Service (at the top) and finally on Owner's Manual, you will find some recent manuals that you can download. Unfortunately, they don't go back as far as 2003. The "oldest" one I could find is for 2009.
But this is not all bad. The manuals are all generic and Keystone only publishes one manual for all of their models. It is quite generic and won't give instructions on how to operate all of your systems of your Cougar. It does give you guidelines and instructions about tires, slides, winterizing, etc., but nothing specific. You'll find these and other areas in the recent editions too.
If you have manuals for your appliances and other major items, then I would browse through those to find out about their operation.
If you are still stuck, come back on here and ask some specific questions so we can help you with those areas that are causing you some difficulty.
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
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07-07-2013, 12:45 PM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 6
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thank you
Thank you, that is what I was afraid of. The previous owner did give me on of the generic manuals and while it does have some good information I was looking for the specifics on this year and model. That was a good idea about looking up the manuals for the specific items, i.e. refrigerator, heater, air cond. etc.
I hope you don't mind all of my newbie postings, I have a lot to learn about this unit.
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07-07-2013, 07:27 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Bridge, Oregon
Posts: 399
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Our new Cougar came with a Keystone manual. As stated, it's pretty "generic" and not real helpful. It amazed me that a company which prides itself in producing great RVs would include such mediocre manuals.
Operating manuals for appliances, etc are your best bet.
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07-07-2013, 07:49 PM
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#7
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
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suza -
When you think about it, it's not too amazing that Keystone's Owners' Manuals are generic and not particularly informative or helpful for a new owner. In order to produce something that would be specific, useful and practical, it would require time and effort. Those two items cost money and the bean counters at Keystone would not be happy campers seeing their profit margin decrease.
The solution? Provide a single document - "one size fits all" - manual. Keystone's manual is probably interchangeable with Forest River's manual...... just change the name and it is basically the same document. It's much less costly to produce - keeping the company in black.
It's not about pride it's about profit.
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
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07-09-2013, 07:11 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Bridge, Oregon
Posts: 399
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Festus2
suza -
When you think about it, it's not too amazing that Keystone's Owners' Manuals are generic and not particularly informative or helpful for a new owner. In order to produce something that would be specific, useful and practical, it would require time and effort. Those two items cost money and the bean counters at Keystone would not be happy campers seeing their profit margin decrease.
The solution? Provide a single document - "one size fits all" - manual. Keystone's manual is probably interchangeable with Forest River's manual...... just change the name and it is basically the same document. It's much less costly to produce - keeping the company in black.
It's not about pride it's about profit.
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Sad, but I say, if the bean counters had anything to do with it the manual would be detailed to the point of absurdity. I'm a bean counter, myself, so I know how anal and detail oriented they can be
It seems they could create a PDF manual . . . . . wouldn't have to print, easy to customize, update, etc. Contract this out to one of our experienced, savvy Forum members (no employee benefits to pay ). A good manual could pay for itself by reducing the number of customer complaints and negative PR that result from owner ignorance and operator error. Customer satisfaction is just as valuable as product quality and reliability.
Vehicles, lawnmowers, electronics, appliances . . . . . . . nearly everything we purchase for personal use, comes with detailed, unit specific instructions (pictures included). Why should RVs be any different? Perhaps this is why some automakers went under?
BTW: Our dealer actually created and included a supplemental manual with our purchase. Now I understand why.
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