[Darrell]

Made it out through bedroom window onto a 6’ ladder, quite an experience. Out buying/making special tool to get door panel off to get at latch mechanism. Thanks to those who called.

[Per]

Dick,

Glad you were able to get out and that it wasn’t an emergency situation. When you have it corrected please update us on what you find and how you fixed it.

Our bus is in the same age range and I might need to get proactive. I think there was a discussion here a while back about routing an emergency release cable that would enable the latch release in this situation. I will search for it.

Doug

[Archived]

As a percentage of owners who participate on our site the number of those who get locked in our out is a small amount. However when Gran Tracy got stuck in his coach I decided it was not ever going to happen to me and I took my door apart and added a nylon strap that lifts up directly on the release mechanism.

The end of the nylon strap is visible through the passenger side toll window and all I have to do is open the driver side door to reach across the dash to press the toll window switch to lower it. Once I do that I can lift up on the nylon strap and the door will pop open. If I am inside the coach I just have to lift up on the strap.

I would suggest anyone that wants a small project, to do that so they have a means to get in or out of the coach. Once the door is opened up it is clear where to connect the strap to release the door catch.

We may never be stuck in or out and the effort and time required to provide a means of releasing the latch may be a waste of time, but if or when the door latch fails that little modification makes access in or out of the coach a non-event.

[Archived]

Jon … please post a picture of your “strap”. Thanks!

[Dick]

I did not document it because it was one of those things that is so obvious when the door panel is removed you can see where to hook onto the latch mechanism. All that is visible now is a white nylon wire cable tie in the lower corner of the toll window and unless someone knew what it was it becomes something you just don’t notice.

I think Prevost has used at least two different latch mechanisms so anything applicable to my coach may not apply to other model years or an H model.

[Tradewinds Coach & Marine]

There is no operating window in an “H” door, so that would not work so well for those. Same thing with the toll window in an “H”. If the converter did not put a switch in to open the toll window, you are also screwed. Liberty did put one in for those who were wondering. Some other way would have to be devised to get the door open in the case of an “H”

---

Tradewinds Coach
Kyle Bennett (Service)
Brian Miller (Sales)

[Jerry]

Jon: A picture of your pull tab would be fine. Is it inside or outside the coach? Thanks!

[Art]

Take a look at any nylon wire tie. All that is visible on my coach is the fat end. Use white if you want it really visible, use black if you want it less noticeable.

I have no clue how to do this on a coach with sliding windows on the door, it is easy to do with a powered toll window.

[AL]

While living in my coach a few years ago at work My wife stopped in to see me. I was getting ready for work in the rear of the coach. She said goodbye and left. So when I was ready to leave about 30 minutes later i went to the door and it would not open. She had shut the door and hit the 2 lock buttons. The handle would not work and the manual deadbolt would not unlock. A few cell calls and luckily I found one of our workers close enough to come and unlock the door for me about 45 minutes later.

She denied locking the door. It had become a natural habit that I had drilled into her to LOCK THE COACH every time you leave it. I dont think she even remembered doing it kind of thing. She later googled getting locked in a Prevost, And got several hits… She sure had a good laugh about that. Me , not so much ! Not a good feeling.

NOTE TO SELF , Get a emergency rope ladder like Dan Hilger has now i bet to keep on the coach. A fat man ( ME ) climbing out one of those windows does not paint a pretty picture in my mind.

[Archived]

With or without a ladder crawling through a window to get out of a coach is not going to be pretty. Until I have to do that I don’t know if it is best to crawl out head first and hope I don’t hit the ground too hard, or to try to exit feet first, something I am having a hard time imagining.

I think we have enough pillows on board to make a swan dive exit less hurtful. How do you get a Tempurpedic out such a small window?

[Dick]

I escaped the coach Sunday night using a six foot step ladder with Cathie pushing the ladder against the coach (rubber around the rear tires).

Let me tell you, that is pretty exciting. I’m only 5′-7″, so I can imagine the problems a tall guy would have trying to get out of the coach let a alone a person with a little bulk or an older person with flexibility challenges.

Yesterday I borrowed the neighbors 10′ step ladder. That is better (I’m less likely to fall off), but its still not something I’d like to do on a regular basis. The race cars (especially the ARCA car with the $2,000 containment seat and massive head surround) are hard enough to get in and out of.

I had a really nice visit with Abby from Prevost Parts an hour ago. Yesterday Irwin emailed me the schematic for the inside of our door and Abby and I were able to determine I needed part #281714 ($154.13) which is the same part# that another 1998 XL chassis owner told me he had to have installed by Prevost when he recently had the exact same problem. He said the design of the part he recently received is the same as the original that was on his (and our) 1998 chassis.

One problem though … part is NOT in stock, is back ordered, and the expected delivery is in 36 days.

The problem was caused by metal fatigue in the latch housing, design issue. Hopefully one of the reasons why my part is back ordered is that Prevost redesigned it and there is a delay for tooling changes, manufacturing, and stocking the part.

I’ll let you know in 36 days. I’ve gone to Plan B for the door so we can take the coach my what is probably my 50th Indy 500.

If the design hasn’t changed, heads up to Jon. Be prepared to do your stretches ahead of ranting and raving about Prevost not correcting the design defects in late 90’s XL entry door latches … very similar to problems Prevost continues to have with Crapco mirrors, CAC things, and the other Prevost issues that drive you absolutely crazy! Including, but not limited to, where the converters put the rear cameras.

Stay tuned.

[Walter]

With respect to certain issues such as availability of rubber gaskets, door latches, Crapco mirrors, etc. we are clearly very low down the list of things Prevost worries about.

Since the bulk of production is for commercial buses (including entertainers) they may be worn out and out of service in far less time than motorhomes. So stocking gaskets, or even selecting a material that does not age is not on a priority list. Since commercial coaches do not have door latches like ours there is another low priority concern.

At the current level of motorhome production compared to commercial production don’t look for much help from Prevost because our voice is inaudible compared to that of Greyhound for example.

[AL]

OK Dick, true confession. I saw your post the other night, laughed my ass off,…. sorry. Was going to overnight you a rope ladder,(I have a spare thanks to Rick and Vicki) but figured you’d be out by the time it got there. (-:

[Jerry]

There you go Dick. You should have called Monkey Boy (Dan Hilger) to tell you how to get out.

(yes, I have him on speed dial.)

[Archived]

I know for a fact getting hung up going down a rope ladder by hooking one’s crotch at the top of the ladder is excitement you just cannot buy, but of more interest to me is wanting to know the gyrations involved in getting ones legs and ass out of a window so one’s feet can be resting on the rung of a ladder.

It is anticlimactic to have photos of someone outside the coach coming down a ladder or rope ladder. My interest is in how one goes about backing out of a coach emergency window feet first.

The ideal solution to my twisted mind would be to just have the fire department bring the jaws of life to open the door so a person could exit the coach with some dignity.