2005 Dutchmen Aerolite Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2005 Dutchmen Aerolite, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Body & structure333.3%
- Suspension222.2%
- Interior & seats111.1%
- Other / unspecified111.1%
- Powertrain (other)111.1%
- Tires & wheels111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
NOTICED THAT THE COUNTER TOP CRACKED AND SEPARATED AND THE STOVE AND REFRIGERATOR HAS LIFTED AND THE WINDOW IN FRONT OF THE SINK HAS DROPPED BELOW THE COUNTER TOP. ALL THE PANELS ON THAT SIDE HAVE EITHER CRACKED OR SEPARATED. CALLED THE COLLISION SHOP AT CAMPING WORLD AND THEY TOLD ME NOT TO PULL THE CAMPER BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THE FRAME EITHER BENT OR CAME APART OR BOTH AND THAT IT WOULD BE UNSAFE TO PULL DOWN THE ROAD. CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY BUT THEY ARE NOT SURE IF THEY ARE GOING TO COVER IT SINCE THEY FEEL IT'S A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. *TR
THE SPRING HANGER THAT HOLDS THE LEFT SIDE SPRING FROM THE DOUBLE AXLE RIPPED FROM THE FRAME ABOVE THE WELD CAUSING THE TRAILER TO FALL ONTO THE TIRES AND MELTING THE TIRES. TRAILER WAS BEING USED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AT THE TIME AND HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED. THE FRAME IS NOW WARPED AND TWISTED WITH A AREA OF METAL RIPPED OUT ABOVE THE SPRING HANGER. THERE IS ALSO OTHER CRACKS ON THE FRAME. RESEARCH ON WWW.RV.NET SHOWS THAT OTHER FRAMES HAVE EXPIRENCED THE SAME FAILURE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
NOTICED THAT THE COUNTER TOP CRACKED AND SEPARATED AND THE STOVE AND REFRIGERATOR HAS LIFTED AND THE WINDOW IN FRONT OF THE SINK HAS DROPPED BELOW THE COUNTER TOP. ALL THE PANELS ON THAT SIDE HAVE EITHER CRACKED OR SEPARATED. CALLED THE COLLISION SHOP AT CAMPING WORLD AND THEY TOLD ME NOT TO PULL THE CAMPER BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THE FRAME EITHER BENT OR CAME APART OR BOTH AND THAT IT WOULD BE UNSAFE TO PULL DOWN THE ROAD. CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY BUT THEY ARE NOT SURE IF THEY ARE GOING TO COVER IT SINCE THEY FEEL IT'S A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. *TR
I HAVE A DUTCHMEN VICTORY LANE FIFTH WHEEL 2005 5 MODEL IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR AFTER I HAD THE RV FOR ONE YEAR THE SPRING HANGER THAT HOLDS THE LEAVE SPRING ON THE REAR AXEL OF THE RV BROKE WHILE TRAVEL DOWN THE ROAD. THIS YEAR THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS BROKE ON THE SAME AXEL. THE AXEL AND FRAME FOR THIS UNIT IS MADE BY LIPPERT MFG. FROM SEARCHING THE WEB THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OF THESE ISSUES. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR AT 3:30 A.M. TO LET DOG OUT, AND COULDN'T GET THE DOOR OPEN. HAD TO CRAWL OUT THE EXIT WINDOW AND TAKE THE DOOR APART TO GET IT OPEN. THE PLATE ON THE BACK OF THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM DISTORTS UNDER PRESSURE, CAUSING LATCH BOLT TO CATCH. IT THEN WILL NOT RELEASE AND DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. HAD TO REMOVE LOCKING MECHANISM AND STRAIGHTEN THE PLATE - NOT AN OPTION IF YOU ARE LOCKED IN. ALSO, THE EXIT WINDOW IS NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR A LARGE PERSON SUCH AS MYSELF (6'3" TALL/235 POUNDS) TO GET THROUGH AND IT IS SITUATED MUCH TOO HIGH ON THE TRAILER. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT: WHILE ON VACATION, THE CALLER NOTICED THAT THE CABINETS ON THE CAMPER TRAILER WERE CROOKED AND THE DOORS WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE BUMPER WAS BENT AND THE WHOLE FRAME WAS BENT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE CALLER STATED THAT THE CABINETS WERE A PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASING THE CAMPER TRAILER. DEALER SAID THEY WERE WAITING FOR THE CALLER'S INSURANCE COMPANY TO CALL THEM. MANUFACTURER HAD THE TRAILER NOW AND THEY FOUND A SMALL DENT LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER'S REAR FRAME. THEY CLAIMED THAT THE DENT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CALLER DISAGREED. THE TRAILER IS A DUTCHMEN AEROLITE. *AK THE FUSE WAS BLOWN IN THE WATER PUMP, THE SCREEN DOOR WAS BENT, THE AC HAD AN ODOR, THE KITCHEN FLOOR AND ROOF WERE DAMAGED. THE DRAIN IN THE SINK WAS LEAKING. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE A DUTCHMEN VICTORY LANE FIFTH WHEEL 2005 5 MODEL IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR AFTER I HAD THE RV FOR ONE YEAR THE SPRING HANGER THAT HOLDS THE LEAVE SPRING ON THE REAR AXEL OF THE RV BROKE WHILE TRAVEL DOWN THE ROAD. THIS YEAR THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS BROKE ON THE SAME AXEL. THE AXEL AND FRAME FOR THIS UNIT IS MADE BY LIPPERT MFG. FROM SEARCHING THE WEB THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OF THESE ISSUES. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWN A 2005 DUTCHMAN 5TH WHEEL. ON 9/11/06 I HAD A BLOWOUT. DID NOT MAKE SENSE THAT A YEAR OLD TIRE WITH VERY FEW MILES SHOULD BLOWOUT. I FOUND THAT THE MANUFACTURER DATA PLATE, ATTACHED TO THE TRAILER, SPECIFIES LT 235/85/R16 (LOAD RANGE E TIRES). LOAD RANGE E IS 10 PLY. THE TIRES INSTALLED ON THE TRAILER, INSTALLED AT THE MANUFACTURER, ARE LOAD RANGE D. LOAD RANGE D IS 8 PLY. THESE D TIRES DO NOT MEET THE MANUFACTURERS OWN MINIMUM STANDARDS AS SPECIFIED ON THE TRAILER. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A SERIOUS HIGHWAY SAFETY CONCERN AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS ISOLATED TO MY TRAILER ONLY. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .