RoadVitals

2008 Fleetwood American Tradition

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2
Latest Feb 16, 2010
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
3
Latest Sep 26, 2008
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2008 Fleetwood American Tradition, most frequently naming the body & structure, other / unspecified and suspension categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Body & structure125.0%
  • Other / unspecified125.0%
  • Suspension125.0%
  • Tires & wheels125.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

3 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Sep 26, 2008
65 units potentially affected
The defect: FLEETWOOD IS RECALLING 65 MY 2008-2009 AMERICAN ALLEGIANCE, AMERICAN EAGLE, AMERICAN HERITAGE, AMERICAN TRADITION, AND REVOLUTION L.E. MOTOR HOMES. THESE MOTOR HOMES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF PART 567, "CERTIFICATION." THE LABEL WAS PRINTED WITH THE REAR AND INTERMEDIATE TIRE PSI RATING REVERSED.
The risk: A MISPRINTED LABEL COULD LEAD TO IMPROPER VEHICLE LOADING OR TIRE INFLATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN TIRE FAILURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CORRECTED CERTIFICATION LABELS AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. A DEALER CAN INSTALL THIS LABEL FOR THE OWNER AT NO CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 9, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FLEETWOOD AT 1-800-509-3418.
FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES, INC.Manufacturer number 80911View on NHTSA.gov

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Jul 1, 2008
226 units potentially affected
The defect: FLEETWOOD IS RECALLING 226 MY 2008-2009 AMERICAN ALLEGIANCE, AMERICAN EAGLE, AMERICAN HERITAGE, AMERICAN TRADITION, BOUNDER, BOUNDER DIESEL, DISCOVERY, EXCURSION, EXPEDITION, FIESTA LX, PACE ARROW, PROVIDENCE, REVOLUTION LE, SOUTHWIND, CLASS A MOTOR HOMES, AND ICON, JAMBOREE, JAMBOREE GT, JAMBOREE SPORT, PULSE, TIOGA, AND TIOGA RANGER CLASS C MOTOR HOMES. THESE MOTOR HOMES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, PART 567, 'CERTIFICATION.' THE OCCUPANT AND CARGO CARRYING CAPACITY WERE CALCULATED INCORRECTLY ALLOWING ADDITIONAL LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY.
The risk: OVERLOADING MAY HAVE AN ADVERSE AFFECT ON MOTOR HOME HANDLING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy: FLEETWOOD WILL MAIL A CORRECTED FEDERAL CERTIFICATION LABEL ALONG WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS TO THE AFFECTED MOTOR HOME OWNERS. OWNERS WHO DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE INSTALLING THIS LABEL CAN TAKE THEIR MOTOR HOME TO ANY FLEETWOOD DEALER AND THE DEALER WILL INSTALL THE LABEL FOR THEM. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FLEETWOOD AT 1-800-509-3418.
FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES, INC.Manufacturer number 80624View on NHTSA.gov

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

Aug 15, 2007
1,672 units potentially affected
The defect: ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOME CHASSIS, THERE MAY BE A LOOSE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BUS BAR AND A GRID PAD DUE TO THE PINS BEING SLIGHTLY SMALLER DIAMETERS AFTER ASSEMBLY. ELECTRICAL POWER MAY BE LOST TO COMPONENTS OF THE MAJOR CHASSIS OPERATING SYSTEMS (ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, STARTING, COOLING) CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN AND/OR NOT BE CAPABLE OF POWERING UP.
The risk: EACH VEHICLE COULD POTENTIALLY EXPERIENCE A UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE ONE OR A COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS COULD OCCUR: LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, STARTING AND ENGINE COOLING SYSTEMS, OPERATION OF THE RIGHT CHASSIS STOP/TURN SIGNAL AND RIGHT TRAILER STOP/TURN SIGNAL, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM, AUXILIARY BRAKE SYSTEM, THE HEATER ELEMENTS IN THE AIR DRYER, AND THE HEATER ELEMENT IN THE WATER-IN-FUEL SEPARATOR.
The remedy: THE DVEC BUSSMANN BOX WILL BE REPLACED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 16, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SPARTAN AT 1-517-543-6400.
SPARTAN CHASSIS, INC.Manufacturer number 07025View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Other / unspecifiedSuspensionTires & wheels
Filed Feb 16, 2010

WE ARE OWNERS OF A 2008 AMERICAN TRADITION 42F MOTORHOME. SINCE PURCHASING THIS MOTORHOME THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH THE FRONT END AND THE WEAR OF THE TIRES. THE FRONT END HAS BEEN ALIGNED TWICE IN 6800 MILES. THE FRONT END HAS BEEN WEIGHED BY COLTON TRUCK REPAIR. THE CERTIFIED WEIGHT IS 14740. PER MANUFACTURER THE RECOMMENDED IS GVWR 14600 MAXIMUM WEIGHT. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF AMERICAN COACH AND SPARTAN CHASSIS. AS OF THIS TIME, SPARTAN CHASSIS HAS PAID FOR THE WEIGHING OF THE COACH BUT WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OVERWEIGHT OF THE FRONT END OR THE TIRE WEAR. THEY PASS IT ON TO AMERICAN COACH BECAUSE THE AMERICAN COACH STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS REQUESTED THIS SIZE OF FRONT END TO MANUFACTURE THIS MOTORHOME. AS OF THE 2010 AMERICAN COACH, THEY WENT TO A LARGER TIRE AND CHANGED THE FRONT END FOR MORE GVW TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. BUT THEY WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PRIOR YEARS COACHES WITH THE FRONT END THAT DOES NOT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION SINCE PURCHASING THIS 2008 MOTORHOME TO BOTH AMERICAN COACH AND SPARTAN TO NO AVAIL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10311089
Incident
Jun 2, 2009
Body & structure
Filed Mar 12, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FLEETWOOD AMERICAN TRADITION RV. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE RV WAS OVERWEIGHT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE RV'S FRONT AXLE ASSEMBLY WAS BUILT INSUFFICIENTLY, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXCEED THE 14,600 WEIGHT CAPACITY. AN ENGINEER STATED THAT ROUGHLY A DOZEN OF THE VEHICLES WITH FLOORPLANS OF 42C AND 42F WERE AFFECTED BY THE DEFECT. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT CHASSIS IS OVEREXTENDED, WHICH INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH IF THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSES. AS OF MARCH 12, 2009, A REMEDY HAS NOT BEEN APPLIED TO RESOLVE THE SAFETY HAZARD; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE NOT APPLICABLE.

NHTSA ID
10261618
Incident
Oct 12, 2008

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Fleetwood American Tradition by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2014010
2011020
2010010
2009020
2008Viewing230
2007140
2006010
2005441
2004251
2003041
2002031
2001030
2000630
1999350
1998320
1997210
1996200

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.