1998 Fleetwood Bounder

ODI'S INVESTIGATION HAS FOUND THAT THE 1/4 INSIDE DIAMETER FUEL HOSE THAT PROVIDES GASOLINE TO THE VEHICLE'S ON-BOARD GENERATOR CAN CRACK AND SEEP FUEL. COMPLAINT SUMMARIES INDICATE THAT OWNERS HAVE TYPICALLY DETECTED A SEEPING FUEL LINE THROUGH (1) THE ODOR OF RAW GASOLINE FUMES AND/OR (2) ERRATIC OR NON-START GENERATOR PERFORMANCE.ODI HAS FOUND THAT THE FUEL IN THE GENERATOR FUEL SUPPLY HOSE IS PULLED INTO THE GENERATOR BY SUCTION SO THE GENERATOR IS LIKELY TO PULL AIR INTO THE FUEL LINE THROUGH MINOR CRACKS IN THE FUEL LINE CAUSING ERRATIC GENERATOR PERFORMANCE WELL BEFORE THE CRACKS WILL INCREASE IN SIZE SUFFICIENTLY TO SEEP SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF GASOLINE.RISK OF FIRE IS NEGLIGIBLE SINCE THE VOLUME OF FUEL SEEPAGE IS SMALL AND THE SEEPAGE IS UNLIKELY TO SPRAY BECAUSE THE FUEL LINE IS NOT PRESSURIZED.ALSO, THE FUEL TANK , GENERATOR, AND FUEL LINES ARE MOUNTED AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DISTANT FROM HOT ENGINE PARTS AND/OR ANY OTHER LIKELY SOURCES OF IGNITION. FLEETWOOD HAS INFORMED ODI THAT THEY INTEND TO PROVIDE ANOTIFICATION TO AFFECTED OWNERS THAT (1) ADVISES THAT THE GENERATOR FUEL LINE SHOULD BE INSPECTED FREQUENTLY AND (2) DESCRIBES THE SYMPTOMS OF A DETERIORATING FUEL LINE SO THAT AFFECTED OWNERS WILL RECOGNIZE THE SYMPTOMS INDICATING A FUEL LINE LEAK OR SEEP HAS, OR IS ABOUT TO OCCUR, SO THE OWNERS MAY APPROPRIATELY DIAGNOSE AND RESPOND BY CORRECTING THE PROBLEM.

I OWN AND OPERATE A GENERAL REPAIR SHOP. MY TECH REPLACED FRONT WHEEL ABS SENSORS ON FOR MENTIONED VEHICLE. WORKHORSE MFG PART NUMBERS (W8006778) AND (W8006803). WHILE ON TEST DRIVE THE ABS SYSTEM ENTERED FALSE DEPLOYMENT MODE AT 15MPH WHILE APPROACHING A BUSY HIGHWAY INTERSECTION. I HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET AND SLAM THE TRANSMISSION INTO LOW TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE NOSE OF THE COACH ENDED BLOCKING HALF A LANE OF TRAFFIC. NO ACCIDENT. FYI, THIS VEHICLE GVW IS 20,000 LBS. ( NOTE: THE FOLLOWING IS TECHNICAL IN NATURE.) I DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SHOP TO INITIATE INVESTIGATION. USING A DVOM I MEASURED THE VOLTAGE AMPLITUDE OUT OF THE NEW WHEEL SPEED SENSORS. THE FRONT LEFT MEASURED .068V AC AND THE FRONT RIGHT MEASURED .286V AC. THIS IS THE CAUSE OF THE FALSE DEPLOYMENT. I THEN REMOVED THE FRONT WHEELS TO INSPECT THE SENSORS AND DISCOVERED THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE. THE REPLACEMENT SENSORS ARE MANUFACTURE WITHOUT LOCATION DOWELS. THE LOCATION DOWELS SET THE CRITICAL CLEARANCE GAP BETWEEN THE RELUCTOR AND SENSOR. THIS CLEARANCE GAP HAS A NARROW PLUS OR MINUS TOLERANCE. WHEN THE TOLERANCE IS LOST THE ABS SYSTEM WILL ENTER A FALSE DEPLOYMENT MODE ( ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES AND BLOCKS BRAKE FLUID PRESSURE BEING APPLIED TO THE BRAKE CALIPERS ). THE NEW REPLACEMENT ABS SENSORS HAVE NO LOCATION DOWELS THERE FOR TOLERANCES AS DESIGNED ARE NOT ACHIEVED. THIS IS WHY I LOST CONTROL OF 10 TONS OF VEHICLE. THE PART SUPPLIER, PART MANUFACTURER, AND CHASSIS BUILDER HAVE BEEN SERVED FULL NOTICE OF THIS FLAW. THE GM CASE REFERENCE NUMBER IS [XXX]. THANK YOU, [XXX] MASTER ASE TRUCK CERTIFIED MASTER ASE CAR CERTIFIED MASTER ASE ENGINE MACHINIST CERTIFIED ASE L1 CERTIFIED WALWORTH COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT APPOINTED EXPERT WITNESS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10898468

Incident

Aug 24, 2016

Mileage

40,907 mi

GASOLINE LEAKING FROM CRACKED FUEL LINE BETWEEN MAIN GAS TANK AND GENERATOR ON 1998 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER MOTORHOME. CONCERN ABOUT DANGER OF LEAKING GASOLINE BUT THERE IS ALSO SOME TYPE OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTION DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO LEAK. IF THERE WAS ANY SPARK FROM THIS CONNECTION, IT MAY CAUSE GAS TANK TO EXPLODE. I HAVE RUN THE GENERATOR 3 TIMES WITHOUT RUNNING THE MOTORHOME ENGINE AND HAVE HAD GAS LEAK EACH TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10222150

Incident

Feb 1, 2008

Mileage

74,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE ARE FOUR THERMO-PANE WINDOWS IN THE MOTOR HOME LOCATED IN THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT. THREE OF THESE WINDOWS HAVE DEVELOPED A LEAK, CAUSING THE WINDOWS TO FOG REDUCING THE DRIVERS VISION. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN INFORMED. UPDATED 08/14/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10163819

Incident

Jul 28, 2006

Mileage

29,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *AK......WHILE DRIVING THROUGH DOWN TOWN ATLANTA THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED, NEARLY THROWING THE DRIVER ANS PASSENGER (S) OUT OF THEIR SEATS. IF THIS OCCURRED ON ICE/SNOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTEROUS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10106950

Incident

Dec 30, 2004

Mileage

30,900 mi

THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR THE PARKING BRAKE FAILURE FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAS ROLLED BACK WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A PERIODIC MAINTENANCE LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE OF THE COMPLAINT ON THE BRAKE.*JB

NHTSA ID

10099233

Incident

Oct 30, 2004

Mileage

53,000 mi

VEHICLE IS LEAKING FUEL ONTO THE GROUND DUE TO A DEFECTIVE HOSE THAT WAS LOCATED NEAR FUEL TANK AND GENERATOR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10042489

Mileage

33,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE GENERATOR MAKING NOISES. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FUEL LINE WAS CRACKED. CONSUMER HAD TO CHANGE FUEL LINE TO THE COACH GENERATOR (110VAC-5.5 KVA) *MR THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FUEL LINE IS INSTALLED FROM OEM CHASIS CHEVROLET TO THE COACH GENERATOR BY FLEETWOOD AND HAS A MATERIAL MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH RESULTS IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION ALLOWING HYDRO CARBONS TO VENT INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND POTENTIALLY ALLOWING THE FUEL TO ESCAPE TO THE HOT SUFACES OF THE ONAN GENERATOR, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A FIRE/PERSONAL INJURY AND OR DEATH. *SCC

NHTSA ID

8019625

Incident

May 15, 2002

THE DRIVER WINDSHIELD POPPED OUT AT BOTTOM DUE TO FLAW AT FACTORY. 5/8 OF FIBER GLASS WERE NEEDED TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN THE RUBBER SEAL AND THE BODY. *YH

NHTSA ID

567616

Incident

Aug 24, 2002

FLEETWOOD SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. CONSUMER MAINTENANCE ADVISORY, GENERATOR FUEL LINES. FLEETWOOD MOTOR HOME OWNERS. CSC WAS RECEIVED. *PE