1997 Fleetwood Discovery 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 1997 Fleetwood Discovery, 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
- Visibility428.6%
- Electrical214.3%
- Exterior lighting214.3%
- Other / unspecified214.3%
- Brakes17.1%
- Fuel system17.1%
- Tires & wheels17.1%
- Interior & seats17.1%
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
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONT WINDSHIELD KEEPS POPPING OUT.*AK *TT
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN CONSUMER'S DRIVEWAY IT CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. AN ALLSTATE INSURANCE INSPECTOR STATED THAT CIRCUIT BOARD IN FRONT HEATING VENT WAS FAULTY AND FAILED. THIS RESULTED IN FAN COMING ON AND REMAINING ON .*AK *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON THE DATE INDICATED, WHILE THE MOTORHOME WAS PLUGGED INTO 115V 30 AMP A/C POWER, WITH ONE ROOF AIR CONDITIONER OPERATING, AN ELECTRICAL FIRE OCCURRED IN THE JUNCTION BOX. THE FIRE, APPARENTLY CAUSED BY A SHORT CIRCUIT, CONSUMED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WIRING INSULATION. FORTUNATELY, THE FIRE DID NOT SPREAD TO OTHER MATERIAL. DAMAGE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE POWERTEK BREAKER BOX AND REPAIR OF THE WIRING. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAD OCCURRED IN THIS MOTORHOME. A VERY SIMILAR ELECTRICAL SHORT AND FIRE OCCURRED IN JULY 2000. DAMAGE WAS NOT AS EXTENSIVE AND ONLY THE WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THESE INCIDENTS ARE BEING REPORTED TO NHTSA AS A SAFETY HAZARD. OTHER OWNERS OF THE DISCOVERY MOTORHOME HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR INCIDENTS. FLEETWOOD HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME WITH ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO CORRECT THE DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, FLEETWOOD HAS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM. NO RECALL HAS EVER BEEN ISSUED. THERE ARE NO SPECIAL PERIODIC MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL NOR HAVE ANY BEEN SENT TO OWNERS. *AK
WHEN HEADLIGHTS WERE TURNED ON ELECTRICAL WIRING AND HEADLIGHT SWITCH STARTED MELTING, THERE WAS SMOKE UNDER DASH. CONSUMER COULD ONLY DRIVE DURING DAY TIME.*AK *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FLEETWOOD DISCOVERY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. HE THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE HEADLIGHT WIRES WERE MELTED. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE FAILURE AND BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,663.
WHEN HEADLIGHTS WERE TURNED ON ELECTRICAL WIRING AND HEADLIGHT SWITCH STARTED MELTING, THERE WAS SMOKE UNDER DASH. CONSUMER COULD ONLY DRIVE DURING DAY TIME.*AK *JB
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
MAGIC CHEF RANGE: TOP FORWARD VALVE STICKS IN ON POSITION AND CAN'T BE TURNED OFF. TURNED ALL THE PROPANE OFF, AND STILL IT WAS ON. CONTACTED DEALER, AND REPLACED THE FORWARD VALVE. HOWEVER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. SERIAL# TO THE RANGE 10885756SH AND MODEL#85TB3BK. *AK *ML
THE LARGE BURNER CONTROL VALVE STARTED TO STICK IN THE ON POSITION DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT TO THE POINT THAT IT PARTIALLY MELTED THE PLASTIC KNOB, THIS IS POSSIBLY A DESIGN FLAW AND POTENTIALLY A SAFETY HAZARD. NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL DUE TO DESIGN FLAW, DIODE KIT NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE OPERATING MOTORHOME AT HIGHWAY SPEED, ITS FUEL LINE RUPTURED, RESULTING IN DIESEL FUEL SEEPAGE THROUGHOUT MOTORHOME.*AK
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
DURING A RECENT TRIP THE MOTORHOME EXPERIENCED THREE BLOWOUTS, THE TIRES HAD 33000 MILES ON IT (MICHELIN SIZE 235/80R/22.5 XTRV TIRES).
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
SIDE DOOR OPENS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.
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 .