2003 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 2003 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
- Electrical333.3%
- Interior & seats222.2%
- Exterior lighting222.2%
- Suspension111.1%
- Visibility111.1%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 FLEETWOOD DISCOVERY HOME AND THE MOTORHOME CUT OFF AND BACK ON AND THEN DID IT AGAIN. BEFORE I COULD PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE ALARM FOR THE REAR AIR BRAKES SOUNDED AND THE GAUGE WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ZERO, AND THEN IT COMPLETELY LOST ALL ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL POWER. I DRIFTED TO A STOP. IN MY SIDE MIRROR I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE REAR DRIVERS COMPARTMENT. I RAN TO THE REAR OF THE MOTORHOME AND SAW FIRE COMING OUT OF THE SECOND COMPARTMENT FROM THE REAR. I OPENED THE DOOR AND FLAMES SHOT OUT. THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE ELECTRICAL WIRES AND ELECTRICAL BOXES AND POWER INVERTER. I TRIED TO PUT IT OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. BUT IT WENT OUT AND FIRED RIGHT BACK UP. I CALLED 911 AND THEN GRABBED A SECOND AND THIRD ONE WITH THE SAME RESULTS. WHEN I GOT THERE WITH THE FOURTH ONE THE FIRE HAD SPREAD TO THE TOP OF THE MOTOR. AS I WAS STILL TRYING TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL A COUNTY SHERIFF CAME UP AND TRIED TO HELP WITH ANOTHER FIRE EXTINGUISHER. WHEN THE FIRE KEPT BUILDING HE TOLD ME TO GET AWAY. WITH IN 5 TO 7 MIN. THE FIRE DEPT. GOT THERE AND TOOK OVER. IT TOOK THEM ABOUT 30 TO 40 MIN. TO PUT IT OUT. THE FIREMEN TOLD ME THAT IT WAS AND ELECTRICAL FIRE. WHEN IT WAS OVER IT WAS TOO FAR GONE TO SAVE. I FEEL THAT IT WAS AND ELECTRICAL DEFECT AND WOULD LIKE IT TO BE INVESTIGATED. *JB
WHILE IN MOTION AND DURING OPERATION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/DASH INSTRUMENTATION, AND WARNING EQUIPMENT, ENGINE AND POWER FAILS AND WILL NOT OPERATE UNLESS ALLOWED TO BACK POWER THE UNIT THROUGH THE LIGHTING SYSTEM. MANUFACTURER HAS MADE 5 ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR. MS* NM*AND CA* FIRST STARTED JUNE 03 AND PROBLEM CONTINUES TO DATE (NOVEMBER 04). *AK
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
WHILE IN MOTION AND DURING OPERATION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/DASH INSTRUMENTATION, AND WARNING EQUIPMENT, ENGINE AND POWER FAILS AND WILL NOT OPERATE UNLESS ALLOWED TO BACK POWER THE UNIT THROUGH THE LIGHTING SYSTEM. MANUFACTURER HAS MADE 5 ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR. MS* NM*AND CA* FIRST STARTED JUNE 03 AND PROBLEM CONTINUES TO DATE (NOVEMBER 04). *AK
DURING ACTIVE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, DASH INSTRUMENTATION FAILS AND BECOMES NON-FUNCTIONING. LIGHTS, BRAKE AND BLINKING, FAIL TO OPERATE. ENGINE START WILL FAIL UNLESS POWER IS ALLOWED TO BACK TRAVEL THROUGH LIGHTING CIRCUIT. ALL SAFETY INSTRUMENTATION FAILS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THERE HAVE BEEN 4 ATTEMPTS BY THE MANUFACTURER TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. NO RESOLUTION IS IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. *LA
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
WHILE IN MOTION AND DURING OPERATION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/DASH INSTRUMENTATION, AND WARNING EQUIPMENT, ENGINE AND POWER FAILS AND WILL NOT OPERATE UNLESS ALLOWED TO BACK POWER THE UNIT THROUGH THE LIGHTING SYSTEM. MANUFACTURER HAS MADE 5 ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR. MS* NM*AND CA* FIRST STARTED JUNE 03 AND PROBLEM CONTINUES TO DATE (NOVEMBER 04). *AK
DURING ACTIVE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, DASH INSTRUMENTATION FAILS AND BECOMES NON-FUNCTIONING. LIGHTS, BRAKE AND BLINKING, FAIL TO OPERATE. ENGINE START WILL FAIL UNLESS POWER IS ALLOWED TO BACK TRAVEL THROUGH LIGHTING CIRCUIT. ALL SAFETY INSTRUMENTATION FAILS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THERE HAVE BEEN 4 ATTEMPTS BY THE MANUFACTURER TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. NO RESOLUTION IS IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. *LA
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
WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THIS CAUSED A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. BRAKE SHOES NEEDED TO BE SET. *AK *MR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GETS COLD THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT TOUCH THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY RECOMMENDED THE WINTER PACKAGE, WHICH WAS DONE, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST, NOW THEY RECOMMEND OILING THE PIVOTS. *JB
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 .