2003 Fleetwood Mallard 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 Mallard, 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 & structure133.3%
- Electrical133.3%
- Other / unspecified133.3%
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
MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT A 2003 MALLARD 30E TRAILER IN JULY 2003. NEXT APRIL, 2004, WENT OUT TO PREPARE TRAILER FOR SEASON, FOUND SOAKED FLOOR AND SLIDE OUT INOPERATIVE. WENT TO DEALER TO REPAIR LEAKS ON SLIDE OUT. DEALER CALLS 2 WEEKS LATER AND TELLS ME "YOUR FRAME IS BENT" I GO AND INSPECT THE FRAME AND IT HAS COLLAPSED (TWISTED)SIDEWAYS AT THE SPRINGS ON THE LEFT FRAME BEAM, AND THAT BEAM HAD A SEVERE BOW FORE AND AFT. WHEELS AND AXLES WERE SHIFTED OVER ABOUT 5 INCHES. NO SIGNS OF SCUFFING ON TIRES OR RIMS. THE TRAILER WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE TO USE, AS FURTHER COLLAPSE WOULD MOST ASSUREDLY OCCURRED. THE FRAME MANUFACTURER, LIPPERT, SENT A TEAM TO REPAIR IT IN PLACE UNDER WARRANTY. LIPPERT DID NOT REPLACE THE FRAME OR THE H BEAM, THEY BENT THE FRAME BACK INTO POSITION. THEY CERTIFIED IT. THIRD YEAR 7/2004 -CURRENT FINALLY CONVINCED THE WIFE TO GO FOR A WEEKEND AUGUST 5TH 2005. AFTER UN-HITCHING THE TRAILER AT CAMPSITE, FOUND FRAME BOWED AGAIN. CAREFULLY TOWED THE TRAILER BACK TO DEALER SLOWLY. TRAILER WENT TO DEALER ON AUGUST 8TH, 2005, AND THE FLOOR, FRAME, AND BOX WERE INSPECTED BY ME AND THE SERVICE MANAGER. NO OTHER VISIBLE SIGNS OF DAMAGE WERE EVIDENT. UPDATE 9/20/05 I WENT TO THE DEALER TO SEE THE TRAILER YESTERDAY TO CHECK ON THE TRAILER AND TO PULL THE BATTERIES. THERE IS NOW A 1/2" STEP ABOVE THE AXLES AT THE FLOOR WHERE THE SUBFLOOR HAS BROKEN ALONG A SEAM THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE TRAILER. THIS INDICATES THAT THE BOX IS SEPARATING AND COULD COME APART ON THE HIGHWAY. IF IT WAS NOT CAUGHT, , THE TRAILER FRAME COULD CONTINUE THE COLLAPSE, AND EITHER CAUSE THE WHEELS TO GO SO FAR OUT OF ALIGNMENT AS TO THROW THE TRAILER SIDEWAYS, OR CAUSE THE ENTIRE BOX TO DISINTEGRATE WHILE TRAVELING. EITHER SITUATION WOULD PRESENT SEVERE DANGER TO MY OCCUPANTS AND ANY OTHER VEHICLE IN RANGE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY EITHER TOO LIGHT A DESIGN OF THE FRAME FOR ITS INTENDED USE, POOR METALLURGY OF THE FRAME, OR BOTH. *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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FLEETWOOD MALLARD TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE TRAILER CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE ALARM DID NOT SOUND UNTIL AFTER THE FIRE HAD OCCURRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE OF WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE FIRE STARTED IN THE REAR OF THE REFRIGERATOR. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE COIL, THAT WAS NEVER PERFORMED.
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FLEETWOOD MALLARD TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE TRAILER CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE ALARM DID NOT SOUND UNTIL AFTER THE FIRE HAD OCCURRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE OF WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE FIRE STARTED IN THE REAR OF THE REFRIGERATOR. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE COIL, THAT WAS NEVER PERFORMED.
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 .