2004 Fleetwood Pioneer

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED BASED ON ODI'S RECEIPT OF A CONGRESSIONAL LETTER ON BEHALF OF A CONSTITUENT.THE CONSTITUENT REPORTED INCIDENTS WHERE THE SLIDE OUT ROOM OF HIS MOTOR HOME WOULD INADVERTENTLY MOVE (EXTEND) DURING HIGHWAY USE.ODI WAS CONCERNED THAT A FULLY EXTENDED SLIDE OUT WOULD DEGRADE THE VEHICLE'S DYNAMIC HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS AND/OR POSSIBLY IMPACT AN OBJECT OR ANOTHER VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A CRASH.ODI CONTACTED FLEETWOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT SLIDE OUT ROOMS WERE INSTALLED IN MOTOR HOMES, TRAVEL TRAILERS AND FOLDING TRAILERS. AS PART OF THE INVESTIGATION ODI VISITED A RV SHOW AND THE FLEETWOOD PAXINOS PLANT TO EXAMINE SLIDE OUTS IN VARIOUS NEW MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLES AND GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE SYSTEMS WORK.DURING THE INVESTIGATION ODI LEARNED THAT THERE ARE TWO METHODS USED TO EXTEND SLIDE OUT ROOMS.SOME MANUFACTURERS USE HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS AND OTHERS, SUCH AS FLEETWOOD, USE AN ELECTRIC MOTOR. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)

ON JUNE 30, 2004, FLEETWOOD FILED A DEFECT NOTICE (04V-310) THAT OUTLINES A NOTIFICATION AND REPAIR PROGRAM INTENDED TO HAVE 2002-2004 MODEL YEAR FLEETWOOD FIFTH WHEEL AND TRAVEL TRAILER UNITS EQUIPPED WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS INSPECTED FOR THE PRESENCE OF PAINT AND OTHER FOREIGN SUBSTANCES IN THE CLAMP JOINT, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN THE WHEEL AND HUB CLAMP FACES, AND TO INSPECT FOR, AND CORRECT, ANY DAMAGE THAT MAY HAVE OCCURRED TO THE WHEELS OR HUBS DUE TO LOOSENING. THE CAMPAIGN INCLUDES A PROVISION TO PROVIDE THE AFFECTED VEHICLE OWNERS WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE METHOD AND IMPORTANCE OF TORQUING THE WHEEL NUTS WITH A TORQUE WRENCH AS DESCRIBED IN THE CAMPAIGN NOTICE AND IN FLEETWOOD'S PUBLISHED OWNER'S MANUAL.ODI EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN PROGRAM BECAUSE IT ASKS OWNERS TO PERFORM THE POST-INSPECTION AND REPAIR TORQUING OF THE WHEEL MOUNTING NUTS (AT INTERVALS OF 10, 25, AND 50 MILES OR UNTIL STABILIZED).TO ASSURE THAT THIS ASPECT OF THE CAMPAIGN IS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY, ODI HAS ASKED FLEETWOOD TO NOTIFY ODI OF ANY INCIDENTS OF WHEEL SEPARATIONS THAT OCCUR ON CAMPAIGN-REPAIRED VEHICLES WHOSE OWNERS WERE ASKED TO PERFORM THE POST-REPAIR WHEEL NUT TORQUE PROCEDURE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FLEETWOOD PIONEER. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL RM2652. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING A POSSIBLE FIRE DUE TO AN AMMONIA LEAK IN THE REFRIGERATOR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS MODEL NUMBER WAS NOT AFFECTED. APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MONTHS LATER, THE REFRIGERATOR BEGAN LEAKING AMMONIA. THE CONTACT DISCONNECTED THE REFRIGERATOR TO PREVENT A FIRE FROM OCCURRING. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SINCE HIS MODEL WAS NOT AFFECTED, THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR UNDER THE RECALL. THE RECALL NUMBER AND PART NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 09/13/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/16/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10237315

Incident

Jul 30, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL RM2662. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06E076000 (EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE). SHE CALLED DOMETIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE FAILURE, AND ADVISED HER TO CALL NHTSA AND FILE A COMPLAINT. UPDATED 10/03/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED COOLAN LEAKED OUT OF THE UNIT. THERE WAS A YELLOW RESIDUE IN THE BACK OF THE REGRIGERATOR. UPDATED 10/07/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10235184

Incident

Jul 7, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FLEETWOOD PIONEER DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REFRIGERATOR WAS LEAKING COOLANT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER. THE SERVICE CENTER STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR COULD NOT BE PERFORMED BECAUSE THE FAILURE WAS ALREADY OCCURRING. DOMETIC HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THE RECALL AND PART NUMBERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE RV NEEDED A NEW COOLING UNIT AND HEAT SHIELDS. THE REPAIR HAD BEEN SCHEDULED. UPDATED 09/05/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10196511

Incident

Jun 2, 2007