RoadVitals

1998 Fleetwood Prowler

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Jun 1, 2009
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Mar 19, 2007
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2

Overview

Our database contains 10 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Fleetwood Prowler, most frequently naming the tires & wheels, electrical and body & structure categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 2 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Tires & wheels440.0%
  • Electrical220.0%
  • Body & structure110.0%
  • Other / unspecified110.0%
  • Suspension110.0%
  • Visibility110.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
07V120000

EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER

Mar 19, 2007
167,096 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES AND TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR, MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION, MAY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE BOILER TUBE. PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION COULD BE RELEASED INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.
The risk: RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.
The remedy: FLEETWOOD WILL BE WORKING WITH DOMETIC IN ORDER TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 06E076). DOMETIC WILL REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS BY INSTALLING A SECONDARY BURN HOUSING, A THERMAL FUSE, AND A MELT FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. DOMETIC HAS RETAINED STERICYCLE INC. TO MANAGE THIS CAMPAIGN. STERICYCLE WILL ASSIST YOU IN LOCATING DEALERSHIPS OR SERVICE CENTERS AND WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC/STERICYCLE AT 1-888-446-5157 OR FLEETWOOD AT 1-800-322-8216.
FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES, INC.View on NHTSA.gov
98V191000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES

Aug 12, 1998
735 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TRAVEL TRAILERS (ONLY MODELS 26A AND 24B ARE AFFECTED, AND FURTHER IDENTIFIED BY THE CHARACTERS "7A26" OR "7B24" IN THE FOURTH THROUGH SEVENTH POSITIONS OF THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS AND GENERATOR BATTERY WIRING COULD BE DAMAGED BY THE GENERATOR EXHAUST SYSTEM.
The risk: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE MELTING OF THE WIRING INSULATION, CREATING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. THIS COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL RELOCATE AND SECURE THE BATTERY CABLE AND MAIN WIRING HARNESS AWAY FROM THE GENERATOR EXHAUST SYSTEM; INSTALL A HEAT SHIELD TO PROTECT WIRING FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT EXPOSURE FROM THE GENERATOR EXHAUST; AND REPLACE ANY DAMAGED WIRING, IF NECESSARY.
FLEETWOOD ENT., INC.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 10
Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 1, 2009

4 GOODYEAR MARATHON MILER TRAILER SERVICE TIRES PURCHASED AROUND JULY 2006. 1 TIRE WITH LOT CODE 1305 HAS LARGE BULGING NOT ON OUTSIDE AND TIRE IS SEPARATING FROM INNER LINER. 1 TIRE WITH LOT CODE 2104 HAS SIGNS OF SEPARATION FROM LINER AND DRY CRACKING SHOWING. ALSO TREAD IS BULGING HIGHER ON 1 SIDE THAN THE OTHER. 2 OTHER TIRES, 1 WITH 1604 LOT CODE AND 1 WITH 2104 LOT CODE HAVE SHOWN ONLY SOME SIGNS OF DRY CRACKS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10272604
Incident
May 29, 2009
Tires & wheels
Filed Jul 15, 2005

AFTER EXPERIENCING A BLOW OUT ON MY TRAILER MYSELF (GOODYEAR), I FOUND I WAS IN GOOD COMPANY. IT APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON MALADY. PLEASE LOOK AT THESE POSTINGS. HTTP://WWW.CAMPINGWORLD.COM/CFORUM/INDEX.CFM/FUSEACTION/THREAD/TID/14464 015.CFM IT IS ALMOST COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT TRAILERS HAVE BLOW OUTS VERY OFTEN. I HAVE NEVER HAD A BLOW OUT ON ANY VEHICLE AFTER 46 YEARS OF DRIVING. WHY DID I HAVE ONE ON MY TRAILER WHICH HAD PERFECTLY GOOD LOOKING TIRES WHICH WERE PROPERLY INFLATED? I SUSPECT THE MANUFACTURES ARE GETTING AWAY WITH SELLING JUNK TIRES BECAUSE THEY CAN BLAME IT ON OTHER THINGS. IE. UNDER INFLATION, OVERLOADING ETC. IT IS SO DANGEROUS WHEN A BLOW OUT OCCURS AND COULD LEAVE YOU ON A BAD HIGHWAY TRYING TO REPLACE THE TIRE. I SURE HOPE YOU PEOPLE CAN START REGULATING THIS AND PROTECTING THE CONSUMER. JAY HAINDEL

NHTSA ID
10128950
Incident
Jun 2, 2004
Filed Jun 4, 2005

HELLO. I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT AN UNSAFE CONDITION WITH A TRAVEL TRAILER MADE BY FLEETWOOD. THE SPECIFIC MODEL IS A FLEETWOOD PROWLER 24LZ. MY PARTICULAR SERIAL NUMBER IS 2388699. THE SITUATION: I WAS DRIVING AWAY FROM MY CAMPGROUND ON MEMORIAL DAY (5/30/05). ABOUT 7 MILES INTO THE TRIP, WE RECEIVED A CALL ON OUR CELL PHONE FROM CAMPERS IN OUR PARTY WHO WERE FOLLOWING US. THEY SAID THAT WE WERE DRAGGING SOMETHING LARGE, AND THAT WE SHOULD PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY. WE PULLED OVER ONTO A NARROW SHOULDER, AND WERE SHOCKED AT WHAT WE SAW. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF OUR 30 GALLON GRAY WATER TANK HAD COME OUT OF ITS CAPTURE, AND WAS DRAGGING ALONG THE ROAD. DUE TO THE FRICTION, THERE WAS A LARGE GASH IN THE TANK, AND ALL THE CONTENTS OF THE GRAY WATER HAD SPILLED OUT ONTO THE ROAD. THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE TANK ON THE AFT END WAS THE PLUMBING THAT IT WAS AFFIXED TO. THE ONLY OPTION WE HAD WAS TO HACK SAW THROUGH THE PLUMBING, DETACH THE TANK, AND STOW IT IN OUR TRAILER. FORTUNATELY, SOMEONE IN OUR CAMPING PARTY HAD A HACKSAW, AND WE DID JUST THAT. WHAT WAS SHOCKING TO ME, WAS WHY THE TANK CAME UNDONE FROM ITS CAPTURE, WHEN IT WAS ONLY ONE THIRD FULL. A CLOSER LOOK GAVE US THE OBVIOUS REASON - A DESIGN DEFICIENCY. WHILE THIS IS HARD TO DESCRIBE WITHOUT A SKETCH, I WILL ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN HOW THE TANK IS HELD IN PLACE. THERE ARE TWO CHANNEL SECTIONS ATTACHED TRANSVERSELY TO THE UNDERSIDE FLOOR OF THE TRAILER. ONE CAPTURES A LIP ON THE FRONT END OF THE TANK, AND THE OTHER CAPTURES A LIP ON THE AFT END OF THE TANK. THE PROBLEM LIES IN THE FACT THAT THE FRONT AND AFT EDGES OF THE LIPS HAVE ROUNDED EDGES ON THE LOWER SIDE. THE ONLY WAY THE TANK COULD HAVE COME OUT OF ITS CAPTURE FROM THE CHANNEL SECTION WAS IF THE CHASSIS FLEXED ENOUGH TO CAUSE ONLY THE ROUNDED EDGE OF THE TANK TO BE ENGAGED IN THE CHANNEL SECTION, CAUSING IT TO SLIP OUT. IN MY OPINION AS AN ENGINEER, THIS IS A DESIGN DEFICIENCY. THERE WAS NO OTHER REDUNDANT METHOD TO RETAIN THE TANK IN THE CASE OF . CONTINUED.

NHTSA ID
10124191
Incident
May 30, 2005
Suspension
Filed Dec 18, 2003

PROWLER 31 5R 5TH WHEEL RV.*MR WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE WHEELS, THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED DAMAGED TO THE SPRING HANGER WHICH SUPPORT THE SPRINGS AND AXLES OF THE TRAILER. *CB *JB *MR

NHTSA ID
10051888
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 24, 2002

LEFT REAR TIRE FELL APART AND KNOCKED THE GENERATOR FUEL TANK FILLER NECK OFF, SPILLING FUEL ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE TREAD OF THE TIRE JUST CAME OFF. IT ALSO TORE OFF THE ELECTRIC BRAKE WIRES AND DISABLED THE BRAKES. THERE WAS A BIG POTENTIAL FOR FIRE AND EXPLOSION AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE(RIM SPARK ON PAVEMENT, CIGARETTE BUTT THROWN FROM OTHER CARS, ECT). FLEETWOOD HAS NOT RESPONDED TO ME YET. I ALSO FEEL THAT THIS TRAILER WAS MANUFACTURED WITH AN UNDERATED TIRE INSTALLED ON IT. THE TRAILER HAS A GVWR OF 9600LBS AND THE TIRES ARE RATED AT 2150LBS TIMES FOUR. THIS IS A SPORT UTILITY TRAILER. NLM

NHTSA ID
767662
Incident
Sep 17, 2002
Tires & wheels
Filed May 2, 2001

TIRE SIZE 22575R15, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1998, FLEETWOOD, PROWLER. WHILE DRIVING WITH TRAILER HITCHED TO A 1995, FORD, F250 SIDEWALL SEPARATED ON FRONT AND REAR TIRES. *AK TIRES ARE GOODYEAR. *SLC

NHTSA ID
887307
Incident
Feb 1, 2001
Body & structure
Filed Sep 1, 2000
Fire reported

THE FRAME GUSSETS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TRAILER BROKE OFF FROM IN FRONT OF THE TIRES TO THE REAR OF THE TRAILER CAUSING THE SIDES TO MOVE DOWNWARD. THE TIRES WERE FORCED IN THE WHEEL WELL ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TRAILER CAUSING THEM TO BURN THROUGH THE PLASTIC WHEEL WELL. THE TIRES THEN CONTACTED THE WOOD FLOORING CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TIRES AND THE WOOD FLOORING TO BURN. THE MANUFACTURER FEELS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE TRAILER.

NHTSA ID
729863
Incident
Aug 1, 2000
ElectricalOther / unspecified
Filed Jun 23, 1999

IGNITOR ASSEMBLY BROKEN. (STOVE)

NHTSA ID
546364
Incident
Jul 29, 1998

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

04212008

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

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

0800600REV

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

SUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Fleetwood Prowler by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2007120—
2006530—
2005831—
2004219351.6
2003932—
2002112259.6
2001520—
2000620—
1999112039.3
1998Viewing102051.4
1997320—
1996200—
1995320—
1994421—
1993301—
1992101—
1991101—
1984010—
1983010—
1982020—
1981010—
1979010—
1976020—
1975040—
1971010—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.