2002 Fleetwood Southwind 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 2002 Fleetwood Southwind, 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
- Brakes240.0%
- Electrical120.0%
- Engine120.0%
- Exterior lighting120.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE HAS SETUP FOR DUAL SYSTEM BRAKES IN CASE OF A BRAKE LINE FAILURE. MY MASTER CYLINDER DOES NOT HAVE TWO SEPARATE RESERVOIRS SO WHEN I HAD A BRAKE LINE BREAK, WHILE IN MOTION, I LOST ALL THE BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE. THE RESERVOIR HAS SEPARATE TUBING FOR A DUAL SYSTEM.
THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS WHERE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE ROTORS. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKE CALIPER TO GET SO HOT THAT A PART OF THE CALIPER TO MELT AND DROP ON TO THE INSIDE REAR TIRE. THIS CAUSED THE REAR TIRE TO BLOW OUT AND THE OUT SIDE TIRE TO GET SO HOT TO THE TOUCH THAT IT FELT HOT ENOUGH TO THE POINT THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO CATCH FIRE. LUCKY FOR ME THIS HAPPENED JUST AS I WAS RETURNING FROM A WEEK LONG CAMPING TRIP WITH OUR GRAND CHILDREN. I HAD JUST BACKED THE MOTOR HOME INTO MY DRIVE WAY AND AS SOON AS I GOT OUT OF THE COACH I COULD SEE SMOKE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRES. I GOT MY GARDEN HOSE AND STARTED TO POUR WATER ON THE TIRES TO COOL THEM OFF. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRES WHERE ALSO VERY HOT SO I GOT ANOTHER HOSE AND STARTED POURING WATER ON THEM AS WELL. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE BRAKE CALIPERS ON MY MOTOR HOME WHERE ON RECALL BUT I HAD NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED. NOW THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT REIMBURSE ME THE $ 3,199.00 THAT IT COST ME TO HAVE MY MOTOR HOME REPAIRED.
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
WE RETURNED FROM A TRIP (DROVE ABOUT 50 MILES) AND PARKED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF OUR HOME. WHEN I STARTED IT BACK UP TO TAKE IT BACK TO INDOOR STORAGE, THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE FORD V10 ENGINE AND STRIPPED OUT THE THREADS ON THE CYLINDER HEAD. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE, BUT THE DEALER INDICATED THAT IT HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN ON THESE EARLIER FORD V10'S. BEFORE FORD CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE CYLINDER HEADS. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. I JUST WANT TO LOG IN MY ENGINE FAILURE AS YET ANOTHER INCIDENT OF THIS FREQUENT FAILURE. I THINK FORD SHOULD COVER THE REPAIR WHEN IT OCCURS AND CHANGE BOTH CYLINDER HEADS WITH THE NEW DESIGN (IF POSSIBLE) ONCE A VEHICLE EXPERIENCES SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT FAILURE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WE RETURNED FROM A TRIP (DROVE ABOUT 50 MILES) AND PARKED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF OUR HOME. WHEN I STARTED IT BACK UP TO TAKE IT BACK TO INDOOR STORAGE, THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE FORD V10 ENGINE AND STRIPPED OUT THE THREADS ON THE CYLINDER HEAD. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE, BUT THE DEALER INDICATED THAT IT HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN ON THESE EARLIER FORD V10'S. BEFORE FORD CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE CYLINDER HEADS. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. I JUST WANT TO LOG IN MY ENGINE FAILURE AS YET ANOTHER INCIDENT OF THIS FREQUENT FAILURE. I THINK FORD SHOULD COVER THE REPAIR WHEN IT OCCURS AND CHANGE BOTH CYLINDER HEADS WITH THE NEW DESIGN (IF POSSIBLE) ONCE A VEHICLE EXPERIENCES SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT FAILURE. *TR
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
2002 FLEETWOOD SOUTHWIND MOTORHOME. HEADLIGHTS ARE CLOUDING OVER. CONSUMER STATES THE CLOUDED LENSES DRASTICALLY REDUCED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HEADLIGHTS. *KB
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 .