2004 Fleetwood Travel Trailer

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.

RECALL ON DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR IN 2004 FLEETWOOD TRAVEL TRAILER. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE LETTER STATES THAT THEY MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT IF THEY HAVE THE SERIAL NUMBER, MODEL NUMBER FOR THE REFRIGERATOR. *NJ THE REFRIGERATOR STOPPED COOLING AND A STRONG SMELL OF AMMONIA FILLED THE TRAILER. YELLOW RESIDUE WAS FOUND ON THE BACK OF THE REFRIGERATOR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10250291

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FLEETWOOD RV. THE DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR RM2852 WAS LEAKING FREON AND AN AMMONIA ODOR WAS PRESENT. THE MANUFACTURER'S AUTOMATED SYSTEM STATED THAT THE MODEL NUMBER IS RELATED; HOWEVER, THE SERIAL NUMBER (236-00061) IS NOT. DUE TO THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED, THE CONTACT REMOVED THE REFRIGERATOR FROM THE RV.

NHTSA ID

10193108

Incident

Jun 8, 2007