2004 Fleetwood Wilderness

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 (NA) FLEETWOOD WILDERNESS ADVANTAGE AX6 RV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE SEWER TANK DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME FAILED AND CAUSED THE SEWER TANK TO FALL OFF. UPDATED 07/28/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEWER TANK DISLODGE FROM THE FRAME AND FELL ONTO THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER DISCONNECTED THE TANK AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE AND WITHIN 3 MILES THE SHOCK ABSORBER BROKE PUNCTURING THE REAR TIRE AND CAUSING A BLOWOUT. THE DEALER STATED THE FRAME TWISTED CAUSING THE SEWER TANK TO FALL OFF. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE WAS A RECALL. 05V289000 THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO HIS RV. UPDATED 07/31/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10275952

Incident

May 29, 2009

Mileage

10,000 mi

DOMETIC SENT US A RECALL ABOUT THEIR REFRIGERATORS IN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES. WE HAD OUR REFRIGERATOR WORKED ON PER THE RECALL AND THE REPAIR PLACE INFORMED US OF A YELLOW RESIDUE AROUND THE BOILER AND GAS IGNITER INDICATING TO THEM A REFRIGERATOR LEAK. DOMETIC HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR THE FRIG EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE AWARE OF THE FAULTY DEFECT WELDS IN THE BOILER TUBE LEADING TO A POSSIBLE LEAK. THEY ARE ONLY INSTALLING A SHIELD TO RETARD THE IGNITION IF A FIRE SHOULD IGNITE DUE TO THE LEAKING GAS FROM THE FAULTY WELDS. OUR UNIT (DOMETIC RM2652) IS 4 YEARS OLD AND HAS DEFINITELY NOT BEEN ABUSED OR OVERUSED. WE BELIEVE DOMETIC SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE COOLING UNITS ON THE REFRIGERATOR THAT ARE DEFECTIVE. I UNDERSTAND THAT NORCOLD HAS A RECALL AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE COOLING UNITS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10256663

Incident

Dec 15, 2008

1. FREEZER AND REFRIGERATOR STOPPED COOLING. AMMONIA SPEWED OUT OF THE REAR REFRIGERATOR COMPARTMENT. 2. FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED ONCE AND REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER NO LONGER COOLED SINCE THE REFRIGERATE WAS GONE. 3. IMMEDIATELY CALLED DOMETIC TO SEE IF THE REFRIGERATOR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS. DOMETIC INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS NOT UNDER RECALL AND WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 1 MONTH. A MONTH LATER, AT A LOCAL RV SHOW, I FOUND A GENTLEMAN THAT WAS A MEMBER OF THE RV REFRIGERATION NETWORK ASSOCIATION. ON APRIL 13, 2008, I DROVE 100+ MILES TO TAKE MY RV TO SHELBOURNE RV (423-629-2175 OR 423-290-8367) IN RINGGOLD, GEORGIA FOR REPAIR. JUST OVER 1 MONTH LATER I WAS ABLE TO PICK UP MY RV, AND DROVE BACK 100+ MILES TO PICK IT UP. THE REPAIR BILL (EXCLUDING GAS) WAS $760!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10246865

Incident

Mar 10, 2008

THE FOLDING SLIDE-OUT BAR UNDER THE RV IS BOLTED WITH 2 SMALL WOOD SCREWS TO A PIECE OF PLYWOOD. THE PLYWOOD IS NEXT TO THE TIRE AND GETS WET. THE PLYWOOD THEN ROTS AND THE WOOD SCREW PULL OUT. THEN THE 3 FT METAL SUPPORT FALLS INTO THE TIRE, DESTROYING THE TIRE, RIM & SUPPORT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10227171

Incident

Apr 17, 2008

Mileage

10,000 mi

CRACKS IN WELDS ON MAIN FRAME OF TRAILER. DRY ROTTED TIRES LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD. I DO NOT HAVE THE TRAILER AVAILABLE TO DETERMINE THE BRAND OF TIRE FOR SURE BUT I THINK THEY ARE GOODYEAR. THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE OWNED THE TRAILER THE TIRES WERE SELDOM EXPOSED TO SUN LIGHT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10166789

Incident

Aug 23, 2006

THE FIRST ONE IS THE ANGLE IRON BRACKET THE PROPANE BOTTLE SITS IN RUBS THE BOTTOM OF THE CYLINDER AND COULD CAUSE FAILURE OF THE CYLINDER. THE SECOND ONE IS THE SELF TAPPING SCREWS THAT ATTACH THE HOLD DOWN STRAPS FOR THE GENERATOR FUEL TANK WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE TANK AND COULD RUB A HOLE IN IT. THE THIRD COMPLAINT IS THAT THE LOADED WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER COULD EXCEED THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TIRES AND AXLES. THE TWO AXLES ARE RATED AT 6000 LBS. EACH AND THE FOUR TIRES ARE RATED AT 3000 LBS EACH. WHEN THE TOW VEHICLE HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD IT WILL TRANSFER THE FULLY LOAD TRAILER WEIGHT TO THE TIRES AND AXLES THEREFORE EXCEEDING THE RATED CAPACITY OF THE TIRES AND AXLES. THE GVWR IS LISTED AT 13500 LBS. IF YOU ASSUME 1600 POUND HITCH WEIGHT THAT WOULD LEAVE 11900 LBS. ON THE TIRES AND AXLES. NO ONE I HAVE EVER TALKED TO HAS EVER WEIGHED THE WEIGHT ON THE HITCH AFTER LOADING. THIS COULD CAUSE THE TIRES AND AXLES TO BE OVER LOADED WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE A 100 LB. SAFETY MARGIN. ALSO THEY TELL YOU TO EMPTY ALL HOLDING TANKS SO AS TO AVOID BEING OVERLOADED. THIS IS UNREALISTIC AS THIS IS A FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER AND PEOPLE EXPECT TO USE WATER AND SEWAGE WHEN TRAVELING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10165042

Incident

May 28, 2005

NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 05V-289 I CONTACTED LIPPERT AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN# DOES NOT MATCH THOSE IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED RECALL. HOWEVER, MY FLEETWOOD WILDERNESS 365 ADVANTAGE AX6 FIFTH-WHEEL WAS TOWED 9/14/05 TO LIPPERT DUE TO BROKEN WELDS ON THE CHASSIS. MY HUSBAND WAS TOWING THE VEHICLE WHEN A PASSERBY FLAGGED HIM (ON THE FREEWAY) AND SAID TO PULL OVER DUE THE EXCESSIVE WEAVING OF THE TRAILER. HE DID SO AND SAW THAT THE UNIT HAD ACTUALLY SEPARATED FROM THE CHASSIS AND A BEND WAS VISIBLE THROUGHOUT THE INSIDE. HE SAW THE BROKEN CROSS STRAPS AND CALLED FLEETWOOD, WHO AFTER MUCH DEBATE, CONTACTED LIBBERT AND SENT TECHNICIANS TO WELD BACK TOGETHER. LIPPERT STATED AFTER WELDING IT WOULD BE TOWABLE, BUT MY HUSBAND REFUSED AND HAD A PROFESSION TOW COMPANY TAKE TO LIPPERT IN RIALTO, WHERE THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO FIX IT. THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY THE TRAILERS IN THE RECALL AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY OUR VEHICLE WAS NOT RESEARCHED FOR THIS RECALL...THE POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHE WAS HUGE AND WE WERE FORTUNATE THE PASSERBY WAS ABLE TO ALERT MY HUSBAND BEFORE THE TRAILER DISINTEGRATED ON THE 101 FREEWAY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10136598

Incident

Sep 13, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FLEETWOOD WILDERNESS ADVANTAGE. A RECALL NOTICE ON THE CHASSIS WAS ISSUED, AND THEY TOLD HIM TO CALL ONE NUMBER. HOWEVER THEY GAVE THE CONSUMER LITTLE OR NO INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECALL, THEY JUST TOLD HIM THE CHASSIS WAS MISSING WELD, TO BEEF UP THE CHASSIS, AND ABOUT SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE CHASSIS BUCKLED. HE ASKED FLEETWOOD TO COME AND PICK UP THE TRAILER, AND THEY REFUSED TO PICK UP THE TRAILER. HE ASKED TO SPEAK WITH A SUPERVISOR FROM FLEETWOOD, AND THEY WOULD NOT LET HIM SPEAK WITH ANYONE. IT SOUNDED TO HIM LIKE FLEETWOOD WAS UNPREPARED AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING. IN THE RECALL LETTER THAT HE RECEIVED HIS NAME WAS MISSPELLED. HE HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE DEALERSHIP WHERE HE PURCHASED THE TRAILER.*AK

NHTSA ID

10132616

Incident

Aug 10, 2005