Fleetwood WILDERNESS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
54 owner complaints analyzed
24 distinct recall campaigns
5,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1975 to 2007 model years. Data snapshot: . 10 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Equipment:Recreational Vehicle/Trailer is the most frequently named component, appearing in 13 of 54 complaints (24.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 5 | 9.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 5.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 3.7% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 1.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Equipment:Recreational Vehicle/Trailer | 13 |
| Structure:Frame And Members | 8 |
| Equipment | 6 |
| Tires | 6 |
| Structure | 5 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 2 |
| Suspension | 2 |
Equipment:Recreational Vehicle/Trailer: 13; Structure:Frame And Members: 8; Equipment: 6; Tires: 6; Structure: 5; Electrical System:Wiring: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components: 2; Suspension: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 10 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (10). 44 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 2000 | 4 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 4 |
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
1995: 1; 2000: 4; 2001: 2; 2002: 5; 2003: 4; 2004: 4; 2005: 4; 2006: 8; 2007: 5; 2008: 10; 2009: 4; 2017: 1; 2018: 2
Pattern summary
Equipment:Recreational Vehicle/Trailer leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 558465 · 2000-12-12 (December 12, 2000)
CONSUMER NOTICED ONE HUB WAS EXTREMELY HOT, WHEN MECHANICS PULLED THE HUB, PARTS FELL ALL OVER THE FLOOR, TWO OUT OF THE 3 REMAINING HUBS ON THE TRAILER ALSO HAD BROKEN PARTS, DEALER STATED THAT THE ADJUSTER SPRINGS HAD FAILED, THE SPRINGS BROKE AND CAUSED THE ADJUSTER TO DROP AND THE REST OF THE PARTS BECAME MANGLED AS A RESULT OF THE BRAKE SHOES NOT BEING HELD TOGETHER AT THE BOTTOM, THESE WERE FROM THE DEXTER AXLE COMPANY. *SLC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 558465 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 869763 · 2000-09-06 (September 6, 2000)
BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE PARTS OF BRAKES WHICH CAUSED PASSENGER'S SIDE BRAKES TO DETERORIATE, AND HAD MORE WEAR ON THIS SIDE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 869763 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 766955 · 2002-09-10 (September 10, 2002)
5TH WHEEL TRAILER: THE BARGMAN 7-WAY ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR PLUG CAME LOOSE FROM ITS BARGMAN SOCKET MOUNTED IN THE WHEEL WELL OF THE OWNER'S TOW VEHICLE. AS A RESULT THE ELECTRICAL BRAKES ON THE 32 FOOT 5TH WHEEL TRAILER WERE NOT WORKING AS THE OWNER AND HIS WIFE DESCENDED THE VERY STEEP WEST SIDE OF THE TETON MOUNTAINS IN WYOMING. AS A RESULT THE BRAKES ON THE TOW VEHICLE BURNED OUT LEAVING THE ENTIRE RIG WITHOUT BRAKES CAUSING A TRAGIC ACCIDENT RESULTING IN THE EVENTUAL DEATH OF THE PASSENGER/ WIFE OF THE DRIVER. THE DRIVER WAS NOT ALERTED …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 766955 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8018252 · 2002-09-09 (September 9, 2002)
"BARGMAN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR" CAME LOOSE FROM SOCKET WHILE TOWING, RESULTED IN LOSS OF BRAKES ON TRAILER, AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WHICH RESULTED IN A FATALITY. BARGMAN IS AN ELECTRICAL CONX THAT CONNECTS TRAILER TO TOW VEHICLE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8018252 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8009323 · 2002-05-07 (May 7, 2002)
LEAF SPRING BRACKET BROKE WHILE GOING 65MPH. BROKEN LEAF SPRING BRACKET CAUSED DRIVER'S REAR TIRE TO BLOWOUT. FRONT PASSENGER TRIE BLEW OUT DUE TO VEHICLE SHIFTING. FLEETWOOD WAS NOTIFIED. THIS WAS THE SECOND INCIDENT AND REPLACEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8009323 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10162731 · 2006-07-18 (July 18, 2006)
MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A 2005 5TH WHEEL FLEETWOOD GEARBOX. WE FILLED OUR WATER TANK AND IT CAUSED THE HOLDING BRACKETS AND THE FLOOR TO BEND. WE TOOK IT BACK TO EARNHARTS SERVICE DEPT AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE BRACKETS OR FLOOR. MY CONCERN IS IF THEY ARE GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO FILL YOU TANK TO 120 GALLONS AND THE BRACKETS BEND THEN THAT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM. I THANK GOD THE BRACKETS DIDN'T BRAKE AND THE WATER TANK DIDN'T FALL OUT WHILE DRIVING AND KILL SOMEONE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. MAK…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10162731 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10166423 · 2006-08-24 (August 24, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRES ON THE TRAVEL TRAILER WERE TOO SMALL. THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH ON A DRY HIGHWAY. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT FOR THE TRAILER WAS 9,600 POUNDS. GROSS WEIGHT FOR EACH TIRE WAS 2,150 POUNDS; A TOTAL OF 8,600 POUNDS. THERE WERE 2,500 MILES ON THE TIRE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE TIRES WERE THE CORRECT MINIMUM REQU…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10166423 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10165042 · 2006-08-09 (August 9, 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 R…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10165042 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1 |
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1997 | 2 |
| 1998 | 2 |
| 1999 | 2 |
| 2000 | 2 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 2 |
1993: 0; 1994: 1; 1995: 1; 1997: 2; 1998: 2; 1999: 2; 2000: 2; 2001: 2; 2002: 2; 2003: 3; 2004: 9; 2005: 3; 2006: 3; 2007: 2