2002 Fleetwood AMERICAN HERITAGE: complaints, problems and recalls

WHILE DRIVING, SLIDE ON LEFT FRONT WAS MAKING A NOISE. SLIDE KICKED OFF ON A ROUGH ROAD. THE VEHICLE PULLED HARD TO THE LEFT OFF THE PAVING. TEH SLIDE EXTENSION WAS EXTENDED, BELIEVED TO BE THE CAUSE OF TEH STRONG PULL TO THE LEFT. *JG *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8004886 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2002-05-31 (May 31, 2002)

ON CERTAIN MOTORHOMES EQUIPPED WITH ARVINMERITOR WABCO PNEUMATIC ANITLOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) VALVE PACKAGES, THE ASSEMBLY BOLTS ON THESE VALVE PACKAGES WERE NOT TIGHTENED CORRECTLY.

Consequence: BOLTS TORQUED BELOW SPECIFICATION WILL NOT RELIABLY PREVENT AIR LEAKAGE AT THE AFFECTED ABS VALVE PACKAGE INTERFACE JOINTS ONCE THE COMPONENT BEGINS NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION. IF AIR LEAKS DEVELOP AT ANY OF THE ABS VALVE PACKAGE INTERFACE JOINTS, BRAKE SYSTEM PRESSURE REDUCTIONS COULD OCCUR DURING BRAKING OR NORMAL OPERATION WITH UNITS EQUIPPED WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL OPTION, POTENTIALLY EXTENDING STOPPING DISTANCES, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE FASTENERS TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT ARVINMERITOR WABCO AT 1-859-746-5956 OR FLEETWOOD AT 1-800-629-8454.

Reported: 2007-03-19 (March 19, 2007)

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.

Consequence: RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.

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.

Reported: 2008-06-03 (June 3, 2008)

FLEETWOOD IS RECALLING CERTAIN CLASS A GAS AND DIESEL MOTOR HOMES, CLASS C MOTOR HOMES, CONVENTIONAL AND FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. A LOW CYCLE FATIGUE FAILURE IN THE SECTION OF THE COOLING UNIT WHICH GENERATES THE REFRIGERANT COULD ALLOW THE LIQUID SOLUTION TO SLOWLY LEAK.

Consequence: EXTENDED OPERATION OF A LEAKING COOLING UNIT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE FROM GAS WHICH MIGHT ESCAPE.

Remedy: FLEETWOOD IS WORKING WITH NORCOLD TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS. NORCOLD WILL PROVIDE THERMAL SWITCH KITS TO OWNERS ALONG WITH THE NECESSARY FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD AT 1-800-767-9101 OR FLEETWOOD AT 1-800-509-3418.

Reported: 2009-07-28 (July 28, 2009)

FLEETWOOD RV IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005 AND 2006 MOTORHOMES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JULY 24, 2004 AND MARCH 11, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD MODEL 1200LR, 1200LRIM, AND 1201LRIM REFRIGERATORS WITH SERIAL NUMBERS BETWEEN 1273701 AND 1536607, NON-CONSECUTIVELY. A FATIGUE FAILURE IN THE SECTION OF THE COOLING UNIT WHICH CONTAINS THE REFRIGERANT COULD ALLOW THE LIQUID SOLUTION TO SLOWLY LEAK. IF A LEAK OCCURS AND THE REFRIGERATOR CONTINUES TO BE OPERATED AFTER SOLUTION CIRCULATION HAS CEASED THE HEAT SOURCE COULD GENERATE VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES. AT SUCH HIGH TEMPERATURES, THE COOLING UNIT COULD RUPTURE.

Consequence: IF A LEAK OCCURS AND THE UNIT IS CONTINUES TO OPERATE, HYDROGEN GAS MAY BE EXPELLED AND CAN BE IGNITED, RESULTING IN A FIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy: FLEETWOOD RV WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE VEHICLE'S REFRIGERATOR WILL BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING SEPTEMBER 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FLEETWOOD RV AT 1-800-509-3418 OR NORCOLD'S RECALL CENTER AT 1-800-767-9101.