2003 Fleetwood DISCOVERY: complaints, problems and recalls

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THIS CAUSED A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. BRAKE SHOES NEEDED TO BE SET. *AK *MR

Owner-reported narrative. 30,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055978 at NHTSA ↗

DURING ACTIVE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, DASH INSTRUMENTATION FAILS AND BECOMES NON-FUNCTIONING. LIGHTS, BRAKE AND BLINKING, FAIL TO OPERATE. ENGINE START WILL FAIL UNLESS POWER IS ALLOWED TO BACK TRAVEL THROUGH LIGHTING CIRCUIT. ALL SAFETY INSTRUMENTATION FAILS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THERE HAVE BEEN 4 ATTEMPTS BY THE MANUFACTURER TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. NO RESOLUTION IS IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10080878 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE IN MOTION AND DURING OPERATION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/DASH INSTRUMENTATION, AND WARNING EQUIPMENT, ENGINE AND POWER FAILS AND WILL NOT OPERATE UNLESS ALLOWED TO BACK POWER THE UNIT THROUGH THE LIGHTING SYSTEM. MANUFACTURER HAS MADE 5 ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR. MS* NM*AND CA* FIRST STARTED JUNE 03 AND PROBLEM CONTINUES TO DATE (NOVEMBER 04). *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10100232 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GETS COLD THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT TOUCH THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY RECOMMENDED THE WINTER PACKAGE, WHICH WAS DONE, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST, NOW THEY RECOMMEND OILING THE PIVOTS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10105395 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 FLEETWOOD DISCOVERY HOME AND THE MOTORHOME CUT OFF AND BACK ON AND THEN DID IT AGAIN. BEFORE I COULD PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE ALARM FOR THE REAR AIR BRAKES SOUNDED AND THE GAUGE WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ZERO, AND THEN IT COMPLETELY LOST ALL ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL POWER. I DRIFTED TO A STOP. IN MY SIDE MIRROR I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE REAR DRIVERS COMPARTMENT. I RAN TO THE REAR OF THE MOTORHOME AND SAW FIRE COMING OUT OF THE SECOND COMPARTMENT FROM THE REAR. I OPENED THE DOOR AND FLAMES SHOT OUT. THE FIRE WAS CO…

Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163440 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN I-77 NEARING STATESVILLE, NC, THE CONVECTION OVEN/MICROWAVE FELL OUT OF THE CEILING FACE DOWN ONTO THE STOVE. IT APPEARS THAT THE BRACKETS PULLED OUT OF THE OVEN CAUSING IT TO FALL. THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY REASON FOR A CONVECTION OVEN TO FALL OUT OF THE CEILING OF A MOTORHOME UNLESS OF A DESIGN FLAW OR SOMEONE NOT MOUNTING THE OVEN CORRECTLY. AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT, THIS OVEN HAS ALWAYS BOUNCED AND MADE SQUEAKING NOISES WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD, HOWEVER, I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD FALL OUT OF THE CEILING. IT COULD NO…

Owner-reported narrative. 104,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10604437 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2003-05-16 (May 16, 2003)

ON CERTAIN MODEL S MOTOR HOMES, THE REINFORCED LIQUID PROPANE (LP) GAS RUBBER HOSE CAN BE PINCHED DURING SLIDE-OUT ROOM OPERATION.

Consequence: THIS COULD LEAD TO A LP GAS LEAK WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR EXPLOSION AND/OR FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE/RE-ROUTE THE LP GAS RUBBER HOSE AS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 11, 2003. 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 FLEETWOOD AT 1-800-322-8216.

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: 2008-07-15 (July 15, 2008)

FLEETWOOD IS RECALLING 70,101 MY 2003-2007 SOUTHWIND, PACE ARROW, BOUNDER, FLAIR, STORM, FIESTA, TERRA GAS CLASS A MOTOR HOMES; BOUNDER, DISCOVERY, PROVIDENCE, EXCURSION, EXPEDITION, REVOLUTION, AMERICAN EAGLE, AMERICAN HERITAGE, AMERICAN TRADITION DIESEL CLASS A MOTOR HOMES; JAMBOREE TIOGA CLASS C MOTOR HOMES; AND PROWLER, WILDERNESS, TERRY, MALLARD, PIONEER, PRIDE AND TRIUMPH CONVENTIONAL AND FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATORS MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION. THE REFRIGERATOR 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: IF THIS SOLUTION IS EXPOSED TO AN IGNITION SOURCE UNDER CERTAIN SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES, IT CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: FLEETWOOD IS WORKING WITH DOMETIC TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 08E032). 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 THE OWNER 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: 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.