1999 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER Complaints

WE OWN A 1999 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER 36S ON THE FORD F-53 CHASSIS. IT WAS ALMOST 2 YEARS AGO THAT WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH OUR GENERATOR FAILING TO START. I THOUGHT IT WAS A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. I REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. I TOOK THE MOTORHOME TO A DEALER (CAROLINA COACH & CAMPER IN HICKORY, NC). THEIR SERVICE DEPT. DETERMINED THE PROBLEM WAS A HOSE LEAK FROM THE PICK-UP TUBE IN THE GAS TANK TO THE GAS LINE TO THE GENERATOR. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THE PIECE OF HOSE WAS NOT THE BEST QUALITY AND THAT IT WAS INSTALLED WITH A SHARP "U" BEND WHICH STRETCHED THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOSE AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. MY WIFE HAS COMPLAINED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS OF SMELLING GAS WHEN THE BEDROOM WINDOW WAS OPEN. I CHECKED EACH TIME AND COULD NOT FIND ANY GAS ESCAPING. I FIGURED IT WAS PROBABLY A GAS VENT. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I HAD THE GENERATOR FAILURE THAT THE PROBLEM REALLY SURFACED. THE HOSE FINALLY CRACKED ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE FUEL PUMP TO LOSE ITS' PRIME. THE REASON I AM BRINGING THIS YOUR ATTENTION NOW IS THAT I READ OF SEVERAL BOUNDER'S BEING BURNED DUE TO A GAS LEAK FROM THE GENERATOR LINE IN THE "BOUNDER BEACON", A BOUNDER'S OF AMERICA NEWSLETTER. THE HOSE IN MY RV WAS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. IT IS NOT AN EASY ITEM TO REPLACE AS THE GAS TANK HAS TO BE EMPTIED AND DROPPED TO GET AT IT. FLEETWOOD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL ALL COACHES WITH THIS CONFIGURATION AND REPLACE THE HOSE WITH AUTOMOTIVE TYPE FUEL LINES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED FROM A POTENTIAL FIRE. *NLM

THE RUBBER HOSE CONNECTING THE GAS LINE TAKE-UP TO THE GENERATOR LINE WAS INSTALLED WITH A SHARP "U" SHAPE. THIS CAUSED THE HOSE TO BE STRESSED AND RESULTED IN CRACKS THAT SPLIT. MY WIFE HAD MENTIONED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT SHE SMELLED GASOLINE WHEN THE REAR BEDROOM WINDOW WAS OPEN. I COULD NEVER FIND ANY GAS DRIPPING AND THOUGHT IT WAS POSSIBLY A VENT FOR THE GAS TANK. FINALLY, THE GENERATOR FAILED TO START. I THOUGHT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED. I REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND STILL HAD THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE MOTORHOME TO CAROLINA COACH & CAMPER AND FOUND OUT REAL PROBLEM WAS THE KINKED HOSE. IT COST ME 50 GALLONS OF GAS AND SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS TO HAVE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DRAIN AND DROP THE GAS TANK TO REPLACE THE $2.00 HOSE. I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE GAS OR THE FUMES EMANATING FROM THE SPLIT HOSE DID NOT EXPLODE FROM CONTACTING SOMETHING HOT UNDER THE COACH. THE MOTORHOME WAS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD AND THE GENERATOR HAD LESS THAN 100 HOURS ON IT WHEN I HAD THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL FLEETWOOD USED AND IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AN INFERIOR GRADE OF GAS LINE HOSE. FLEETWOOD SHOULD RECALL ALL BOUNDERS THAT WERE ASSEMBLED USING RUBBER HOSE TO CONNECT THE GAS LINE TO THE GENERATOR WITH AUTOMOTIVE TYPE FUEL LINES. *JB

NAR 02/10/2003.. THE RV HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE WINDSHIELD FALLING OUT, THE ROOF LEAKED, THERE WAS A PROPANE GAS LEAKED WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A FIRE, THE STEERING SYSTEM HAD TO MUCH PLAY, THE BOLTS IN THE U-JOINT FELL OUT, THE WIRES FEEDING THE ALTERNATOR WERE TOO TIGHT, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WAS INOPERATIVE, THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND CLIP BROKE, RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT WORK, THE HANGARS ON THE EXHAUST PIPE BROKE. THE SHOWER HEAD, DRINKING FAUCET, WALL MIRRORS, THE SLIDE ROOM COMPARTMENT, THE VERTICAL PANEL UNDER THE BED CAME APART, MULTIPLE CLIPS ON THE DOOR BROKE, THE TAIL PIPE RUSTED, LIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE, THE WOOD TRIM CAME LOOSE, THE MICROWAVE WAS LOOSE IN THE CABINET. (LAWYER ON BEHALF OF DONAL AND HELEN SCHROEDER) *JB

THIS VEHICLE STYLE IS KNOWN, BY FLEETWOOD, TO HAVE SEVERE ISSUES WITH BOTH SIDES OF THE WINDSHIELD EITHER CRACKING, OR POPPING OUT OF PLACE. I HAVE BOTH PROBLEMS, CURENTLY, AND IT IS *VERY* DANGEROUS, SHOULD ONE FALL OUT, AT SPEED. THE PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, BUT IT DID ON THE 150 MI. DRIVE HOME, AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE SINCE, AS NOW, I CAN SEE/FEEL THE EDGE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE GLASS. FLEETWOOD CLAIMS IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AS IT IS WAS NOT REPORTED BY EITHER OF THE PREVIOUS OWNERS, YET THEY HAVE 'FIXED' THE PROBLEM FOR OTHERS WHO ARE LONG OUT OF WARRANTY. ACCORDING TO DISCUSSIONS WITH OWNERS OF OTHER FLEETWOOD VEHICLES WHICH EXHIBIT THIS PROBLEM, FLEETWOOD DOES HAVE A FIX WHICH SEEMS TO INCLUE ADDITIONAL ALUMINUM BRACING IN THE 'FRONT CAP', WHICH CORRECTS FURTHER WINDSHIELD MOVEMENT, BUT IT ISN'T SOMETHING YOU CAN HAVE DONE BY THE LOCAL 'GLASS SHOP'. FLEETWOOD ENGINEERED BOTH THE VEHICLE AND THE FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY SHOULD STAND BEHIND TRUE SAFETY ISSUES, SUCH AS THIS, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION. THIS IS A LACK OF COMPLETE ENGINEERING, OR LACK OF TESTING, ISSUE...NOT USE, ABUSE, OR WEAR, WHICH I UNDERSTAND THEY WOULD NOT 'FIX', WHICH IS ALSO 100% REASONABLE.*AK

TIRE--MICHELIN XRV 235/80R/22.5---GRAPEFRUIT SIZE BUBBLE ON DRIVER FRONT TIRE---TIRE EXPLODED---SIDEWALL FAILURE

CONSUMER COMMENTS THAT WHILE ON HIS TRAVELS AND AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE FOR THE EVENING HE WAS UNABLE TO RESUME HIS JOURNEY THE NEXT MORNING DUE TO THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM AND THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER NOT DISENGAGING FROM THE PARK POSITION. HAD MECHANIC TO LOOK IT OVER. MECHANIC GOT THE VEHICLE STARTED AND ADVISED CONSUMER TO SEE A MECHANIC WHO SPECIALIZED IN THAT TYPE OF VEHICLE. THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, BUT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ROLL FREELY. *JG

CHASSIS FAILURE/OVERWEIGHT ON REAR/NO WAY TO BALANCE WEIGHT/CANNOT CARRY POSTED WEIGHT. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 60 MPH FRONT AIR CONDITIONER COVER SHATTERED AND BLEW OFF INTO PIECES ALL OVER HIGHWAY. COLEMAN THE MAKER OF THE COVER WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. COLEMAN REPLACED FRONT COVER AND REAR COVER BECAUSE REAR WAS ALSO STARTING TO CRACK. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS UNSAFE BECAUSE IF ON HIGHWAY PLASTIC WOULD FLY EVERYWHERE.*AK

FRONT WINDSHIELD KEEPS POPPING OUT AND CHASSIS KEEPS SEPARATING FROM FRAME. *AK *SLC

PROPANE FUEL TANK PIPE IS TOO CLOSE TO ROAD CLEARANCE CAUSING THE FUEL TO LEAK WHEN DRIVING OVER A CURB. *AK