FLEETWOOD Complaints

OWNING THIS COACH SINCE 2003 NEAR NEW I HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF EPISODES OF ROCKING, TRACKING AND STEERING CONTROL PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN NEAR MISSES AND ROLL OVER ACCIDENTS. I HAVE OWNED THE SAME BRAND IN OTHER RVS PREVIOUSLY THROUGH THE YEARS BECAUSE I BELIEVED IN THE MANUFACTURED BRAND. THE SUSPENSION IS WELL KNOWN AS A "FLEETWOOD ROCKER" INSTEAD OF A FLEETWOOD BOUNDER BY ALL THE MOTORHOME DEALERS THAT CARRY OTHER FRAMES AND CHASSIS. THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW THE PROBLEMS WITH IT BEING DEALERS AND NOT ENGINEERS. I REPLACED THE SHOCKS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM ONLY TO FIND OUT THE SHOCKS WERE NOT BAD, THEY ARE UNDERSIZED FOR THE COACH BEING TOO TOP HEAVY , AND THE CANTILEVERED COACH WEIGHT THAT IS REAR TO THE AXLES. THE SAME PROBLEM LIES WITH THE SUSPENSION ON SWAY AND STEERING PROBLEMS. THERE ARE NO TRACKING OR STEERING CONTROLS ON THE FRAME TO COUNTERBALANCE THE ADDED WEIGHT OF A COACH ON A FORD WORKHORSE CHASSIS. A STABILIZER ON THE FRONT DOES NOT HELP DUE AGAIN TO BEING TOP HEAVY AND ALL THE WEIGHT REAR OF THE BACK AXLE. THIS COACH SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO BE BUILT ON THAT PARTICULAR FRAME OR CHASSIS WITH THAT MUCH REAR AXLE TAG WEIGHT, WITHOUT ADDED CONTROLS FRONT AND BACK TO STABILIZE THE SUSPENSION AND STEERING OR AT LEAST LENGTHENED WHEEL BASE. BRAKES ARE SAME ISSUE, UNDER SIZED AND CAUSED SEVERE HEATING PROBLEMS TO THE POINT THAT A DESIGN CHANGE HAS SINCE BEEN MADE. THANKS TO SOMEBODY, I JUST WISH THE SUSPENSION AND STEERING WOULD GET THE SAME ATTENTION BY THEM ACCEPTING OWNERSHIP OF THEIR MISTAKE OR BEFORE A FATALITY OCCURS. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FLEETWOOD NIAGARA RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRAILER WAS PARKED WHEN SHE NOTICED THAT THE AXLE WAS BENT. AS A RESULT, THE TIRES WERE WEARING UNEVENLY FROM THE INSIDE. THE TRAILER WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE TRAILER WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ODOMETER TO CALCULATE THE FAILURE MILEAGE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FLEETWOOD SOUTHWIND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FUNCTIONED AS NORMAL UNTIL THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 51,000. UPDATED 7/23/12 *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FLEETWOOD SANTE FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 73,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FLEETWOOD DISCOVERY. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS WERE FOGGED MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO SEE THROUGH THE WINDOWS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIANS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY REPLACED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AFTER THE WINDOWS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FLEETWOOD STORM. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A SUNNY DAY, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLEARLY ENOUGH TO TELL WHAT SPEED HE WAS DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL COULD NOT BE CHANGED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 5,700. UPDATED 05/24/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE COULD NOT SEE ANY OF THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE NEARLY RAN OUT OF GAS ON ONE OCCASION. UPDATED 05/25/12

2002 FLEETWOOD TERRA P32 CHASSIS - I HAD TAKEN MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AS I APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY. I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE MOTOR HOME WAS NOT SLOWING AS IT SHOULD WITH THIS AMOUNT OF FOOT PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY TURN INTO A PARKING LOT AND THE MOTOR HOME STOPPED DUE TO AN INCLINE. I HAD MY SON GET INTO THE DRIVERS SEAT AND KEEP HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AS I PLACED WHEEL CHOCKS ON THE VEHICLE. AS IT TURNS OUT, THE AUTO PARK BRAKE HAD FAILED AS WELL (MULTIPLE FAILURES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS). THE MECHANIC STATES THAT THIS BRAKE FAILURE APPEARS TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE BRAKE ISSUES EXPERIENCE BY WORKHORSE W SERIES CHASSIS'S THAT ARE INVOLVED IN A BRAKE RECALL CAMPAIGN. PART FAILURE IS REAR BRAKE CALIPERS. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED MULTIPLE INTERNET COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE WORKHORSE CHASSIS AUTO PARK BRAKE AS BEING A CONSTANT PROBLEM. MY MOTOR HOME HAS HAD MULTIPLE AUTO PARKING BRAKE FAILURES IN EACH YEAR FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. THE VEHICLE MILEAGE IS AN ESTIMATE SINCE IT IS STILL IN THE SHOP BEING REPAIRED AGAIN. *JS

THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 11,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP ON FOUR PRIOR OCCASIONS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ILLUMINATING ,VEHICLE HAS HAD PROBLEM WITH THIS SINCE IT WAS NEW. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO FORD DEALERSHIP ON ALL 4 OCCASIONS. *JS

BOTH DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE DUAL GLAZED WINDOWS ARE FOGGED UP AND MAKING DRIVING HAZARDOUS. THE OTHER WINDOWS IN THE MOTOR HOME ARE FOGGING UP AS WELL. I'VE CHECKED OTHER FORUMS ON-LINE HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS AS WELL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FLEETWOOD PACE ARROW. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, HE SMELLED A FUEL ODOR WITHIN THE CABIN. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND THEN THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE BROKE IN HALF, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 44,326.