FLEETWOOD Complaints

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER RV. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE VEHICLE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP. HE DROVE THE VEHICLE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLIANT.THE CONTACT REFERENCE NHTSA RECALL 09V11000 AND STATED THAT A QUICK FIX RECALL REPAIR WAS DONE SOME YEARS AGO. THE APPROXIMATE[FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,000. UPDATED 7/28/10. *LJ

UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS THE BRAKES ON MY 2004 FLEETWOOD PACE ARROW MOTORHOME (WORKHORSE CHASSIS)WILL PERIODICALLY NOT RELEASE AFTER BEING USED TO SLOW OR STOP THE MOTORHOME. THIS CAUSES SEVERE OVERHEATING AT THE EFFECTED BRAKE AND NECESSITATES TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, LET THE BRAKE COOL, AND HOPE IT RELEASES. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED AROUND APRIL 2009 AND I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS DUE TO STOP AND GO TRAFFIC BUT I WAS SUSPICIOUS OF THE SMELL OF BURNING BRAKES. I RECEIVED THE FIRST SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM WORKHORSE IN APRIL OF 2009, BUT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAD BEEN ADVISED BY A WORKHORSE SERVICE CENTER THAT IF I TAP ON THE OVERHEATED BRAKE WITH A HAMMER IT MAY RELEASE SOONER (NORMAL COOL-DOWN TIME WOULD BE ABOUT 1 TO 1 1/2 HOURS . THE FOURTH INCIDENT OCCURRED IN EARLY OCT 2009 AND WAS QUITE SEVERE. WHEN I TAPPED ON THE BRAKE WITH A HAMMER, BURNING EMBERS FELL FROM THE BRAKE. I LET IT COOL AWHILE AND THEN BEGAN TO POUR WATER ON IT. I COOLED IT WITH WATER FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR AND FINALLY IT RELEASED. TOTAL TIME OFF THE ROAD WAS AROUND 2 1/2 HOURS. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED MY LOCAL AUTHORIZED WORKHORSE SERVICE CENTER (KELLEY CHEVROLET) AND MADE AN APPT.. UPON EXAMINING THE PROBLEM, KELLEY DETERMINED THAT THE VISIBLE CRITERIA ON THE BRAKE DID NOT MATCH THE CRITERIA FOR THE RECALL. KELLEY CALLED THE WORKHORSE REP WHO SUGGESTED TO LUBRICATE THE SLIDERS, WHICH KELLEY DID. (MY $200 EXPENSE) I PUT THE MOTORHOME IN STORAGE IN MID OCT 2009. I RECEIVED AN INTERIM RECALL NOTICE FROM WORKHORSE DECEMBER 2009 STATING THE PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. I RE-ACTIVATED THE MOTORHOME EARLY APRIL 2010 TO PREPARE FOR MY APRIL 16 TRIP. THE NORMAL 2 1/2 HOUR TRIP TOOK ABOUT 4 1/4 HOURS AS I WAS OFF THE ROAD POURING WATER ON THE BRAKES. I CALLED WORKHORSE WHO SAID THEY CAN ONLY AUTHORIZE WORK PER THE RECALL. I TOOK THE RV BACK TO KELLY APRIL 19. I AM IN CONSTANT FEAR OF A FIRE OR LOOSING BRAKES ALTOGETHER CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. LEGAL ACTION WILL BE TAKEN IF NEED. *TR

BATTERY CABLES ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO SHARP EDGES ON FRAME ,THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE. FLEETWOOD TOLD ME THEY WOULD NO LONGER TAKE CARE OF THIS RECALL. RECALL #9029 .DATED MAY 2009. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND THE BRAKES LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 25,000. THE VIN NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WE TOOK DELIVERY OF A NEW AMERICAN EAGLE 42 ' 11. FOOT MOTOR HOME MODEL 42F ON MAY 21, 2008 THIS VEHICLE IS DESIGNED TO CARRY 14,600 LB. IF FULLY LOADED THIS WOULD CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION. IF YOU LOADED THIS MOTOR HOME TO FULL CAPACITY OF WATER, FUEL, PASSENGER (2) WEIGHTS THE FRONT AXLE WOULD EXCEED THE RATING ON THE FRONT AXLE. UPON REVIEWING OUR MOTORHOME FOR HE FIRST TIME ON MAY 21, 2008 (WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO VIEW MOTORHOME UNTIL CONTRACTS WERE SIGNED) WE NOTICED THAT THE NEW MODELS 2009 AMERICAN EAGLE HAD BIGGER RIMS, TIRES AND AFTER FURTHER INQUIRY THE FRONT AXLE HAD BEEN CHANGED FROM 14600 LB TO 16600 WE CONTACTED FLEETWOOD AND ASKED WHY THESE CHANGES WERE MADE. WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS A OVERWEIGHT PROBLEM IF WE CARRIED FULL CAPATICY ON FUEL, WATER AND THEY RECOMMENDED THAT WE CARRY LESS FUEL & WATERL, CARGO, PROPANE WHEN TRAVELING. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND THAT THE ISSUE WOULD BE CORRECTED. TO DATE AN OFFER HAS BEEN MADE BY SPARTAN CHASSIS THAT THEY WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM IF WE DROVE 2500 MILES TO MICHIGAN ONE WAY, AND PAID $18995.00 TO HAVE THE RIMS, TIRES, AND AXLE UPGRADED TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 2009 MOTORHOMES. FLEETWOOD AND SPARTAN KNOW AND KNEW THAT THEY HAD A PROBLEM WHICH IS WHY THEY UPGRADED THE 2009 COACHES TO CORRECT THE FRONT AXLE WEIGHT PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FLEETWOOD ADVANTAGE RV WITH A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL NUMBER RM2852 AND SERIAL NUMBER 41403243. THE REFRIGERATOR WAS PURCHASED ON NOVEMBER 30, 2006. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL ODOR EMITTING FROM THE REFRIGERATOR. SHE ALSO SAW AN UNKNOWN YELLOW SUBSTANCE LEAKING UNDERNEATH THE REFRIGERATOR ONTO THE FLOOR. THE REFRIGERATOR WAS NOT REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPALINT WAS FILED.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER RV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE SPONGY BRAKE PEDAL, FOLLOWED BY NO POWER RESPONSE. THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND AFTER WAITING A FEW MOMENTS THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME IN OPERATION, ALTHOUGH THE BRAKES REMAINED SPONGY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE COMPONENTS WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT WERE THE CALIPERS, ROTORS, BRAKE SHOES AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM SENSOR WHICH HAD MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE EXPENSE OF THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FLEETWOOD SOUTHWIND RV. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 30 MPH, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE BRAKES. NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 21,300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER RECREATIONAL VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 75 MPH, THE TIRES BLEW OUT. HE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH ON THE BLOWN TIRES FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS TO A REST AREA. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE COMPANY WAS UNDER LIQUIDATION. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER INSTALLED INCOMPATIBLE SIZED WHEELS ON THE VEHICLE THUS CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE WHEELS INSTALLED WERE 16 INCH TIRES, AS OPPOSED TO 19.5 INCH TIRES, WHICH WERE THE FACTORY RECOMMENDED SIZE WHEELS. THE DEALER VERIFIED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE ERROR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SIX TIRES BLEW OUT 100 MILES AFTER THEY WERE PURCHASED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

FRONT END HAD BEGUN TO MILDLY VIBRATE WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. ON CURSORY INSPECTION COULD TELL THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THE FRONT ROTORS WAS CRACKED CLEAR THROUGH. CALLED WORKHORSE, WAS DIRECTED TO CLOSEST REPAIR SHOP. FOUND BOTH FRONT ROTORS WITH MULTIPLE CRACKS, SOME CLEAR THROUGH ON BOTH FRONT. BRAKE PADS ONLY 1/3 GONE, NO EVIDENT GLAZE OR HEAT SIGNS APPARENT (PICTURES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST) ON THE PADS. CALIPERS WERE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. ROTORS WERE REPLACED AND THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED AS SAFETY PRECAUTION. I KNOW ABOUT THE SAFETY RECALL FOR THE CALIPERS WHICH GUIDES ME TO BELIEVE THAT SOME HOW THEY ARE RELATED DIRECTLY TO MY ROTOR FAILURES. THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE HEAT THAT WOULD BE DUE TO CONTINUOUS HARD BRAKING OR RIDING THE BRAKES. I AM A VERY EXPERIENCED DRIVER (50 YEARS) AND I KNOW HOW TO AVOID OVERHEATING THE BRAKES, PRIMARILY TO KEEP THEM FUNCTIONING WHEN YOU NEED THEM. THESE REPAIRS (AT 34,000) COST $954, I SENT REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO WORKHORSE WHICH WAS PROMPTLY DENIED. SO NOW I AM FILING AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR