1999 Fleetwood Bounder Diesel

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTOR HOMES. THE POWER STEERING GEAR BOX HYDRAULIC LINES ARE ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO A SHARP EDGE. THIS CAN CAUSE THE LINES TO RUPTURE AND RESULT IN A HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAK.

Risk. THIS FLUID LEAKAGE CAN CAUSE LOSS OF THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FEATURE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT, REPLACE OR REPAIR DAMAGED HOSES AS NECESSARY, AND RELOCATE THE AFFECTED HYDRAULIC LINES.

A VERTICAL PLUMBING LINE WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY AT THE FACTORY. THIS LINE TOUCHES THE SIDE OF A HOLE THAT WAS CUT IN THE FLOORING. THE HOLE WAS CUT LARGE ENOUGH FOR THE LINE TO PASS THROUGH WITHOUT TOUCHING, SO THAT NORMAL ROAD VIBRATIONS WOULD NOT CAUSE CHAFING, BUT THE FACTORY DID NOT INSURE THAT THE LINE WENT THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE HOLE. THE PLASTIC PLUMBING LINE WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE, AND BEGAN TO LEAK AT A POINT ABOVE THE HOLE. BECAUSE THE LINE WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, AND TOUCHED THE SIDE OF THE HOLE, THE WATER LEAKING FROM THE DEFECTIVE PLASTIC DID NOT DRAIN HARMLESSLY OUTSIDE. THE WATER TRANSFERRED FROM THE PIPE TO THE FLOORING AND SOAKED THE SUB FLOORING. BECAUSE THERE IS LINOLEUM COVERING THE SUB FLOORING, THE LEAK WAS NOT DETECTABLE FOR OVER THREE YEARS. DURING THIS TIME, THE SUB FLOORING CONTINUED TO SOAK UP WATER UNTIL OVER 200 SQUARE FEET OF SUB FLOORING WAS WET. THE SUB FRAME AND FASTENERS CORRODED, AND THE SUB FLOORING WAS DESTROYED. THE POSSIBILITY OF ELECTROCUTION, STRUCTURAL FAILURE AND FIRE WERE PRESENT, AND ALL THE TIME, THIS SITUATION WAS DEVELOPING UNDETECTABLE. THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAS EXCEEDED $30,000.00. FLEETWOOD HAS REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I HAVE NO CHOICE LEFT BUT TO SUE THEM. *NLM