1996 Fleetwood Bounder

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTOR HOMES. THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOWS DO NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 205, "GLAZING MATERIALS," FOR AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF TINT.

Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE DRIVER REDUCED VISIBILITY THROUGH THE SIDE WINDOWS WHEN BACKING UP, WHEN USING THE MIRRORS FOR LANE CHANGES, OR WHENEVER LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOWS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE WINDOWS.

Defect. THE ELECTRIC WIRE USED TO POWER THE EXPANDABLE ROOM HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A CIRCUIT BREAKER. OVERHEATING OF THE WIRE CAN OCCUR WITH INCORRECT EXPANDABLE ROOM OPERATION.

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE WIRE INSULATION TO MELT, CAUSING SMOKE AND POSSIBLE FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A CIRCUIT BREAKER TO THE EXPANDABLE ROOM SYSTEM PUMP MOTOR WIRE. FLEETWOOD WILL ALSO PROVIDE A VEHICLE LABEL TO IDENTIFY THE LOCATION OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER, AND WILL PROVIDE OWNER'S MANUAL LITERATURE TO IDENTIFY THE CIRCUIT BREAKER LOCATION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER MOTOR HOME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SIDE WINDOWS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE WINDOWS WERE FOGGY AND OBSTRUCTED THE CONTACT'S VIEW WHILE REVERSING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE DEFECT BY CLEANING THE WINDOWS; HOWEVER, THE WINDOWS DID NOT CLEAR. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE WINDOWS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V147000 (VISIBILITY). THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A P30 TRANSMISSION THAT WOULD CAUSE THE DRIVESHAFT TO SEIZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL AWAY. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO CUT THE WHEELS IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 24,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 28,557. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. *TR

I RECENTLY BOUGHT A USED 1996 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER CLASS A MOTORHOME. BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT SIDE WINDOWS ARE FOGGED UP WITH THIS APPARENTLY HAPPENING BETWEEN THE SANDWICHED PANES OF GLASS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF THESE WINDOWS, OR VIEW THE REAR VIEW MIRRORS. FROM TALKING TO OTHERS, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT THE EXCEPTION, BUT RATHER THE RULE. *TR

DT: CONSUMER HAS MOTOR HOME. THE CONSUMER WENT INSIDE THE MOTORHOME AND DISCOVERED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOWS WERE NO LONGER CLEAR. THE WINDOWS HAD TO BE ROLLED DOWN TO SEE OUT OF THEM. THE CONSUMER SAYS THAT SHE BELIEVES THE SEAL AROUND THE WINDOW MAY HAVE LEAKED CAUSING THIS DISCOLORATION AND 0% VISIBILITY. CONSUMER HAD A GLASS REPAIRMAN LOOK AT THE WINDOWS AND HE STATED THAT THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE GLASS REPAIRMAN SAID THAT HE THOUGHT IT COULD ALSO BE THE SEAL. THE MOTORHOME SAT FROM DECEMBER UNTIL FEBRUARY WHEN SHE NOTICED A SMALL AMOUNT OF FOGGING WAS BEGINNING. THE CONSUMER ALSO SAYS THAT VEHICLE WAS IN A RAIN STORM IN THE FIRST PART OF MARCH WHEN WINDOWS ENDED UP TAKING WATER IN BETWEEN THE DOUBLE PANE. CONSUMER FIRST NOTICED PROBLEM HAD BECOME ADVANCED WHILE IN WASHINGTON, AND THEN TRAVELED TO ARIZONA WHERE WINDOWS TOOK ON WATER. *AK *NM

STATIONARY INSULATED WINDOWS ON PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE CLOUDED MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE REAR VIEW MIRRORS AND TO SEE APPROACHING TRAFFIC FROM LEFT AND RIGHT AT INTERSECTIONS. *NM

DT: CONSUMER STATES: PASSENGER'S WINDOW WAS REPLACED, WINDOW WAS ALMOST OPENED. HAD TO OPEN THE WINDOW, AND PUT HEAD OUT IN ORDER TO SEE TO BACK UP OR TO CHANGE LANES.*AK

I OWN A 1996 BOUNDER MOTOR HOME MANUFACTURED BY FLEETWOOD INDUSTRIES. NO SAFETY DEFECTS MENTIONED. *AK

TWO RECENT FAILURES PRECEEDED BY PROGRESSIVELY MORE SEVERE VIBRATION. STOPPED: JACKED UP BOTH FRONT WHEELS; VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED NOTHING; PROCEEDED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER MASSIVE FAILURE, TREAD SEPARATION APPARENT. TWO OTHER TIRES SHOWED RADIAL LESIONS OR SPLITS. INFLATION TO SPEC AT 80 PSI. WEIGHT (CERTIFIED ) NEAR TIRE MAX LIMIT. TIRE GAGE VERIFIED. HAVE PICTURES OF LAST FAILED TIRE (TREAD SEPARATION) AND RADIAL SPLITTING ON SIDEWALL OF ANOTHER TIRE. (DOT NUMBER: 0650595 TIRESIZE: 235/85R16)

DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOW IS DISCOLORED,BLOCKING VISION OF SIDE MIRROR. MFG. DENIES THAT WINDOWS ARE INCLUDED IN RECALL AND WILL NOT REPAIR. WINDOWS WERE RECALLED IN "98 DUE TO IMPROPER GLAZING. DEFINATE SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO LOSS OF VISION TO SIDE OF VEHICLE

MAGIC CHEF STOVE: WHEN USING THE FRONT BURNERS IN THE MOTORHOME VALVES WOULD BE VERY HARD TO TURN OFF. THE BACK BURNERS WORKS FINE. OWNER SPOKE TO MANUFACTURER. WAS INFORMED THAT MANUFACTURER WOULD REPLACE VALVES & OWNER PAY FOR LABOR. *AK

BENT FRAME CAUSED SLIDE OUT ROOM TO OPEN AS WE WERE DRIVING HOME FROM BISMARCK TO SAN RAMON, CA. TOUR AMERICA IN BILLINGS, MONTANA SECURED THE PROBLEM WHICH ALLOWED US TO PROCEED. FREIGHTENED AND SCARED I HAD A HEART ATTACK 11 DAYS LATER. FLEETWOOD WOULD NOT HELP WITH THE FRAME AND SLIDEOUT PROBLEMS. SAID THE DAMAGE WAS DUE TO ABUSE BY PREVIOUS OWNER.

VIOLENT SHIMMY FROM THE FRONT END UPON HITTING A DEPRESSION IN THE ROADWAY DUE TO FAILUE OF THE STEERING SHOCK. SHIMMY IS INTERMITTENT, HOWEVER WHEN IT OCCURS IT'S SO VIOLENT IT PULLS THE STEERING WHEEL FROM DRIVERS HANDS WHEN DRIVING AT 60 MPH.

CONSUMER LEARNED OF A POSSIBLE RECALL ON THE INTERNET, CALLED MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. / NHTSA RECALL 98V-147 . *AK *JB

REAR AXLE BEARING LOCKS UP, CAUSING THE WHEELS TO LOCK .DEALER CHANGED BRAKES, AND REPLACED BEARINGS/WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND AXLE SEAL. *AK

POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE, NOISY, POOR GAS MILEAGE.

PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD, VEHICLE ROLLS UNLESS FOOT IS ON BRAKE, RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT.

EMERGENCY PARKING RAKE FAILURE, THE AUTOMATIC PARKING BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE, CAUSING TO THE MOTOR HOME TO ROLL. *AK

BATTERY SHORTED OUT TWICE.

EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILED.

POWER BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED.