1998 Fleetwood Southwind

Routine

Owners filed 13 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the suspension. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Suspension2
000
Visibility › Windshield1
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Suspension › Front › Wheel Bearing1
000
Suspension › Front › Springs › Air Suspension System1
000
Structure › Frame and Members1
000
Steering1
000
Power Train › Driveline › Differential Unit1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer07V120000
Filed Mar 19, 2007167,096 vehiclesFleetwood Enterprises, Inc.

Defect. CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES AND TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR, MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION, MAY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE BOILER TUBE. PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION COULD BE RELEASED INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.

Risk. RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy. FLEETWOOD WILL BE WORKING WITH DOMETIC IN ORDER TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 06E076). DOMETIC WILL REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS BY INSTALLING A SECONDARY BURN HOUSING, A THERMAL FUSE, AND A MELT FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. DOMETIC HAS RETAINED STERICYCLE INC. TO MANAGE THIS CAMPAIGN. STERICYCLE WILL ASSIST YOU IN LOCATING DEALERSHIPS OR SERVICE CENTERS AND WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC/STERICYCLE AT 1-888-446-5157 OR FLEETWOOD AT 1-800-322-8216.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Visibility › Windshield
Filed Aug 8, 200716,000 milesCA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FLEETWOOD RV. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH HE HEARD A BANG THEN FELT WIND COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN HE PULLED OVER, HE NOTICED A CRACK ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. A REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE RV AND STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD NEEDED MORE FIBERGLASS. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WOULD CAVE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,337 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Dec 18, 2001TX

TANK DEVELOPED LEAK AT SEAM. REPAIR SHOP REPORTED REPLACING SEVERAL FUEL TANKS UNDER WARRANTY ON THIS MODEL IN PREVIOUS YEARS. APPEARS TO BE PREVELANT PROBLEM WITH DESIGN.*AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery
Filed Sep 8, 2001NM

THE FUEL LINE TO THE GENERATOR ROTTED OUT AND BEGAN LEAKING DOWN THE FUEL TANK. *AK

Unknown or Other
Filed Dec 15, 2000FL

WHILE USIG RV GENERATOR C0 DETECTOR ALRM GOES OFF WHILE COOKING/SLEEPING/ WATCHING TV, OR ANY UNRELATED ACTIVITY. HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, CAN NOT FIND PROBLEM, CALLED MANUFACTURER, AND CAN NOT EXPLAIN PROBLEM. *AK

Suspension
Filed May 11, 2000CO

SUSPENSION SYSTEM OF THE MOTORHOME IS NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE WEIGHT AND DISTRIBUTION CAUSING SEVERE HANDLING PROBLEMS. *MJS

Steering
Filed Aug 24, 1999CA

VEHICLE IS DESIGNED WITH STEERING PROBLEMS, INSTALLATION OF AN AFTER MARKET ITEM NEEDED TO BE PURCHASED TO ILLIMINATE STEERING PROBLEMS. MJS

Electrical System › WiringFire
Filed Feb 19, 1999CA

VEHICLEE HAD AN ELECTRICAL WIRING PROBLEM. ALSO, THERE WERE NINE LEAKS IN THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING IN THE SHOWER/KITCHEN AND OTHER AREAS. ALSO, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BURNED OUT TWICE, AND WHEN VEHICLE WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. A LOUD POPPING SOUND CAME FROM THE KITCHEN SINK. CONSUMER FELT VEHICLE WAS VERY UNSAFE. *AK

Power Train › Driveline › Differential Unit
Filed Dec 8, 1998WA

REAR AXLE DIFFERENTIAL DEFECTIVE RESULTING IN GRINDING OF THE GEARS, REPLACED UNIT HOWEVER NEW UNIT FAILED ALSO.

Suspension › Front › Springs › Air Suspension System
Filed Sep 24, 1998NJ

WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE DUE TO UNGREASED WHEEL BEARINGS WHICH CAUSED THEM TO FREEZE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Aug 24, 1998CA

DESIGN OF THE MOTORHOME HAS A HOLE BETWEEN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE DRIVER'S FEET JUST UNDER THE DASH RELEASING FUMES INTO VEHICLE.

Suspension › Front › Wheel Bearing
Filed Aug 21, 1998NJ

FRONT WHEEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE CAUSED BY UNGREASED WHEEL BEARINGS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Suspension
Filed May 18, 1998AZ

SUSPENSION POOR DUE TO THE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION.

Equipment › Mechanical › Slide-in Camper
Filed Apr 13, 1998CA

SLIDE TOPPER LOCK MECHANISM FAILED.

13 of 13 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20231600Routine
20221500Routine
20211600Routine
20201500Routine
20190200Routine
20180400Routine
20171100Routine
20161300Routine
20150200Routine
20141300Routine
20123100Routine
20110400Routine
20100300Routine
20090100Routine
20080200Routine
20073300Routine
20064600Routine
20058410Routine
200413810Routine
200324810Routine
20024500Routine
20014400Routine
20008400Routine
19997200Routine
1998 — this page13110Routine
19978200Routine
199611102Fatalities reported
199515000Routine
19949010Routine
19935210Routine
19922100Routine
19916110Routine
19904110Routine

Compare every Southwind year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Mar 19, 2007. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.