2002 Fleetwood Wilderness

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.

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH SAMSUNG MICROWAVE OVENS, THESE OVENS WERE PRODUCED WITH A DEFECTIVE PANEL. AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAN OCCUR BETWEEN CIRCUIT PATTERNS ON THE MEMBRANE PANEL, ESPECIALLY OVERLAPPED BY A "JUMPER" OR JUMP WIRE. THIS MAY CAUSE THE OVEN TO ACTIVATE WITHOUT PRESSING ANY KEY PADS.

Risk. AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAN OCCUR CAUSING THE OVEN TO ACTIVATE WITHOUT PRESSING ANY KEY PADS. THIS COULD RESULT IN EXCESSIVE HEAT, SMOKE, OR POSSIBLY A FIRE.

Remedy. SAMSUNG WILL NOTIFY CUSTOMERS AND REPAIR THE PANEL FREE OF CHARGE. IN THE MEANTIME, CONSUMERS SHOULD UNPLUG THEIR MICROWAVE, IF POSSIBLE. IF THE CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO UNPLUG THE MICROWAVE, THEY SHOULD LEAVE THE DOOR AJAR UNTIL THE PANEL IS REPLACED. CONSUMERS SHOULD NEVER USE THE MICROWAVE OVEN FOR STORAGE OR LEAVE ANY TOWELS, PAPER, CLOTH OR OTHER PRODUCTS IN THE MICROWAVE AFTER USE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SAMSUNG AT 800-932-3837 OR FLEETWOOD AT 1-800-629-8454.

I HAVE A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR IN MY CAMPER, AND A FEW YEARS AGO I NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF AMMONIA FILL THE CAMPER (I HAD TO EVACUATE FOR SEVERAL HOURS). WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE REFRIGERATOR WAS NO LONGER COOL, AND HAD STOPPED WORKING. THE NEXT YEAR I REC'D A RECALL FROM DOMETIC STATING THAT THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MY UNIT: "A FATIGUE CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE BOILER TUBE OF THE IDENTIFIED REFRIGERATORS, WHICH CAN PERMIT THE RELEASE OF PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION. IF THIS SOLUTION IS EXPOSED TO AN IGNITION SOURCE UNDER CERTAIN SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES, IT CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE." I THEN CALLED SOME REPAIR SHOPS LISTED ON DOMETIC'S WEBSITE TO SCHEDULE A REPAIR. I FINALLY FOUND ONE THAT WAS WILLING TO DO IT (I WOULD ONLY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE CALL) BUT AFTER HE DISCOVERED THAT MY REFRIGERATOR HAD ALREADY QUIT, HE TOLD ME I NEEDED TO CALL DOMETIC. I CALLED DOMETIC, AND AFTER I HAD EXPLAINED TO THE GIRL THAT THE REFRIGERATOR HAD QUIT WORKING, SHE TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR A PREVENTIVE MEASURE IN SHIELDING IT FROM A FIRE. I THEN TOLD HER THAT BASICALLY IF MY UNIT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF. SHE THEN SUGGESTED THAT I "LOOK INTO THAT ROUTE". I TOLD HER I WAS NOT ABOUT TO COMMIT FRAUD BY SETTING MY CAMPER ON FIRE. *TR

EXCESSIVE FLEXING AND TWISTING OF THE MAIN RAILS THAT SUPPORT THE FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER, CAUSED BREAKAGE OF THE SUPPORT SHACKLES, TIRE WEAR AND STRESS CRACKS. *TR

THE REAR SPRING STANDOFF BRACKETS (BOTH SIDES OF TRAILER) FAILED AT THE REAR OF THE BRACKETS WHERE THE WELD ATTACHED TO THE FRAME. THIS RESULTED IN A WEAKENED "I" BEAM THAT ULTIMATELY CRACKED THE FULL HEIGHT OF THE BEAM. THE RESULTING SAG OF THE REAR PART OF THE TRAILER IS DESTROYING THE INTEGRITY OF INTERIOR COMPONENTS: FLOOR, CEILING, CABINETS, TIP-OUT AND ENTRY DOOR/FRAME. ENGINEERING SHOULD NEVER HAVE ALLOWED WELDING ACROSS EITHER FLANGE (TOP OR BOTTOM) OR THE WEB OF THE MAIN STRUCTURAL BEAM WITHOUT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT; EG. GUSSETS, ADDITIONAL MATERIAL TO STRENGTHEN THE LIGHT-WEIGHT "I" BEAMS. WHEN THESE BRACKETS FAILED IS UNKNOWN. I DISCOVERED THE DAMAGE ONLY AFTER INTERIOR SIGNS OF REAR END SAG BECAME OBVIOUS. I HAD THE FRAME STRENGTHENED BUT THE INTERIOR DAMAGE REMAINS AND I AM RELUCTANT TO TOW THE TRAILER ANY DISTANCE. I HAVE PHOTOS THAT SHOW THE DAMAGE AND THE REPAIRS MADE. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TRAILER WAS TOWING CROOKED. ONCE AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE GAP BETWEEN THE AXLES WERE DIFFERENT. THEN, UPON INSPECTION OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FRAME, THE SHACKLE WAS HANGING FROM THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IRON WELDS WERE WELDED. THE SHOP ALSO FOUND AT LEAST SIX MORE CRACKS IN THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 11/30/06.*JB

LEFT REAR SPRING SHACKLE CAME OFF AT WELD. MULTIPLE CRACKS IN BOTH FRAME RAILS. WELDS FOR SLIDEOUT AND REAR CROSSMEMBER BROKEN. FRAME RAILS BENT. *NM

FLEETWOOD WILDERNESS 5TH WHEEL MAIN FRAME WAS FAILING.*MR WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS CHECKING THE RV'S TIRE PRESSURE HE NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS FAILING ON THE LEFT REAR SPRING BRACKET. THE BRACKET ITSELF WAS IN TACT BUT THE FRAME FLANGE ITSELF HAD BROKEN FROM THE VERTICAL PORTION OF THE FRAME (THE WELD DID NOT FAIL). THE REPAIR SHOP ALSO INDICATED THAT THERE WERE ADDITIONAL CRACKS IN THE FRAME. *NM

AFTER WAITING FOR OVER FOUR MONTHS, THE PART TO REPAIR THE MICROWAVE UNDER RECALL STILL WASN'T AVAILABLE. *PH SAMSUNG MICROWAVE MODEL NUMBER: MR5491G. *MR