2006 Fleetwood Wilderness

Defect. FLEETWOOD IS RECALLING 70,101 MY 2003-2007 SOUTHWIND, PACE ARROW, BOUNDER, FLAIR, STORM, FIESTA, TERRA GAS CLASS A MOTOR HOMES; BOUNDER, DISCOVERY, PROVIDENCE, EXCURSION, EXPEDITION, REVOLUTION, AMERICAN EAGLE, AMERICAN HERITAGE, AMERICAN TRADITION DIESEL CLASS A MOTOR HOMES; JAMBOREE TIOGA CLASS C MOTOR HOMES; AND PROWLER, WILDERNESS, TERRY, MALLARD, PIONEER, PRIDE AND TRIUMPH CONVENTIONAL AND FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATORS MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION. THE REFRIGERATOR 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. IF THIS SOLUTION IS EXPOSED TO AN IGNITION SOURCE UNDER CERTAIN SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES, IT CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy. FLEETWOOD IS WORKING WITH DOMETIC TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 08E032). 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 THE OWNER 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. CERTAIN CONVENTIONAL AND FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILERS MAY HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH IMPROPERLY HARDENED AXLE WHEEL STUDS.

Risk. IMPROPERLY TIGHTENED WHEEL STUDS MAY BREAK AT ANY TIME, CAUSING THE WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY TO SEPARATE FROM THE TRAILER, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY OR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE TRAILER HUB AND DRUM ASSEMBLIES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 29, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FLEETWOOD AT 800-455-3307.

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRAVEL TRAILERS, THE AXLE WIDTH IS TOO NARROW CAUSING THE TIRES TO RUB ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL HOUSING.

Risk. THIS CAN CAUSE THE TIRES TO FATIGUE AND PREMATURELY FAIL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND CHANGE THE AXLE FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS TELEPHONED ALL DEALERS AND OWNERS CONCERNING THIS RECALL. A FOLLOWUP LETTER WILL BE SENT DURING JANUARY OR FEBRUARY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FLEETWOOD AT 1-800-322-8216.

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE LAST YEAR FROM A PRIVATE OWNER. AT THE SALE THE OWNER EXPLAINED THERE WAS AN ISSUE AND ONE OF THE AXLES HAD BEEN REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY I WAS HAVING STABILITY ISSUES, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAYS AROUND OTHER LARGE VEHICLES, BUT WIND, CORNERING AND UNEVEN PAVEMENT WERE PROBLEMS AS WELL. NUMEROUS TIMES I EXAMINED MY TRUCK, HITCH / WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION AND ANTI-SWAY SETUP HAD COME TO DETERMINE THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE TRAILER. I REPLACED TWO OF THE TIRES AFTER A FLAT AND STILL NEED TO DO THE OTHER TWO. AFTER THE TRIP I CRAWLED UNDER THE TRAILER TO EXAMINE THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS AND CHECK THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE. BOTH THE ORIGINAL AXLE AND THE NEW DEXTER AXLE ARE RATED FOR 3500 LBS; HEREIN LIES THE RUB. MY TRAVEL TRAILER HAS A DRY WEIGHT OF APPROXIMATELY 6000 LBS (5933 TO BE EXACT) AND A GVWR OF 8000 LBS AND SITS (FROM THE FACTORY MIND YOU) ON 3500 LB AXLES. THE UNIT FROM THE FACTORY EMPTY IS 1000 LBS SHY OF THE MAXIMUM DUTY RATING OF THE SUSPENSION PARTS HOWEVER IF YOU LOAD THE THING UP TO IT'S MAXIMUM VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING, IT IS 1000 LBS OVER THE DUTY RATING OF THE SUSPENSION PARTS. UPON INSPECTION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE YEARS OF TRAVELING AT AND ABOVE THE DUTY RATING OF THE SUSPENSION HAS TAKEN IT'S TOLL AND IT SHOULD ALL BE REPLACED. I'M GUESSING THE PREVIOUS OWNER JUST REPLACED THE ONE AXLE AND GAVE UP. I CANNOT FIND ANY RECALLS OR ANYWHERE WHERE FLEETWOOD ADDRESSED OR TRIED TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE, SO I COME TO THE

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRES ON THE TRAVEL TRAILER WERE TOO SMALL. THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH ON A DRY HIGHWAY. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT FOR THE TRAILER WAS 9,600 POUNDS. GROSS WEIGHT FOR EACH TIRE WAS 2,150 POUNDS; A TOTAL OF 8,600 POUNDS. THERE WERE 2,500 MILES ON THE TIRE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE TIRES WERE THE CORRECT MINIMUM REQUIRED TIRES. THE TIRE WAS A HIGHWAY MASTER, STEEL BELTED RADIAL LOAD RANGE C. THE TIRE SIZE WAS 225/75R/15.