1997 Fleetwood Bounder

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 97V178000, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:JACKS. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2000 AND THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED. WHILE INSPECTING HE FOUND SEVERAL CRACKED HOSES AND FLUID LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME LIABILITY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 18,500.

IN OCTOBER 2004 I BOUGHT 4 BIG O LT235/85R16 TIRES FOR MY MOTOR HOME. IN OCTOBER 2005, AFTER PUTTING ON ABOUT 16,000 MILES, THE TREAD CAME OFF OF ONE OF THE TIRES WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 60 MPH. FIVE MONTHS LATER, BUT ONLY 1,000 MILES MORE, THE SECOND TIRE LOST IT TREAD. ONE HUNDRED MILES LATER THE THIRD TIRE LOST ITS TREAD. IN ALL THREE CASES THERE WAS TOTAL SEPARATION OF THE TREAD FROM THE CARCASS, JUST LIKE THE SEMI TRUCKS LOSING THE TREAD ON A RE-TREADED TIRE. AS A RESULT OF THESE INCIDENTS, CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE MOTOR HOME, INCLUDING RUPTURE OF A PROPANE LINE, WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MAJOR FIRE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER. APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS AGO,THE CONTACT BEGAN EXPERIENCED VISIBILITY PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. HE STATED THAT THE WINDOWS WERE DUAL, INSULATED PANE, AND THE GLASS SEALS HAVE FAILED, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HAD THE SAME FAILURE WITH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS A GROWTH BETWEEN THE PANES THAT HAD A CLEAR CRYSTAL LOOK, AND PRODUCED A FOGGY LOOK ON THE WINDOW. THE CONTACT INSISTED THAT THESE WINDOWS SHOULD BE OF A BETTER QUALITY AND NOT USE DUAL PANES THAT CRACK AND CAUSE POOR VISIBILITY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A COMPLAINT WAS PREVIOUSLY MADE FOR THE SAME YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL WITH ODI # 10043211 (VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR). THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 37,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.*AK

MY COMPLAINT DOES NOT INVOLVE AN ACCIDENT BUT DOES INVOLVE A FAILURE TO ACT (BY FLEETWOOD MOTORHOME CO.) AND RECTIFY WHAT I FEEL IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY MOTORHOME. I PURCHASED MY 1997 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER NEW IN 1997 AND HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET FLEETWOOD TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE FIRE ESCAPE WINDOW IN MY MOTORHOME IS SORELY INADEQUATE. THEY MERELY PLACED A DECAL THAT READS "FIRE EXIT" ON A STANDARD WINDOW AND EXPECT THAT TO SUFFICE. A NORMAL FIRE ESCAPE WINDOW HAS TWO RED HANDLES THAT SECURE THE WINDOW FRAME DURING NORMAL OPERATION AND CAN ALSO BE TURNED TO UNLATCH THE WINDOW FRAME FOR EGRESS IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE. I CONTACTED FLEETWOOD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY HAD ME GO TO A LOCAL AUTHORIZED FLEETWOOD REPAIR FACILITY WHERE A SERVICE MANAGER TOOK PICTURES OF MY WINDOW AND SENT THEM TO FLEETWOOD. FLEETWOOD RESPONDED TO THEM , AND THEY TO ME, THAT I HAVE THE CORRECT CONFIGURATION. LAST WEEK I WENT TO A RV SHOW WHERE THERE WERE NEW AND USED BOUNDERS ON SALE. THE NEW BOUNDER HAD THE CORRECT FIRE ESCAPE WINDOW (RED RELEASE HANDLES). IN ANOTHER BOUNDER (USED) THAT WAS A YEAR OR SO NEWER THAN MINE THERE WAS NO REAL FIRE ESCAPE WINDOW. IT WAS UN-EQUIPPED, JUST LIKE MINE. IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE, AN OLDER COUPLE SUCH AS MY WIFE AND I, WOULD HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY EXITING THE VEHICLE. I FEAR THAT WE WOULD SURELY SUSTAIN SEVERE BURNS AT THE VERY LEAST. SINCE THERE WERE OTHER MOTORHOMES IN MY MOTORHOME'S ERA WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, MANY PEOPLE COULD BE AT RISK. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD RESOLVE THIS PUBLIC DANGER. THANK YOU. *NM

PROBLEMS WITH EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND HEAD GASKET.*MR THE VEHICLE EXHAUST MANIFOLD MADE NOISE WHILE DRIVING. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT HAVE THE PROBLEM RESOLVED HAS AILED. THE CONSUMER SPOKE WITH SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WHO ALSO HAVE MOTORHOMES WITH LOW MILEAGE 460 FORD ENGINE'S. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO INDICATED THAT RUST WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE REPRESENTATIVE WENT ON TO SAY THAT HE BANKS HEADER SYSTEM WAS THE CURE WHICH WOULD COST ABOUT $4000. THE CONSUMER HAD THE HEADER SYSTEM INSTALLED AND IT SEEM TO BE WORKING WELL. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS OF THE FAULTY EXHAUST MANIFOLD BUT CONTINUES TO MANUFACTURE THEM. *NM