1998 FLEETWOOD SOUTHWIND

1 recalls — 14 complaints — 1 TSBs

EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER

Defect Description

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.

Consequence

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. STERICY... Read more

167,096 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES, INC.

Complaint Statistics

14 total complaints 2 fires

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
SUSPENSION	2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	2
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:SLIDE-IN CAMPER	1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING	1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM	1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS	1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT	1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING	1
STEERING	1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY	1

Incident date: Apr 11, 2007

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. ... Read more

Incident date: Sep 1, 2001

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

Incident date: Apr 1, 2001

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

Incident date: Dec 1, 1997

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

Incident date: Jun 19, 1998

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

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

Incident date: Nov 12, 1998

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 VEHICL... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Nov 12, 1998

Fire

Incident date: Oct 10, 1998

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

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

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

Incident date: Jun 30, 1998

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

SUSPENSION POOR DUE TO THE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION.

Incident date: Oct 12, 1997

SLIDE TOPPER LOCK MECHANISM FAILED.

Technical Service Bulletins — 1998 FLEETWOOD SOUTHWIND

1 manufacturer communications from 1 unique bulletins. TSBs describe known problems and recommended fixes from the manufacturer.

Most Affected Components

Component	Bulletins
072200 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS	1

072200 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

FLEETWOOD SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. CONSUMER MAINTENANCE ADVISORY, GENERATOR FUEL LINES. FLEETWOOD MOTOR HOME OWNERS. CSC WAS RECEIVED. *PE

NHTSA Safety Investigations — FLEETWOOD SOUTHWIND

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

PE — Closed — Model Year: 1990

FRONT BRAKES FAIL

There is no summary currently available

PE — Closed — Model Year: 1985

CO INTRUSION

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER:THE MANUFACTURER ADVISEDTHAT THE AUXILIARY POWER UNITS (APU'S) AND THEIR EXHAUST SYSTEMS ARE ALLFACTORY INSTALLED.IN ADDITION, THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED TWO INSTANCESOF CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) ASPHYXIATION WITH THREE FATALITIES.HOWEVER,THESE WERE NOT IN THE ... SUBJECT 1985 MODEL VEHICLES BUT IN EARLIER MODELS.IT WAS DISCLOSED THAT ONE HAD BEEN AN AFTERMARKET TAILPIPE REPLACEMENTPROBLEM AND THE OTHER RELATED TO PARKING IN A SNOWBANK.ANALYSIS:A MODEL 33 UNIT IN RICHLAND, WA, WAS EXAMINED.THE INVESTI-GATOR CONFIRMED THAT THE UNIT HAD NOT BEEN MODIFIED IN ACCORDANCE WITHINSTRUCTIONS CONTAINED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN(85V-138).PICTURES TAKEN SHOWED THAT THE APU EXHAUST OUTLETS FOR BOTHTHE PRODUCTION AND MODIFIED VERSIONS SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS EXPRESSED INTHE ANSI STANDARD FOR RECREATIONAL VEHICLES, CHAPTER 3, SECTION 4.3.TESTS FOR CO INTRUSION WITH THE APU IN OPERATION SHOWED OFF-SCALE (ABOVE500 PARTS PER MILLION) READINGS IN THE REAR CENTER TO LEFT REAR CORNERWHICH IS IMMEDIATELY ABOVE A TRANSVERSELY LOCATED BED.THE VEHICLECUSTODIAN WOULD PERMIT NO DISTURBANCE OF THE BED.PICTURES AND VISUALEXAMINATION OF THE UNDERBODY REVEALED THE APU TAIL PIPE TO BE CRUSHED ANDMISLOCATED INSIDE THE CORNER OF THE SKIRTING SURROUNDING THE BODY.THEVEHICLE WAS IDENTIFIED AS ONE TO WHICH THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL APPLIED;THE ANGLED TAILPIPE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY ONE WHICH EXITS AT NINETYDEGREES FROM THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND FORWARD OF THE APU.A SECOND ISSUE CONCERNING THIS VEHICLE WAS RAISED BY THE ATTORNEY REPRE-SENTING THE DECEASED'S ESTATE.HE CLAIMED THAT IMPACT WITH A FIXEDOBJECT CAUSED THE REAR WALL TO BE SEPARATED SO THAT THE LOWER SILL OF THEREAR WINDOW COULD BE OBSERVED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE.INFORMATION FROMTHE MANUFACTURER REVEALED THAT AN OUTER COSMETIC SKIN HAD BEEN ADDEDTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AS A BEAUTY TREATMENT.THE OBSERVED LOWERSILL WAS IN FACT PART OF THE METAL REINFORCEMENT FOR THE REAR WALL.THEMULTIPLICITY OF WITNESS MARKS ON THE UNDER SIDE OF THE BODY SKIRT INDICATESTHAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN GROUNDED MORE THAN ONCE.EXAMINATION OF THE CURBIN FRONT OF THE DECEASED'S RESIDENCE REVEALED A NUMBER OF SCRAPE MARKSRESULTING FROM CONTACT BY THE REAR OF THE MOTOR HOME.ANOTHER ISSUE CONCERNING A SOUTHWIND J MODEL WAS RAISED BY A FLORIDAATTORNEY.HE CORRECTLY POINTED OUT THAT THE DESIGNATION, J, HAD BEENOMITTED FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S SAFETY DEFECT NOTIFICATION.INQUIRY TO THEMANUFACTURER REVEALED THAT THE DESIGNATION HAD BEEN INADVERTENTLY OMITTEDFROM THE RECALL NOTICE BUT THAT ALL THE J MODELS HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN THERECALL BECAUSE THE J MODEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS WERE INCLUDED IN THELISTING USED FOR CONSUMER MAILINGS.RECOMMENDATION:CLOSE THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.===Read more

FLEETWOOD SOUTHWIND — All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the FLEETWOOD SOUTHWIND across all model years (1979–2023).

119 Total Recalls

238 Total Complaints

2 Investigations

4 Reported Crashes

11 Reported Fires

2 Reported Deaths

FLEETWOOD SOUTHWIND — Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2023	6	2	View
2022	5	1	View
2021	6	1	View
2020	5	3	View
2019	2	0	View
2018	4	0	View
2017	1	1	View
2016	3	2	View
2015	2	0	View
2014	3	1	View
2012	1	7	View
2011	4	0	View
2010	3	0	View
2009	1	0	View
2008	2	0	View
2007	3	3	View
2006	6	5	View
2005	4	12	View
2004	8	14	View
2003	8	24	View
2002	5	5	View
2001	4	6	View
2000	4	22	View
1999	2	17	View
1998 (current)	1	14
1997	2	11	View
1996	1	14	View
1995	0	20	View
1994	0	13	View
1993	2	6	View
1992	1	2	View
1991	1	7	View
1990	1	8	View
1989	2	3	View
1988	2	2	View
1987	2	5	View
1986	1	2	View
1985	3	1	View
1984	2	3	View
1983	2	1	View
1982	1	0	View
1981	1	0	View
1980	1	0	View
1979	1	0	View

Other FLEETWOOD Models

Model	Recalls	Complaints
5TD	0	0	View
ADVANTAGE	0	0	View
ALL MODELS	0	0	View
ALTITUDE	0	0	View
AMERICAN ALLEGIANCE	0	0	View
AMERICAN COACH	0	0	View
AMERICAN DREAM	0	0	View
AMERICAN EAGLE	0	0	View

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