2003 Fleetwood Prowler recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Tires

  WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 85 NORTH OF MONTGOMERY, AL, THE CARLISLE TRAIL RADIAL TIRE BLEW OUT CAUSING $7000+ IN DAMAGE TO MY RV. CARLISLE SENT ME 5 REPLACEMENT TIRES BUT DENIED MY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. *TR

  Oct 12, 2011
• Equipment › Recreational vehicle/trailer

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FLEETWOOD PROWLER. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL NUMBER RM2852, SERIAL NUMBER 22200048. HE NOTICED YELLOW RESIDUE LEAKING FROM THE REFRIGERATOR, AND THEN SMELLED AMMONIA. THE REFRIGERATOR FAILED TO REGULATE COLD TEMPERATURES. HE RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE# 08E032000 (EQUIPMENT). DOMETIC REFUSED TO REPLACE THE REFRIGERATOR. THE REPAIRS REFERENCED IN THE CALL ONLY CONTAINS THE FAILURE, BUT DOES NOT SERVE AS A PREVENTIVE REMEDY. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE NOT APPLICABLE. UPDATED 11/03/09 UPDATED 11/04/09

  Sep 26, 2009
• Equipment › Recreational vehicle/trailerFire

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PROWLER RV. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL RM2652. WHILE ON VACATION, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY A FIREFIGHTER THAT HIS RV CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO THE DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR. A REPORT WAS FILED. ONE WEEK AFTER THE FAILURE, HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08E032000 (EQUIPMENT). THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE RV, WHICH WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 5/14/09 *CN UPDATED 05/14/09.*JB

  Nov 25, 2008
• Equipment › Recreational vehicle/trailer

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FLEETWOOD PROWLER. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL RM2652. THE CONTACT SMELLED AMMONIA IN THE VEHICLE. THE REFRIGERATOR AND BOILER FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY ON JUNE 22, 2008. DOMETIC STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO MAKE THE RECALL REPAIR SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE CONTACT NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND WAS ADVISED BY ANOTHER DOMETIC OWNER THAT THE RECALL EXISTS. THE RECALL NUMBER AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 9/24/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE BOILER TUBE HAD BURNED. UPDATED 09/26/08. *JB

  Jun 22, 2008
• Structure

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FLEETWOOD PROWLER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SELL THE TRAILER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FLOOR WAS ROTTED. THE REPAIR WOULD COST $2,000. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE.

  Jun 10, 2007
• Electrical system › Wiring

  FLEETWOOD PROLWER TRAILER (YEAR 2003) POWER CONVERTER PROBLEM. I SENT LETTERS TO THE HOME OFFICE AND THE MARYLAND OFFICE. I CAN EMAIL OR FAX YOU A COPY THAT DESCRIBES THE PROBLEMS. THE POWER CONVERTER HAS BROKEN THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 8 MONTHS OF USAGE. *AK

  May 15, 2003
• Structure › Frame and members

  WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH ONE OF THE REAR WHEELS SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. *AK

  Jun 4, 2004
• Structure › Frame and members › Underbody shields

  2003 FLEETWOOD PROWLER LITE 25Y TRAVEL TRAILER. THE LEFT REAR SPRING BRACKET BROKE AWAY FROM FRAME. WHEN I DISCOVERED IT IT WAS STILL HOLDING AT ONE EDGE. IF I HAD NOT SPOTTED IT, IT CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE BROKEN OFF LEAVING THE REAR TRAILER AXLE LOOSE ON THE LEFT SIDE. THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED SEVERE CONTROL PROBLEMS AND PROBABLY A CRASH. THIS TRAILER IS LESS THAN 2 YRS. OLD BUT THE FRAME ALREADY SHOWS HEAVY RUST. THE BREAK OCCURED AT A WELD JOINT AND IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY WELDED. *AK

  May 13, 2004 · 13,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• INADVERTENT SLIDE-OUT EXTENSION MOVEMENTClosed

  THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED BASED ON ODI'S RECEIPT OF A CONGRESSIONAL LETTER ON BEHALF OF A CONSTITUENT.THE CONSTITUENT REPORTED INCIDENTS WHERE THE SLIDE OUT ROOM OF HIS MOTOR HOME WOULD INADVERTENTLY MOVE (EXTEND) DURING HIGHWAY USE.ODI WAS CONCERNED THAT A FULLY EXTENDED SLIDE OUT WOULD DEGRADE THE VEHICLE'S DYNAMIC HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS AND/OR POSSIBLY IMPACT AN OBJECT OR ANOTHER VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A CRASH.ODI CONTACTED FLEETWOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT SLIDE OUT ROOMS WERE INSTALLED IN MOTOR HOMES, TRAVEL TRAILERS AND FOLDING TRAILERS. AS PART OF THE INVESTIGATION ODI VISITED A RV SHOW AND THE FLEETWOOD PAXINOS PLANT TO EXAMINE SLIDE OUTS IN VARIOUS NEW MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLES AND GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE SYSTEMS WORK.DURING THE INVESTIGATION ODI LEARNED THAT THERE ARE TWO METHODS USED TO EXTEND SLIDE OUT ROOMS.SOME MANUFACTURERS USE HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS AND OTHERS, SUCH…

  PE06005 · opened Jan 20, 2006 · closed May 2, 2006
• WHEEL SEPARATIONSClosed

  FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES DETERMINED THAT THE WHEEL MOUNTING NUTS HAD BEEN INADEQUATELY TORQUED IN FIFTH WHEEL AND TRAVEL TRAILERS BUILT WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS SINCE JUNE 2002.FLEETWOOD ALERTEDOWNERS VIA A CUSTOMER ADVISORY NOTICE IN APRIL AND MAY OF 2003.ON OCTOBER 29, 2003, FLEETWOOD MADE A DEFECT DETERMINATION AND RENOTIFIED OWNERS. IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S INVESTIGATION, FLEETWOOD PROVIDED CERTAIN PRELIMINARY INFORMATION TO ODI, BUT THIS INFORMATION DOES NOT ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN THE REASON(S) FOR WHEEL SEPARATIONS, AND ODI CONTINUES TO BE CONCERNED THAT THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS MAY NOT COMPLETELY ADDRESS THE ISSUE. FLEETWOOD'S CAMPAIGN DIRECTIVE REQUESTED THAT OWNERS RE-TORQUE THE WHEEL MOUNTING NUTS.ALTHOUGH RE-TORQUING IS CONSISTENT WITH GOOD MAINTENANCE PRACTICE, ODI IS CONCERNED THAT THE NEED TO FREQUENTLY RE-TORQUE THE WHEEL MOUNTING NUTS MAY BE INDICATIVE OF UNDERLYING DESIGN, ASSEMBLY, OR…

  RQ03009 · opened Nov 21, 2003 · closed Mar 17, 2004