2003 Fleetwood American Dream recalls and problems

The 2003 Fleetwood American Dream has 2 recalls and 1 owner complaint on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is tires.

How the 2003 compares

Lowest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Lowest complaint count among 4 American Dream model years — 4th most.

2recalls

1complaints

0crashes

0fires

0injuries

66,729median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

2 recalls

Equipment

Jul 28, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V312000 · 6,684 vehicles

Problem: Fleetwood RV is recalling certain model year 2005 and 2006 motorhomes manufactured between July 24, 2004 and March 11, 2005, equipped with norcold model 1200LR, 1200LRIM, and 1201LRIM refrigerators with serial numbers between 1273701 and 1536607, non-consecutively. A fatigue failure in the section of the cooling unit which contains the refrigerant could allow the liquid solution to slowly leak. If a leak occurs and the refrigerator continues to be operated after solution circulation has ceased the heat source could generate very high temperatures. At such high temperatures, the cooling unit could rupture.

Original NHTSA wording

FLEETWOOD RV IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005 AND 2006 MOTORHOMES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JULY 24, 2004 AND MARCH 11, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD MODEL 1200LR, 1200LRIM, AND 1201LRIM REFRIGERATORS WITH SERIAL NUMBERS BETWEEN 1273701 AND 1536607, NON-CONSECUTIVELY. A FATIGUE FAILURE IN THE SECTION OF THE COOLING UNIT WHICH CONTAINS THE REFRIGERANT COULD ALLOW THE LIQUID SOLUTION TO SLOWLY LEAK. IF A LEAK OCCURS AND THE REFRIGERATOR CONTINUES TO BE OPERATED AFTER SOLUTION CIRCULATION HAS CEASED THE HEAT SOURCE COULD GENERATE VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES. AT SUCH HIGH TEMPERATURES, THE COOLING UNIT COULD RUPTURE.

Risk: If a leak occurs and the unit is continues to operate, hydrogen gas May be expelled and can be ignited, resulting in a fire, possibly causing serious injury or death.

Original NHTSA wording

IF A LEAK OCCURS AND THE UNIT IS CONTINUES TO OPERATE, HYDROGEN GAS MAY BE EXPELLED AND CAN BE IGNITED, RESULTING IN A FIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy & notes

Fleetwood RV will notify owners and the vehicle's refrigerator will be repaired free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during September 2009. Owners May contact Fleetwood RV at 1-800-509-3418 or norcold's recall center at 1-800-767-9101.

Owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Equipment

May 12, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V216000 · 186 vehicles

Problem: On certain class a motor homes equipped with vehicle systems' aqua-hot and hydro-hot water heaters, which use webasto burner tubes, the burner tubes do not meet specifications and could fail prematurely.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN CLASS A MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH VEHICLE SYSTEMS' AQUA-HOT AND HYDRO-HOT WATER HEATERS, WHICH USE WEBASTO BURNER TUBES, THE BURNER TUBES DO NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS AND COULD FAIL PREMATURELY.

Risk: The surface temperature of the exhaust tube exiting from the heater can increase and could potentially ignite combustible materials in or around the vehicle.

Original NHTSA wording

THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE OF THE EXHAUST TUBE EXITING FROM THE HEATER CAN INCREASE AND COULD POTENTIALLY IGNITE COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS IN OR AROUND THE VEHICLE.

Remedy & notes

Vehicle systems is conducting the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. Owners May contact vehicle systems at 1-800-685-4298 or Fleetwood at 1-800-322-8216.

Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Tires1

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

NHTSA investigations

INADVERTENT SLIDE-OUT EXTENSION MOVEMENT

PE06005 · opened Jan 20, 2006 · closed May 2, 2006

Summary

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 AS FLEETWOOD, USE AN ELECTRIC MOTOR. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)

2003 vs. other Fleetwood American Dream years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2003 Fleetwood American Dream have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Fleetwood American Dream, the latest from Jul 28, 2009 (equipment). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Fleetwood American Dream?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention tires (1). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.