2002 Fleetwood American Heritage recalls and problems

The 2002 Fleetwood American Heritage has 4 recalls and 1 owner complaint on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is suspension.

How the 2002 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

4recalls

1complaints

0crashes

0fires

0injuries

—median 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 →

4 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

Jun 3, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V240000 · 1,263 vehicles

Problem: Fleetwood is recalling certain class a gas and diesel motor homes, class c motor homes, conventional and fifth wheel travel trailers equipped with norcold refrigerators. A low cycle fatigue failure in the section of the cooling unit which generates the refrigerant could allow the liquid solution to slowly leak.

Original NHTSA wording

FLEETWOOD IS RECALLING CERTAIN CLASS A GAS AND DIESEL MOTOR HOMES, CLASS C MOTOR HOMES, CONVENTIONAL AND FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. A LOW CYCLE FATIGUE FAILURE IN THE SECTION OF THE COOLING UNIT WHICH GENERATES THE REFRIGERANT COULD ALLOW THE LIQUID SOLUTION TO SLOWLY LEAK.

Risk: Extended operation of a leaking cooling unit could lead to a fire from gas which might escape.

Original NHTSA wording

EXTENDED OPERATION OF A LEAKING COOLING UNIT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE FROM GAS WHICH MIGHT ESCAPE.

Remedy & notes

Fleetwood is working with norcold to repair these refrigerators. Norcold will provide thermal switch kits to owners along with the necessary forms and instructions. The recall is expected to begin during June 2008. Owners May contact norcold at 1-800-767-9101 or Fleetwood at 1-800-509-3418.

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.

Equipment

Mar 19, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V120000 · 167,096 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Risk: Release of coolant under certain conditions could ignite and result in a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

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. Stericycle will assist you 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.

Customers May 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.

Service Brakes

May 31, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V018006 · 100 vehicles

Problem: On certain motorhomes equipped with arvinmeritor wabco pneumatic anitlock brake system (ABS) valve packages, the assembly bolts on these valve packages were not tightened correctly.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN MOTORHOMES EQUIPPED WITH ARVINMERITOR WABCO PNEUMATIC ANITLOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) VALVE PACKAGES, THE ASSEMBLY BOLTS ON THESE VALVE PACKAGES WERE NOT TIGHTENED CORRECTLY.

Risk: Bolts torqued below specification will not reliably prevent air leakage at the affected ABS valve package interface joints once the component begins normal vehicle operation. If air leaks develop at any of the ABS valve package interface joints, brake system pressure reductions could occur during braking or normal operation with units equipped with the traction control option, potentially extending stopping distances, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

BOLTS TORQUED BELOW SPECIFICATION WILL NOT RELIABLY PREVENT AIR LEAKAGE AT THE AFFECTED ABS VALVE PACKAGE INTERFACE JOINTS ONCE THE COMPONENT BEGINS NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION. IF AIR LEAKS DEVELOP AT ANY OF THE ABS VALVE PACKAGE INTERFACE JOINTS, BRAKE SYSTEM PRESSURE REDUCTIONS COULD OCCUR DURING BRAKING OR NORMAL OPERATION WITH UNITS EQUIPPED WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL OPTION, POTENTIALLY EXTENDING STOPPING DISTANCES, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will tighten the fasteners to the proper specification. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact arvinmeritor wabco at 1-859-746-5956 or Fleetwood at 1-800-629-8454.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Suspension1

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)

2002 vs. other Fleetwood American Heritage years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2002. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2002 Fleetwood American Heritage have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2002 Fleetwood American Heritage, 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 2002 Fleetwood American Heritage?

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