NHTSA Complaint #10129701 — 1999 FLEETWOOD PROWLER

DT: THE FRONT END OF THE BODY OF THE 5TH WHEEL UNIT BROKE. THE BOLTS THAT HELD THE BODY TO THE FRAME BROKE OR SHEARED OFF UNDER PRESSURE WHILE DRIVING WITH THE TRAILER IN TOW. WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A PIECE OF MATERIAL SLIDING OUT OF THE TRAILER UNIT. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO CHECK AND DISCOVERED THE FRONT END HAD OPENED UP NEARLY 3 INCHES, AND FIRST THOUGHT THE FRAME WAS THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO DRIVE SLOWLY AND WATCHED THIS CAREFULLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A DEALER AND THERE THE UNIT WAS OPENED, AND TOOK APART THE NOSE PIECE OFF THE TRAILER AND NOTED BOLTS BROKE OFF. THE DEALER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO OFFERED NO REMEDY. THE CONSUMER CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THEY HAD NO RECALLS OR COMPLAINTS ON THAT TRAILER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALL OF THE BROKEN BOLTS WITH A LARGER SIZE BOLTS. THIS WAS JUST COMPLETED, AND THE CONSUMER HAS NOT PICKED UP THE TRAILER YET. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED IF THESE LARGER BOLTS WORKED. THIS IS MADE BY FLEETWOOD, PROWLER. *AK *SC