NHTSA Complaint #10228078 — 1998 FLEETWOOD TIOGA

FLEETWOOD TIOGA CLASS "C" MOTOR HOME, FUEL LINE PROBLEM, REPAIRED. COINCIDENTLY, TWO DAYS PRIOR TO OUR ALREADY SCHEDULED REPAIR APPOINTMENT I RECEIVED A "CONSUMER MAINTENANCE ADVISORY" FROM FLEETWOOD WITH REGARD TO GENERATOR FUEL LINES. THE LETTER INDICATES THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MODEL YEARS 1997 TO 2000 YEAR GASOLINE EQUIPPED MOTOR HOMES. THE LETTER ALSO INFORMED US THERE ARE TWO SECTIONS OF FUEL LINE. ONE GOES FROM THE GENERATOR TO A STEEL LINE ON THE FRAME RAIL. THE OTHER LINE GOES FROM THE SAME STEEL LINE ON THE FRAME RAIL TO THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. UNTIL I RECEIVED THIS LETTER I NEVER KNEW THAT THERE WERE TWO SECTIONS OF FUEL LINE. THE LETTER GOES ON TO INSTRUCT THE OWNER TO INSPECT THE FIRST SECTION OF FUEL LINE AND IF IT SHOWS SIGNS OF DETERIORATION TO REPLACE BOTH HOSE SECTIONS. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS MOTOR HOME. THE FIRST OWNER HAD ALREADY REPLACED THE FIRST SECTION OF FUEL LINE. THEREFORE, DURING MY "ROUTINE" MAINTENANCE ON THE GENERATOR THE FUEL LINE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF DETERIORATION. HOW MANY OTHER SUBSEQUENT OWNERS ARE THERE WHERE THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAS REPLACED THE FIRST SECTION OF FUEL LINE? IF THEY FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTION OF THE ADVISORY THEY WILL THINK THE HOSE IS GOOD AS I DID. ALSO, TO REQUIRE MOTOR HOME OWNERS TO ROUTINELY INSPECT A SECTION OF FUEL HOSE THAT IS ONLY VISIBLE BY DROPPING A FUEL TANK IS RIDICULOUS AND IN MOST CASES THIS INSPECTION WILL NOT BE DONE WITH SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL CONSEQUENCES SHOULD A FIRE OCCUR. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THESE MODEL YEAR MOTOR HOMES AND INSTEAD OF A SERVICE ADVISORY BEING ISSUED A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED. *TR