2002 FLEETWOOD WILDERNESS — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I HAVE A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR IN MY CAMPER, AND A FEW YEARS AGO I NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF AMMONIA FILL THE CAMPER (I HAD TO EVACUATE FOR SEVERAL HOURS). WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE REFRIGERATOR WAS NO LONGER COOL, AND HAD STOPPED WORKING. THE NEXT YEAR I REC'D A RECALL FROM DOMETIC STATING THAT THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MY UNIT: "A FATIGUE CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE BOILER TUBE OF THE IDENTIFIED REFRIGERATORS, WHICH CAN PERMIT THE RELEASE OF PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION. IF THIS SOLUTION IS EXPOSED TO AN IGNITION SOURCE UNDER CERTAIN SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES, IT CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE." I THEN CALLED SOME REPAIR SHOPS LISTED ON DOMETIC'S WEBSITE TO SCHEDULE A REPAIR. I FINALLY FOUND ONE THAT WAS WILLING TO DO IT (I WOULD ONLY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE CALL) BUT AFTER HE DISCOVERED THAT MY REFRIGERATOR HAD ALREADY QUIT, HE TOLD ME I NEEDED TO CALL DOMETIC. I CALLED DOMETIC, AND AFTER I HAD EXPLAINED TO THE GIRL THAT THE REFRIGERATOR HAD QUIT WORKING, SHE TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR A PREVENTIVE MEASURE IN SHIELDING IT FROM A FIRE. I THEN TOLD HER THAT BASICALLY IF MY UNIT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF. SHE THEN SUGGESTED THAT I "LOOK INTO THAT ROUTE". I TOLD HER I WAS NOT ABOUT TO COMMIT FRAUD BY SETTING MY CAMPER ON FIRE. *TR

I HAVE A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR IN MY CAMPER, AND A FEW YEARS AGO I NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF AMMONIA FILL THE CAMPER (I HAD TO EVACUATE FOR SEVERAL HOURS). WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE REFRIGERATOR WAS NO LONGER COOL, AND HAD STOPPED WORKING. THE NEXT YEAR I REC'D A RECALL FROM DOMETIC STATING THAT THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MY UNIT: "A FATIGUE CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE BOILER TUBE OF THE IDENTIFIED REFRIGERATORS, WHICH CAN PERMIT THE RELEASE OF PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION. IF THIS SOLUTION IS EXPOSED TO AN IGNITION SOURCE UNDER CERTAIN SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES, IT CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE." I THEN CALLED SOME REPAIR SHOPS LISTED ON DOMETIC'S WEBSITE TO SCHEDULE A REPAIR. I FINALLY FOUND ONE THAT WAS WILLING TO DO IT (I WOULD ONLY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE CALL) BUT AFTER HE DISCOVERED THAT MY REFRIGERATOR HAD ALREADY QUIT, HE TOLD ME I NEEDED TO CALL DOMETIC. I CALLED DOMETIC, AND AFTER I HAD EXPLAINED TO THE GIRL THAT THE REFRIGERATOR HAD QUIT WORKING, SHE TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR A PREVENTIVE MEASURE IN SHIELDING IT FROM A FIRE. I THEN TOLD HER THAT BASICALLY IF MY UNIT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF. SHE THEN SUGGESTED THAT I "LOOK INTO THAT ROUTE". I TOLD HER I WAS NOT ABOUT TO COMMIT FRAUD BY SETTING MY CAMPER ON FIRE. *TR

EXCESSIVE FLEXING AND TWISTING OF THE MAIN RAILS THAT SUPPORT THE FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER, CAUSED BREAKAGE OF THE SUPPORT SHACKLES, TIRE WEAR AND STRESS CRACKS. *TR

THE REAR SPRING STANDOFF BRACKETS (BOTH SIDES OF TRAILER) FAILED AT THE REAR OF THE BRACKETS WHERE THE WELD ATTACHED TO THE FRAME. THIS RESULTED IN A WEAKENED "I" BEAM THAT ULTIMATELY CRACKED THE FULL HEIGHT OF THE BEAM. THE RESULTING SAG OF THE REAR PART OF THE TRAILER IS DESTROYING THE INTEGRITY OF INTERIOR COMPONENTS: FLOOR, CEILING, CABINETS, TIP-OUT AND ENTRY DOOR/FRAME. ENGINEERING SHOULD NEVER HAVE ALLOWED WELDING ACROSS EITHER FLANGE (TOP OR BOTTOM) OR THE WEB OF THE MAIN STRUCTURAL BEAM WITHOUT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT; EG. GUSSETS, ADDITIONAL MATERIAL TO STRENGTHEN THE LIGHT-WEIGHT "I" BEAMS. WHEN THESE BRACKETS FAILED IS UNKNOWN. I DISCOVERED THE DAMAGE ONLY AFTER INTERIOR SIGNS OF REAR END SAG BECAME OBVIOUS. I HAD THE FRAME STRENGTHENED BUT THE INTERIOR DAMAGE REMAINS AND I AM RELUCTANT TO TOW THE TRAILER ANY DISTANCE. I HAVE PHOTOS THAT SHOW THE DAMAGE AND THE REPAIRS MADE. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TRAILER WAS TOWING CROOKED. ONCE AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE GAP BETWEEN THE AXLES WERE DIFFERENT. THEN, UPON INSPECTION OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FRAME, THE SHACKLE WAS HANGING FROM THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IRON WELDS WERE WELDED. THE SHOP ALSO FOUND AT LEAST SIX MORE CRACKS IN THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 11/30/06.*JB