2004 FLEETWOOD WILDERNESS Structure Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 (NA) FLEETWOOD WILDERNESS ADVANTAGE AX6 RV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE SEWER TANK DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME FAILED AND CAUSED THE SEWER TANK TO FALL OFF. UPDATED 07/28/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEWER TANK DISLODGE FROM THE FRAME AND FELL ONTO THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER DISCONNECTED THE TANK AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE AND WITHIN 3 MILES THE SHOCK ABSORBER BROKE PUNCTURING THE REAR TIRE AND CAUSING A BLOWOUT. THE DEALER STATED THE FRAME TWISTED CAUSING THE SEWER TANK TO FALL OFF. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE WAS A RECALL. 05V289000 THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO HIS RV. UPDATED 07/31/09.*JB

THE FIRST ONE IS THE ANGLE IRON BRACKET THE PROPANE BOTTLE SITS IN RUBS THE BOTTOM OF THE CYLINDER AND COULD CAUSE FAILURE OF THE CYLINDER. THE SECOND ONE IS THE SELF TAPPING SCREWS THAT ATTACH THE HOLD DOWN STRAPS FOR THE GENERATOR FUEL TANK WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE TANK AND COULD RUB A HOLE IN IT. THE THIRD COMPLAINT IS THAT THE LOADED WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER COULD EXCEED THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TIRES AND AXLES. THE TWO AXLES ARE RATED AT 6000 LBS. EACH AND THE FOUR TIRES ARE RATED AT 3000 LBS EACH. WHEN THE TOW VEHICLE HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD IT WILL TRANSFER THE FULLY LOAD TRAILER WEIGHT TO THE TIRES AND AXLES THEREFORE EXCEEDING THE RATED CAPACITY OF THE TIRES AND AXLES. THE GVWR IS LISTED AT 13500 LBS. IF YOU ASSUME 1600 POUND HITCH WEIGHT THAT WOULD LEAVE 11900 LBS. ON...

NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 05V-289 I CONTACTED LIPPERT AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN# DOES NOT MATCH THOSE IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED RECALL. HOWEVER, MY FLEETWOOD WILDERNESS 365 ADVANTAGE AX6 FIFTH-WHEEL WAS TOWED 9/14/05 TO LIPPERT DUE TO BROKEN WELDS ON THE CHASSIS. MY HUSBAND WAS TOWING THE VEHICLE WHEN A PASSERBY FLAGGED HIM (ON THE FREEWAY) AND SAID TO PULL OVER DUE THE EXCESSIVE WEAVING OF THE TRAILER. HE DID SO AND SAW THAT THE UNIT HAD ACTUALLY SEPARATED FROM THE CHASSIS AND A BEND WAS VISIBLE THROUGHOUT THE INSIDE. HE SAW THE BROKEN CROSS STRAPS AND CALLED FLEETWOOD, WHO AFTER MUCH DEBATE, CONTACTED LIBBERT AND SENT TECHNICIANS TO WELD BACK TOGETHER. LIPPERT STATED AFTER WELDING IT WOULD BE TOWABLE, BUT MY HUSBAND REFUSED AND HAD A PROFESSION TOW COMPANY TAKE TO LIPPERT IN RIALTO, WHERE THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO FIX IT. THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY...

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FLEETWOOD WILDERNESS ADVANTAGE. A RECALL NOTICE ON THE CHASSIS WAS ISSUED, AND THEY TOLD HIM TO CALL ONE NUMBER. HOWEVER THEY GAVE THE CONSUMER LITTLE OR NO INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECALL, THEY JUST TOLD HIM THE CHASSIS WAS MISSING WELD, TO BEEF UP THE CHASSIS, AND ABOUT SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE CHASSIS BUCKLED. HE ASKED FLEETWOOD TO COME AND PICK UP THE TRAILER, AND THEY REFUSED TO PICK UP THE TRAILER. HE ASKED TO SPEAK WITH A SUPERVISOR FROM FLEETWOOD, AND THEY WOULD NOT LET HIM SPEAK WITH ANYONE. IT SOUNDED TO HIM LIKE FLEETWOOD WAS UNPREPARED AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING. IN THE RECALL LETTER THAT HE RECEIVED HIS NAME WAS MISSPELLED. HE HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE DEALERSHIP WHERE HE PURCHASED THE TRAILER.*AK