27 of the
465 complaints filed about the Fleetwood Bounder
are about the steering —
6% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1990.
At speed, on an interstate highway, a front right wheel bearing failure occurred. Vehicle was safely stopped and had to be towed to a Ford repair facility. Replacement of front right wheel bearings, hub, spindle assembly, brake caliper and pads were needed to fix the damage. Vehicle had less than 32000 miles and does not sit for long periods.
NHTSA complaint #11732070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON 2 OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE STOPPED ALL ELECTRICAL DEVICES STOPPED, NO BRAKES, NO POWERS STEERING, NO LIGHTS, NOT EVEN A HORN. LAST INCIDENT WAS MERGING INTO 70 MPH TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE. I WAS ABLE TO GET VEHICLE STOPPED ON SHOULDER AND IT WAS RECOVERED BY WRECKER. CHASSIS IS FORD V10 .
NHTSA complaint #11046089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
OWNING THIS COACH SINCE 2003 NEAR NEW I HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF EPISODES OF ROCKING, TRACKING AND STEERING CONTROL PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN NEAR MISSES AND ROLL OVER ACCIDENTS. I HAVE OWNED THE SAME BRAND IN OTHER RVS PREVIOUSLY THROUGH THE YEARS BECAUSE I BELIEVED IN THE MANUFACTURED BRAND. THE SUSPENSION IS WELL KNOWN AS A "FLEETWOOD ROCKER" INSTEAD OF A FLEETWOOD BOUNDER BY ALL THE MOTORHOME DEALERS THAT CARRY OTHER FRAMES AND CHASSIS. THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW THE PROBLEMS WITH IT BEING DEALERS AND NOT ENGINEERS. I REPLACED THE SHOCKS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM ONLY TO FIND OUT THE SHOCKS WERE NOT BAD, THEY ARE UNDERSIZED FOR THE COACH BEING TOO TOP HEAVY , AND THE CANTILEVERED COACH WEIGHT THAT IS REAR TO THE AXLES. THE SAME PROBLEM LIES WITH THE SUSPENSION ON SWAY AND STEERING PROBLEMS. THERE ARE NO TRACKING OR STEERING CONTROLS ON THE FRAME TO COUNTERBALANCE THE ADDED WEIGHT OF A COACH ON A FORD WORKHORSE CHASSIS. A STABILIZER ON THE FRONT DOES NOT HELP DUE AGAIN TO BEING TOP HEAVY AND ALL THE WEIGHT REAR OF THE BACK AXLE. THIS COACH SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO BE BUILT ON THAT PARTICULAR FRAME OR CHASSIS WITH THAT MUCH REAR AXLE TAG WEIGHT, WITHOUT ADDED CONTROLS FRONT AND BACK TO STABILIZE THE SUSPENSION AND STEERING OR AT LEAST LENGTHENED WHEEL BASE. BRAKES ARE SAME ISSUE, UNDER SIZED AND CAUSED SEVERE HEATING PROBLEMS TO THE POINT THAT A DESIGN CHANGE HAS SINCE BEEN MADE. THANKS TO SOMEBODY, I JUST WISH THE SUSPENSION AND STEERING WOULD GET THE SAME ATTENTION BY THEM ACCEPTING OWNERSHIP OF THEIR MISTAKE OR BEFORE A FATALITY OCCURS.
NHTSA complaint #10461086 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER MOTORHOME. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING FRONT END WANDERED. HE HAD TO HOLD THE STEERING HARDER SO THAT IT WOULD NOT WANDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BEHAVING NORMALLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,400. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,500.
NHTSA complaint #10331199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE MOTOR HOME HOUSING PART WAS BROKEN FROM THE FRAME CAUSING THE STEERING WHICH IS ALSO CONNECTED TO THE FRAME TO HAVE DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING STEERING. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING FELT AS IF IT WERE LOOSE, WHICH HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT PROBLEM, BUT THE MOTOR HOME HAS NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE DEALER. THE MOTOR HOME HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10166364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE TO BE PARKED, THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE HEARD COMING FROM UNDER THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE ON THE FRONT LEFT. THIS NOISE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHERE THEY REPAIRED THE TIE ROD BUSHING AND REPAIRED THE WHEEL BEARING ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL. UPDATED 10/18/2006 -
NHTSA complaint #10166207 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NAR 02/10/2003.. THE RV HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE WINDSHIELD FALLING OUT, THE ROOF LEAKED, THERE WAS A PROPANE GAS LEAKED WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A FIRE, THE STEERING SYSTEM HAD TO MUCH PLAY, THE BOLTS IN THE U-JOINT FELL OUT, THE WIRES FEEDING THE ALTERNATOR WERE TOO TIGHT, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WAS INOPERATIVE, THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND CLIP BROKE, RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT WORK, THE HANGARS ON THE EXHAUST PIPE BROKE. THE SHOWER HEAD, DRINKING FAUCET, WALL MIRRORS, THE SLIDE ROOM COMPARTMENT, THE VERTICAL PANEL UNDER THE BED CAME APART, MULTIPLE CLIPS ON THE DOOR BROKE, THE TAIL PIPE RUSTED, LIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE, THE WOOD TRIM CAME LOOSE, THE MICROWAVE WAS LOOSE IN THE CABINET. (LAWYER ON BEHALF OF DONAL AND HELEN SCHROEDER)
NHTSA complaint #10008673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH POWER STEERING PUMP MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT, THE POWER BRAKES FAILED. NO IMPACT REPORTED. THE PART HAD BEEN REPLACED OR REPAIRED SIX TIMES. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED.
NHTSA complaint #10089894 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE TURNING A CORNER AT 5 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING SOUND AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT RETURN BACK TO THE ORIGINAL POSITION. CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE STEERING COLUMN BOOT WAS ENTANGLED WITH THE BOTTOM END OF THE STEERING COLUMN.
NHTSA complaint #10064693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE VEHICLE HAD A STATE INSPECTION PERFORMED FROM ANOTHER STATE BEFORE THE CONSUMER TOOK OWNERSHIP. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT SOME THINGS WERE OVERLOOKED AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION. *LA THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE HAD MANY PROBLEMS, SUCH AS DEFECTIVE SPEEDOMETER, POOR WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES, WHICH FAILED TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD, AN EXHAUST LEAK WHICH WAS LEAKING AT THE EXHAUST HEADER, A DEFECTIVE REAR ROOF LADDER, AND A IMPROPERLY MISALIGNED STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10059503 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MOTORING AT 50 MPH HEARD A HARD SLAM ON LEFT SIDE FRONT,PULLED ME ACROSS CENTER LANE WAS ABLE TO STOP SAFELY PULLED INTO A DRIVEWAY CALLED DEALERSHIP.MECHANIC SAID WE AVERTED WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL DISASTER.AFRAID TO ACCEPT IN REPAIRED CONDITION WITHOUT FACTORY REP ON HAND DURING REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #748054 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERE VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING AT 55-60 MPH DUE TO FAULTY FRONT SPRINGS AND REQUIRED INSTALLATION OF THE STEERING DAMPER KIT AS PER TSB. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547466 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VIOLENT SHIMMY FROM THE FRONT END UPON HITTING A DEPRESSION IN THE ROADWAY DUE TO FAILUE OF THE STEERING SHOCK. SHIMMY IS INTERMITTENT, HOWEVER WHEN IT OCCURS IT'S SO VIOLENT IT PULLS THE STEERING WHEEL FROM DRIVERS HANDS WHEN DRIVING AT 60 MPH.
NHTSA complaint #544951 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
OWNER HAD NUMEROUS POWER BRAKE BOOSTERS REPLACED WHICH WAS NOT THE PROBLEM.OWNER STATES POWER STEERING PUMP HOSE CAUSED BRAKE BOOSTER TO GO OUT. ALSO ,STEERING FAILURE, HOSE APPEARS TO GET CRIMPED, CAUSING FLUIDS TO BACKUP.OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #818947 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.