Owners have filed 19 complaints
about the 2005 Fleetwood Discovery with NHTSA between 2005 and 2015.
The largest single group is the windows, mirrors & wipers.
Across this model's run it ranks 3 of 8 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 63
Against the median year of the Fleetwood Discovery. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 100
93% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
How 2005 compares with every other Fleetwood Discovery
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
1,000 – 9,999 miles
214.3%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
750.0%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
535.7%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Oct 2005peak 2May 2015
NHTSA investigations into the 2005 Fleetwood Discovery
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
PE06005Opened 20 Jan 2006Closed 2 May 2006EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
INADVERTENT SLIDE-OUT EXTENSION MOVEMENT
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED BASED ON ODI'S RECEIPT OF A CONGRESSIONAL LETTER ON BEHALF OF A CONSTITUENT.THE CONSTITUENT REPORTED INCIDENTS WHERE THE SLIDE OUT ROOM OF HIS MOTOR HOME WOULD INADVERTENTLY MOVE (EXTEND) DURING HIGHWAY USE.ODI WAS CONCERNED THAT A FULLY EXTENDED SLIDE OUT WOULD DEGRADE THE VEHICLE'S DYNAMIC HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS AND/OR POSSIBLY IMPACT AN OBJECT OR ANOTHER VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A CRASH.ODI CONTACTED FLEETWOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT SLIDE OUT ROOMS WERE INSTALLED IN MOTOR HOMES, TRAVEL TRAILERS AND FOLDING TRAILERS. AS PART OF THE INVESTIGATION ODI VISITED A RV SHO...
Recalls on the 2005 Fleetwood Discovery
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 200824611,692 units in Canada
Other
On certain motorhomes, conventional travel trailers and fifth wheel travel trailers equipped with a Dometic Corporation refrigerator, a fatigue crack can develop in the boiler tube. This could allow the release of pressurized coolant solution into an area where an ignition source is present, which could result in a fire. Correction: Dealers will install a secondary burner housing.
Recall 200522737 units in Canada
Label
On certain motorhomes equipped with a Diesel engine, the tow hitch receiver information label incorrectly lists the weight carrying capacity value of 10,000 lbs and tongue weight value of 1,000 lbs. The correct weight carrying capacity value is 5,000 lbs and the tongue weight value is 500 lbs. Correction: Owners will be provided with corrected tow hitch weight information labels and installation instructions.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 29,000 milesMission, TX
VISIBILITY/WIPER
WINDOWS ARE FOGGED UP BETWEEN THE 2 PIECES OF GLASS. DRIVERS SIDE IS SO BAD YOU CAN NOT SEE THE MIRROR OUTSIDE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE DEATH.
NHTSA complaint #10715023 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 48,000 milesArlington, TX
VISIBILITY/WIPER
THERE WAS NO INCIDENT. MY HOPE IS TO REPORT THIS BEFORE THERE IS. MY MOTORHOME HAS WINDOWS WHICH ARE FOGGING UP VERY BADLY. THE DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGERS SIDE WINDOWS GET SO FOGGY THAT IT MAY BE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS. I HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER MOTORHOME OWNERS WHO ARE FACING THE SAME ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE.
NHTSA complaint #10689656 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 14,314 milesHillsville, VA
VISIBILITY
DOUBLE PANE WINDOWS ARE FOGGING UP RESULTING IN LACK OF VISIBILITY THROUGH THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. DIFFICULT TO SEE THE REARVIEW MIRROR AND OBJECTS ON THE LEFT SIDE WHEN TURNING. FLEETWOOD CLAIMS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH NUMEROUS DISCOVERY OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME COMPLAINTS.
NHTSA complaint #10614540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 25,000 milesRogers, MN
VISIBILITY/WIPER
SIDE WINDOWS ARE FOGGING UP AND CANNOT BE CLEANED. THE WORST IS THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOWS AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE MIRRORS WHICH OF COURSE BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS. BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND ORIGINAL SUPPLIERS (FROM REPORTS BY OTHERS) STATE THIS IS PAST THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE DRIVERS SIGHT IS RESTRICTED.
NHTSA complaint #10486152 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 5,000 milesSouthriding, VA
VISIBILITY/WIPER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FLEETWOOD DISCOVERY. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS WERE FOGGED MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO SEE THROUGH THE WINDOWS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIANS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY REPLACED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AFTER THE WINDOWS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.
NHTSA complaint #10458780 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 4,800 milesWest Palm Beach, FL
VISIBILITY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FLEETWOOD DISCOVERY RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SIDE WINDOWS WOULD BECOME EXTREMELY FOGGY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE SIDE MIRROR WHEN ATTEMPTING A TURN OR TO SEE ANY VEHICLE FROM THE LEFT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED AND DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10432389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hardeeville, SC
VISIBILITY
OUR WINDOWS ARE FOGGED VERY BAD. WHEN THE SUN IS OUT THE GLARE IS SO BAD THAT U CAN NOT SEE OUT TO SEE THE MIRRORS ,VERY DANGEROUS. WHEN I CALLED TO COMPLAIN THEY SAID I CALLED TO LATE FOR THEM TO BE REPAIRED,THEY DID NOT SEND A RECALL .CALLED FLEETWOOD A FEW TIMES AND THEY WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND IT NOR WOULD MY DEALER.THEY NEW THEY HAD A PROBLEM AND WOULD NOT FIX IT.
NHTSA complaint #10423832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hardeeville, SC
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
OUR WINDOWS ARE FOGGED VERY BAD. WHEN THE SUN IS OUT THE GLARE IS SO BAD THAT U CAN NOT SEE OUT TO SEE THE MIRRORS ,VERY DANGEROUS. WHEN I CALLED TO COMPLAIN THEY SAID I CALLED TO LATE FOR THEM TO BE REPAIRED,THEY DID NOT SEND A RECALL .CALLED FLEETWOOD A FEW TIMES AND THEY WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND IT NOR WOULD MY DEALER.THEY NEW THEY HAD A PROBLEM AND WOULD NOT FIX IT.
NHTSA complaint #10423832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 19,000 milesHeath, OH
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
DOUBLE PANE WINDOWS FOGGING FROM BETWEEN THE PANES.
NHTSA complaint #10350427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 15,250 milesMill Creek, WA
VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER
DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW AT DRIVER'S STATION FOGGED AND HARD TO SEE THROUGH. THIS IS WINDOW THAT DRIVER LOOKS THROUGH TO SEE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. AT TWILIGHT IT IS PARTICULARLY BAD WITH REFLECTION OF THE INTERIOR SHOWING IN THE WINDOW OBSCURING THE VISIBILITY TO THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THIS IS A "DOUBLE PANE" WINDOW AND I BELIEVE THE "SEAL" HAS BEEN RUPTURED. THIS SITUATION ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SEE A FOLLOWING CAR THAT HAD STARTED TO PASS AS DRIVER MOVED MOTOR HOME TO THE LEFT.
NHTSA complaint #10341040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 15,250 milesMill Creek, WA
VISIBILITY
DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW AT DRIVER'S STATION FOGGED AND HARD TO SEE THROUGH. THIS IS WINDOW THAT DRIVER LOOKS THROUGH TO SEE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. AT TWILIGHT IT IS PARTICULARLY BAD WITH REFLECTION OF THE INTERIOR SHOWING IN THE WINDOW OBSCURING THE VISIBILITY TO THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THIS IS A "DOUBLE PANE" WINDOW AND I BELIEVE THE "SEAL" HAS BEEN RUPTURED. THIS SITUATION ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SEE A FOLLOWING CAR THAT HAD STARTED TO PASS AS DRIVER MOVED MOTOR HOME TO THE LEFT.
NHTSA complaint #10341040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 18,500 milesCamarillo, CA
VISIBILITY
I HAVE A 2005 DISCOVERY MOTORHOME MANUFACTURED BY FLEETWOOD. THE DUAL PANED DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WHICH WAS MANUFACTURED BY SE GI HAS FAILED AND IS "FOGGING UP" WHICH IS IMPACTING VISIBILITY TO THE SIDE VIEW MIRROR. I AM ALSO STATING TO SEE SIMILAR FAILURES ON SEVERAL OF THE STATIONARY WINDOWS IN THE BACK OF THE MOTORHOME. IN MY OPINION THESE FAILURES ARE PREMATURE.
NHTSA complaint #10311465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 14,500 milesHenagar, AL
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
SEGI WINDOWS IN FLEETWOOD MOTOR HOME ARE FOGGING UP MAKING IT HARD TO SEE REAR VIEW MIRRORS. THIS MAY BE A SAFETY HAZARD.
NHTSA complaint #10292846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tierra Verde, FL
VISIBILITY
WE ARE EXPERIENCING CLOUDING/FOGGING OF ALL OF THE SIDE WINDOWS ON OUR 2005 FLEETWOOD DISCOVERY. IT HAS BEEN PROGRESSING SLOWLY OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO. THE CLOUDING IS SEVERE TO THE POINT THAT IT IS INTERFERING WITH VIEWING MY SIDE MIRROR.
NHTSA complaint #10279210 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 10,000 milesKansas City, KS
VISIBILITY
I HAVE A 2005 FLEETWOOD DISCOVERY 39L CLASS A MOTOR HOME. SEVERAL OF THE WINDOWS ON THIS COACH ARE FOGGING UP, AND CANNOT BE CLEANED TO CLEAR UP THE HAZE. ONE OF THE WORST WINDOW IS THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. THIS MAKES VISION THRU THE WINDOW POOR, AND I FEEL THAT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE READ THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME YEAR/MODEL AS MINE. ALSO IT APPEARS THAT FLEETWOOD IS AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS AND HAS CHANGED SUPPLIERS OF WINDOWS FOR THEIR VEHICLES AS A RESULT. THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN WORSENING FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I FEEL THAT A RECALL FOR THESE WINDOWS IS IN ORDER. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF SOMETHING COULD BE DONE TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM BEFORE ANY OF THESE VEHICLES ARE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE WINDOWS.
NHTSA complaint #10276292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Asheville, NC
VISIBILITY
I OWN A 2005 FLEETWOOD DISCOVERY MOTOR HOME AND EVERY WINDOW IN IT HAD FOGGED UP. OF COURSE, THE MOST DANGEROUS BEING THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. AFTER CALLING FLEETWOOD AND THEY REFERRED ME TO SEGI THE WINDOW MANUFACTURER I FOUND OUT NEITHER OF THEM WOULD ASSIST ME WITH THE PROBLEM. I RESEARCHED AND FOUND A REPAIR FACILITY IN HUDSON, FL., SUNCOAST DESIGN THAT WOULD REPAIR THEM FOR $200.00 PER FRAME. I CHOSE TO REPAIR SEVEN OF THE WINDOWS. THEY DID A SUPERB JOB BUT I STILL FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO INCUR THE EXPENSE.
NHTSA complaint #10274578 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 28,000 milesMclouth, KS
VISIBILITY
THE STATIONARY WINDOW ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF OUR MOTORHOME IS FOGGING UP VERY BADLY. IT IS BAD ENOUGH RIGHT NOW THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO BE ABLE TO SEE THROUGH IT AND TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THE WINDOW GLASS IS MADE BY A COMPANY NAMED SE-GI. I HAVE READ ABOUT LOTS AND LOTS OF OTHER FLEETWOOD VEHICLE OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME TERRIBLE PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMPANY IS OR HAS ALREADY CLOSED FOR BUSINESS. FLEETWOOD WILL NO LONGER DO ANYTHING AS THE BASIC 12 MONTH WARRANTY PERIOD HAS ALREADY EXPIRED. WE HAVE SINCE NOTICED THAT ONE OTHER STATIONARY WINDOW HAS BEGAN TO FOG UP. WE HAD ONE SMALLER WINDOW THAT IS THE TYPE THAT YOU CRANK IT OUTWARD TO OPEN IT UP. IT IS ONE THAT IS ROUGHLY 24-26 INCHES WIDE AND ABOUT 6 INCHES HIGH. WELL THAT SUCKER TOTALLY FELL OUT AS WE WERE DRIVING ALONG THE INTERSTATE. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO RECOVER THAT WINDOW AND THIS ALSO HAPPENED AFTER OUR WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING SIMILAR SUCH INCIDENTS. IT CERTAINLY SEEMS TO ME THAT ANY COMPANY THAT MANUFACTURES VEHICLES THAT COST AN AVERAGE OF WELL OVER $200K, THAT THEY WOULD PERFECT THE PROCESS SO THAT THEY ARE NOT DEALING WITH SUBSTANDARD QUALITY MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP. *TR
NHTSA complaint #10260576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 35,113 milesBrighton, MI
STRUCTURE:BODY
ROOF WATER INTRUSION INTO INTERIOR OF RV REAR VIEW MIRROR CHROME FAILURE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW SEALS FAILURE ALLOWING FOGGING TO OCCUR.
NHTSA complaint #10253334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shelbyville, TN
STRUCTURE
FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS HAS RUST ALL OVER CHASSIS. CHASSIS IS PART OF A FLEETWOOD RV MOTORHOME. FLEETWOOD AND FREIGHTLINER KEEPS SAYING THIS IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. WHY IS IT MY PROBLEM WHEN THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NEW MOTORHOME? I BELIEVE THIS UNIT WAS IN WATER.
NHTSA complaint #10139322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.