Owners have filed 10 complaints
about the 2003 Fleetwood Prowler with NHTSA between 2003 and 2011.
The largest single group is the body & structure.
Across this model's run it ranks 4 of 5 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 — 34
Against the median year of the Fleetwood Prowler. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 52
10% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
How 2003 compares with every other Fleetwood Prowler
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2003 Fleetwood Prowler
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Equipment & Accessories
440.0%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Body & Structure
440.0%
Median failure at 13,000 miles
Tires
110.0%
Electrical System
110.0%
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.
Dec 2003peak 2Dec 2011
NHTSA investigations into the 2003 Fleetwood Prowler
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...
RQ03009Opened 21 Nov 2003Closed 17 Mar 2004WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
WHEEL SEPARATIONS
FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES DETERMINED THAT THE WHEEL MOUNTING NUTS HAD BEEN INADEQUATELY TORQUED IN FIFTH WHEEL AND TRAVEL TRAILERS BUILT WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS SINCE JUNE 2002.FLEETWOOD ALERTEDOWNERS VIA A CUSTOMER ADVISORY NOTICE IN APRIL AND MAY OF 2003.ON OCTOBER 29, 2003, FLEETWOOD MADE A DEFECT DETERMINATION AND RENOTIFIED OWNERS. IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S INVESTIGATION, FLEETWOOD PROVIDED CERTAIN PRELIMINARY INFORMATION TO ODI, BUT THIS INFORMATION DOES NOT ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN THE REASON(S) FOR WHEEL SEPARATIONS, AND ODI CONTINUES TO BE CONCERNED THAT THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS MAY NOT COMPLETELY ADDRES...
Recalls on the 2003 Fleetwood Prowler
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 200704716,870 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 replace the refrigerator's boiler tube assembly.
Recall 20032894,187 units in Canada
Other
On certain recreational vehicles equipped with a Samsung microwave oven, an electrical short can occur in the microwave oven's membrane panel keypad causing the oven to activate without pressing any keypads. This could result in excessive heat, smoke or possibly a fire. Correction: Samsung will notify its customers and repair the membrane panel keypad. In the meantime, consumers should unplug their microwave ovens, if possible. If the consumer is unable to unplug the microwave, they should leave the door ajar until the membrane panel keypad is replaced.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
SAN Angelo, TXFire
EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PROWLER RV. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL RM2652. WHILE ON VACATION, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY A FIREFIGHTER THAT HIS RV CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO THE DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR. A REPORT WAS FILED. ONE WEEK AFTER THE FAILURE, HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08E032000 (EQUIPMENT). THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE RV, WHICH WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 5/14/09 *CN UPDATED 05/14/09.
NHTSA complaint #10260931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Hiram, GA
TIRES
WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 85 NORTH OF MONTGOMERY, AL, THE CARLISLE TRAIL RADIAL TIRE BLEW OUT CAUSING $7000+ IN DAMAGE TO MY RV. CARLISLE SENT ME 5 REPLACEMENT TIRES BUT DENIED MY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES.
NHTSA complaint #10438920 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wallingford, PA
EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FLEETWOOD PROWLER. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL NUMBER RM2852, SERIAL NUMBER 22200048. HE NOTICED YELLOW RESIDUE LEAKING FROM THE REFRIGERATOR, AND THEN SMELLED AMMONIA. THE REFRIGERATOR FAILED TO REGULATE COLD TEMPERATURES. HE RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE# 08E032000 (EQUIPMENT). DOMETIC REFUSED TO REPLACE THE REFRIGERATOR. THE REPAIRS REFERENCED IN THE CALL ONLY CONTAINS THE FAILURE, BUT DOES NOT SERVE AS A PREVENTIVE REMEDY. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE NOT APPLICABLE. UPDATED 11/03/09 UPDATED 11/04/09
NHTSA complaint #10288565 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Angelo, TXFire
EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PROWLER RV. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL RM2652. WHILE ON VACATION, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY A FIREFIGHTER THAT HIS RV CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO THE DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR. A REPORT WAS FILED. ONE WEEK AFTER THE FAILURE, HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08E032000 (EQUIPMENT). THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE RV, WHICH WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 5/14/09 *CN UPDATED 05/14/09.
NHTSA complaint #10260931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brick, NJ
EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FLEETWOOD PROWLER. THE VEHICLE HAS A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL RM2652. THE CONTACT SMELLED AMMONIA IN THE VEHICLE. THE REFRIGERATOR AND BOILER FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY ON JUNE 22, 2008. DOMETIC STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO MAKE THE RECALL REPAIR SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE CONTACT NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND WAS ADVISED BY ANOTHER DOMETIC OWNER THAT THE RECALL EXISTS. THE RECALL NUMBER AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 9/24/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE BOILER TUBE HAD BURNED. UPDATED 09/26/08.
NHTSA complaint #10236824 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Muscleshell, MT
STRUCTURE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FLEETWOOD PROWLER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SELL THE TRAILER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FLOOR WAS ROTTED. THE REPAIR WOULD COST $2,000. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10219893 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Williamstown, NY
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH ONE OF THE REAR WHEELS SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME.
NHTSA complaint #10075739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 13,000 milesParma, OH
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
2003 FLEETWOOD PROWLER LITE 25Y TRAVEL TRAILER. THE LEFT REAR SPRING BRACKET BROKE AWAY FROM FRAME. WHEN I DISCOVERED IT IT WAS STILL HOLDING AT ONE EDGE. IF I HAD NOT SPOTTED IT, IT CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE BROKEN OFF LEAVING THE REAR TRAILER AXLE LOOSE ON THE LEFT SIDE. THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED SEVERE CONTROL PROBLEMS AND PROBABLY A CRASH. THIS TRAILER IS LESS THAN 2 YRS. OLD BUT THE FRAME ALREADY SHOWS HEAVY RUST. THE BREAK OCCURED AT A WELD JOINT AND IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY WELDED.
NHTSA complaint #10072701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Unknown, DC
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
LETTER REGARDING 2003 FLEETWOOD PROWLER.*MR CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER CONVERTER, IT FAILED TWICE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY GAVE THE CONSUMER A REPLACEMENT PART. THE ORIGINAL UNIT WAS A 45 AMP BUT THE REPLACEMENT WAS A 35 AMP. THE CONVERTER WENT OUT AGAIN AND THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER USE A 55 AMP UNIT. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED WHETHER OR NOT THE INCREASE OF AMPERAGE WILL CREATE CHANCES OF FIRE. ONE OTHER PROBLEM WAS THE WOOD PANEL ON THE REFRIGERATOR FELL OFF. *CB
NHTSA complaint #10051783 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Unknown, DC
STRUCTURE
LETTER REGARDING 2003 FLEETWOOD PROWLER.*MR CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER CONVERTER, IT FAILED TWICE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY GAVE THE CONSUMER A REPLACEMENT PART. THE ORIGINAL UNIT WAS A 45 AMP BUT THE REPLACEMENT WAS A 35 AMP. THE CONVERTER WENT OUT AGAIN AND THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER USE A 55 AMP UNIT. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED WHETHER OR NOT THE INCREASE OF AMPERAGE WILL CREATE CHANCES OF FIRE. ONE OTHER PROBLEM WAS THE WOOD PANEL ON THE REFRIGERATOR FELL OFF. *CB
NHTSA complaint #10051783 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chester, PA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
FLEETWOOD PROLWER TRAILER (YEAR 2003) POWER CONVERTER PROBLEM. I SENT LETTERS TO THE HOME OFFICE AND THE MARYLAND OFFICE. I CAN EMAIL OR FAX YOU A COPY THAT DESCRIBES THE PROBLEMS. THE POWER CONVERTER HAS BROKEN THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 8 MONTHS OF USAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10050654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.