WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, BRAKES STICK AND WON'T RELEASE. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE FORD MANUFACTURER. REAR BRAKES AND CALIPERS WERE REPAIRED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURHTER INFORMATION. *AK
1997 Fleetwood Bounder
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Bounder years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 12 of 29 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Parking Brake. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
29 reportsLEVELING JACK HYDRAULIC FLUID RESERVOIR IS MOUNTED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE FRONT TIRE, AND HAS NO PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS THROWN FROM THE TIRE WHICH CAUSES CORROSION ON THE HYDRAULIC LINES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
I HAVE A 1996 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER MOTORHOME MODEL 32H ON A FORD F-SUPER DUTY MOTORHOME CHASSIS WITH A 460 CID ENGINE. WITH 12,200 MILES ON THE ODOMETER I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN I CAME TO TO THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE HIGHWAY AND THE BRIDGE, THERE WAS A LEVEL CHANGE BETWEEN THE BRIDGE AND THE HIGHWAY. I FELT A …
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 1996 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER MOTORHOME MODEL 32H ON A FORD F-SUPER DUTY MOTORHOME CHASSIS WITH A 460 CID ENGINE. WITH 12,200 MILES ON THE ODOMETER I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN I CAME TO TO THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE HIGHWAY AND THE BRIDGE, THERE WAS A LEVEL CHANGE BETWEEN THE BRIDGE AND THE HIGHWAY. I FELT A SMALL JAR AND IMMEDIATELY THE FRONT END WENT INTO A VIOLENT BACK AND FORTH VIBRATION WITH LOTS OF AMPLITUDE. I THOUGHT THE MOTORHOME WAS GOING TO LEAVE THE FRAME. THE BACK AND FORTH MOTION DID NOT STOP UNTIL I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. ABOUT 10-20 MILES FURTHER, THE SAME CONDITIONS RESULTED IN THE SAME VIOLENT REACTION. THE MOTORHOME NOW HAS 15,200 MILE ON IT AND I HAVEN'T HAD THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER I AM AWARE THE PROBLEM EXISTS AND AM VERY CAUTIOUS WHEN I APPROACH A BRIDGE. HOWEVER, I AM CERTAIN IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN IF A CHUCKHOLE IS ENCOUNTERED. I LIVE IN FEAR THAT I WILL LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WILL CAUSE A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. IT WAS ALL I COULD DO TO HOLD ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL. IF MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IT'S DOUBTFUL SHE COULD HAVE HANDLED IT. I TALKED WITH A FORD REPRESENTATIVE IN ARIZONA, PHONE 1-800-444-3311 EXT 261 AND HE TOLD ME TO HAVE THE WHOLE FRONT END INSPECTED AND TO HAVE THE STEERING STABILIZER REPLACED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURED AT 12,200 MILES. WHAT COULD WEAR AT 12,200 MILES TO CAUSE SUCH A MAJOR PROBLEM? DOES THIS MEAN I SHOULD HAVE THE STEERING STABILIZER REPLACED EVERY 10,000 MILES? OTHER MOTORHOME OWNERS WITH FORD CHASSIS HAVE HAD THE EXACT EXPERIENCE. TO LISTEN TO THEIR STORIES IS SCARRY AS IT'S USUALLY SO IDENTICAL TO WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. I FEEL WHAT THE FORD REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME IS A SMOKESCREEN. THERE IS AN AFTER-MARKET PRODUCT CALLED A DAVIS TRUTRAC BAR THAT KEEPS THE AXLE FROM SWINGING BACK AND FORTH,THUS ELIMINATING THE PROBLEM. IT COSTS $332.10. FORD SHOULD PAY FOR ITS INSTALLATION OR COME UP WITH A FIX OF THEIR OWN. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED. *AK
FUEL PUMP FAILURE CAUSING ENGINE TO DIE.
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE AUTOMATIC PARKING BRAKE ENGAGES, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY STOP. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CONSUMER HAS RECALL FOR EGR VALVE, MANUFACTURER RECALL NO. 97S92. CANNOT GET RECALL WORK DONEDUE TO PARTS NOT BEING AVAILABLE. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE FLUID DOES NOT RETURN TO THE MASTER CYLINDER WHICH CAUSES A BUILD UP OF PRESSURE WHICH THEN CAUSES THE FLUID TO BOIL, THEN AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT CUTS OFF, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT . THE TRANSMISSION FLUID STARTED LEAKING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SMOKE . OWNER CONTACTED MANFUFACTURER, MANUFACTURER TOLD OWNER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL CAMPAING ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CUT OFF TWO TIMES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. *AK
VEHICLE IS OVERWEIGHT ON THE LEFT SIDE.
Official recalls
507V120000 · Equipment:recreational Vehicle/trailer
Mar 19, 2007
CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES AND TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR, MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION, MAY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE BOILER TUBE. PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION COULD BE RELEASED INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: FLEETWOOD WILL BE WORKING WITH DOMETIC IN ORDER TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 06E076). DOMETIC WILL REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS BY INSTALLING A SECONDARY BURN HOUSING, A THERMAL FUSE, AND A MELT FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. DOMETIC HAS RETAINED STERICYCLE INC. TO MANAGE THIS CAMPAIGN. STERICYCLE WILL ASSIST YOU IN LOCATING DEALERSHIPS OR SERVICE CENTERS AND WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC/STERICYCLE AT 1-888-446-5157 OR FLEETWOOD AT 1-800-322-8216.
98V147000 · Visibility:windshield
Jun 26, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTOR HOMES. THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOWS DO NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 205, "GLAZING MATERIALS," FOR AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF TINT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE DRIVER REDUCED VISIBILITY THROUGH THE SIDE WINDOWS WHEN BACKING UP, WHEN USING THE MIRRORS FOR LANE CHANGES, OR WHENEVER LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOWS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE WINDOWS.
97V178000 · Equipment:mechanical:integrated Jack/leveler/stabilizer
Oct 7, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CLASS A MOTOR HOMES. THE HYDRAULIC HOSES WHICH OPERATE THE LEVELING JACK SYSTEM IS ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO THE ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSING THE HOSE TO MELT, RELEASING HYDRAULIC FLUID.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS HYDRAULIC FLUID CAN IGNITE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUSING A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT, REPLACE ANY DAMAGED HOSES, AND RELOCATE THE AFFECTED HYDRAULIC LINES.
96V236000 · Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls
Nov 22, 1996
THE E-Z SLIDE-OUT ROOM CAN OPERATE UNEXPECTEDLY. WATER CAN CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE SLIDE-OUT ROOM CONTROL RELAY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SLIDE-OUT ROOM OPERATES UNEXPECTEDLY, THE MOTOR HOME WIDTH WILL INCREASE WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT IF TRAVELING OR PROPERTY DAMAGE COULD OCCUR WHILE THE MOTOR HOME IS PARKED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REPLACEMENT CONTROL RELAY IN A WATERPROOF LOCATION ON THESE MOTOR HOMES.
96V220000 · Electrical System:wiring:fuses And Circuit Breakers
Nov 1, 1996
MISWIRING OF THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMP RECEPTACLE FOR THE REPLACEABLE HALOGEN LAMP CAUSES A NONCOMPLIANCE TO FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAUSES REDUCED LIGHTING LEVELS WITH THE LOW BEAM OPERATION RESULTING IN REDUCED VISIBILITY DURING DARK DRIVING CONDITIONS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND MODIFY THE MOTOR HOME WIRING TO PROVIDE CORRECT CIRCUIT CONNECTIONS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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