AI Damage1998 Fleetwood Prowler: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Fleetwood Prowler filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about tires and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 10
What fails most often
- 1 Tires 40% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 3 Equipment 10% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 10% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 10% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 10% of all complaints
- Tires: 4 complaints (40% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (20% of all).
- Equipment: 1 complaints (10% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (10% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 10 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
4 goodyear marathon miler trailer service tires purchased around july 2006. 1 tire with lot code 1305 has large bulging not on outside and tire is separating from inner liner. 1 tire with lot code 2104 has signs of separation from liner and dry cracking showing. Also tread is bulging higher on 1 side than the other.
After experiencing a blow out on my trailer myself (goodyear), I found I was in good company. It appears this is a common malady. Please look at these postings. Http://www.campingworld.com/cforum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/14464 015.cfm it is almost common knowledge that trailers have blow outs very often.
While driving on the highway the consumer saw smoke coming from the wheels, the consumer pulled over and discovered damaged to the spring hanger which support the springs and axles of the trailer.
Left rear tire fell apart and knocked the generator fuel tank filler neck off, spilling fuel onto the highway. The tread of the tire just came off. It also tore off the electric brake wires and disabled the brakes.
The frame gussets on both sides of the trailer broke off from in front of the tires to the rear of the trailer causing the sides to move downward. The tires were forced in the wheel well on both sides of the trailer causing them to burn through the plastic wheel well.
Several incidents of electrical wiring failures causing burning and small fires, and component failures (slide out motor and smoke/alarm). Mjs
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 10,921 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 30% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Prowler has 6 complaints (18 years in the data). This year has 10, above average.
What to check before buying
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Fleetwood Prowler?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: tires, electrical system, equipment. Total complaints: 10. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (30%), A/C or heater (10%), knocking, grinding or other noise (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Fleetwood Prowler?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Fleetwood Prowler from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.