2005 Fleetwood Southwind: common problems

Owners of the 2005 Fleetwood Southwind filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 8

What fails most often

1 Visibility 50% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
3 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
4 Structure 13% of all complaints
5 Vehicle speed control 13% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Visibility: 4 complaints (50% of all).
Service brakes: 2 complaints (25% of all).
Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Structure: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (13% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 8 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

windows, sunroof5 · 63%
A/C or heater1 · 13%
engine failure or replacement1 · 13%
overheating, coolant loss1 · 13%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 13%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Visibility	4	0	0
Service brakes	2	0	0
Engine and cooling	1	0	0
Structure	1	0	0
Vehicle speed control	1	0	0
Other	1	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.

Drivers and passenger side windows fog and get moisture between the 2 pieces of glass which causes mineral build up thus greatly reduces visibility of mirrors. Vehicle is a class a motorhome.
Visibility · 2017-10-01 · NHTSA complaint #11030736
The side windows have fogged up to the point I can't see out the passenger side mirror. I have had numerous close calls trying to change lanes. I had all 13 windows replaced in 2014. Now in march 2016 they are starting to fog up again.
Visibility · 2016-04-21 · NHTSA complaint #10860840
The contact stated that the engine failed when the cruise control was engaged. The contact stated that the engine functioned as normal until the cruise control was activated. The vehicle had not been to the dealer. The failure and current mileages were 51,000. Updated 7/23/12
Engine and cooling · 2012-05-21 · NHTSA complaint #10459161
Both driver side and passenger side dual glazed windows are fogged up and making driving hazardous. The other windows in the motor home are fogging up as well. I've checked other forums on-line have found this to be a problem with other owners as well.
Visibility · 2012-04-22 · NHTSA complaint #10456054
Tl contact owns a 2005 fleetwood southwind. While driving approximately 20 mph, the brakes quit working when tried to stop the vehicle. He received a recall notice. He called the dealer and the manufacturer and was unable to speak with them. The failure mileage was 7,000.
Service brakes · 2010-03-02 · NHTSA complaint #10315589
Tl contact owns a 2005 fleetwood southwind 32vs. While driving 50 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle continued to move. He had to depress the pedal completely to the floor in order to stop the vehicle. The dealer advised him to let the brakes cool and bring them the vehicle.
Service brakes · 2008-04-01 · NHTSA complaint #10223064

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20081
20102
20122
20161
20171
20181

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Southwind has 5 complaints (33 years in the data). This year has 8, above average.

What to check before buying

Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Fleetwood Southwind?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, service brakes, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (63%), A/C or heater (13%), engine failure or replacement (13%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 Fleetwood Southwind?

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 2005 Fleetwood Southwind 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 2005 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.