AI Damage2002 Fleetwood Wilderness: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Fleetwood Wilderness filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and equipment. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 57% of all complaints
- 2 Equipment 29% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 29% of all complaints
- Structure: 4 complaints (57% of all).
- Equipment: 2 complaints (29% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (29% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 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.
If this solution is exposed to an ignition source under certain specific circumstances, it can result in a vehicle fire." I then called some repair shops listed on dometic's website to schedule a repair.
Excessive flexing and twisting of the main rails that support the fifth wheel travel trailer, caused breakage of the support shackles, tire wear and stress cracks.
The rear spring standoff brackets (both sides of trailer) failed at the rear of the brackets where the weld attached to the frame. This resulted in a weakened "I" beam that ultimately cracked the full height of the beam.
Dt*: the contact stated the trailer was towing crooked. Once at the contact's residence, the contact noticed the gap between the axles were different. Then, upon inspection of the underside of the frame, the shackle was hanging from the frame.
Fleetwood wilderness 5th wheel main frame was failing. While the consumer was checking the rv's tire pressure he noticed that the frame was failing on the left rear spring bracket. The bracket itself was in tact but the frame flange itself had broken from the vertical portion of the frame (the weld did not fail).
After waiting for over four months, the part to repair the microwave under recall still wasn't available. Samsung microwave model number: mr5491g.
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 12,538 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Wilderness has 4 complaints (15 years in the data). This year has 7, above average.
What to check before buying
- 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 2002 Fleetwood Wilderness?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, equipment, suspension. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Fleetwood Wilderness?
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 2002 Fleetwood Wilderness 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 2002 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.