Fleetwood Southwind Problems by Year
NHTSA has 132 owner complaints and 40 safety recalls on file for the Fleetwood Southwind, across 28 model years (1995–2023). The 2003 model year has the most complaints (24). The most reported problem area overall is service brakes, hydraulic.
Fleetwood Southwind years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Southwind year: 1995, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2004. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2003 Southwind: 24 complaints, 8 recalls
- 1995 Southwind: 15 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2004 Southwind: 13 complaints, 8 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2014 Southwind: 1 complaint, 3 recalls
- 2016 Southwind: 1 complaint, 3 recalls
- 2017 Southwind: 1 complaint, 1 recall
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Fleetwood Southwind problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 27 | 9 | 0 |
| Visibility | 19 | 10 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 15 | 10 | 1 |
| Equipment | 14 | 9 | 0 |
| Structure | 13 | 11 | 0 |
| Suspension | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 9 | 5 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| Steering | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Power Train | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Trailer Hitches | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 1 | 0 |
All Fleetwood Southwind model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Southwind | 1 | 6 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | |
| 2022 Southwind | 1 | 5 | — | Trailer Hitches | |
| 2021 Southwind | 1 | 6 | — | Seat Belts | |
| 2020 Southwind | 1 | 5 | — | Equipment | |
| 2019 Southwind | 0 | 2 | — | — | |
| 2018 Southwind | 0 | 4 | — | — | |
| 2017 Southwind | 1 | 1 | — | Visibility | |
| 2016 Southwind | 1 | 3 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2015 Southwind | 0 | 2 | — | — | |
| 2014 Southwind | 1 | 3 | — | Tires | |
| 2012 Southwind | 3 | 1 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2011 Southwind | 0 | 4 | — | — | |
| 2010 Southwind | 0 | 3 | — | — | |
| 2009 Southwind | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2008 Southwind | 0 | 2 | — | — | |
| 2007 Southwind | 3 | 3 | — | Visibility | |
| 2006 Southwind | 4 | 6 | — | Visibility | |
| 2005 Southwind | 8 | 4 | — | Visibility | |
| 2004 Southwind | 13 | 8 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2003 Southwind | 24 | 8 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2002 Southwind | 4 | 5 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2001 Southwind | 4 | 4 | — | Visibility | |
| 2000 Southwind | 8 | 4 | — | Electrical System | |
| 1999 Southwind | 7 | 2 | — | Electrical System | |
| 1998 Southwind | 13 | 1 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 Southwind | 8 | 2 | — | Parking Brake | |
| 1996 Southwind | 11 | 1 | — | Visibility | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1995 Southwind | 15 | 0 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Fleetwood: all Fleetwood models · VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Fleetwood Southwind years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1995 (15), 1996 (11), 1998 (13), 2003 (24), 2004 (13) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Southwind year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Fleetwood Southwind?
Service Brakes, Hydraulic, with 27 complaints across 9 model years.
How many recalls does the Fleetwood Southwind have?
40 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.