McManus v Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc.
Fleetwood Enterprises Class A and Class C Recreational Vehicle Owners Reach $8+ Million Settlement With Company
The parties have reached a settlement apparently valued at $8.55 million in an action filed against recreational vehicle manufacturer Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc. on behalf of original owners of 1994-2000 Fleetwood Class A or Class C motor homes who still own their RVs. The action alleged that the company advertised that its Class A or Class C motor homes could safely pull a 3,500 pound towed load but failed to adequately inform consumers that some chassis manufacturers recommend the use of an auxiliary braking system for safe stopping of a load that heavy. Claim forms must be postmarked by April 18, 2004, to be considered valid.
The settlement provides a $250 cash payment for RV owners who have purchased a supplemental braking system for their RV, or who do so by April 18, 2004. An estimated 33,000 Fleetwood RV owners nationwide fall within the settlement class. In addition, Fleetwood has already mailed safety notices to the settlement class and all registered owners of used 1994-2000 model year Fleetwood Class A and Class C motor homes informing them that their chassis manufacturer may recommend use of a supplemental braking system when towing certain loads, and providing them with safety stickers to affix to their vehicles to notify any future owners as well.
The models included in the settlement are the American Eagle, American Dream, American Flyer, American Tradition, American Heritage, Bounder, Bounder Diesel, Coronado, Discovery, Flair, Jamboree, Jamboree Rallye, Pace Arrow, Pace Arrow--Diesel, Pace Arrow Vision, Southwind, Southwind Storm, Tioga, Tioga Arrow, Tioga Montara, Tioga Walkabout, and Tracker (Private Label).
Claim forms can be found at the settlement website. The settlement was given final approval in a hearing held on September 30, 2003.
